Have GERD, Get Acid Reflux Issues. Suggest?
how are you? I have GERD. I figure when I eat fruits such as an XXXXXXX I get acid reflux issues ( I cough). I've heard that it's best for people with GERD to eat fruits after meals rather than an hour before or two hours after. is this true?
Avoid fried, fatty and citrus food. No time frame.
Detailed Answer:
Hi ! I am Dr Shareef , a general surgeon answering your query.
Even if XXXXXXX may be considered to be a safer alternative to many other fruits considered to increase hyper acidity in GERD patients, there is no black and white rule that it will not cause the symptoms to precipitate. Similarly there is no such prescribed time limit for eating food during or after meals.
Every individual with GERD usually frames his own timings of food and type of food by trial over a period of time and you too have to do that for yourself. You have to avoid any food which you presume to increase your symptoms of GERD. Specially you have to avoid fatty , fried food and citrus fruits which are known to cause increase in these symptoms. Also avoid eating from outside your home, specially fast food which contains a lot of cream.
Also you should not lie down to rest immediately after your meals. Keep yourself engaged in some light work or in front of television in upright posture at least for an hour after meal. An evening walk after meals can also help you in reducing your symptoms of GERD. I would suggest you to make the head end of your bed elevated by some ingenious method suitable to you either by keeping bricks or wooden blocks below the head end. This is proven to reduce the symptoms of GERD.
So far as medicinal treatment is concerned, you can go for some proton pump inhibitor along with a prokinetic and probiotic for some time after consulting your family physician and cardiologist. For the present you can continue taking the medicines prescribed to you as shown in your history.
Whatever may be the cause of depression, please try to cope with it and try to come out from the same, as this could also aggravate your symptoms of GERD. I hope your thyroid hormone levels are already tested and are normal as you have not mentioned their level. A routine of regular exercises may also help you in alleviating your depression, but the exercises should be tailored by your cardiologist treating your cardiac problem.
If the symptoms increase, you may have to consult a gastro enterologist for an endoscopic evaluation of your stomach and intestines if need be.
I hope I have answered your query. If there is anything else you want to ask, please feel free to ask.
Thank you for using XXXXXXX for your health query.