Coffee and acid reflux

[Theresa30]

I was told by my doctor to give up coffee due to my acid reflux but after a couple of months I really miss it. I recently saw a cold brew coffee maker online that makes coffee with less acid. There are several and it seems like they all do the same but the hourglass one was the best looking. Has anyone tried cold brew and if so does it help to lessen the effect of acid reflux? I really would like to have a cup of coffee in the morning but hate the side effects. Thanks for any info.

 

[Pawz4me]

I had never heard of cold brewed coffee until I read your post. It does sound intriguing, and the hourglass maker looks nice (and relatively easy to use). I found a couple of websites that give info on making cold brewed coffee w/o any special equipment. I may try it that way first, and if it agrees with me then consider ordering one of the brewers.

So . . . I can't give you any advice, but thanks for bringing it to my attention. I miss coffee more than anything!

 

[Cidney]

I had no idea coffee could cause a reflux flare-up until I started noticing a pattern. I am on day 5 of not having coffee and its really hard but I havent had as much reflux pain. I am still taking Nexium but I can still feel like a reflux attack is just lingering at the edge but not feeling like I am being stabed in the chest or throat! I wonder what I am going to have to give up next?

 

[hellomoto]

Not sure if this is the same thing...I had a "stricture" (closure) of the esophagus last month, and the doc had to go down there with a light (I suppose to examine for possible mass, etc.) Turns out all he did was put some medicine on the closing to cause it to relax. Apparently inherited from my mother.

Next morning the hospital brought me a regular breakfast (coffee, eggs, sausage, etc.)

However, I'm going yo try your idea of abstaining. Actually, the GERD Diet restricts ANY drinks with caffeine. Also no dairy products or o.j. along with a host of other stuff. Apple juice is OK, it says.

But you read a gazillion links on the internet and it's easy to become confused.

 

[gcsjr]

I wouldn't get your hopes up too high about "cold brewed" coffee.

It's not just the acid in coffee that is a trigger for reflux, the caffeine itself is just as much an issue. Caffeine relaxes the lower esophageal sphincter which then allows digestive acid to get into the esophagus.

Decaf cold brewed coffee might help alleviate both issues (but it seems like having to drink decaf defeats the purpose of drinking coffee in the first place).

 

[Pawz4me]

Not if it's the taste and the warmth you want, and you don't particularly care about the caffeine.

I did make some decaf cold-brewed coffee and it's . . . okay. Takes a bit of getting used to, with having to heat up the "syrup", figure out how much you need to make a cup, etc. It has a very mild flavor, which is okay with me since I don't care for strong coffee.

I've also tried Kava instant coffee (reduced acid, but caffeinated). The first morning I reacted to it, as I was still in the miRABt of a bad flare-up. A week or so later, when my reflux had calmed down considerably, I tried another cup and it didn't bother me a bit. I've never tried more than one cup at a time, though, due to the caffeine.