Welcome, Trisha. Yes, beta blockers can loosen the LES, but organic food can be a trigger for reflux. It's not about
whether the food is organic, the problem can be specific food intolerances. I can't eat pork, onions, maple syrup, gelatin, corn starch ... Propranolol (Inderal) only works for a couple of hours, maybe 4 at most, which is why I take atenolol (Tenormin).
The only way to figure out what your particular cause is is keeping a good food and medicine journal. If you write down everything you eat or drink and all your medicines, with times and reactions, especially reactions within 2 hours, you may be able to identify all your triggers.
Welcome also, Tim. I had a problem with Toprol too, although not much as a trigger for my GERD. I did much better with a half the smallest pill of atenolol.
From keeping the food log I described for Trisha, I have had to give up bread. Bread, at least the store-bought kind, has so many preservatives in it it doesn't mold anymore. I'm also becoming sensitive to wheat, which is not uncommon. Lactose gives me the worst reflux, but specific foods containing sulfites give me stomach and esophagus problems as well as tachycardia. I have two pages of my reactions to specific medicines - in small type. I found this all from keeping a very good food and medicine diary.
Post Edited (Alcie) : 4/10/2012 5:57:04 PM (GMT-6)