Heartburn when I run

[Kirsty-Leigh]

Hi everyone, hope the spring training is coming along well.

OK so I have a little problem, everytime I run I get really bad heartburn, I have had stomach issues for like 5 yrs so heartburn is pretty common for me, but I just can't seem to eat the right thing before I run. I have tried lots of different thing, and lots of different ways of eating (no food before, food and hour before, food 3 hours before) nothing seems to help, and I find myself stopping not because my legs hurt or I am tierd but because my stomach hurts so bad I think I might puke!

The other problem is that I live in a house with a 2yr old that is highly allergic to wheat, egg and dairy so we can't have any of these products (bread, pasta, anything with flour) in the house or she could get really sick (when I have a long race I have to go out for a pasta meal at a resturant and have breakfast in kept in the car so she doesn't get near it!!!)

Does anyone have any experience with any of these things and have any recomendations that could help me run pain free

Thanks in advance Kirsty

 

[Kirsty-Leigh]

bump! Sorry for bumping guys but yesterday was a busy posting day for some threads and I would really appreciate any advice

 

[JustSmile]

Hi Kirsty,
I have found that bananas can be really soothing and cutting back on the caffeine can alleviate some of the problems. The other thing is....are you twisting your torso when you run? I realize that if I go back to focusing on my core, it can lessen the problem greatly. Good luck.

 

[Steffwalks]

I don't normally have this problem except when I am having serious allergy problems and have too much sugar. I have to use Gu-type products that are low in sugar. Good luck.

 

[Kirsty-Leigh]

Hi guys thanks for your advice, I will try a banana next time I go for a run (we actually have those in the house!!!) how soon before do you eat it, just before you go out of do you give it a while to settle. Good advice about the caffiene but I don't have any of that in my diet (highly sensitive to it!)

I think I should probably cut down a little on the sugary thing when I know I am going out for a run, its funny I know exactly what causes my stomach problems when I am just at home (no alcohol or dairy for me) but when I run it seems to shake all the acid about!!! Do you ever take any tums or mylanta type product before you go out or do you find these things repeat on you? Maybe I shoud put some tums in my pocket for when I run???

I have no idea if I twist my torso when I run but I will look into that one maybe I do, hmmm now you have got me thinking.

I will try your ideas and let you know how I get on!

Thanks for you help its greatly appreciated

 

[Tiger Lily 03]

I've got reflux and then some. If I take smaller portions it seems to help me a lot.

I don't usually take any meds with me to an event or on a training trek other than Tylenol for really needy purposes.

I take half a Gu and then a bit later about 2 miles, I'll finish the other half.

If I can before I step out, I usually eat a low-sugar oatmeal made with water and eat only about half of that too. If you have any type of warm hot cereal that you can bring into your home maybe this could get you started and then get the Gu going later in the training run or event. You could make it with less water so it gets a little more solid and take it with you to have in the car if you can get to it along your training or after. I'll do that sometimes. I don't take it with me in my waist pack when I run/wog though.

Experimenting is key. Let us know what it is you try and how it works. I know there is something out there that will help. Have you tried talking with your doc yet?

 

[thndrmatt]

Random question and I might have missed it, but you mentioned what you eat, what do you drink pre/during/post run?

I know a lot of posters on here who have very particular drink needs to avoid stomach issues, some water only, some gatorade only, some lemon lime flavored powerade mixed at exactly 5 parts powerade to 2 parts water only, and so forth.

 

[JustSmile]

Kirsty,
I'd give that banana a little bit of time to settle. I don't carry any meds with me. If it starts to bother me, I just walk for a bit. I'd start journaling what you're eating and drinking during the day and then include how you feel when you run. Maybe that will give you some indicators on what's making the problem worse.

 

[Kirsty-Leigh]

Hey everyone, thanks for all the great advice I am going to start experimenting with all of these things soon! Oatmeal is a good one I hadn't thought of that and if its with water then we can have it in the house, this might be good for my morning runs! I am still working on what works best to drink when I run, right now I am experimenting with gatorade, it doesnt seem to make my stomach any worse but it does make me really dry in the mouth so it might not be for me!

A lot of people are mentioning gu, I might have to go and get some of that to try, I tried the powerbar one but that did not sit well.

I will start a food journal, i have been thinking about this since that is what I had to do when I first started getting the problems, but stopped when I got it under control.

