Heartburn

[Mrs Baggins]

I don't usually suffer heartburn unless I eat a few foods, namely oatmeal, whole wheat, peanut butter, any calcium supplements of any kind. So I avoid those when hiking/backpacking. But for some reason no matter what I eat, especially on a backpacking trip, as soon as I'm up and walking again the acid comes churning up like scalding lava. It sears my esophagus so badly that eating and drinking anything is very painful for a few days afterward. I try drinking lots and lots of water to try to dilute or tamp down the foods/acid but maybe that's making it worse? Next time I'll take Prilosec or something like that with me to see if that helps. I thought, the last couple of times out, that it was just a particular food that I ate, but I've changed up foods and it still happened this past weekend. I seem to be able to eat anything for dinner, lay down, and sleep just fine. It's breakfast and lunch that does it. I have wondered if it has something to do with my hip belt across my stomach, maybe it's pushing on me too much? Doesn't feel that tight, but that seems to be the only constant.

[Farr Away]

If you can, you might try fastening your hip belt lower. I wear mine across my hip bones.

Or since dinner doesn't bother you, could you take a longer break after you finish eating breakfast and lunch before you put your pack on?

-FA

[daddytwosticks]

Used to suffer from chronic heartburn all the time. Using Prilosec generic (Wal-mart brand) as per doctor's orders. No problems any more. Like everyone usually suggests, may want to talk to your doctor about your unique situation. Good luck.

[Deadeye]

Same problem, even on day hikes. I suspect the hip belt has a lot to do with it. I bring Tums, and take breaks by hiking with the belt loosened.

[skinewmexico]

Pepcid Complete does the trick for me. Much more than Prilosec did.

[rocketsocks]

I took prilosec for a period of time,and it helped.changing some habits helped the most,though each one of us can have acid reflux,sour stumock,or heart burn for very different reasons.Check with your doctor,if the things your doing aren't getting it done,could be something going on,that your not aware of.

[moytoy]

Long term acid reflux will damage your esophagus. You may need to see a gastroenterologist. I was told to take a prilosec every day for the rest of my life. I haven't done that but I do keep a bottle handy and take a few doses when my eating habits turn bad.

[Mrs Baggins]

After two pregnancies, and the heartburn that I suffered thru both (pretty typical in pregnancy) I know that my esophagus is scarred. So anytime heartburn flairs up like it does when I'm backpacking, the "burn" part of it is fierce. I can't use Tums because of the calcium content - just makes it worse. (yet I can eat any calcium-containing food without a problem - it's only the supplements). I'll give Prilosec and Pepcid a try. I was mostly curious to see if others find that they only experience heartburn while hiking/backpacking. I still have my suspicions about the hip belt being too tight or in the wrong place and pushing everything up.

[daddytwosticks]

Good luck...heartburn sux.

[fins1838]

You need to see a doctor with reflux that bad. I was on Prilosec for years but it started to fail on me. I now take Nexium (perscription) every 2 or 3 days & no problems. But really, get that checked out. You DO NOT want what happens if this continues, trust me!

[oddbird]

Oddbird's heartburn went away once went gluten free, before that he couldn't see any pattern to it.
This guy thinks it has something to do with excess hydrogen production, causing you too need more room(which fits in with your belt theory) http://chriskresser.com/the-hidden-c...tburn-and-gerd Do you eat more carbs when you are out on the trail, compared to at home?

good luck with it
Mrs. Oddbird

[Pedaling Fool]

In my experience heartburn is caused by three primary factors. 1. Type of food – in my case it’s usually tomato sauces, such what’s found in pizzas, lasagna, spaghetti-type foods, but also things like milk. 2. Quantity of food. If I overeat I usually experience heartburn, even in some cases with foods that don’t normally cause heartburn, whereas the foods that are prone to cause heartburn I’ve learned how much constitutes overeating; generally overeating is when my stomach is bulging out from too much food, but with other type foods, such as pizza, then it’s when I’ve not eaten enough to cause me to “loosen my pants”, but just enough to make a meal, full, but not bloated. 3. Activity after a meal. If I’m doing something strenuous, such as running, cycling, hiking, weightlifting… the more food I have in the gut the more the chance of me experiencing heartburn. I’ve found that I can’t eat a big bowl of cereal, i.e. milk, before a workout, I usually eat cereal in the afternoon.

So with these three factors I gauge how much to eat, that’s the biggest factor for me in preventing heartburn – quantity of food. And how much I eat depends on how my metabolism is doing, which I basically know from experience. For example when I’ve been on a hike for over two weeks my metabolism is very high and I can basically eat any of the above mentioned foodstuff without problems, regardless of quantity. There have been plenty of times I’ve eaten an AYCE breakfast, with tons of coffee and go straight to hiking with no problems. However, I wouldn’t even think of doing that here at home or in the beginning stages of a long-distance hike.

