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Bananas are high in potassium. They also help with acid reflux. I take two acid reflux pills a day, but because I no longer have my gall bladder, bile is emptied into my small intestine. Despite taking meds, and watching what I eat, I have still had a couple of episodes of waking up with acid reflux in the middle of the night this past year. One was so bad, the crap was coming out of my nose, and my throat was on fire. I was also coughing up small bits of pus for about a week, so I must have aspirated the reflux as well. I have Barrett's esophagus, so that was a concern for me. I called my doctor, and he told me to call him if I developed a fever. I didn't, but it was an experience I'd never had before in my life.

When that bad episode happened, I tried milk, baking soda in water, crackers...nothing helped with the burning until I ate a banana, and the burning immediately went away. The next day I looked online to see if bananas are recommended for acid reflux, and they are. If I've eaten anything fried for supper, I have a banana before I go to bed, and I haven't had any more reflux episodes.

I will have to try a banana in the evening when I have tomato products. I LOVE me tomato products, but for the last few years it has been very frustrating to me (and uncomfortable) that I get acid reflux if I have them past about 4 PM. I still do it, of course, but always end up taking a Tums to avoid the acid reflux. I don’t think that this is ideal, because you need acid in your stomach for proper digestion...so perhaps the banana will solve the problem.

Thanks!

“Despite taking meds, and watching what I eat, I have still had a couple of episodes of waking up with acid reflux in the middle of the night this past year. One was so bad, the crap was coming out of my nose, and my throat was on fire. I was also coughing up small bits of pus for about a week, so I must have aspirated the reflux as well. I have Barrett’s esophagus, so that was a concern for me. I called my doctor, and he told me to call him if I developed a fever. I didn’t, but it was an experience I’d never had before in my life.”

My wife’s best west coast friend, she is like a sister, had your problem two nights in a row after dinner and after bed time.

Her Doctor at our big HMO lives about a quarter of a mile away from her home, and he walked over to her home during her reflux event and gave her 2 Zantacs. In about an hour she was better.

He believes that she has Barrett’s esophagus. Since she is 84, he feels the Zantac is safer than a GI scope.

He told her to take a 150 mg tab of Zantac about 30-45 minutes after her dinner. Then, take a 300 mg Zantac tab at 30 minutes before bedtime. Also, to limit her wine to one 6-8 ounce glass during her evening meal. No wine before nor after her dinner.

She is doing fine with that simple and easy to follow regimen.