Hi all! I have the following conditions:

- ADHD (mainly the attention deficit part)
- asthma
- acid reflux/GERD
- meralgia paresthetica

I’m a big believer in "alternative" treatments like chiropractic, acupuncture, acupressure, herbalism, reiki, etc. I’d love to try acupuncture because I’ve heard so many good things about it, but unfortunately I can’t afford it right now. I can barely afford my chiropractor and my regular HMO medical plan, but I won’t give those up!

At any rate, I suspect it could probably help ALL of my conditions at least somewhat, but I’m wondering if anyone here can tell me which of the conditions stand the best chance of being helped by acupuncture? Also — and this is a long shot — if anyone knows of an inexpensive but GOOD acupuncturist in the Silicon Valley/South Bay Area of California, please tell me who it is! Thanks!

P.S. For those who’ve no idea what meralgia paresthetica is, click here: http://www.emedicine.com/neuro/topic590.htm
To Dr. N. & other doctors — no disrespect intended, but taking medication for some disorders is often only a "band-aid". It suppresses them, keeps them under control, but does NOT "cure" them.

All meds have side effects, & some meds also increase your risk of developing other disorders down the line. For example, I take generic Prilosec daily for my acid reflux (Zantac was too weak), but longterm use of proton-pump inhibitors like Prilosec correlate with increased risk of stomach cancer. Plus, it’s simply NOT NATURAL to force one’s stomach to not produce acid. It’s supposed to make acid, for crying out loud! I’m scared of what I’m doing to my body this way.

And what if I want to have a baby down the line? You’re not even supposed to take steriod-based asthma inhalers (like QVAR), of which I take 2-3 puffs daily. And I sure couldn’t take Prilosec or ADHD meds!

I’d much rather RESOLVE my disorders, not just "cover them up". I need to at least TRY alternative options!

asthma, but is really from being obese?
I weigh 300lbs and have recently lost 15 lbs.
My aunt told me her friend had the same spasmatic coughing spells while eating. His doctors determined it to be his obesity and he underwent weight loss therapy.

Do you know anyone in my perdicament & what were their results?
Tell me whatever you can.

I have been to the lung doc and I was scoped for GERD.
None of that treatments for asthma and GERD keep me from coughing the second food or medication goes through my esophagus. And if it were GERD then Tums wouldn’t make me cough!!!
My aunt said it’s food pushing on the fat buildup indide me.

I face constipation on a daily basis.previously I had been diagonised for GERD but I took treatment by then.In the morning I don"t feel the urge to empty my bowel and I have to push myself very hard,but 80% I"d fail tp empty my bowel.
I also Have some sort of ripe liquid come out from my stomach and fill my mouth badly.
CAn anybody tell me what this is?is this serious?

I’ve been on Nexium for 1 month now for treatment of GERD, and over the course of that month, I gained 5 pounds. I am 5′3" and went from 104 pounds to 109 pounds… big frigging deal. However, I did mention it to my GI doctor just to let him/her (whatever it is … it’s a f u c k i n g transvestite/d y k e) know what was going on…… S/he said that Nexium could NEVER cause weight gain (lmao, s/he needs to check again… it is one of the most common side effects), and said that I NEED TO GO TO THE OBESITY CLINIC?!!?! Are you kidding me?!!?! I’m borderline UNDERWEIGHT!!!!!!!

What would you do if this were you? I already told him/her to go f u c k itself, but I’m not sure what else to do. S/he won’t listen to anything I say and keeps insisting that I have an upper endoscopy (even though I already had an upper GI that was 100% normal aside from the reflux that they could see happening during the test), or she will "tell on me" to my primary care doctor!!! What do I do?!?!?
She also told me to call the pharmacist and then get back to her after I asked him why Zantac interacts with Biaxin (an antibiotic — the Zantac blocks the absorption of Biaxin), yet Nexium doesn’t. Um, here’s an idea: maybe it is because one is an antacid and the other is a PPI!?!!? Nah, that couldn’t be it. The pharmacist was laughing and was like, "S/he didn’t know that?" It’s not funny though. S/he is running all sorts of outrageous tests (which I am now refusing), and s/he doesn’t know his/her ass from his/her elbow.

