GERD from gluten

[MOOO]

As some of you already know, I was glutened a few weeks ago... :( probably from some tacos from a local restaurant.

Most of my symptoms have since resolved but I still have this awful GERD (nausea, burning throat, lump in throat sensation).  I finally caved and bout some OTC Prilosec in hopes of relieving some of my discomfort.  After a week of taking this my GERD symptoms are worse.  I have also tried TUMS and pesto but nothing helps. I'm now convinced my glutting triggered some sort of LOW stomach acid episode.

My question is: Does anyone else experience GERD/low stomach acid after a glutting? Or should I leave gluten out of it?

If you do, what can I do to help it go away, and how long does it usually last?

Thank you guys so much for always being willing to help me with these celiac mysteries.  This site is a huge help and comfort to me. 

[Ennis-TX]

If LOW stomach acid, Betaine HCL, doctors best and bluebonnet make some. It will lower the PH of your acid to make it more acidic, breaking down foods. Sometimes the higher PH (less acidic) can keep your stomach from dumping the food to the intestines, causing gastroparesis and gerd. Digestive Enzymes from Doctors Best, or Silverfernbrand (full PH range ones) can help also.

I get issues with gastroparesis, vomiting, benzoars, after my last glutening that has lasted 5 weeks now, and already had a issue with pancreas enzymes from a previous secondary damage. About ready to break out the HCL myself, and have pending a doctors appointment next week.

The HCL makes it burn for a bit before it dumps, and can cause flares with ulcers if you have had them (my reason to hesitate).

Posterboy is our real expert on using the things and dosing along with helping with stomach acid issues.

[heatman]

I’ve been dealing with horrid heartburn ever since I had an endoscopy in August and Zantac is the only thing that helps me. I hope you find relief soon!

[cyclinglady]

If I recall,  you also have autoimmune thyroiditis.  As a result, your recent glutening could have triggered or aggravated a conditioned called Chronic Autoimmune Gastritis.  This type of gastritis can come and go (flare) like any other autoimmune disorder as the trigger is unknown (unlike celiac disease which we know gluten is the trigger).  Your doctor can run antibodies tests and can biopsy your stomach.  I was diagnosed with CAG in January when I still had lingering symptoms and a very elevated DGP IgA results after trying the Fasano diet (Dx: gastric biopsy).  My initial hidden gluten exposure occured a year earlier.    My small intestine has healed completely, so it was nice to know that I was adhering to the gluten-free diet despite the elevated DGP IgA results that were still really high even when I was scoped.  My GI and I think that my other AI issues must somehow affect celiac antibodies test results.  

I took the “do nothing” with medications approach.  I am very allergic to most, so I must weigh the risks of taking them.  I kept to a safe gluten-free diet, slept elevated, and tried to reduce stress in my life.  It worked.  I have been well for many months, but I must report that my stomach is causing some symptoms again.  I hope my body calms down soon.  

I am not saying you have gastritis, but it is strongly linked to thyroiditis.  ?

[MOOO]

cyclinglady,

Yes I do have thyroid disease as well.  Would gastritis be something that would have been seen on my endoscopy? I had one the last time I was having these symptoms and I was tested for EOE and microscopic colitis all of which came back normal.  But my esophagus showed some signs of damage from acid exposure. My doctor did not mention gastritis, would he have seen it if I had it do you think? 

 

[cyclinglady]

My repeat endoscopy occurred five years after my initial  one.  At that time I did not have gastritis (no GI symptoms) and H.Pylori was ruled out then and now.  I did have a polyp which occurs with gastritis, and probably caused my doctor to biopsy it.  The pathologist diagnosed my gastritis.  

The GERD I experienced never happened between years one and four.  It developed during my 5th year.  Gastritis can be silent too, so it is hard to say.  

Again, I am not suggesting that you have gastritis.  You should talk to your GI.  Get all your reports.  Did he biopsy your stomach?  What locations?  Any inflammation noted, etc?  Was H. Pylori ruled out? Something is wrong and it is not always celiac disease to blame.  

If you had GERD when you were diagnosed with celiac disease, how soon did it resolve on the gluten-free diet? 