When my metabolism is not optimum, such as when at home, despite me being an active person, I just can’t get my metabolism to the levels on a long-distance hike, but it’s not static, I’ve learned to feel when it’s not doing so good and I adjust my diet, primarily quantity of food, but if I’m feeling very sluggish then I adjust what I eat/drink.

I never take any OTC medications for heartburn. I’ve learned, at least in my case, that the biggest of all factors in my heartburn is quantity of food, especially before activity. This means that sometimes I go out hungry and develop a real hunger before I eat, but I do “graze” on oatmeal bars and the such, but I don’t eat a meal while cycling/running if my metabolism isn’t up to it. This strategy also helps in keeping off the weight. The idea of eating 3 squares per day is faulty and I think it is a big factor in most people’s heartburn problems. It is good to go hungry a little, even while exercising.

Contrary to popular belief, it is good to practice “hitting the wall”, a little while training. I do this by working out on an empty stomach. It’s tough in the beginning, but it’s what really builds up endurance and helps the metabolism fire up. And it’s why we get the hiker’s appetite after about a month on the trail.

BTW, here's one example of working out on an empty stomach.

Step 2

Train your body to metabolize fat efficiently by doing some of your shorter workouts on an empty stomach. This teaches your body to spare finite carbohydrate stores by using fat (a practically unlimited source of energy) for fuel. Swimming in a "fasted state" also prepares your body for the low points that come after swimming for six hours, when carbohydrate reserves are exhausted and you begin to "hit the wall."


Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/37...#ixzz1xaGG21cv

[shelb]

Could it have anything to do with the elevated sodium content of a backpacker's diet?

[Creek Dancer]

For years and years, I used Maalox, Prilosec and numerous other remedies, until the heartburn settled down. Then my boyfriend suggested mixing a teaspoon of baking soda with water. And voila! One glass and no more heartburn. When I think about the amount of money I spent on that other stuff, I want to cringe.

I read somewhere that the reason you are not supposed to use Prilosec and similar drugs for the long term is that the stuff shuts down the secretion of acid in your stomach. The acid in your stomach is there for a reason and shutting down the production long term is not a good idea.

[Pinocchio]

I started to get heartburn very rarely after I quit smoking, lost 17 pounds and lowered coffee intake. But when I have it, I don't take medications but drink either aloe vera juice, milk or water with baking soda. I suppose they don't treat the disease but just cover up the symptoms but at least they bring significant relief. But still you need to change your diet and habits.

[Luddite]

Google exercise heartburn. I get the same thing when I kayak.

[Pinocchio]

I've found the article today, it is said that aloe vera does help to treat acid reflux. but there's no scientific backing to the theory, as I said I suppose it just covers up the symptoms

[carophil]

have you tied taking digestive enzymes? sometimes heartburn results from a LACK of sufficient stomach acid that keeps your food from digesting as quickly as it should. i had severe heartburn until i started taking probiotics and enzymes.

[da fungo]

Long term acid reflux will damage your esophagus. You may need to see a gastroenterologist. I was told to take a prilosec every day for the rest of my life. I haven't done that but I do keep a bottle handy and take a few doses when my eating habits turn bad.

Damage your esophagus for sure. It did mine - I have Barrett's Esophagus now, and condition that's often a precursor to cancer of the esophagus. I take Omeprazole (two of the OTC strength tablets/capsules equal the prescription dosage, and are far cheaper if you don't have health insurance coverage).

[Another Kevin]

By all means check out the fit of your pack. If you are squeezing your guts too hard, of course stuff is going to back up.

Exercise-induced heartburn is partly a histamine reaction. Since you know what brings on an attack, you can probably manage to medicate 20 minutes before one starts.

Try 20 milligrams of famotidine (Pepcid, NOT Pepcid Complete) 20 minutes before the expected onset of symptoms. It has shorter duration of action than Prilosec and it doesn't block acid secretion completely, just tamps down some of the excess. Ranitidine (Zantac) is another good choice. Avoid cimetidine (Tagamet) because it gives some people low blood pressure and has a long list of drug interactions.

I carry famotidine in my medical kit anyway because it has some off-label uses in treating allergic reactions, in addition to quelling the natural reaction to eating my curry on the trail.

For relief of acute symptoms try Gelusil tablets - or a generic equivalent. Look for one that has both magnesium and aluminium oxides, and NO calcium or sodium. (The calcium- and sodium- based antacids have a horrible rebound effect, as you've noticed. So don't use baking soda either.) Maalox liquid would be ideal, but it's too heavy to carry on the trail. Maalox tablets are calcium-based.

If your heartburn is severe enough that you have pain for several days after treatment, you need to have a doc check you out.