GERD/Reflux.

[CAS7]

Hello All,

Just checking in to see if anyone has the same on going symptoms as myself. I was diagnosed in 2016 in my late 50s via Endoscopy/Blood Work and also through genetic testing. My only symptom was/is reflux that did not respond to stepwise treatment (diet, antacids, H-2 Blockers, and PPIs). My only finding on subsequent scopes were slight gastritis and and slightly weak Lower Esophageal Sphincter. Since 2016 I have maintained a struct gluten-free diet, along avoidance of reflux inducing foods. Just wondering if anyone continues to have problems with GERD/Reflux even after maintaining a strict gluten-free diet

[Scott Adams]

GERD/Acid Reflux are super common symptoms of celiac disease and other food intolerance issues. Have you made sure your diet is 100% gluten-free (if you eat outside your home and in restaurants it may not be), and tried eliminating other common foods that may contribute to reflux like casein/cow's milk, soy, corn, eggs, etc. It would be helpful to keep a food diary and eliminate them one at a time for a few weeks, the add them back.

[CAS7]

  On 11/1/2022 at 9:09 PM, Scott Adams said:

GERD/Acid Reflux are super common symptoms of celiac disease and other food intolerance issues. Have you made sure your diet is 100% gluten-free (if you eat outside your home and in restaurants it may not be), and tried eliminating other common foods that may contribute to reflux like casein/cow's milk, soy, corn, eggs, etc. It would be helpful to keep a food diary and eliminate them one at a time for a few weeks, the add them back.

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Thanks for the reply Scott. As you know dining out is certainly the greatest challenge for us. I have tried the elimination diet, but had little if any success. Something interesting that my Gastroenterologist told me (since my above post) is that no two celiac patients are exactly alike . In his opinion each one has their own unique "quirks" and symptoms related to their disease, even while maintaining the strictest of adherence to a gluten-free lifestyle. 

[Scott Adams]

I mostly agree with your doctor, but do think there may be things you can do. This article may be helpful:

 

[cristiana]

  On 10/31/2022 at 2:16 PM, CAS7 said:

Just wondering if anyone continues to have problems with GERD/Reflux even after maintaining a strict gluten-free diet

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I know a lot of people who struggle with these conditions who aren't coeliacs, so it stands to reason that some coeliacs might have these conditions as well without them necessarily being related to consuming gluten.

I do have a few ongoing issues with gastritis-like pain, heartburn, and silent reflux, to the point that sometimes my throat gets irritated so much I cough at night in bed.  Not all night, but once or twice, enough to wake me up.  I have a blue inhaler handy because when things are at their worst, it seems to irritate my windpipe and chest.  Whilst gluten can have this effect on me, other things that will bring this on are too much rich food, certain antibiotics and NSAIDs.  It isn't something I struggle with constantly but I have a few flares a year.

When this happens I try to adopt the following measures:

* check my diet to make sure no gluten is sneaking in

* ditch spicy, acidic, greasy food, strong coffee, chocolate etc ; avoid rich food, and try to only eat foods recommended in a gastritis diet like banana, rice and slow cooked chicken, potatoes etc.  

* eat five small meals a day rather than three big meals

* go to bed three hours after eating, no earlier, and two hours after drinking my last drink

* drink lots of water

* sleep on a wedge pillow

I will occasionally take the odd PPI, but when my throat is getting irritated I will take some Gaviscon before I go to bed, and after meals - my gastroenterologist suggested it would help with the irritation and it does.

Now my gut has properly healed and my TTG numbers are finally normal, after many years, if I get these symptoms the above measures normally mean I feel better within a few days.   That said, if it went on longer I might suspect gluten was sneaking in. 

 

 

 

[cristiana]

And as a PS, I have lived in Spain and there chamomile tea is regarded as a very good medicine for stomach complaints.   I must say I find strong chamomile tea very helpful.  I can't say I like the taste as much as coffee but I find it is very effective in calming the stomach.

Also, on the subject of drink, I'm not actually keen on alcohol but I've drunk sparkling wine at a baptism to be sociable and I did find that made my stomach much worse.   It might be worth cutting alcohol out to see if that makes a difference. 

[Posterboy]

Cas and, Cristiana et Al,

I hate to say it but taking PPIs is not helping you......and is actually probably making it worse!

Here is a nice reference article about it that I just ran across recently.

Entitled "New Study Shows that Antacid Use Leads to More Allergies: Q&A with Eva Untersmayr MD, PhD"

https://asthmaallergieschildren.com/new-study-shows-that-antacid-use-leads-to-more-allergies-qa-with-eva-untersmayr-md-phd/

One goes often from GERD to NERD.....when taking PPIs'...

This article explains what this is....

https://www.foxnews.com/health/gerd-or-nerd-new-type-of-heartburn-doesnt-respond-to-drugs

Also "Left Side Sleeping" has been shown to help GERD.

Here is a nice article about the "Advances in GERD" that explains why sleeping on your Left Side can be helpful.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2886414/

I hope this is helpful but it is not medical advice.

Posterboy,