I'm convinced that the larger my tummy gets, the more acid reflux, bloated feeling and discomfort I have in my chest/tummy, especially when you combine it with being on the computer (in my case, sitting on the sofa and bending forward to the laptop on a tray.) I've heard vaguely about these problems being connected, but I also know SKINNY people with the problem. If I take a prescription med for acid reduction, I'm okay but with just OTC drugs, it gives me a fit if I work on my computer a lot.

Anyone else??? Thanks!

Not silly... acid reflux is one of the symptoms of obesity lots of us end up getting it who never had it before.

I read that your esophagus gets bent straight because of the strain the fat puts on your interior and that's one of the reasons it occurs. So your belly fat connection makes sense I guess.

Mine has gotten semi-better as I lose weight and Im hoping it will go away all together soon.

Tums work fine for me but you might want to talk to a doctor about your symptoms. (Although, sounds like you might have already!)

Being overweight will cause reflux, there is no doubt about that. As you lose weight and change your eating habits you will notice a big improvement. Another thing that will help it is to stay away from high fat foods and eat smaller more frequent meals throughout the day. That will help put less pressure on your lower esophageal sphincter which will help it stay closed when it's supposed to.

I've had it pretty severely and was on prescription medicine for a couple of years. Honestly, it cleared up without my losing weight but the weight definitely aggravates it. In my case: sitting for long periods of time eg a long car ride, will bring it on. I don't know what you can do about being on the computer all the time but if you can change yr position, it might help.

I too had the same problem, but more so when I was cleanin and bendin over all the time, at night I honestly found it hard to breathe(and I am not severely overweight....maybe 50 pounds??)and finally told my dr about it, he says that because I sleep on my side in the fetal position this pushes on the stomach, forces it up and puts pressure or something on the esophogus?? Anyway, OTC meds wouldn't cut it and he put me on Nexium for a 6 week course, on week 2 and feel alot better, but trying to diet is not workin either, not motivated. I also have a question if someone can answer, I have one knee that is a constant problem, if I stand for more than 5 hours at my job, my knee swells up, feelings like its burning where the knee bends, seen drs and they said exercise, which I do but someone told me to try glucosamine??? any thoughts or anyone tried it??

I have systemic scleroderma, and not only can scleroderma itself cause damage all up and down the digestive tract and result in GERD (reflux,) medications we have to take for other symptoms can cause it, so we are GERD pros!

I urge you to see your doctor to have your heartburn/reflux diagnosed correctly. Just because you can get the meds for it over-the-counter doesn't mean you don't need your doc to assess your case. Severe reflux can lead to a precancerous condition called Barrett's Esophagus which definitely needs close medical monitoring and care.

Your doc will likely suggest dietary changes, elevating the head of your bed, and medication as well as losing weight. Sleeping on your left side can also help in some situations, as suggested above. Dietary changes vary for most of the people I know, but for me avoiding citrus juice and caffeine helps the best. Others tell me they can't tolerate tomato sauce, alcohol, chocolate, or spicy/hot foods. You should not eat within 2-3 hours before bedtime.

Hope this helps!

Ladies, thank you for all your sensible and informative replies! Just wanted to say that I have kept under 1600 or calories for close to a week, and have noticed a huge improvement in my reflux/digestive problems. Also saw a doctor to make sure it wasn't some serious ailment causing my discomfort. I think it's just the fat tummy/overeating/bending over sort of syndrome that I know what to do to get rid of! At least I have fingers crossed! Thanks again ...

Heartburn used to be a constant companion for me. In the approximately 18 to 19 months since I started to get serious about eating better, and started losing a little, I've hardly had any episodes. Eating late at night and eating high fat items where my worst triggers.

This used to be a problem for me, too. Cutting white flour, sugar and yeast pretty much out of my diet and losing about 65 pounds has cured it. I don't think I've had an episode in at least 5 years and it was something that I had lived with daily.

Mel

I am amazed at the weight losses of all you good women! I too, have had the 'gerd' problems. I haven't seen here that anyone drinks lots of water for it.( I do) Also, I can not bend over after eating, nor eat and go to bed (or lie down) with out suffering. I guess it goes with the fat belly but so many of you have lost that! Hope the water helps. just getting back to a better diet and have a lot to lose, with IBS to keep me company. Wish me well.

I wasn't even obese but I definitely had stomach issues at my highest weight. However, they were not due to my fat stomach, but rather my excessive overeating. I would stuff myself to the point of where I felt miserable; I stuffed myself to the point of not being able to sit up comfortably, let alone sit back or lie down; I would eat things like a whole HUGE bag of chips, five slices of pizza, a whole pint of ice cream, or two or three FULL plates of food when all I needed was one. I had a serious overeating problem that I denied even existed until I was able to look back on it objectively. I'm amazed that I WASN'T obese... the crazy bit is that my THIN girlfriend often ate just as much as I did (but now that I'm not overeating, she has been overeating much less, too!) and didn't feel nearly as crappy after shoveling all that food down her throat as I did! What can I say, life's not fair...

I still get acid reflex (and other, um, lovely intestinal things that I DIDN'T get while overweight) if I overeat, but I rarely do it. Thinking of how CRAPPY I'll feel is enough to stop me! Eugh!

I also had no idea that acid reflex was a common side effect of obesity, though it definitely makes sense.

The acid reflux can be from a hiatal hernia, which can happen to a person no matter the weight. I have a sliding hh and I find that drinking a LOT of water helps to flush out my esophagus AND dilute the acid in my stomach. Also to relieve it at night, and you, like me, sleep on your side, sleep on your left side rather than the right that way the distal end of your esophagus is downhill from the throat. Eating smaller meals helps too.

I had similar questions, particularly about bloatedness. Thanks for posting the question. Good information.

I had acide reflux and heartburn often, but am so thankful I haven't had any for 6 weeks now. I think my weight and the food choices I was making really attributed to that problem. Since I've been on Medifast and eating healthy dinners - it's amazing that I have not had it once! I also had digestive problems for ten years from a lack of a gall bladder, and that is fixed too! I was one of the lucky 5% with persistent diarrea after having my gall bladder removed (my bile secretion doesnt work correctly). Amazing now that I am eating healthier and getting all my nutrients - I am regular. I know - too much information, but I am sure there are others that know what I am talking about. Good luck to you...

I also had serious digestive problems. Gas, reflux, and it always seemed to be related to the fat in my belly. I actually ended up at the hospital on Thanksgiving 2005 it was so bad. I often felt it was my clothing and being hunched over the computer all day.

When I started this diet I started taking "Gas-x" to deal with the gas caused by cutting food. Then you know what happened? It all went away! Within weeks. I stopped the "gas-x". I still feel it was the cutting back on the food not necessarily what I was eating. But I also lost the most inches from my waist / stomach.

Waist was 38 when I started and was about 34 within a few months (now 32) and upper abdomen (belly button area) was 43 and about 39 after a few months, now 37.

When I think how many trips I had to the doctor and all I had to do was eat less? Ugh! I was so embarrassed to admit to myself that I was eating too much for my stomach to take, if a doctor had suggested that I would have bit his head off!