My Personal Story...
Page 3 of 4
Onto the remedy...
In my scenario, I gave up PPIs and decided to not give in to any form of prescribed gastric drug. I did however keep a pack of antacids handy in case of instances where I couldn’t suppress the reflux. I researched a number of acid boosting options on the web, and the vast majority pointed towards Apple Cider Vinegar.
Unfortunately, in the U.K. (where I live), there are not many outlets that sell Apple Cider Vinegar. Most products are actually aimed at farmer’s livestock rather than for human consumption. There are some brands sold in supermarkets for culinary uses, but these are always the pasteurised or filtered types, whereas the Apple Cider Vinegar recommended throughout the web puts emphasis on the use of the unfiltered type that contains the "mother". So I decided to buy from a U.S. website. This was not a cheap option especially as it had to be shipped and then I had to pay duty, but then after a few months I started to realise it ultimately still worked out cheaper than paying for prescriptions.
I tried a few of the formulas recommended on various websites which included recipes of mixing Apple Cider Vinegar with baking soda, honey and lemons etc etc. But for me, I found the best way was to simply knock back a 20-30ml neat dose from a small glass. I would then take a couple of mouthfuls of water making sure I rinsed my mouth well to prevent dental enamel corrosion from the acidity. This method is not easy and not what most would class as palatable. But in my opinion if you are trying to compensate for low acid, the last thing you want to start doing is adding stuff like baking powder which contains acid neutralising substances like bicarbonate of soda.
Over diluting it with water is not such a good idea either. Plenty of water is of course an important part of any healthy diet, but try not to drink too much at the same time as this acid replacement remedy.
I must emphasise, that I did not and still do not always have complete success suppressing my heartburn using Apple Cider Vinegar, but my suffering is completely insignificant compared to what it used to be which makes me a very happy man. But back to the subject in question, the underlying issue I was trying to solve was the Premature Ventricular Contractions, and to my absolute delight... it was working!
Because I had got my gastric complaints under control and I was no longer depending on PPIs to completely suppress acid and enzymes, my body’s chemistry had started to slide back into stability. My body was absorbing the electrolytes which are so critical to the nervous system and I started to feel in much better health generally. It was the greatest feeling!
My Premature Ventricular Contractions as of today...
It is now around 13 years since I first started to experience Premature Ventricular Contractions. It started as a strange sensation and gradually built up to a dreadful daily complaint that was controlling my life. Every night I used to wait for a pause in the uncomfortable flutters, flip-flops and thumping ectopic beats in order to drop off to sleep, I often wondered if I would actually wake up in the morning.
Once I established what the true cause of it was, it was about 3 months before I reached what I considered to be a full recovery. I think the reason some people don't ever get to that stage is because they give up too soon. My point is, whether you feel your personal situation is the same as mine or whether something mentioned here has given you new ideas, please don't expect it to lead to an instant cure because all that does is keeps sending you in different directions. If you do find the cure for your personal situation, you may dismiss it before you have really had the chance to see if it will help.
After my Premature Ventricular Contractions subsided, I decided to go to Asia and train to be a SCUBA diving instructor. Little did I realize a year before with those dreadful Premature Ventricular Contractions that I would go on to do something so adventurous. There were times when those Premature Ventricular Contractions had convinced me that I just need to try and survive rather than enjoy life. I have now returned home and am concentrating on my profession as a software developer creating systems that provide services for blind people.