 

[MOOO]

cyclinglady

I was just looking over my last endoscopy results from about 6 months ago and it looks like the only place where some mucosal changes were noted was in the duodenal area (metaplasia) and in the esophagus (hyperplasia).  I hate how confusing these reports are to read, but I thought the metaplasia in the duodenal area was a normal finding for someone who was not totally healed from celiac disease. I could very well be wrong though. 

My GERD symptoms started a few months AFTER I was diagnosed with celiac and had been on the gluten-free diet for several months. Then they went away for 4 months and now here they are again. I sure hope it is just a strange symptom of being glutened and will resolve soon.  The thought of yet another autoimmune disease is awful. I am wayyy to young for this.  The worst part is I really want to have a baby but I can't seem to stay healthy long enough for that to happen!  So frustrating. 

I am soooo sorry to hear your gastritis is acting up again.  It is so discouraging to continue having problems after being so diligent and careful about your health and diet, I know.  I hope you get back to feeling your old self very soon. I will send healing vibes your way. 

Also, yes I have been tested several times for H. pylori.  At least 3 times in the past year and I am always negative.

[cristiana]

On 9/27/2018 at 3:51 PM, MOOO said:

cyclinglady,

Yes I do have thyroid disease as well.  Would gastritis be something that would have been seen on my endoscopy? I had one the last time I was having these symptoms and I was tested for EOE and microscopic colitis all of which came back normal.  But my esophagus showed some signs of damage from acid exposure. My doctor did not mention gastritis, would he have seen it if I had it do you think? 

 

Hi Mooo

I'm sorry you are going through this... I just wanted to chime in to say that I had about 9 months of gastritis like symptoms in the last year or so and when it all started I was getting heartburn that made my throat sore.

I went to see more than one doctor and eventually one did a TTg test and found it was in the eighties.  I was both disappointed and shocked because I thought I was being very compliant.  I had however, stupidly, been taking Floradix for some weeks not realising it had wheat in it (Floravital doesn't).  I'd also been eating out a bit which I don't normally do - thus opening up the possibility of exposure.

So I stopped the Floradix, stopped eating out and a few months later (this April) my TTg test had come down 40.  I was thrilled, although obviously there is still work to be done..  The pain carried on a bit longer though so I had an endoscopy which showed my villi in good shape and no gastritis. Yay!   But why did it still feel as if I had gastritis?  

So I asked my gastroenterologist.  He said 'dyspepsia' can just happen, without a discernible cause.  After a bit of googling I discovered this information and saw the piece in the article about functional dyspepsia.  You may wish to look at that section. It gave me some piece of mind as it seems to back up what he said.

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I also found later that my pain was greatly reduced when I bought, of all things, a rather looser fitting bra!  Avoiding tight clothes around the stomach area/upper torso can make a real difference. Also, are you eating oats, because I had an oat breakfast cookie the other day and by the evening that horrid pain was back in full force?  Thankfully it had gone by the morning.  Some celiacs do have issues with oats - even the pure variety. 

Another member and I have been PM'ing each other for months about this issue because she too had gastritis which just suddenly blew up - again, for no discernable reason.  She took low dose ranitidine, as I had, and then came off it slowly and it helped a great deal.   

Anyway, sorry about the ramble but hope some of this is of use.

 

 

 

 

[amyzengrace]

I too suffered from heartburn and reflux, and in researching the 'why' behind it, I found an article discussing hypochlorhydria, which is essentially not enough stomach acid to initiate the digestive process. Because there is not enough gastric acid to stimulate the pylorus to open, the food sits there and ferments. It isn't gastric acid that's causing the heartburn-type pain, but the fermenting food which expands and can escape into the esophagus. The article recommended 1tsp.-1tbsp. of raw apple cider vinegar (I used regular acv) before meals to stimulate the digestive process. Although skeptical, I tried it, and was amazed at how quickly and well it worked. I had previously tried Zantac and esomeprazole, and they didn't work; antacids relieved the symptoms, but didn't address the underlying cause.

[Ennis-TX]

In some Apple Cider Vinegar can slow the gastric emptying process and cause a form of gastroparesis.