How Am I Going to Cope????

[arnie&caseysma!]

Not exactly money saving but on Friday, after three weeks of suffering horrendous heartburn I finally decided to go to the Doctor as no over the counter remedy and cutting various things out of the diet helped.

Doc decided that as I am adamant I aint preggers that she would take blood and give me some super-duper tablets to help me and see if we can't find out what the problem is.....

I am now sitting here suffering massive headaches :mad: due to my second day with NO caffeine at all, and I can't take the painkillers that are in the cupboard as I only have Ibuprofen which apparently makes the heartburn worse. I bought decaf only to find out it is just as bad for the heartburn.

I have cut out chocolate; caffeine; alcohol; fatty foods; spicy foods and minty stuff. I am only slightly overweight (borderline healthy) so not blaming the heartburn on the excessive weight. I am now cold turkey on everything and hoping that I will be sorted out soon....:eek:

Anyone else out there any ideas???? - How am I going to cope without all the things I love!

[ka7e]

Hopefully your caffeine-withdrawal headache will start to subside after 2-3 days. Your blood test will presumably be looking for the bacteria that cause gastric ulcers. My OH found he was able to resume eating most of his favourite foods (in moderation) after treatment!
But you may be looking at a fairly drastic lifestyle change, and to put a positive spin on it, your "cold turkey" diet is probably going to be a lot better for you than your old one!

[arnie&caseysma!]

Thanks ka7e. I always say that my diet is worse in the winter than it is in the summer - I am a wintersport person and that is usually very sociable and accompanied by at least two drinks after each session although I am very conscious of this. I also prefer stodgy foods in the winter and rarely eat fruit etc. My problem now is that I seem to have replaced chocolate with crisps which are just as bad for you if not worse!:eek:

The whole thing really is starting to burst me. I know that Dad has had ulcer in the past and Doc did ask if we had a family history of them. I don't fancy the old tube down the throat but if needs must.....

[Justie]

if you don't eat something for a realatively short period of time (something like 3 weeks) then you lose the taste for it to a certain exent anyway so you'll soon get used to a different way of eating. Horrid if in the meantime you're suffering though.

Do milky things help the heartburn at all? You can make milky sauces with skimmed milk or creme frais so it's not fatty and eat low fat yogurts. It may not help you anyway but some people find it soothes some of the worst of it.

[gooismeid]

Re: heartburn - have you considered that it might be gallstones rather than an ulcer? Coming from a family of people who have suffered all kinds of stomach problems, I can tell you that fatty and spicy foods will aggravate gallstones which feel like heartburn right under your breastbone. And with the caffeine, persevere because the caffeine-withdrawal headaches WILL tail off soon! If you're wanting hot drinks then try some of the herbal teas - the ones with most flavour are things like redbush, and Morrisons does a lovely lime and ginger one. On the plus side, if it IS an ulcer you're in luck because all you'll need is a course of antibiotics and you should be right as rain.

[arnie&caseysma!]

if you don't eat something for a realatively short period of time (something like 3 weeks) then you lose the taste for it to a certain exent anyway so you'll soon get used to a different way of eating. Horrid if in the meantime you're suffering though.

Do milky things help the heartburn at all? You can make milky sauces with skimmed milk or creme frais so it's not fatty and eat low fat yogurts. It may not help you anyway but some people find it soothes some of the worst of it.

Thanks Justie. A couple of years ago when dieting most of my foods were done with creme fraiche etc and I suffered it because I was determined to succeed. Things like that just taste too bland for me. I'm convinced I was made to live in a hot country as I like my food like the weather - hot! (I wasn't made to live in the brrrrrr in the UK!).

I am going to have to make a helluva lot of changes and I sure as hell aint gonna like most of them but I suppose that I will adapt in the long run....

[arnie&caseysma!]

Gooismeid - yes someone else did mention that to me the other day but it hasn't been explored yet. Will wait and see what the results of the blood test brings first. Got myself some herbal teas there and trying to get back into them - I used to drink them like they were going out of fashion and then got bored!!!

As you can all see nothing is going to please me about this but at the end of the day health comes first and I know things have to change - and I suppose I will look on the bright side and say it could be worse.......

[Justie]

Thanks Justie. A couple of years ago when dieting most of my foods were done with creme fraiche etc and I suffered it because I was determined to succeed. Things like that just taste too bland for me. I'm convinced I was made to live in a hot country as I like my food like the weather - hot! (I wasn't made to live in the brrrrrr in the UK!).

I am going to have to make a helluva lot of changes and I sure as hell aint gonna like most of them but I suppose that I will adapt in the long run....
I sympathise! You can use herbs but I know it's not the same...

[sleepymy]

Make sure you stay off acidic foods and drinks too and some peppermint tea might help a bit.

