Hi wpshooter,

I went through all the odd postions with the barium while getting the upper gi and nothing. only at the end, while lying on my back, drinking gulps of water and doing a stomach crunch did i reflux. (who wouldn't under those conditions? i mean seriously...)

the only reflux symptoms are cough and heart palps here and there. (EKG was normal). both are much better after starting refrigerated probiotic and acidophilus. my theory is, the stupid antibiotics screwed up my stomach.

AND...get this...albuterol, advair, and asthma inhalants can "relax" your LES, which keeps the acid in the stomach. ain't that grand? the docs have been pushing the albuterol and advair for the cough, and here it's contributing to the reflux. i swear, i am not taking any more drugs.

so thanks for your response, but i don't really trust any of the docs or the drug companies who say it will "help." i'm not taking the zantac. they can laugh at me all they want. screw them.

as with everything else, there is a balance. drugs help one thing, but screw up another.

hi tooanxious,

i'd certainly look into alternative methods, if i were you. or at least try to figure out why this is happening; try to trace it back to an event or medication. or have you always had this problem?

i posted another thread about gerd sufferers and the link with asthma inhalers (the inhalers relax the airways AND the LES, which leads to reflux..they've done studies on this).

and i can definitely trace all this back to the bronchitis in the fall, chest tightness and daily use of albuterol/advair since then. i've had a script for years, and i keep the albuterol on hand in case i ever have an asthma attach (i haven't), and used it so infrequently, they would expire before I used it. it was peace of mind to pay $10 and have it around just in case. the article said the use was cumulative, so i just wonder how long it will be before i get back to normal.

the same day i learned of this, i stopped using the albuterol. i was still coughing and tight, but just sucked it up, knowing it was just a viscious cycle i was perpetuating if i used the inhaler. yesterday i ate very bland food that wouldn't cause reflux and i had no chest problems and next to no coughing. i'm gonna keep this up for a few more weeks until my dr follow up visit, where i'm expecting them to laugh at me and call me a kook.