Gerd Sufferers

[covsooze]

The first couple of months of being gluten-free, my GERD was much improved, but revently it's got really bed again, to the point that anything I eat makes it worse. I guess my esophegus must have got damaged and needs time to mend. What I'm wondering is, is this a result of being glutened (I was a few weeks ago) or is it from the usual recognised triggers of GERD? (citrus, tomatoes, spice, fat etc). Just wondering what other peoples' experiences are.

[elonwy]

My GERD went away completely. I was however, unresponsive to GERD medication, so it was purely a symptom of Celiac, and I only had it for about a year before being diagnosed. It was really bad, but I didn't have that much damage.

Elonwy

[chrissy]

my girls' reflux did not improve when they went gluten-free, in fact, tianna thought she could quit her prevacid, but got symptoms and had to go back on prevacid. she had not had symptoms of reflux before gluten free, we only knew she had esophagitis from her biopsy.

[jknnej]

Sorry to say my GERD did not improve after going gluten-free. Stayed the same, basically. I guess it wasn't a symptom of gluten.

[trents]

I went on Protonix around the same time that I was Dx with celiac disease. Much improved but I think its due to the proton pump inhibitor med. When I miss a dose, I get indigestion. GERD is an extremely common medical condition in the general population. Not sure we can blame it on celiac disease.

Steve

[Guest cassidy]

I was about to have surgery a second time for gerd when I was diagnosed with celiac. I was taking aciphex twice a day and feeling miserable. I never thought my gerd would go away because of this diet, but it did. It took a few months initially to go away. Now, if I get glutened I have severe reflux for about two weeks afterwards. It is the symptom that lasts the longest.

Aloe helped calm my stomach down. Also, vinegar really helps with the heartburn. It is counter-intuitive, but some people now think that too little acid causes reflux. If there isn't enough acid to trigger the muscle to shut, then it stays loose and reflux is easier. I tried drinking a few tablespoons of vinegar when I was at my worst and my heartburn was gone in 15 minutes. I have since gotten apple cider vinegar capsules because the taste of the vinegar was too much. I take a few tablets and my heartburn goes away.

[kabowman]

Mine did not improve - I still take additional OTC meds (on top of my nexium) when I eat tomatoes. The GI doc recommended this because he said my esophegus was very scarred and any more, no matter how small, heartburn would only increase my chances of cancer.

[covsooze]

Kate-

you're intolerant to various foods; is GERD your reaction to any of them? Do you avoid any foods because of your GERD? I'm thinking I might have to. Does the way you cook certain foods make any difference?

[jayhawkmom]

I've always known I had reflux, but I didn't know it was GERD until my endoscopy last week. My esophogus is scarred, and I've been told that I absoultely MUST take Prevacid - and stay away from tomatoes, citrus, chocolate - and anything else that could cause the LES to relax. =(

I'm also gluten-free - officially, as of Thursday. But, since I've never really dealt with the heartburn or other obvious GERD symptoms, I have no idea whether or not it's helping.

[kabowman]

I limit my caffine to about 2 cups of coffee each morning and the occasional glass of iced tea in public; we do decaf iced tea at home (unsweetened), have started to limit my alcohol more, and I limit my tomatoes. I haven't noticed a difference with the way they are prepared but don't have as many problems with fresh.

I have it down to less than 1 time each month now...

I can't have any normal OJ since they all have the calcium added which is something I have determined bothers me - I take calcium tablets daily but I don't know what they put in those drinks!!!

[covsooze]

I can't have any normal OJ since they all have the calcium added which is something I have determined bothers me - I take calcium tablets daily but I don't know what they put in those drinks!!!

I've been wondering if the calcium tablets I take every day (which are prescribed by my GP) could be causing problems?

I try to have tea as little as possible - like chocolate, one cup is never enough! I think it's the tannin in tea that bothers me, as well as the caffeine, as I still get symptoms with caffeine free tea. Citrus is bad news for me. Tomatoes used to be but I'm avoiding them now anyway as they give me mouth ulcers. Choclate is my one vice I've tried gfdf chocolate, but it still irritates my stomach, so I guess I'm going to have to cut it out completely (I really cannot just have one piece!!).

Do those of you who take nexium take it every day of your life? Or do you just take it as long as you're feeling bad? You may be able to tell that the medical guidance I'm getting on this one is pretty non-existent....

[kalanfan]

First of all..no....and it sux....im still waiting for my GERD to go away

Is nexium that purple pill thats suppose to repair your esophogaus?

I'm on losec right now and it used to work ok.....now mind you i still dont get heartburn but i get alot of acid reflux now....especially at night...it REALLY interferes with getting a good night sleep.....my bed is elevated by a big peice of wood...lol.....i was taking tums until i read they werent gluten free so i started taking rolaids....then my mom heard that malox was really good so i went on that....but then i read that that wasnt gluten free....so i went back on rolaids until i read that they can cause diarreha ( although most of my D went away after going gluten free i still have it in the mourning) so then i just started taking baking soda but now my D is coming back with a vegeance...im at a loss here.....i guess i will just have to add more pillows to my bed...lol