Thanks so much for all you time and help, I really appreciate it

Kirsty
I have spoken to my doc in england many times but english doctors arent very proactive (unless I go in there and throw up blood they arent going to be fixing anything!) and I am only covered for emergancies here (getting insurance while your on a visa is very difficult!) so I am kinda stuck on that front for right now

 

[Kirsty-Leigh]

got some oatmeal made up today, will try it before I go train tonight

wish me luck

kirsty

 

[Sarah_Rose]

I have spoken to my doc in england many times but english doctors arent very proactive (unless I go in there and throw up blood they arent going to be fixing anything!) and I am only covered for emergancies here (getting insurance while your on a visa is very difficult!) so I am kinda stuck on that front for right now

Ok, I know that this is really not the point of the thread but, I have to ask, what type of visa are you on? I lived in England for 3 years total (broken into two different stints) and on two different types of visas (Commonwealth Working Holiday, and a regular work visa) and I didn't have any problems getting an NHS number to see a doctor regularly. I had a medical condition at the time that required me to see a specialist for screening every 6 months, and that was no problem, either. Have you been into a regular NHS clinic (not a hospital) and asked to register? They do a screening appointment for their records, and then register you as a patient, which gets you a NHS number. With that number, I was able to see a specialist in the hospital in the nearby city, for free, with no questions asked. If you're working or a student, then you're paying British taxes, and you should have access to a doctor.

 

[Kirsty-Leigh]

Thats OK to ask, my problem is the other way round I am English and living in the USA on a J1 exchange visa. I have been to my NHS doctor many times about the problem without that much real help, I got it under control while I was there but now I am running I have the problem, and I have no plan of going back within the next year. And with only basic emergancy cover here in America I don't think I would be covered to go see anyone about it.

Where did you live when you were in England?

Thanks for your help anyway

kirsty

 

[Sarah_Rose]

Thats OK to ask, my problem is the other way round I am English and living in the USA on a J1 exchange visa. I have been to my NHS doctor many times about the problem without that much real help, I got it under control while I was there but now I am running I have the problem, and I have no plan of going back within the next year. And with only basic emergancy cover here in America I don't think I would be covered to go see anyone about it.

Where did you live when you were in England?

Sorry, I obviously didn't understand your problem.

I am actually also living in the US on a J-1 visa (I'm Canadian) so I do entirely understand the emergency medical only! That makes much more sense to me! You're right, you probably wouldn't be covered in the US, as it was a pre-existing problem when you left England. I know that I've avoided going to the doctor, here in the US, because I have no idea what is considered "emergency".

I lived for two years in London (NW10, Willesden) on my working holiday visa - I was working for the HMS Courts Service on Kingsway, actually, though, which was kind of neat. My second time in England, I was teaching in Haverhill (Suffolk County, just outside Cambridge), which was.... a much different experience.

Where are you from?

 

[Kirsty-Leigh]

thats ok you were only trying to help

Wow you have travelled a lot! Thats cool your also on a J1 I'm a cultural exchange nanny! I am from nr Manchester, in the NW! I know what you mean about the insurance, I had to go to the hospital a few weeks ago and even though I am covered for what I went in for and i have insurance it wont go through, I called up and they said I am covered but lost in the system! what the hell does that mean grrr! I dont really get the health care system here yet!

Wow sufolk county and London are about as different as you can get down south! I hope the Brits were nice to you while you where there

kirsty

 

[Sarah_Rose]

Hey, I've been to Manchester! During one of our half-term breaks we drove up north to visit a friend of mine (actually, another Canadian living abroad) that I had become really close to while we were both living in London, who was living in Leeds at the time. We visited York and Manchester as well, during that trip. I remember liking it, but I mostly remember it being very cold (it was February half-term).

I really do miss England some days, particularly London. I miss having that feeling that there was always something to see and do, and that I was wasting my life by sitting in my flat. I also miss the people, a lot. I made some great friends in London and Haverhill. Heck, I even miss (some of) my students, some days. At the very least, the school uniforms and the little Suffolk accents.

Good luck with getting your insurance stuff all sorted out! I hope it gets fixed quickly! This paying for health care thing still boggles my mind a bit (I know, how "socialist" of me!) but I'm trying to get used to it! I'm going to be going on to my (also Canadian, but well-employed in Seattle) fiance's visa once we get married in the summer, so I guess I'll have to get used to it, because we're going to be here for a little while!

 

[Kirsty-Leigh]

Its pretty much always cold in Manchester!!! Even colder than the rest of England I think! But yes in Feb especially it is pretty chilly! Thats funny because I dont miss it at all, apart from my family of course! York is really nice I went to college there and it is one of my favorite places in the country

Thanks I am sure the insurance will work out, its just all still a little foreign to me aswell and I don't really know the right way to go about getting things fixed!

It was nice to talk to you and I guess I will see you in Jan 2010 for Mickey arghhhh I'm excited

Kirsty

 

[Kirsty-Leigh]

Hey guys thanks for all your help, I went for a run today and I didn't get heartburn yay!!!

I had some oatmeal a little while before I went out and only drank water before and during and that seems to have done it for now, I will have to come up with more solutions for longer runs but its a start! (going to try bananas when we go to the store )

couldnt have done it without you so thanks

kirsty