I am going through the worse time with indigestion. It seems like I have it 24/7. My doctor prescribed Losec but that even seems to not work to get rid of it completely. It gets so bad that my chest, back and throat feel a burning sensation that is really bad. I have also tried maalox, mylenta and pepto to try to get rid of it. I don't eat spicy food anymore and I watch what I eat. It seems that it doesn't matter what I eat, I get indigestion. Does anyone else have any suggestions what else I can do to get rid of it. Much appreciated!

Hi lucsmom,

Have you tried cutting out fatty foods, caffeine & alcohol. They make my stomach acid so much worse. Also try eating slowly & chewing up well as I find that helps.

I drink decaffinated tea and coffee. I don't drink alcohol at all (never was much of a drinker). I try to eat right, but it seems everything and anything that I eat gives me the indigestion. I know that sometimes I do eat quickly which may be the problem. Thanks for your reply and suggestions.

Hi All-

I just had to join this thread. I have had bad indegestion and gas for 3 weeks. Some days are better than others. Some days are 24/7 discomfort. I have more gas than the burning acid but I have had both.

Often GasX doesn't even work. I am on a diet of plain (non-spicy) foods. No rich desserts. No heavy meals and that seems to help but I have never experienced anything this persistent.

Someone a work told me to go on a liquid diet for 2 weeks. I am going to the garstro dr today and see what he suggests. I am sure I will have to endure some uncomfortable tests but I am tired of feeling like crap.

I am never sure what to eat and don't like to travel far from a bathroom as stomach cramps can hit whenever.

The bloating and gas is really uncomfortable. Can this be the result of peri?

I don't drink, smoke, eat many sweets, or drink cafinated beverages.

Sandy

Lucsmom - I find even decaff tea and coffee upset my stomach. Just a thought!

Hi:
Just wanted to add that I've suffered from acid reflux for many years and have tried everything. Last 2 weeks I have quit coffee and tea entirely and just drink water or flavored water, and maybe a sprite hear and there.

In the mornings I now take 2 tsp. apple cider vinegar (HAS to be from Health food store-must have "mother" in it) and 2 tsp. organic honey in 8 oz.warm water. It really doesn't taste all that bad. Anyway, for the first week it truly cleaned my entire system. I'm on my second week and I feel like I can eat anything now. As a matter of fact, before I could not even eat in restaurants without becoming sick afterwards. My digestive system feels great! I'm also taking 2 probiotics every day to help too.

Hope this helps you guys.
Kathy

Kathy, it's so funny that you wrote that. I just went to the health food store yesterday and they recommended the vinegar thing. I took it yesterday and today, and I've been on Prevacid and Reglan for years, and I've got to tell you, I finally feel terrific! There is a train of thought that GERD and other problems is a result of not enough acid in your stomach as opposed to too much acid. I was having such gas and pains before the vinegar, and honestly, it's gone!

They also recommended aloe vera juice, which I bought, have taken in the past, and did not use it yesterday, but I probably will because I want to wean off the drugs.

Let's here it for health food stores!

Hi ladies,

I was intrigued by your apple cider vinegar posts and am going to try it, if I can get some here in the UK, what does having mother in it mean though please?

The reason I had gone into the post was my cure for indigestion is to eat an apple, a nice sharp one, not a sweet one. They seems to sort me out a treat, althought I do take daily Lanzoporole, an acid inhibitor for too much acid and gulping air when I talkand eat.

Regards. Amanda

Amanda, be careful with the vinegar. I stopped taking it because it aggravated my IBS. Mother, I think, is the sediment in the bottom of the bottle.

Thanks Meryl,

I will give it a try but beware just in case. I have in fact found some capsules of it rather than the liquid form to drink. I am hoping it may help as I am sooo burpy and when I am I also find it hard getiing a nice deep breath at times, until I burp and then I am okay!

Amanda.

