Keep losing weight

[carolynh]

Help.   I have silent reflux and celiac and keep losing weight.    I can't seem to get enough nutrition to give me energy. Too many forbidden foods.   I am losing so much energy . How has anyone else overcome this problem? 

[trents]

36 minutes ago, carolynh said:

Help.   I have silent reflux and celiac and keep losing weight.    I can't seem to get enough nutrition to give me energy. Too many forbidden foods.   I am losing so much energy . How has anyone else overcome this problem? 

Welcome to the fourm, carolynh!

Do you have other food intolerances/allergies or medical conditions that either prevent you from eating high calorie foods or cause you to lose body mass? When you say, "too many forbidden foods," do you man besides those that contain gluten? Are you avoiding certain foods that exacerbate your reflux problem? And, would you consider yourself a picky eater? Are you a vegetarian or a vegan?

I ask these questions because I have had celiac disease and have been eating gluten free for 20 years and have gained 20 pounds. In the absence of other food intolerances or self-imposed dietary restrictions there should be plenty of calorie dense food options left for you to get the energy you need.

As to the silent reflux problem, have you been checked for a hiatal hernia? Have you researched what foods to stay away from in order to address acid reflux?

[carolynh]

I am avoiding foods that are listed on the typical gerd list , which includes fatty foods, processed , fried foods, spices, chocolate. citrusy foods.ice creams, cheeses, etc.  seems to leave little choices. when i add gluten free on top of it it seems very limited. the soy protein drinks seem very odd tasting to me. i limit milk due to lactose intolerance. also have high blood pressure and high cholesterol.  no hiatal hernia i am not a vegeterian.   i do consider myself picky, and have never been into the mediterrean tastes like humus, etc.   

[trents]

Thanks for the additional information. Now we have a clearer picture of what why you are struggling with weight loss.

Have you ever been put on a PPI for the GERD? Has the GERD improved since you have been following the GERD no no food list? Or because it is the silent type, can you even tell without an endoscopy?

[Oldturdle]

1 hour ago, trents said:

Thanks for the additional information. Now we have a clearer picture of what why you are struggling with weight loss.

Have you ever been put on a PPI for the GERD? Has the GERD improved since you have been following the GERD no no food list? Or because it is the silent type, can you even tell without an endoscopy?

Carolynh, thanks for the post!  I too have been diagnosed with celiacs and silent reflux.  I have tried all the medications, in various combinations, and not one helped a bit.  My symptoms include a constant sensation of a lump in my throat, lots of phlegm, causing coughing and throat clearing, difficulty swallowing coarse dry foods, and frequent sensations of "needing to sneeze," with nose and eyes watering.  I took one look at the "gerd diet" and did not even try it because I knew it would be hard to keep weight on, which I struggle to do.  Although, having been gluten free for 7 months, I have put on 4 pounds, which I needed.  My ENT doctor basically referred me to the GI doctor, who referred me back to the ENT doctor!  One GI guy said he thought my symptoms would go away after I have been gluten free for awhile.  Basically, I am now eating anything I want, as long as it is gluten free, and hoping he is right!

  There is no food that seems to make my symptoms worse or better.  The symptoms are least noticeable first thing in the morning, and get worse as the day goes on, when I start "using" my throat.  Can you relate to any of this?

 

 

  

[carolynh]

i had an endoscopy which showed erosive esophagitis , had various ppis some which had very bad side effects. currently on pantoprazole and also sucralfalte. had too many antibiotics at beginning of year which caused gastritits. i am afraid  to try things which may cause burning because i wont be able to get rid of that feeling.  at various times, i have had pain in throat, too much mucus, dryness, sometimes i will get strange sensations that i cant clear my throat. also gone through episodes of too filmy of a taste in my mouth and overall bad taste. miserable

[trents]

Sounds like your GERD is not really the silent type.

[carolynh]

1 minute ago, trents said:

Sounds like your GERD is not really the silent type.

the ent diagnosed as silent based upon some of the other symptoms irritating my throat and larynx

[cristiana]

Hi Caorlynh

I do sympathise, I have had lots of issues with gastritis and reflux in recent years.   I found the reflux diet also led me to lose weight, having put a lot back on after being diagnosed a coeliac.

A few things that help me are drinking camomile tea or warm water; not eating for three hours before I go to bed, taking some gaviscon before I go to bed, using a wedge pillow.

Sorry if you are already doing these things, but I mention them in case.

Cristiana

[carolynh]

1 hour ago, cristiana said:

Hi Caorlynh

I do sympathise, I have had lots of issues with gastritis and reflux in recent years.   I found the reflux diet also led me to lose weight, having put a lot back on after being diagnosed a coeliac.

A few things that help me are drinking camomile tea or warm water; not eating for three hours before I go to bed, taking some gaviscon before I go to bed, using a wedge pillow.

Sorry if you are already doing these things, but I mention them in case.

Cristiana

yes i try to not eat 3 hrs before bed and use the wedge pillow and don't drink cold water

[cristiana]

Hi Carolynh

I find my gastritis and reflux are tied to each other - sometimes I'm first aware of the reflux symptoms, other times I'm first aware of gastritis pain, then the irritated throat etc follows.

But I tend to now treat them the same, and I try to get in quickly with the cure that works for me, which took a while to figure out.  This includes cooking up a big crockpot of chicken, potato, carrots, seasoning and a bit of stock and slow cooking it for hours until its all really soft, which I then take as a main meal; eating smaller more frequent meals; taking a snack with me when I'm out so I never go hungry when I'm out (I take something with me to eat because once the hunger pangs start, so does the pain) or at least having water to drink in those situations, taking a short course of omeprazole, using gaviscon before I go to bed, etc etc.

I do tend to lose weight at these times and at first it worried me how much but the reflux diet cuts out a lot of the sweet and fatty foods I like to eat so no surprise there I guess.  Curiously I've always been able to tolerate Walkers or Schars shortbread type or rich tea biscuits at those times, which if I was following the reflux diet super religiously perhaps I should not eat, but they  were useful when there was nothing else and the hunger pangs struck.

My gastritis and reflux are caused by different things: antibiotics, eating too much cake (awful admission!), glutening, etc etc.   

It can feel very discouraging this journey as it can take a while to fix things, but it's worth figuring it all out.  Maybe these two threads may be worth reading in case you pick up any tips along the way.

https://www.celiac.com/forums/topic/130150-reflux-related-cough-anyone/

https://www.celiac.com/forums/topic/118711-gastritis-or-glutening-slippery-elm/

 

 

Edited August 4, 2021 by cristiana