From Reflux Nightmare to Total Relief: A Client Success Story
Picture this: You’re stuck in the endless cycle of painful reflux episodes, feeling like you’ve tried everything and nothing works. Now, imagine that disappearing—almost like magic. Sounds too good to be true, right? Well, this Client Success Story proves that sometimes, a little guidance is all it takes to turn things around.
Just ask my client, who said, ‘As a result of Sarah’s program, I’ve significantly reduced the number of painful reflux episodes I was experiencing.‘ Talk about a total transformation.
The Background of this Success Story
This client success story started out when they reached out to me after weeks of battling excruciating reflux, constant burping, and stomach gas that made eating feel like a nightmare.
Reflux hadn’t been a new problem—they’d been dealing with it for over 15 years, relying on Nexium for relief. But this time? Nexium was no help, and their doctor had no other solutions to offer.
So, they reached out to me, hoping for a way out
By the time we spoke, their reflux had gotten so bad that they’d basically stripped their diet down to nothing—losing 10 pounds without even trying. Nights were filled with pain, waking up to the burning sensation of reflux, and propping the head of the bed just to get some sleep.
But the worst part? They couldn’t do the things they loved—mountain biking, running, paddling—simple outdoor activities had become out of reach. It was misery.
That’s when they decided enough was enough. They were ready to take control of their health, and that’s where I came in.
When Doctors Hand You a Prescription and Nothing Else: The Frustrating Reality (and How It Doesn’t Have to Be Your Story)
Before reaching out to me, they reached out to their doctor and their only suggestion was to continue to keep taking the Nexium they’d been on for years. The doctor offered them no other solutions and sent them on their way.
(Does this sound like your story? Because this is nearly EVERYONE I see).
No surprise, the Nexium still didn’t provide relief and they continued to suffer because there didn’t seem to be any other options offered by their doctor.
In the meantime, they were also struggling with osteopenia for a number of years and they wanted to come off Fosamax because they felt it was compounding their reflux issues.
What We Found
We ran a food sensitivity test, a comprehensive stool test, and micronutrient test to gain a clearer picture of all the angles contributing to his reflux and bone density issues.
With their food sensitivity test we found they had sensitivities to:
- corn
- wheat
- cocoa
- cow’s milk
- and more
On their stool test we were able to rule out a common infection called H. pylori as the source of their reflux. Meanwhile, we found:
- significant dysbiosis (overgrowth of unhealthy bacteria with an undergrowth of healthy bacteria) happening in their gut
- an immune reaction to gliadin (gluten) in their gut lining
- a presence of occult blood
- high levels of calprotectin (indicating inflammation of the gut lining)
- low digestive capacity (indicating they were having trouble digesting foods due to low enzyme activity)
On their Micronutrient test we discovered several nutrients that needed re-balancing to help with their digestive capacity and bone health:
- Oleic acid and Glutamine were low which is associated with GI tract lining health
- All of their B vitamins were borderline low, as well as magnesium, which are important for bone health
With these results in hand we put together a diet and supplemental protocol designed specifically for them.
The result?
Progressively, over the 3 months we worked together, they began noticing the intensity and frequency of reflux episodes beginning to diminish. They were also able to:
- immediately identify what foods were triggers
- go on long mountain bike rides again
- sleep through the entire night without waking up in pain
- no longer sleep with the head of their bed elevated
Their quality of life significantly improved.
Even more interesting, we discovered that the Nexium they had been taking for 15+ years was likely contributing to their Osteopenia. On the medication label it even clearly states “may increase risk of bone fracture”.
Their doctor hadn’t picked up on this and began prescribing Fosamax instead of creating a plan to wean them off Nexium. The Fosamax eventually led to the painful reflux episodes that prompted them to reach out to me.
I’m Going to Go On a Little Rant Here…
Nexium is intended for short term, occasional use and it’s NOT intended to be used as a long term, daily, solution for reflux issues! The recommended use for PPI’s (Proton Pump Inhibitors), like Nexium, is in 14 day increments, no more than 3 times per year. My client was on PPI’s daily for 15 years!
Many doctors do this dis-favor to their patients because they’re so crunched for time and can’t spend an extra moment to even consider investigating the underlying causes to reflux.
Guess what happens?
They put clients on a lifetime supply of Proton Pump Inhibitor (PPI) therapy which causes more problems for them in the long run. This can be serious problems like osteopenia or osteoporosis. You can get put on even more pharmaceuticals which create more chronic symptoms.
