People can have various rates of stomach emptying.

It can be because of taking drugs that slow the stomach like opiates or anticholinergics (Benadryl type drugs also).

Or it can be gastroparesis due to aging or nerve damage.

It can be because of the stomach contents itself, as chocolate and fat delay emptying. Coffee causes heartburn for some.

I can get heartburn from chocolate sometimes.

It can be due to excessive gas being refluxed. Excessive gas can come from bacterial dysbiosis or carbonated beverages,
certain food like the cabbage family, or from nervous swallowing of air, or excessive swallowing of air with food..like soups. I personally believe gas is a huge culprit in many heartburn cases.

I use ginger extract sometimes, but it can REALLY cause a burning reflux when taken at the wrong time or without enough water. You really haven't lived until you have a serious ginger event! :yikes:

I've had the same problem with R-lipoic acid, but didn't realize that's what it was until I'd already burned my esophagus very badly. I've stopped taking it altogether until it heals. I think I was taking more than necessary as well--400mg. When my esophagus heals I'll try the Gaviscon 20 minutes before and only take 100mg. Also, some of the things I'm being tested for have GERD as a symptom--like Sjogren's and paraneoplastic antibodies, so it could be that as well.

How much apple cider vinegar do you take per day for GERD, Stacey? I've heard of doing this, but I wonder how an acid can help when acid normally burns my esophagus.

Also Stacey, if you look at my first posting, there's a long list of good supplements to take, (many of which I learned about while lurking here before joining). These things can help as well. I got suddenly much worse when I stopped everything for a few days, but I'm improving again since I went back on everything except the R-lipoic acid.

For a detailed explanation of ACV go to: www.earthclinic.com

You can go to the ailments section and click on acid reflux or heartburn. They have such a huge testimony section it is amazing. Ive read there for years and still go back for more.

I take 2 Tablespoons of acv in about 4 ounces of water then add 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda. Use a tall cup because it fizzes up. You can use it up to 4 x a day. With a meal, after a meal, or anytime.

I do not like it on an empty stomach.

The baking soda (there is much discussion on that forum about this) changes the PH of the ACV so it does not hurt your teeth or cause burning tongue. Some people do not use baking soda. I do. Matter of fact the absolute worse heartburn or reflux moments I have get better when I use 1 teaspoon of baking soda alone in water. I do that when its a horrrrid episode and ACV alone is not working.

This remedy has kept me off nexium and any other meds for years.

There is enough research that shows the benefits of taking ACV daily that makes me keep it as a staple in my life. My teenage boys will even ask for it the minute they feel a cold coming on. It really is amazing stuff. Earthclinics has a lot of info on it.

p.s. ACV will completely get rid of warts. :)

edit: ONLY use organic ACV with the "mother" in it. (stuff you see floating in the bottle)

MrsD I had an experience with ginger once...it was when I was juicing. :)

I add a good Apple Cider Vinegar to water every morning for a lot of reasons!:)

Thanks Stacey. I'll bike over to the local health food store and look for some organic apple cider vinegar. I was reading that link you gave and someone on it said that it could be an iodine deficiency. I used to take 2 drops of lugol's iodine everyday but stopped. I think I'll try that again as well. Also raw almonds were suggested. I might try that too. Hopefully, I just burned my esophagus though with too much R-lipoic acid and it just needs to heal. I'm not sure. It would be nice to get off the lansoprezole though, if these home remedies could really work.

I one does not take enough water with things, or sometimes lies down right after...you can burn you esophagus severely.

I recall one doctor (husband's family gp) I had when I was in my 20's...He foolishly swallowed a 500mg tetracycline pill, without water...and it dissolved in his esophagus and gave him a horrible 2 weeks burn.

Capsules open quickly. Tablets can take 20 minutes or 1/2 hour to disperse. So you will want to wash down the capsule with 6-8 ounces of water.

There is another factor you might look at..a lifestyle thing.

If you filter your water, into a pitcher, algae can grow in it.
This can cause serious heartburn.

Also using a filter that needs changing can do it.

We noticed this on vacation where we filter lake water twice.
Even then when exposed to sun, algae will grow quickly in the pitcher. At home too. There is algae in our drinking water as well out of the tap.

No that's not it. I just started using a tap filter and it's fresh, but I'll be sure to change it regularly.

The radiologist didn't say of any indication of gastroparesis.
I have been observing what triggers the discomfort, its basically everything I eat. Mind you, I am not eating much of those you mentioned. I m not ruling out - the ever scapegoat - stress. Since I had the PN symptoms I was so stressful - which was compounded when I was diagnosed with MAC.

Mrs.D, is it possible to have this heartburn without the feeling of gas. Remember, I used to be so bloated. I don't feel bloated asnmuch as I used to but the queasiness remains.

MrsD is so right about the water thing. My mom did the same thing with an antibiotic, it burnt her throat. Same thing can happen with nexium.

My acid reflux use to be soooo bad. I was about to give in and get on RX meds but after reading and reading I stuck with the ACV and baking soda for a long time. People expect results to fast. It doesn't get bad overnight and it is NOT fixed over night. It takes time to heal.

My reflux has been completely gone for several months now. i use to have to sleep practically sitting up. Now I am comfortably laying down again. SO NICE.

I stopped eating all white flour, pasta and sugar. I don't know if that did it or losing the 30 pds. I am still overweight, but reflux has been gone until I took rlipoic, which I am not taking today and all is fine so far.

Umm..may be tmi but...since cutting out white flour, pasta, and sugar, I do not have gas, bloating, farting (yes i couldn't help it, lol) and belching. All gone. lol