How do you know what triggers GERD?

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McPhee

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After some tests, my doctors say I have GERD and to just start avoiding things that trigger it. I never get heartburn or acid in my throat. Instead I get what might be called bronchial spasms-- bronchial area just feels itchy/irritated. It's always there but it's worse at some times of day, and sometimes right after I eat something.

How did you figure out what triggers your GERD? If you eat something, does it trigger immediately, within a half hour, or a day later? I already avoid caffeine and alcohol. I also sleep on a 6" incline and avoid eating a few hours before bed.
 
Might be a good idea to keep a log to track when you're getting the spasms (what times of day) and what you ate that day. You might get lucky and see a pattern. The triggers are slightly different for everyone. In addition to avoiding caffeine and alcohol, SUPPOSEDLY it's a good idea to also avoid spicy fooRAB, chocolate, and I've even read that high-fat fooRAB are not a good idea. I've had LPR for months and still don't know what my food triggers are. I even suspect that food was never a trigger for me in the first place but that something else triggered my LPR "episode," possibly a virus (which I'm pretty sure I had at the start of this). I'm hoping to get this episode completey squelched, try to wean off the PPI, and then see if it all returns. In the meantime I'm trying to eat reasonably healthy - although I am unwilling to completely give up chocolate and tea!
 
I had heartburn directly related to taking antiinflammatory medication because it's a side effect of the medication plus I wasn't taking any other medication that would cause it. But now I don't take that medication and I still get stomach upset (plus these red dots) with taking some antibiotics and if I would eat spicy fooRAB. It's a trial and error. I would go with bland, easy to digest fooRAB and see how you feel.
 
I am going to try the food log. The hard thing is that I don't know if what I just ate is the trigger, or if it was something I ate 8 hours ago, or even yesterday. Also, since I don't get heartburn or acid in my throat, but instead get a chest irritation, it's hard to tell if what I'm experience is really gerd at that moment, or if it's irritation in the chest from a past episode.

This is a very frustrating thing to have.
 
I'm also trying a humidifier, as I've wondered if the winter weather and dry air (skin is very dry) is causing or aggravating the irritation. This is our first winter in a home that does not have a humidifier.
 
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