Don’t let this happen to you!
Up to 35% of Americans suffer from reflux, and as a result, acid blocking medications are the 3rd top-selling drug in the U.S. today.
If you’re on a PPI, get a second opinion to find a way to wean yourself off these medications immediately.
List of commonly prescribed PPI’s:
- Omeprazole (Prilose, Losec)
- Lansoprazole (Prevacid)
- Dexlansoprazole (Dexilant)
- Esomeprazole (Nexium)
- Pantoprazole (Protonix)
- Rabeprazole (Pariet)
- llaprazole (Noltec)
Now, Back to my Client Success Story…
My Clients’ Symptoms Progressively Improved During Our Time Working Together
Their constant painful reflux episodes? Significantly diminished.
Their constant burping and stomach gas? So much improved.
Their sleepless nights? No longer an issue for him.
My client is now able to go on mountain bike rides and sleep through the night comfortably without painful reflux episodes constantly ruining their day, multiple times a day. They’re able to feel better in their body again and feel confident the healing path their following is exactly what they needed to recover.
Instead of shooting in the dark guessing what their reaction to various foods were, guessing what was actually going on inside their gut, and guessing what nutrient deficiencies were compounding their problems, we were able to put together a concrete plan with straight forward steps.
Here’s the Rest of the Client Success Story Quote
I’m a very active 68 year old who experienced a severe onset of acid reflux symptoms (GERD). This new onset of severe stomach gas and upper stomach pain was no longer able to be relieved by my daily dose of Nexium I’d been taking for years.
When I reached out to my GI doctor he had no other insight into my situation other than to increase my Nexium dosage which did nothing to relieve the discomfort I was in. Unfortunately for me, it only got worse over the next several weeks and I was absolutely debilitated by the digestive discomfort I was experiencing.
It was at this point that I realized something else was going on and that I needed a more holistic look at “what in the heck is wrong with me???“
In my initial phone conversation with Sarah we reviewed my health background, my current meds and supplements, and my goals beyond just feeling better from the GERD problems.
With Sarah’s program we looked at food sensitivities, gut imbalances, and nutrient deficiencies that were underlying causes to the symptoms I was experiencing.
Most importantly, her program included an interpretation of this testing with needed diet changes, new supplements, and three months of weekly calls to access how I was doing.
I was totally shocked to find out that the primary things I had been eating to combat the GERD symptoms were on my Highly Sensitive list! No wonder I was not getting better.
Using Sarah’s detailed diet plan, I kicked off a program of only eating the food LEAST sensitive to my body. At the same time I also started adding supplements to help the healing progress within my gut. Her written program and weekly consulting calls are very detailed and helped to keep me on track with the program.
Sarah was also able to identify the medication I was taking for osteopenia (fosamax) was likely contributing to my GERD and the Nexium I’d been on for years was likely contributing to my low bone density. It had never been brought up by ANY of my doctors that I had two meds that were “conflicting” with each other!
As of this writing I am four months into my program and can report that I am doing MUCH, MUCH BETTER !
As a result of Sarah’s program I’ve significantly reduced the number of painful reflux episodes I was experiencing. Now I’m able to go on long mountain bike rides, sleep uninterrupted through the night, no longer have to sleep with the head of my bed elevated, begin to wean off medication I’d been taking for years, and gain an in-depth understanding of what foods and supplements are optimal for my body and healing.
In conclusion, let me summarize for anyone reading this that Sarah Neumann is just AWESOME! When your physician has left you in limbo with your “gut issues”, Sarah is able to bring almost unbelievable nutritional knowledge into the battle of getting you better.
Not only is her technical understanding unsurpassed, but she also provides much needed comfort on the weekly phone calls that helped me have confidence that the PROCESS is working. This “hand holding” aspect of her practice is an essential component of the healing process.
Bottom line, if you are having chronic issues with GERD (or other GI problems) I strongly recommend that you get in touch with Sarah and commit to her program.
Here’s the Best Part: You Can Be a Success Story Too
No more guessing games, no more randomly eliminating foods and hoping for a miracle.
I’m here to help you design a clear, customized path to wellness that’s built specifically for your body. We’ll pinpoint the exact foods causing your gut issues, then work together to create a plan that heals and restores balance. This isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach—it’s a solution tailored to you.
Ready to uncover the true cause of your gut inflammation and start your transformational gut healing journey? My program is custom-built and reserved only for those who’re ready to go all in. Schedule your digestive assessment with me to get started.
