GERD, ulcer, pills, and diet

Hi,Navigator: My father {age 82} has GERD and ulcers. His physician prescribed Prilosec for him about 6 years ago when the GERD and ulcers were confirmed. It's always a good idea for an ulcer/gerd patient to be careful what they eat,and a physician can be the best source of information about proper diet,but the most obvious thing I can think of is to totally avoid spicy foods,or the use of hot spice in cooking. As far as the medicine goes,some pills leave a bad aftertaste no matter what. Check with your brother's physician to see if the medicine can come in a tasteless capsule,or flavored liquid. As far as daily diet goes,my father was also anemic until the ulcers were found,so he eats almost anything that he can,as long as it isn't too salty or spicy. Staying well-nourished is the most important thing. As best as possible your brother should eat balanced meals every day,and try to get his nourishment from things that won't irritate his stomach. Check with the physician to see if he/she will allow your brother to take a liquid antacid for his GERD. they may not taste good,but the liquid can soothe the throat and stomach.
Also,check with the physician to see if the medicines can be taken during or after a meal. A little food padding the stomach can help the pills digest better and be less sickening.
Good Luck!!!

A simply physical way to deal with GERD--particularly since your brother must spend to much time in bed--is to raise the head of the bed so that he's lying on a slant.

Then gravity helps keep the stomach acid in the stomach.

Hi lindatw and thanks for sharing. As you said about the pills (he stopped

taking them, even the one for urinary bladder), they are tasteless and

give him the feel of sourness or sour. Also, it's like he wants to belch but

he can't. He was afraid from their side effects that's why he stopped taking

them. It's been now three days since, and I think he is better or there is

no change in his case. Your are right about the spicy and hot food, they

are so irritating him. Anyway, I'm going to the same physician tomorrow

(did I say this before?), and we will see about the balanced diet. Hope

things go well.

Hi Noddy, you are definitely right about the slant thing.

One thing to say, today I met one fellow. I told him about brother. Now,

this man has some problems with his colon, and he went to many doctors,

and tried many medications. As I told him about the lower bladder pain,

the stomach pain, and the diet. He said, oh yah, it is definitely something

wrong with the colon or prostate! He said that there is no use of

medications and one should adapt, or avoid the spicy food and things

would be better.

Do you know such things about the colon troubles? because I don’t

Hi,Navigator : With all due respect to your friend,If
I were you,I would let my brother's physician tell me if the colon,prostate or anything else is involved. If your brother does have colon problems.his doctor can advise you about the best course of action. I have had colitis {chronic colon
inflamation} all my life.I think there are medicines for it,but mine is manageable by strictly watching
what I eat,and how it's cooked.
What concerns me.is that your brother has stopped taking his medicines. Whatever medicines they are,it's best to let the doctor tell him when to
stop taking them. The fact that your brother is paralyzed puts an extra strain on his whole body,and keeps some organs from working like they should.
With your help,is your brother able to sit up,or be sat up in bed,or in a nearby chair ? Ask the doctor about that,too.
Good luck,

I'm sorry to hear that lindatw, and you are right about watching his diet.

Well, we will be able to put him on wheelchair soon. He is quadriplegia as

you know maybe.

Yesterday, I came from the hospital. The physician prescribed new tablets

and told us to maintain the same diet. Also, she gave brother one injection

that I'm not sure of the name but I'll see the paper here. He is due to take

the second shot after three days.

Anyway, he couldn't take the new medication since trying them for the first

time! Last night, he couldn't sleep well, and was like lazy. Also, he was

feeling numb or anesthetized.


The tablets are ciprofloxacin and pilozec if you know them.

He is ok without them now. I guess it depends on the diet and avoiding the

spicy, hot food, tea and caffeine.

We have another challenge a head about removing the catheter; this will

trouble him much because he has to depend on himself urinating the

normal way. I know that the bladder would be kind of lazy the first try, but

he must do it, because catheter isn't good for him.

