Posted 3/25/2010 1:09 PM (GMT 0)
I have problems with eggs and milk, among a number of other food intolerances. These foods are my "food triggers" for reflux. And, yes, it can go on for days, but the continued reaction is fairly likely to be from an unidentified trigger.
My solution for most of my milk problem is using only lactose-free milk. I also react somewhat to the milk proteins, so I don't guzzle the stuff - just some skim for the coffee.
The main treatment is to identify the triggers and avoid them. My allergist calls them allergies, my GI doc doesn't believe me at all, but online Ihave found plenty of real medical studies to prove there are connections between foods and reflux and even my tachycardia (cardio-esophageal reflEx).
Step 1, for which I credit my allergist, is to keep a detailed food journal. Don't just write down the hamburger. Add what you put on it! I don't have a problem with the meat, but the bun, the mustard, ketchup, pickle and onion are all on my list of triggers. It'll probably take a month or two.
Step 2 is to do challenge testing. You take a bite or a teaspoonful and wait 20 minutes and write down any reaction. Then 2 bites and wait 20 minutes, then 4 and 8 and 16. (Keep doubling up to 16). Don't try to do more than 1 or 2 tests a day because you can get delayed reactions, like possibly your egg.
When you have your list of culprits start researching online for a connection. Mine was sulfite. I have a bunch of allergies and intolerances in addition to sulfite, but that was the big connection. You can look up sulfite and food allergies or your foods and food allergies quite easily.
Treatment is only to avoid the triggers. I have found that I have a better tolerance after avoiding the triggers for a few months. The main thing is that my reflux does not happen if I avoid my triggers.
Why is this important? I had a small heart attack precipitated by eating a bowl of cereal a few years ago. I was overweight, had high cholesterol and probably some plaque in my coronary arteries. I got reflux, which triggered tachycardia, which triggered a coronary spasm and possibly a small rupture of the plaque in the artery. The tiny narrowed point was clearly seen on angioplasty. There was a recent article in Medscape about just that scenario. I had to figure it out for myself. Eliminating or at least minimizing my triggers eliminated reflux. (I'll never eat cereal again!)