Thanks for any help! I’ll pick a best answer TODAY!!!!!
Read from all of the people who had weight gain:

http://www.askapatient.com/viewrating.asp?drug=21153&name=NEXIUM

And then some stuff halfway down this page:

http://www.askdocweb.com/nexium2.html

Here it is classified as a "WEIGHT GAIN DRUG":

http://www.healthyplace.com/Communities/Thought_Disorders/schizo/articles/weight_gain.asp

For the last few years, I’ve experienced the occasional sensation of feeling like something’s in my throat or difficulty swallowing. It’s increased over the last couple of years (occurring more often or feeling worse) but never to the point where it’s disrupted daily activities or anything like that. However, it seems to have taken a turn for the worse over the last few months, and specifically the last few weeks. I feel sick after eating just about anything (I can’t identify a trigger food(s)), but my stomach isn’t the problem–it’s a feeling in my throat/chest. If I have any pain, it’s either in my chest or in the V-shaped area directly below my sternum, between my rib cage and stomach. There’s an almost constant feeling of something being in my throat, sometimes just annoying (as it’s been on and off for several years) and sometimes to the point where it feels like I’m about to vomit. There’s been a couple of instances where it felt like vomit was actually rising back through my esophagus, even though my stomach was just fine (even hungry) and there were no other symptoms–I was just fine and all of a sudden had the sensation of throwing up. It’s now an everyday thing–every time I eat and sometimes when I don’t–so it’s really disrupting ordinary life. I’m a 3rd grade teacher, and this isn’t conducive to standing up and teaching all day (including after lunch). I’m only 22 and have always been healthy; I would like to be able to go out, date, etc. like a normal 22 year old and I can’t because I constantly feel sick (but not like when I was young and had a virus or something) or I’m afraid that I will feel that way, especially if I eat something. I’ve tried Tums, Ranitidine (in an Equate brand acid reducer), Gas-X with Maalox, Pepto-Bismol (which helped nausea but nothing else), and Rolaids and have had no luck. I’m trying Prevacid (the 14-day treatment) starting tomorrow–has anyone had any success with that? I don’t know what else this could be; I’ve looked up the symptoms of GERD and they are basically an exact replica of what I feel. I don’t smoke, I’m not overweight (if anything, I’m almost underweight–but it’s a normal weight for me), I eat a good variety of food, there’s no possibility of pregnancy–all of the risk factors they list. I’m thinking that I need to go to the doctor (and plan to), but in the meantime, does anyone have any experience with this? What helped? Do my symptoms sound like GERD or acid reflux to you? Any help is greatly appreciated–I just want to feel normal again.

I have had Gastroesophogeal reflux since 2006 and my G.I. doctor gave me a list of what I shouldn’t eat. I used to have it really badly and was on like 20 different medications like muscle relaxers (which is a new treatment for GERD) and really strong acid reducers. I stopped taking them around November and I don’t go to the doctors because Ihaven’t gotten sick like my mother (who is a nurse) said I would from not taking my medicine. My mom also stopped taking me to the doctor because she said it would be stupid to do so since I don’t take my medicine. Any suggestions on the food?

I had GERD problem about a couple of months ago. Too much coffee and soda caused it. A doctor recommended a edonscopy procedure and he found H.pylori bacteria and wants to have an appointment. Reading about it. 1 in 3 in the world population has this bateria. Now, I don’t have any digestive sympton, but I am worried that this bateric can be trasmitted to my kid. Has anyone had this bacteria and what was the treatment? I want to know about it before I see the doctor who is usually aggressive about removing batecria.

I face constipation on a daily basis.previously I had been diagonised for GERD but I took treatment by then.In the morning I don"t feel the urge to empty my bowel and I have to push myself very hard,but 80% I"d fail tp empty my bowel.
I also Have some sort of ripe liquid come out from my stomach and fill my mouth badly.
CAn anybody tell me what this is?is this serious?

