Treatments for Post-Contamination GERD

[NoelEstabrook]

I am posting this on behalf of my wife who has had Celiac for several years now (or rather, more likely non-celiac gluten sensitivity).  She has gotten very, very good at not getting contaminated, as she is EXTREMELY sensitive to gluten.  However, when she DOES get contaminated, she suffers from terrible acid reflux and GERD for 6-7 weeks post-contamination.

I have a couple questions.  First, does anyone else here experience this length of symptoms post-contamination?  Second, does anyone have any recommendations of anything she can try to reduce the gerd/reflux during her 6-7 week recovery period (we have tried DGL and a few other things, and nothing seems to do a whole lot of good).  Any help/advice appreciated.

Noel

[cyclinglady]

Welcome! Everyone is different.  That said, I experienced GERD the last time I was exposed to gluten.  I have many drug allergies, so I basically toughed it out.  I elevated my head at night, did not eat hours before bedtime, avoided slouching, and waited to heal.  I also went to my safe gluten-free diet of soups and stews (easy-to-digest) until I healed.  

I am sure other members have some valuable tips.  ?

[TexasJen]

About a year after my diagnosis of celiac, I developed GERD out of the blue. My symptoms don't appear to be related to CC but to be honest, I'm still not 100% sure. 

I have found, though, in addition to cyclinglady's recommendations, that eating small meals with mostly whole foods, avoiding alcohol, dairy and all coffee/tea really seems to help.

Hope she feels better soon!

[justsayno]

Well if diet doesn't work out, they'll want to put you on proton pump inhibitors for awhile. These have some detrimental side effects though.

[NoelEstabrook]

Thank you for the suggestions.  Over the last several years, she has tried all of those things.  And while they all work to varying degrees to ease the symptoms a little, it's still a hard road to hoe for 6-7 weeks.  Was looking specifically for something that might actually shorten the contamination period.

Not sure if this might help others or not, but quite by accident, she might have happened on a possible solution this week.  On occasion, she has taken Valium for anxiety.  It just so happens that she took one for a couple of days after her last contamination, and it seems to have taken her symptoms from about a 9 to a 3 almost immediately.  While not crazy about taking valium for several weeks when she gets contaminated, it sure beats suffering with the constant symptoms for weeks.