Hi,
I have bad indigestion too. The gas, belching, burning sensation in stomach and GERD. I have been tested and the only thing the doctors tell me is that I have too much stomach acid. I usually take Maalox to cool my stomach. The PPI's make my tongue swell so I don't take Zantac, Pepsid or Aciphex. I tried the vinegar but it made my stomach burn too much. I mainly have the burning sensation on my right side under my right rib cage. My doctor said that my gall bladder is okay and did not find any stones in there. Does anyone know if this particular peri-menopause symptom ever gets better? When does the burning sensation and acid indigestion stop? The burning wakes me up at night.

Mary

Hi All-

I have been having horrible indigetion for over a mont. More gas than acid and I don't feel any acid rising in my throat. I can't eat tomato sauce, onions, chocloate, rich foods or drink milk. I loved milk until a month ago.

I am scheduled for an endoscopy in 2 weeks and it scares me to death to have to have a tube down my throat. My Dr thinks it is acid reflux but I have more trouble with gas and bowel trouble than acid indigestion.

He said that this could be related to hormone fulx so do I really need this test?

Has anyone had the endoscopy? Do they put you into a deep sleep? I am afraid of the drug to go under based on a bad experience when I had an ovary removed several years ago.

What a drag this all is.

40, first let me tell you that you are not alone. For the past month I have had terrible indigestion problems. At first I thought it was because I tried taking Welchol for cholesterol, which does a number on your stomach. Still not sure it didn't screw me up. But now that it has gone on so long, I'm even afraid to go out in public! So much bloating and gas! I also have a bit of acid, but I'm uncomfortable in the stomach and intestinal areas. I'm scheduled for an upper/lower endoscopy in February, but I'm not sure I want to wait.

Anyway, to answer your question, I've had several upper and one lower. You will NOT feel a thing. They put you in a twilight sleep and you will be absolutely fine. Don't worry. The test is nothing.

I just ate a banana and I thought I was going to die. I guess I'm just going to have to give up a whole lot of foods for a while!

Katie Couric did a piece on celiac disease last night, and I have a lot of the symptoms. I'm going to ask to be tested for that. I obviously have some absorption problems, but this could just be due to age and hormonal problems.

Good luck and don't worry about the test!

Hi all,

I am post menopausal and will tell you that during the time of peri I too suffered with indigestion, constipation, gas , bloating....you name it! I had the colonoscopy, the endoscopy, gall bladder xray.
All came back ok. Am convinced that this was just one of those ugly symptoms of peri. It did last for the entire time I was in peri(which was about 10 years.) However, after actually hitting menopause it has completely gone away! I dealt with my sypmtoms by taking an antigas & antiacids. At the time, you had to have a precription, but there are plenty of things to try over the counter now. Not to say that for peace of mind you might want to have the tests run, but it is very expensive. I am just sharing my experience.

Jan

Hi Jan,
Thanks for the reassurance that these symptoms will pass. I notice that my symptoms are at their worst a week before my period.

Mary

Hi Meryl-

Thanks for the reasurring response. I am going to have the test and I feel allot better knowing you have had several and were fine.

Frankly peri has made me such a basket case with worry and I really was never like this before.

I started back on my Biest and have been on it for about a week now. I started back up not due to the indigestion but my anxiety and mood swings are back. (Actually they had been creeping back since labor day). I had cut my Biest script in half around that time due to other bothersome symptoms I thought it was adding to (headaches, and breast pain). Well thosse are gone but the indigestion arrived and my anxiety has returned.

I have noticed one thing since starting back on the full script of Biest, my indigestion is lessening. Perhaps there is a connection between low Estrogen and this gas, bloating, pain with the intestines?

Anyway I hope I can rid myself of the anxiety and gloom before I go on vacation (in two weeks).

I just don't understand why the change has to be so miserable for many women and it still is not openly addressed.

Thanks again for the encouragement. I will take the test but I may pass out from fear on the way to the Drs.!

Sandy

40, there is a definite tie between hormones and indigestion. My gastroenterologist even told me so. However, if you are taking progesterone, it makes it even worse. Progesterone is a muscle relaxer that relaxes the -- I guess it's a sphincter of some type -- that connects your esophagus with your stomach. That in itself causes indigestion.