This is the antibody that can cause ulcers, does cause pain in the abdomen, IBS symptoms, GERD & so forth. I was told I need to get the "Perv PACK" & take the combination of antibiotics for 2 wks & everything will be fine. I can’t believe it took years after doctoring for stomach spasms, pain etc for a doctor to order the blood test that shows I have it!

I was recently diagnosed with a deviated septum, having sufferred from globus sensation in the throat for years I was on nexium for GERD for ever, I have since stopped this treatment and now am prepping for surgery to repair my septum. Is it likely that the deviated septum was the cause of my globus all along, especially when you consider all the throat problems that a deviated septum can be responsible for. Any insights would be helpful

I’m 24 and weigh 90 pounds…I take blood thinners, sleep aids, heartburn med, vitamin D, anti-depressants, muscle relaxers, insulin, pain pills, enzymes, and 4 different breathing treatment med. So what med can I take for cramps? Im allergic to cipro, augumentin, levaquin, naproxen, vancomyicn, gel caps, iron.

I don’t get heartburn, I don’t feel any pain in my stomach, I’ve tried everything from diets w/out tomato, citric juices, milk, chocolate etc. I’ve tried raising my bed…..my condition diminishes but does not go away completely. My condition "reflux" makes me choke with mucous coming from my stomach. if I don’t spit it out and clear my throat I start having problems to get enough air, than I gurgle with warm water to help clear my throat. After 30 minutes to an hour I start feeling better. Lately I’ve noticed that drinks with corn syrup are worse than citric juices and tomatoes. If I eat these citric juices and tomato I don’t get constipated. I was doing so good until last night that I had the usual glass of milk with a chocolate covered cookie and I sat down bending my stomach and today I’m paying a high price, spitting the whole day. I eliminated from my not to eat or drink list milk, orange juice, tomato and salsa without vinegar. I think chocolate, vinegar should stay on the don’ts.
I’ve lowered my bed to regular flat position and noticed that I only spit a little.
This daily struggle is no fun. I wish someone knew my condition. some doctors think they know it all and jump to conclusions diagnosing from allergies to astma and one even said it was all in my head and gave me zoloft which I did not take. The closest one was one who said I had acid reflux, however I don’t have all of those sypmtoms and my spitting problem acid reflux people don’t have it. the last doctor treated me a bacteria she said I had in my stomach called h. pilori or something like that. the problem was that at the 7th day of the treatment I was suffering from severe side effects from the strong antibiotics and had to quit. I’ve been doing much better since but I know I’m not out of the woods yet. I know something wrong is still inside my stomach. I know that when I start burping my spitting is about to ease and I start feeling better.
Please anyone share your knowledge on the subjet or if you have suffered the same what did you do to permanently get rid of this living hell.

Thank you for your comments.

I have been diagnose with GERD 2 years ago, this was since I started college and has some what triggered this because of my high stress levels. I`ve taken pills but that hasn’t worked. And quit other treatment because it was too expensive for me, can’t afford it. So right now I took a semester off school because my symptoms have been worsening. But now they are ok, they are not improving, only the heartburn part. But I’ve been on green tea and eating a lot of yogurt and lactobactilus pills, to see if that’s a better way to deal with this. I would like to know if GERD disease or acid reflux condition causes serious health conditions in the future, if you don’t get treatment and stuff? What are some things you do daily to deal with this awful situation? or what advice can you give me? I would appreciate your help. Thanks.

I have been diagnose with GERD 2 years ago, this was since I started college and has some what triggered this because of my high stress levels. I`ve taken pills but that hasn’t worked. And quit other treatment because it was too expensive for me, can’t afford it. So right now I took a semester off school because my symptoms have been worsening. But now they are ok, they are not improving, only the heartburn part. But I’ve been on green tea and eating a lot of yogurt and lactobactilus pills, to see if that’s a better way to deal with this. I would like to know if GERD disease or acid reflux condition causes serious health conditions in the future, if you don’t get treatment and stuff? What are some things you do daily to deal with this awful situation? or what advice can you give me? I would appreciate your help. Thanks.

Who can I talk to? Is there an independent organization that gives advice on this subject who does not have a bias against Chinese medicine but also is not a Chinese business person just trying to make money buy selling bogus treatments?

