How can 1 cup of coffee make me feel so bad?

03-12-2013, 11:06 AM

I have been doing pretty well lately with my GERD so I have been slowly reintroducing coffee. I've been off my PPI's for about a month and just taking supplements instead such as magnesium citrate and H2 blockers like Pepcid AC or Tums when I need it, and by the way I did not experience any rebound at all. In fact, I felt really wonderful once I stopped the PPIs. So I decided to try a cup of regular coffee this morning since I have been doing well, I had it with food, but a short while later I started really suffering, and now 3 hours later I had to take a Xanax to kill a full on flare up from disabling me. Why does coffee have this effect? I've given up alcohol completely, lost some weight (not that I was very overweight to begin with) and have been eating smaller portions, why can't I just enjoy this one thing! I'm only 39 years old. Will I never be able to enjoy anything for the rest of my life?

I am also confused because I don't know if I have reflux or just gastritis or could it be some kind of allergy (I don't use milk, just the fake powder cream)? All I know is very soon after drinking the coffee, like minutes, I can feel the inflammation begin. I am sitting in a chair doing work, so I'm thinking it can't be reflux because gravity is holding everything down, and why would a cup of coffee cause the LES to weaken or cause my stomach to start splashing up? So that's why I think it's gastritis.

I'd like to know why is coffee so bad? What is the physical mechanism that causes such inflammation? I know it's inflammation because my nose starts to get all stuffy, and my skin starts to tingle a bit all over. It's very annoying. I couldn't tolerate it when I was on PPIs either so it does not sound like it's just an acid issue, what else could it be? I used to drink coffee once-twice a day for almost 20 years! I finally feel like I'm on the upswing and then a single cup of coffee puts me back two steps. Why???

P.S. I have been tested for reflux by doing the barium swallow and was told I only have mild reflux, but I still find it hard to believe that a few mins after drinking coffee is reflux. I've also been tested for H pylori and found nothing and have had two endoscopies and only been told "mild" irritation but nothing to be too concerned about. It doesn't feel that way.

03-12-2013, 01:49 PM

Hi dcguy, I don't know for sure the answers to your questions, but my thoughts are that coffee can aggravate acid reflux if you are susceptible to it. Firstly, it is acid forming, it stimulates the cells to secrete excess acid; secondly it causes the lower esophageal sphincter to relax so this may lead to heartburn that you normally do not experience, irrespective of gravity. It also elevates stress hormones and can cause other symptoms such as palpitations etc.

Also, although I'm glad to hear you are someone who is not suffering from rebound and have got off PPIs, they will have altered your stomach chemistry. Therefore although you may not be suffering the symptoms of rebound, you will possibly be producing more acid than normal, just not enough to be the agony of rebound, but when you introduce another factor like coffee, that excess acid is somewhat increased so that you do then know about it.

It takes a while for the stomach to correct itself after coming off PPIs, whether or not you suffer rebound. Why not stay off the coffee until you have been off them for about 6 months, and then try again. Hopefully you will be much better by then.

Or it may be that coffee is just something that will trigger these symptoms in you, in which case I know I would rather do without the coffee than suffer. But don't think of it as never being able to enjoy anything, there may just be some things you need to be careful with.

03-12-2013, 03:26 PM

Hi DCGuy...
Coffee is truly one of my favorite things in the WORLD!!! It KILLS me! I can be doing great for a week maybe two and then decide to try it and it completely ruins my day!
It was suggested to me to wait about 6 - 8 months and then try it again. Like Kacy said it does take awhile for your stomach to get back to some kind of normal.
I am not sure that mine will ever be normal.

Good Luck! Let us know how you do!!
b.

03-13-2013, 10:10 AM

Ive been off ppi's for about 6 weeks. My stomach is finally getting to the point where I can try new stuff besides my same bland diet. But I still have to be careful in what I eat. I also have mild IBS so if that gets flared up by what I eat, it then affects my gerd and reflux and I am back to taking a H2 like zantac. I tried coffee two weeks ago, totally black. My stomach tolerated it for a bit but then I started refluxing and ended up having to take a nausea pill. Maybe a low acid coffee, Ive heard of them being sold online, but I never seen them at the stores.

03-13-2013, 03:15 PM

CAFFEINE !

It's a total nightmare. Try decaf.

03-14-2013, 06:24 AM

The same happened to me after a frapucino from starbucks, I was feeling extra good that day and I wanted to give it a try. Worst idea ever. I still can not stop my flare now, even on ppi, I have the constant chest pressure.
I learned my lesson.

03-19-2013, 12:19 PM

Yes, all these stories sound exactly like me. Glad I'm not alone. I will be feeling just great for a while and decide to try something again like coffee or alcohol, then BOOM, back onto the antacids I go. So how much time does it really take to heal?? Giving up the coffee has actually been harder than giving up alcohol.

03-20-2013, 08:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Worrybucket

CAFFEINE !

It's a total nightmare. Try decaf.

Try what Worrybucket suggested. When I started drinking de-caffeinated coffee, all the burning went away and I can now drink all I want.

Good luck.

03-20-2013, 08:34 AM

Decaf? Meh...

How can 1 cup of coffee make me feel so bad?

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