Menopause has been so miserable for me, and I have found the anxiety and internal shakes that accompany it to be the very worst part of it. This does dissipate, however. I could still say I'm more anxious than I used to be in my thirties, but I am so much better than I was when I was in peri. IT WILL STOP, I PROMISE!

Have a good time on vacation and try not to worry about anything!

Hi Meryl-

I am glad to hear that the anxiety does lessen after peri. How long were you in peri? The anxiety and mood swings- low mood are my worst symptom.

I know when I am in the middle of a bout of this it feels as though it will never go away. I try to stay positive but the low moods make it hard. Hopefully I will get some relief as I continue the Biest.

I am taking 100mg of progesterone without cycling but I have done that for 4 years and this is the first time I have had this extended type of discomfort.

I will have the test but I won't worry about it as much now that you have said that it was easy to go thru.

Thanks Sandy

Don't want to scare you, but I was in peri for nine years. I still have some symptoms, but they are not as pronounced. Good luck and have a terrific time on your vacation!

Hi Meryl-

OMG! Nine years. Wow, how did you cope with the anxiety? Did you try bioidenticals, ADs, natural remidies?

I tried the natural route for awhile and the soy bars but after about 6 months, I started on natural progesterone in pills and then sublinguals.

The progesterone provided months of relief at a time but when I had a hormone shift, it was back to square one until I correctly adjusted the dosage.

Into my 4th year of peri, the progesterone alone did not do the tirck and they finally added in Biest. I have to be careful of E due to blood clots with the BCP but the E I get now is much less than what I got on a low dose BCP.

That was good for about 4 months until I tweeked the dose due to breast pain. I got rid of the breast pain but now have the anxiety and depression back.

So I am back on the original script for Biest and praying that it kicks in soon.

I should learn I always get in trouble when I tweek but the breast pain and swelling was horrible. I couldn't be bumped.

I am so glad you are feeling much better now.

If men were in our position, there would be a cure for this by now.

I know I have more years to go since this is the first year I may have skipped a period. I hopw it goes faster than nine.

Sandy

Just want to put my "5 eggs" in here as we say in UK.
All my adult life I suffered with heartburn and indigestion especially with PMS. During peri I dont think a day went by without it. I could never eat any type of fresh fruit or salad without suffering, and fried food was out.
Ever since my hysterectomy when my ovaries were also removed it has all gone away. Not only that but I positively crave fresh fruit and veg. I have to have it every day. In fact my appetite is completely different and I weigh 14pounds less than before the op and I dont crave "naughty" foods any more.
So take heart ladies-it will all go away in time
Best wishes to all
janet c

Hi, This is what I have done over the last 18 months to try to alleviate my indigestion. I'm on a PPI (Somac), I take Pramin (which helps shut off your esophageal sphincter), I have acupuncture and see a naturopath. He prescribes Chinese herbs for reflux and slippery elm tablets too. I avoid fat & oil ( max 5mgs fat per meal), I eat small meals regularly. I avoid citrus, red meat, acidic foods, tea & coffee, chocolate, cheese & alcohol - however half a glass of good red does seem to be beneficial. I take spoonfuls of active Manuka Honey. I take phyto estrogens & also a good pro-biotic & eat yogurt. This condition affects your whole life & I am looking forward to peri being over & my stomach going back to normal. One good thing is I've lost 6 kgs! I've had two endoscopies & nothing nasty is happening. I have managed in this time to cure my gastritis and reduce the heartburn to a few days a month. If I go off this routine I get full on heartburn immediately & it takes a few days to settle down again. Good luck.

My Mom suffered with ,I think it was called acid reflux. She thought it was terrible indigestion as well till it got so bad she would actually throw up. It seems that if nothing is working for you, you may want to ask the Dr. what he thinks. I also have had bad indigestion in the last months, at certain times of the month but can get it away with magnesium.