O/T problems with reflux

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Reflux for me is acid indigestion, burping/belching and having acid

roll up my esophagus if I lie down flat. I used to have a major

problem with it when I was taking high doses of ibuprofen for pain.

Then I reached the point where the ibuprofen just wasn't doing

anything, so I stopped taking it and lo and behold the reflux went

away. For the last few years I only have a reflux problem as a

side-effect to prescription drugs or when I eat sugar. I discontinue

any meds that cause reflux, and try my best not to eat sugar. Usually

it resolves within 48 hrs of discontinuing the meds or sugar. (Yes, I

know sugar should be avoided anyway and I do my best... I'm usually

sugar-free for weeks at a time and then something comes up (birthdays,

holidays, etc) and I have a little indulgence, and then repeat the

cycle. I do spend much more time sugar-free than not.)

But in the last week or so the reflux has come back with a vengeance

and I am having trouble finding the culprit. This morning I've been

looking over my supplement schedule and trying to decide what changes

could be causing this. I'd like some help, please.

On March 2nd, my basic supplement schedule was:

digestive enzymes every time I eat

probiotics, flax oil, CLO, fiber - 1x/day

wheat germ, borage oil, vit E, Amla-based vit C - 1x/day

vit C, mag, taurine, chromium - 4x/day

silymarin, B complex, zinc, CoQ10 - 3x/day

B5 pantothenic acid - 2x/day

GABA, melatonin - 1x/day

On 3/3, I added Lithium Orotate and built up to 3x/day over 3 days.

On 3/7, I changed brands of taurine

On 3/8, I changed brands of silymarin

On 3/9, I added a 4th dose of silymarin

Somewhere between 3/6 and 3/10 I started cutting my zinc in half, so I

reduced it from 3x 50mg to 3x 25mg.

3/13-3/20 I was in Virginia. I switched from liquid Flax oil to

gelcaps, so I was taking less Flax and I skipped the CLO entirely (due

to transportation/refrigeration issues). Other than that my supp

schedule was mostly normal in VA, except for some days I missed the

midday or evening container. But then my trip was extended from its

original 6 days to 8. I used the missed doses and tried to spread the

remaining ones out a bit, but the last few days in VA were off

schedule, to say the least. When I got home on 3/20 I resumed my

normal schedule. And went sugar-free, again.

On 3/22, I added 81mg aspirin with the borage oil.

On 3/24, I added a 4th dose of zinc.

On 3/25, I changed brands of zinc.

On 3/27, I add B12 sublingual, 1x/day (methylcobalamin and dibencozide

on alternating days)

On 3/28, I changed brands of fiber.

On 3/30, I DROPPED the aspirin and B12.

So, where I am now is:

digestive enzymes every time I eat

probiotics, flax oil, CLO, fiber - 1x/day

wheat germ, borage oil, vit E, Amla-based vit C - 1x/day

vit C, mag, taurine, chromium, silymarin, zinc - 4x/day

B complex, CoQ10, Lithium Orotate - 3x/day

B5 pantothenic acid - 2x/day

GABA, melatonin - 1x/day

I'm scheduled to add ACE today, but I had expected dropping the

aspirin and B12 sublinguals to resolve the reflux problem. It hasn't.

The aspirin made sense to me, since I know that ibuprofen causes this

problem. The B12 sublinguals also made sense, since they were

sweetened (with sorbitol and xylitol). I've taken both of those B12s

before and I don't remember having any trouble with them, but it was a

few years ago.

So I'm stumped. The other changes that I've made were adding a 4th

dose of silymarin and zinc, changing brands of taurine, zinc,

silymarin and fiber, and adding lithium orotate.

What is lithium orotate made of? Is it likely to cause stomach

problems or reflux? Since I added that on 3/3 and didn't start having

trouble until lately, I'm inclined to let it off the hook, but I'm not

sure that's valid reasoning.

How likely is it that this is from the 4th dose of zinc or silymarin?

In both cases, the 4th dose was added at bedtime. If the reflux was

only happening at night, I'd certainly suspect them, but I belch all

day long. It's a good thing I'm home alone all day, because it's

disgusting.

How likely is it that this is from the brand changes? When choosing

supplements I tend to lean towards the ones with the fewest fillers

possible, just to reduce the number of things I could react to. I

have gone back and compared the ingredients between the old and the

new brands, and I don't see any obvious suspects.

FWIW, I don't have any overt symptoms of digestive problems, ie, no

pain, bloating, cramping, diarrhea, constipation, etc. I also don't

have any overt signs of candida. I do have fatigue like crazy...

you'd think I bought it on sale. I also have an ongoing problem with

adrenal fatigue.

Do I just give it more time to see if it really was the aspirin or

B12? Or do I drop something else? And what?

Any help would be appreciated. This is driving me crazy.