Any help thanks.

about a month ago, I went in to the doctor because i had shortness of breath for 2 weeks before that. Now after a month of various tests and treatments (asthma rescue inhaler, controller medicines, allergy medinces, steroid inhaler, and anxiety meds), i still have a hard time getting a deep breath.

im going back on Friday and so i was doing some pre-appointment researching. could my difficulty breathing and tightness in the chest be GERD?

I am a constant overeater and on top of that, tend to eat spicy foods. so eating to the point of feeling sick and then regugitating some of it is not uncommon (yeah i know gross).

aftering taking pepto, i felt a little better. not GREAT but slightly. what do you think?

of long sticky colourless phlegm that i have to constantly spit out to continue breathing/running ( it is time consuming and uses up alot of my energy, 3 doctors i have seen , dont think its much more than gerd, have prescribed ventolin ( does nutz ), or suggested it may be because of anxiety, but i cant show them the severity of it, and hence i cant get any proper treatment as when i have to blow in one of those things to test lung capacity, my lungs work fine and are very strong , this is affecting my fitness regime and I am only 26

any specific descriptions? and how long is the treatment? thanks!

any specific descriptions? and how long is the treatment? thanks!

So basically I’ve been having problems swallowing for a couple years now. I HAVE to drink something in order for food to go down. It’s really annoying because I can’t eat anything without also drinking something.

So I went to my family doctor and he said I have GERD and told me to take Prilosec OTC. And so I did take the full treatment (14 days), but it didn’t really help that much. The GERD symptoms weren’t there, but I’d still have to drink something in order for food to go down.

I went back to my family doctor a couple months later and told him I’m still having problems, so he told me to get an Upper GI or barium swallow done. I did that and everything came back normal. So the doctor once again just said to continue taking Prilosec OTC. He also told me nothing is wrong which made me furious with him because I’m telling him something IS wrong.

Then my family doctor told me to get an esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) done. Now I thought I was getting somewhere, because when the results of the EGD came back, they said I have inflammation in my esophagus, or esophagitis. For some reason I was really happy. I think it’s because I finally knew what was wrong.

So the specialist doctor who had done the EGD told me to take prescription Nexium, which she said would help the inflammation and GERD. But I’ve been taking the Nexium for months now and it’s not helping. I really think that maybe I should also be taking medicine specifically for the inflammation. So I just don’t know what to do, and I’ve just about had it. I’m tired of it all, I just want to be able to enjoy a meal like everyone else and not have to constantly be taking sips of water.

Please help… ANYONE! Any suggestions, tips, comments, reccommendations anything! I’m sooo desperate, just help me someone :’(
I’ve done blood tests to see if I’m allergic to anything and that came back normal.

Wouldn’t the Upper GI or EGD show hiatal hernias?
And I don’t have any dry coughs.

sorry guys, but im suffering from social anxiety and just talking to strangers creeps me out and i just dont wanna make a fool out of myself.

i know i have acid reflux, and its gotten bad to the point where my muscles are starting to ache and im feeling pretty darn sick. So my mom wants me to go in to a walk in tommorow..but the thing is would the doctor think its funny for a person with such a minor? problem such as a gerd to come in for treatment?

and how should i explain it, so that i get the proper treatment?

thanks…would help alot!!!

Hi, recently I was under a lot of stress. I knew I had urine acid due to drinking too much cranberry that could contribute to GERD. I was also recently diagnosed with constipation. I am taking Gelusil for my Antacid, some Famotidine medicine and Traditional Chinese Medicine. I also have taken Aciphex for three and a half weeks. This is my 6th week of treatment and so far these has help, but how much longer will GERD go away? Do you know if its permanent or temporary for people with stress?

I have Allergies to drugs and chemicals,my doc wants me on PREVACID but im not sure if I will be able to handle it or not.I have bad GERD so much so that I have had to go to the doc thinking im having a heart attack with chest pain,and i get acid in my throat and GERD related Asthma attacks. I eat an organic diet,I avoid acid foods etc….WHAT THE HELL CAN I DO??????

i want herbal medecine only