Nicotine, too much can cause GERD in some people.

[Stubby]

Found this with a quick search.

Vinegar and Acid Reflux

I have a friend who has acid reflex and heartburn and swears by apple cider vinegar. I tried it and couldn't handle the taste at all. The article suggest adding honey so that might go down a lot better.

[a2dcovert]

I have a history of ulcer and was already taking Prolosec daily. I never got indigestion. Since starting to vape I get indigestion almost daily. The only way to stop it is Maalox. I keep several bottles around the house and take it off and on throughout the day.

I really don't know why vaping causes the indigestion but I just keep vaping and drinking Maalox. To me its just a side effect I am willing to accept.

I believe that the stimulant in nicotine causes the excess acid production. I don't always have any indication of a problem which is why the GERD catches me unaware. In 2006 after my hospital stay I was sent to a gastro dr where he ran an indoscope. He found I had gastric ulcers and peptic ulcers that I never felt any discomfort from. But anyway I wish I always had a warning that the acid was getting out of control. My doctor said it is common for patients to have ulcers with no symptoms.

It's very likely that the amount of nicotine you are getting now may be more than you did while smoking. Maybe your doctor could increase the dosage of your Prolosec?

[Doug_Dread]

What surprised me the most in 2006 was to find out that Nitro will releave GERD. My gastro Dr. said that the esophagus is made of the same type of muscels that the heart is. Nitro causes this type of muscel to relax. Sounds like the next time i'll take Bicarbonate of Soda and a full glass of water.

PS: Isn't that just what alka-seltzer is?

There are a gazillion medicines for acid reflux/heartburn/indigestion, some work and some don't, but which all have three things in common, they are alkaline based to neutralise the acid, they taste ghastly and they cost a bomb if like me, you are a regular sufferer and need to use them frequently. I switched to Bicarb about 25 years ago and never looked back. It deals with the acid instantly, costs next to nothing from the baking section of your local supermarket and if taken as I suggested, you don't even get to taste it.

[southernchick]

I get acid reflux really bad when I have too much nicotene. Doesn't matter which form I take, gum, cigarrettes, vaping, they all cause the same reaction. Fortunately I found a tablespoon of natural apple cider vinegar will make it go away (although the taste of that stuff is awful - it works better than prilosec) in my experience.

[TropicalBob]

Some of these problems are from swallowing nicotine. Users of various tobacco mouth products often suffer hiccups or worse because they swallow saliva laden with nicotine. That nicotine will make it all the way to the small intestine before being absorbed. In the meantime, it wreaks havoc in the upper digestive tract.

The vaping question is: Do you GULP your inhales? Do you fill your mouth, then open it wide and glup down the vapor? If you do, you might be sending nicotine vapor to your digestive tract, not your lungs. Do not gulp. Inhale and suck the vapor exclusively into your lungs.

Inhaled nicotine can cause a sharp contraction of muscles at the top of the airway, which has the effect of "taking the breath away" from a smoker. We'll all felt it. It's that "WOW" hit. It's caused by nicotine flowing over the muscles there, which freak out and contract.

If the same happens to muscles along your esophogas, I'd guess heartburn or worse might result. But that's just a guess. To me, the one rule for anyone experiencing this would be "never gulp an inhalation of nicotine vapor".

[jlmanno]

Good point TropicalBob.

Apple cider can be effective cause the stomach sense decreased ph thus decreases acid production just as bicarb increases ph and can trigger acid production.

Gerds as pointed out is a problem of the lower esophagus and the flap to the stomach so even small amounts of stomach acid can cause tremendous pain.

I find it helps me at night if I make sure I'm propped up higher on a pillow though not comfortable helps keep some acid down.

The nerve plexus of the heart and upper digestive system are the same so certainly both can feel like a heart attack.

What a relief when that glass of water relieves the pain!

[a2dcovert]

I don't gulp when I inhale. I take the vapor into my mouth and gradually breath in. Now there are many ways to get nicotine down to your esophagus saliva absorbs the nicotine from your vapor and snus.

My GERD is caused by acid reflux which is caused by the top valve muscle of my stomach (I refuse to use the s word) leaking acid up into my esophagus. If I lucky I will belch some of the acid into my mouth so that I am aware of the reflux and can take additional measures to eleminate it. If not it can reflux enough to cause the GERD attack. In 2006 I had 2 incidents of aspiration of reflux into my lungs. This results in pneumonia almost everytime.

Now again I will mention that nicotine isn't the only cause of my acid problem. It is currently the last straw though and is making my reflux hard to keep under control. Before using these alternative nicotine products my reflux was well under control.

[a2dcovert]

Good point TropicalBob.

Apple cider can be effective cause the stomach sense decreased ph thus decreases acid production just as bicarb increases ph and can trigger acid production.

Gerds as pointed out is a problem of the lower esophagus and the flap to the stomach so even small amounts of stomach acid can cause tremendous pain.

I find it helps me at night if I make sure I'm propped up higher on a pillow though not comfortable helps keep some acid down.

The nerve plexus of the heart and upper digestive system are the same so certainly both can feel like a heart attack.

What a relief when that glass of water relieves the pain!

That is the main message I wanted to get out. Because it mimicks a heart attack the glass of water is a good test. Drinking a full glass of cool water will have no effect on a heart attack (angina). It will releave a GERD attack. Both conditions require attention but the heart attack requires imediate attention.

[jlmanno]

time is muscle (heart muscle that can be damaged and lost)

NEVER NEVER should we ignore chest pain!

[a2dcovert]

time is muscle (heart muscle that can be damaged and lost)

NEVER NEVER should we ignore chest pain!

Absolutely! Everytime I get chest pains my heart is the first thing that comes to mind. Most heart attack victims that die usually waited too long to ask for help. Denial is usually the reason they wait.