Omeprazole is basically a prescription strength antacid.
As far as getting reflux when standing, my heartburn comes whether I'm standing, sitting, or laying down. One time it was so bad I stopped in the ER on my way home from working late. Fortunately, it was just heartburn and my doctor prescribe a prescription strength antacid. I only discovered by accident that it was caused by caffein.
Lifestyle changes can have a profound impact on our health. I was drinking a lot of coffee throughout the day at work and one day decided I should switch to decaf for the health benefits. It was either that or cut back on the coffee but I chose the decaf route. Very soon I began to notice that I was not experiencing heartburn anymore, which is odd because when searching for the side-effects of too much caffeinated coffee, heartburn is the first thing listed because the acid is still present in the coffee. That was about 15 years ago and to this day, if I drink regular coffee I can expect issues within a short time.
About 15 years ago during one of my semi-annual doctor visits where we evaluated my blood pressure, cholesterol, and triglyceride medications my doctor asked how I was feeling overall. I told him I was having some issues with what seemed to be excess fatigue but I was extra busy at work so I was getting up at 4:00 am every day and figured that was probably the cause. He recommended a blood test just to be sure and the result was that my potassium levels were very low. Potassium is one of the primary electrolytes used by our body for regulating muscle control and the heart being a muscle, he said it was probably lacking what it needed to function properly. He prescribed a 400mg supplement but I did some research and figured I could adjust my diet a little and get the potassium I needed. He agreed to let me try it for two weeks. Two weeks later my potassium levels were back to normal and all I did was change my dietary balance to lean more toward vegetables and fruits.
In February, 2012, during my semi-annual physical/checkup it was noted that my blood glucose was over 350 and my A1C was 10.4. These are both quite high. I was diagnosed type II diabetic. I was prescribed medication and asked to attend a diabetic training held at the clinic to teach me how to manage my diet. When I evaluated the amount of simple carbohydrates I consumed every day, it was an eye-opener. I began to manage my diet and limit my intake of simple carbohydrates down to about a maximum of 150g spread out throughout the day. By September of that year, just 6 months later, I had lost almost 30 lbs. and when we went to visit in-laws over the Labor day weekend I forgot my medication. While monitoring my glucose levels I noticed they were holding pretty much normal. I decided not to continue with my meds for another couple weeks and see if things continued to remain controlled. They did so I called my doctor and he said I could stop taking the meds and continue monitoring to be sure things remain okay. To this day I am still not requiring medication for my diabetes. The combination of dietary adjustments and weight loss paid off very well.
As an added benefit, losing those 30 lbs. has made it possible to reduce the dosages for my blood pressure and cholesterol meds.
