| PVCManUser Since: Oct 2009Posts: 228 | Hi all,
Please read all of this post if you suffer from PVCs. Although this first part is primarily about heartburn, this post ultimately concerns PVCs. I have been suffering with PVCs for around 9-10 years now, with a gradual increment of intensity and frequency.
I am currently 38 and I have suffered with heartburn since I was a child. After a lot of research and subsequent thought about acid reflux I came to the conclusion that my heartburn is the result of not enough stomach acid (HCl or hydrochloric acid) and not too much of it (like the doctors try to tell everyone). So, I recently started taking natural Apple Cider Vinegar with 5% acidity (the one with all the stodgy stuff floating around inside).
This for me... has been a 99% cure.
Sound like a paradox taking acid to stop heartburn? Yeah, it certainly does, but until we have a total undisputed idea about exactly how the body functions, how can we make any assumptions?
Anyway, based on my research, apparently your stomach doesn't just produce HCl to digest food, the gall bladder and pancreas also produce bile & other digestive enzymes, but without proper production of HCl, you stomach doesn't digest food properly and will ultimately regurgitate enzymes up into your oesophagus.
Anyway, to the PVC issue. I started taking Omeprosole and then Lansoprazole (to control stomach acid/enzymes) about 9-10 years ago. I remember at the time I was working in a recording studio and needed to find a cure for my reflux. About 1-2 months after starting these PPIs (Proton Pump Inhibitors) to eliminate my heartburn, I started to get these dreaded PVCs. I should add that the heartburn cure worked though!
The PVCs gradually got worse and worse and I ended up in A&E on a few occasions scared witless and not knowing what the problem was! However, since taking Apple Cider Vinegar for my heartburn, I have noticed a gradual reduction in my PVCs. Now, 6 months later after taking Apple Cider Vinegar 3 or 4 times daily, they have virtually disappeared all together! I have not been taking supplements of any type; I think my body is just absorbing vitamins and elements more efficiently from the food I eat. Also, I no longer need to take the PPIs because the Apple Cider Vinegar is sufficient.
I have read a lot of information on the web, and it seems that sufficient acid levels are essential for absorbing vitamins & minerals into the body (especially things like magnesium & potassium). I know it's well documented that magnesium and potassium can help reduce or eliminate PVCs, but what is less obvious is the underlying reason why people have deficiencies in these electrolytes.
I'm not saying that everyone who gets PVCs have a low acid stomach or that their PVC problems are totally due to these electrolyte deficiencies, but its worth thinking for a moment as to if and why you may not be absorbing these minerals, even when taking them as supplements.
I hope this helps people.
Godbless
Phil |