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by DevMonkey 4691 days ago
I have GERD (hiatal hernia) and I stayed away from Caffeine for years because I was told it would trigger it. They also said to avoid spicy foods and exercise regularly. I started taking Prilosac and exercising regularly about 5 years ago. Now I can pretty much eat what I want (I go through a bottle of Sriracha every 3 months, it goes on everything :D). I think the key to managing GERD is the exercise and medicine. When I don't exercise I have more reflux. If you are not exercising regularly (which means exercising long enough to get super hungry), then you might want to try it to see if it improves your symptoms. Anecdotally, I think the GERD diet is total bullshit, I've tried it (with out meds) and I still experienced enough discomfort to convince me to take medication.

Edit: I forgot to mention I drink coffee every morning.

1 comments

Hello fellow GERD-er, I've never heard of the GERD diet my doctor just throws pills at me.

Exercise for sure, when I started shift work my gym trips started to suffer until a few years later I stopped going. I had gone to the gym since just after high school, almost 20 years, and biking in the summer.

My undiagnosed GERD grew worse a few years later but wasn't discovered until my dentist put two-and-two together about why my teeth were so sensitive. I unknowingly discovered it years earlier when having bad coughing fits I discovered an antacid helped calm my coughing.

Unfortunately the Prevacid I took (lansoprazole) I think was causing my terrible pain in my back in the morning. I was diagnosed with fatty liver which I am sure was caused by the Prevacid since it's the only drug I take, I don't drink, don't smoke, pretty much no drugs other than caffeine. Doctor put me on dexalansoprazole but that makes my guts hurt, then Tectra (pantoprazole magnesium) which also hurts.

So I'm back to square one which is I eat small meals and exercise like a normal human should be doing anyway :/