[Gingham Ribbon]

DH has ulcerations in his stomach lining and has had to radically change his diet and has been on some strong stomach pills for several months. (Without them he turns a pretty nasty grey colour and feels very faint.)

He doesn't drink, avoids coffee, spicy foods and too much fatty food. Giving up the hot chillis we used to regularly have was a bind, and the no alcohol thing was a pain at first but it's helping him feel better so it's all worth it.

Go with what your doc says and remember that there isn't much that is worth risking your health for.

[Violetta]

Just a thought but if youve cut out coffee could the headaches be caused by being a bit dehydrated aswell as caffeine withdrawal (if your drinking less fluids IYSWIM). Second trying the peppermint tea for the heartburn helped me when I was pregnant.
Edit to add- Sorry missed the bit about you not being allowed minty things when I put about peppermint tea, DOH

[sarahlouise210]

I suffered chronic heartburn for what seemed like forever - I was on very strong antacid medication that did not work. I have now had an operation that effecitvely makes it impossible for anything to come out of my stomach - since the day of the op I have never had heartburn again! It was a total godsend. I feel for you as it really is miserable beyond belief.

[unixgirluk]

Not exactly money saving but on Friday, after three weeks of suffering horrendous heartburn I finally decided to go to the Doctor as no over the counter remedy and cutting various things out of the diet helped.

Doc decided that as I am adamant I aint preggers that she would take blood and give me some super-duper tablets to help me and see if we can't find out what the problem is.....

I am now sitting here suffering massive headaches :mad: due to my second day with NO caffeine at all, and I can't take the painkillers that are in the cupboard as I only have Ibuprofen which apparently makes the heartburn worse. I bought decaf only to find out it is just as bad for the heartburn.

I have cut out chocolate; caffeine; alcohol; fatty foods; spicy foods and minty stuff. I am only slightly overweight (borderline healthy) so not blaming the heartburn on the excessive weight. I am now cold turkey on everything and hoping that I will be sorted out soon....:eek:

Anyone else out there any ideas???? - How am I going to cope without all the things I love!

I developed an intolerance to caffeine a number of years ago after working in a lab with pure caffeine powder. The withdrawal headaches will go away totally after four days. The worst place you'll probably feel it is at the base of your skull. Try a warm bath and sink down into the water so that the base of the skull is resting in the water. This helps believe me! As for the things you love there are safe alternatives. Try your nearest Holland and Baratt (or health food shop)


Coffee - try Dandelion coffee alternative (no caffeine), this stuff was a miracle to me. Make sure you drink it while its hot though.

Chocolate - try carob (similar to milk chocolate). You can buy this as bars in the health food shop, sweets, even now boxes of 'chocolates'. You can use this in your own baking too. If you like white chocolate look out for yoghurt covered items as this is similar to white chocolate.

Minty stuff - since you're not allowed this then try green tea. It really settles your stomach. You can also get it in a sweet form that can be used instead of mints. Also (check this with your doctor) Aloe Vera juice is good for this too.

[shykins]

i have suffered from severe heartburn for a couple of years (sometimes in resulting in hospital stays cos of the pain) so i do sympathise

mine is caused mainly by a hiatus hernia so it neednt be an ulcer... i should imagine your dr has or will suggest and endoscopy at some point which will confirm whether theres ulcers etc.... avoid any anti inflams like the plague cos they will cause damage to your stomach and increase the heartburn... tho u can take other painkillers like paracetamol for your headache

with regard to coffee i find that some brands cause me problems whilst others dont and that includes decaffs so it might be worth trying a few.. i can tell u that nescafe decaff and half caff are ok for me whilst maxwell house isnt.. i can only assume its the way its made

personally i find i can eat spicy foods and all the other things u mentioned as it does not seem to be a particular food that starts me off, if things are feeling dodgy i avoid them but otherwise its ok.. so it may be that altho u are avoiding them now it will not be a lifetime thing so dont get too disheartened as yet til u have a proper diagnosis

good luck and hope u feel better soon
x

[arnie&caseysma!]

Thanks everyone. Aswell as everything I have already started I am also thinking about going to see the guy that comes to the local healthfood shop to see if I have developed an intolerance to certain foods that could also be causing the problems so i can avoid them.

Fingers crossed!!!

[straws]

Drinking camomile tea really helps with caffeine withdrawal. I gave up caffeine a while ago, drank gallons of camomile instead and didn't have any withdrawal symptoms at all.

[arnie&caseysma!]

Thanks again folks. Ended up not going to work last night with the headaches they were so bad and feeling quite lethargic at the mo which getting the cold doesnt seem to help but I am hoping this passes soon.

[nearlyrich]

I used to suffer from heartburn all the time, I cut the fat in my diet and I am fine now unless I eat white bread which makes me feel very ill for a few hours. I hope you feel better soon.