Thoughts on peptic/stomach ulcers

[Mark Rippetoe]

I don't have PUD or GERD, but I have some significant GI issues. I've found that when my stomach is really acting up, I can keep food down better by sipping on either Coca Cola or Cherry Vanilla Pepsi. No other soda seems to give the same relief, and some, like Dr. Pepper makes it much worse. I end up wasting about half of a soda because I don't drink the whole thing, but I've had better results with soda than with any medication I've tried.

Have you tried club soda? At night before I go to bed, I've had good luck with 1 gram of Vitamin C and two multiple mineral tablets. On rare occasions I take a Zantac.

[Maties Hofstede]

Whenever friends went sea fishing and they got sick there was always coca cola on board. Worked like a charm most of the times.

[Magnus Gustafsson]

I have battled reflux for some time now and in my case, Vitamin C and diet changes did nothing. Omeprazole helps at 20mg a day and pretty much goes away completely at 40mg a day.
After finally succumbing to an upper endoscopy, a hiatal hernia was found along with esophagus damage consistent with Barret's esophagus, which I understand is a precursor to esophageal cancer. No ulcers in my case. The gastroenterologist blames the reflux on the hernia and recommends I have it surgically fixed rather than medicating for the rest of my life (I'm 41). Probably what's going to happen, just have to decide on timing since there is a bit of a recovery time before I can resume lifting.

[Will Morris]

Have you tried club soda? At night before I go to bed, I've had good luck with 1 gram of Vitamin C and two multiple mineral tablets. On rare occasions I take a Zantac.

I haven't tried club soda of vitamin c. The vitamin C makes sense. I'll try that starting this weekend. I had tried Zantac and other PPIs without any benefit, however, I likely had little benefit with the PPIs because of the amount of milk I drink. If I were to cease drinking milk, I may find a PPI to be helpful. At some point, I'll probably just need to go in and have the stricture dilated or released, but in the meantime, having a soda or beer with dinner is enough.

[Matt-Panz]

I can keep food down better by sipping on either Coca Cola or Cherry Vanilla Pepsi. No other soda seems to give the same relief, and some, like Dr. Pepper makes it much worse.

Any idea why only those two sodas work for you?

[Will Morris]

Any idea why only those two sodas work for you?

Not sure. I started with Coca Cola because that is an age old remedy from the physician making house call days. Coca Cola was long the prescription of choice for "belly aches". I stumbled across Cherry Vanilla Pepsi accidently and it works equally as well, but that may just be because it is simply delicious. Dr. Pepper, cheap root beer, Pepsi, etc all make me feel like my stomach is trapped in the Daffy Duck iron lung contraption. At this point, I have two good options, and beer works equally as well. Those options are more palatable than having a balloon shoved down my throat and inflated until my GE junction is patent again.

[Matt-Panz]

I stumbled across Cherry Vanilla Pepsi accidently and it works equally as well, but that may just be because it is simply delicious.

Cherry vanilla pepsi is great. So is Vanilla Coke.




Rip (or anyone else) - do you know how to tell the difference between a hiatal hernia and an ulcer?

[Mark Rippetoe]

Yes, Matt, the symptoms are different. Google is your buddy.

[Matt-Panz]

After finally succumbing to an upper endoscopy, a hiatal hernia was found along with esophagus damage consistent with Barret's esophagus, which I understand is a precursor to esophageal cancer. No ulcers in my case. The gastroenterologist blames the reflux on the hernia

If you don't mind sharing, does this affect you at all while you train?

Yes, Matt, the symptoms are different. Google is your buddy.

After looking into this even more, I believe there's a possibility I have a hiatal hernia.

It feels as if someone has punched me in the upper abdomen, and it is irritating when I train.

Could this have been caused by not squeezing my core hard enough, or not taking a large enough valsalva?

Also, is this something I should go to the doctor for? Or is it just one of those things you just gotta live with?

Thanks.

[Mark Rippetoe]

Don't know, Matt. Here in the US it is estimated that about 1/3 of the population has some type of hiatal hernia. Most people just live with it. I do.