Thanks, and God helps us all

Navigator: Thanks for the update on your brother. The Ciprofloxin is a strong antibiotic to cure any infections. ThePrilosec is the medicine that will help cut down or eliminate the GERD. Both are important,and hopefully your brother will be able to take them daily by his doctor's instructions. They are very important
I'm glad your brother will soon get a wheelchair. He'll enjoy the freedom it gives him. Speak with his doctor about your brother using adult-size "diapers" when the catheter comes out. They are disposable,
and will keep him clean and free of irritation if he should have an accident
on himself. Good Luck

Navigator--

Mr. Noddy is a long term diabetic with heart and kidney problems. He should avoid excess carbs because of his blood sugar. Too much fat will further damage his heart. His kidney's can't handle a lot of protein.

Intellectually he knows these limitations, but he feels that somehow he's entitled to regular bouts of foolish eating.

I think Mr. Noddy and your brother may follow the same sort of Nutritional Logic.

Hold your dominion.

Hi,Noddy I know what you mean about diabetics and their foolish eating. In the last 3 years, I've known 2 people who refused to follow the correct eating plan, with fatal results. One of them was my mother who died in 2002. She never followed her dr's mandates about eating,exercise,etc. The other person was a friend who refused to eat healthy at work,and continued to get bigger,'til he died of his diabetes.
In dealing with my mother,I found it was best not to keep any dietary "no-no's" in the house. Have you and Mr N tried a vegetarian
eating plan? Best of luck

Lindatw--

Thanks for the thought, but Mr. Noddy is a meat and potatoes man. He's been reasonably good about sweets for 40 years, but he's not about to abandon animal protein.

Hi, I don't feel well today. Maybe, it's time to get sicky!

Yah, that's right. My brother is going crazy about getting to normal diet. He

always say that he is feeling hungry though he eats. Last night, I was

going with some friend and after one hour he called saying that he didn't

feel alright. It was like a heavy stone on his chest ( this often happens,

and if I went to that place it would be of this reason ).

Sometimes, I feel that brother is overreacting, because everything is fine.

Still I love hime, and we might check his stomach this week ( again ).

Thanks everybody :wink: . May God bless you

Hi,Havigator: If your brother is calling you after you've been out with your friends for an hour,sounds like he misses you and wants you at home to keep him company. Being paralyzed,he feels and is totally dependent on you,especially
if you give him most of his daily care. Don't neglect your own happiness and fun,just to take care of him.
Try to reach an understanding with him about your time with him,and the time you require for yourself.
Blessings on you and your family,

Hi lindatw, today ( now ) he is at the health center to remove the catheter.

About me, I really got sick and had an iv with couple of injections. Right

now I'm recovering but I couldn't go with him. I was a sleep, and he didn't

want to trouble me apparently. As I said it would be hard for him to get to

normal urinating ( without catheter ) because the bladder would be kind of

weak an lazy maybe. So, he must go through this alone, and he might

need three days to get over. Hope things go alright.

Navigator: Hope you're feeling better. Don't overwork yourself and get any sicker. I'm glad Brother is/will be free of his catheter. His physician will be your best guide about what to expect and when to expect it about
life without a catheter.

Peace and good health,

Navigator--

I hope you can be sick for three days without your corner of the world falling apart. In fact, I hope that someone in your large and ailing family is making a bit of a fuss over you.

Hold your dominion.

Hi linda, Hi Noddy. Thanks for your hopes and feeling. This is funny, I

make everything at the nick of time and it works . THANK God that

brother is adapting back to his life, but still some thingy about the

neurogenesis bladder.


Don't worry about me, everything undercontrol and goes as planned.

Navigator; Good to hear all is going o.k. Brother's paralysis makes all his health concerns that much more difficult to deal with. Hope all goes well.
God bless,

Thanks lindatw. Today, something sad happened to him. It was about a

girl that he has known for some time. Apparenlty, she was using him

to get what she wanted. Now, this made him so sad but he is alright now.

and yes, he knows many of them. Mostly nurses.

Hi,Navigator: Sorry to hear about your brother's broken heart. That's a sad way to find out someone's true colors,but now that she's shown what she really is,your brother can start to get over his disappointment in her and begin to build a better life.
Regards,




P.S.: If your brother wants to get back at the girl,tell him to say to her: "Now that you and I are finished,I will have more time for new
girlfriends. Thanks for setting me free !"

Hi Lindatw, He was so hurt inside and I couldn't do anything except

talking to him. I didn't want to ask about her and I even don't know

anything about her. He is now ok.

He was planning to hit her with his car , but I asked him to forget the

whole idea and keep me away from this.