It’s been nine years. More than nine years!

Nine years since I was diagnosed with acid reflux. I’ve been on all the prescription medications, alternative medicines, I’ve tried acupuncture, and at one time or another removed all the “triggers” doctors say cause the disease.

Sometimes relief came but always temporary. And yes I tried a crazy vitamin regime that cost me thousands of dollars called Reliv. Nothing ever provided long term relief, therefore nothing worked.

In June, I decided to stop my prescriptions and eliminate wheat from my diet. I had heard through the years from people I worked with and others that their choice to eliminate wheat helped them lose weight, dropped their cholesterol and increased energy and stamina. Perhaps there was something to it.

I was not overly religious in my new diet however my acid reflux symptoms did not get worse. This was the first time I had dropped the prescription medication for a long period, though I did use over-the-counter meds and other holistic methods to help curb my symptoms like apple cider vinegar – with the mother! I had never heard about this “mother” until I saw it at, of all places, Wal-Mart.

About the same time the email coupon craze that gives large discounts to local businesses offered a discount to a local, how should I say it, homeopathic, alternative medicine clinic. My account with the coupon broker had a credit so I thought, why the heck not.

I finally made an appointment and went today.

It was bizarre to say the least. I credit the clinician for embracing my skepticism. Yes, I was honest. I got even more honest when she performed some weird muscle routine to determine what my body responded negatively to.

I lay on my back and raised my right arm at the elbow. The clinician who has a whole bunch of acronyms after her names (NTP, CNC, CNHP) would then place vials of liquid on my stomach and touch my arm. If my arm remained still it was evidence my body showed no ill reaction. If, however, my arm moved which was a muscle reflex (I think) I was allergic or intolerant to said substance. She also lightly touched parts of my body to determine how my organs were functioning, again results based on my twitching arm.

When she told me I had some type of bacterial infection, likely H. pylori, I looked and there was a glass vial lying on my stomach, over my clothes, with liquid inside. I laughed out loud and asked if she can really diagnose such an ailment through a glass vial and my arm twitching. The good sport though she was, indeed, the process similar to acupuncture, showed my body reacting to something.

Huh?

I went along with the procedures and the results showed an intolerance or sensitivity to gluten and caffeine. Considering I mentioned getting off wheat two months ago during the new patient consult how could she be so wrong!? A number of my organs were also not in harmony or working together correctly or something like that.

So, no more coffee, afternoon green tea or wheat of any kind or form.

The office manager took me next and explained the results further as well as what I can and cannot eat. This diet needed to be strictly adhered too for at least a month in order to weed out all the allergens my body was responding to which was flaring inflammation. I was also given the following herbals:

• Spanish Black Radish
• Cal-Amo
• Gut Flora Complex
• Whatever kills the bacteria

The herbals supposedly help speed up the healing process otherwise I’d have to stick to the diet for as long as nine months. I can in time, slowly introduce coffee and wheat products back into my diet depending on how I react.

As quackery as this all sounds I did learn that the acid reflux that burns me is possibly lactic acid reflux which, if true, is better than hydrochloric acid reflux. It is the clinician’s belief that I don’t have enough acid production.

Hmmm, I wonder if my 20 year daily 44 oz. Coca-Cola habit had anything to do with this?

All that being said, none of this was really foreign to me. I wondered several years ago, after my own research, if I indeed have low acid production and the acid blockers were simply exacerbating the problem.

In addition to all the paperwork I also got information on their “Jump Start Program.” It consisted of office visits, alkaline water, and consults among other advantages, that if all paid for separately, would total $1,303. Of course, as a packaged deal they’d shave off a whole bunch and drop my total to $750.

Was this late night TV?

So far, the coupon cost me $35 and the herbal medicines $84 for a total of $119.

I’m going back in two weeks. I’m going to at least give the herbals and diet recommendations a try and see what comes of it.

Besides I really want to find out what the BAX3000 is all about.

Stay tuned.

div { margin-top: 1em; }
]]>

<!–

–>