What is EoE you may ask, well the official name is Eosinophilic esophagitis, and don’t ask me to pronounce it because I can’t. I usually have my sister say it for me 🙂 and let me just say it sucks! It’s confusing and interferes with life at the worst times. I was diagnosed around ten years ago and have been treating eosinophilic esophagitis naturally most of that time.
May 17-23 is National Eosinophil Awareness Week, so I thought I would tell you a bit about what I have.
My journey started with food getting stuck in my throat. It would cause this painful discomfort as I try to swallow food, it happened from time to time, but I blew it off because it was more discomfort than life-threatening. I figured it was just heartburn or something. Well, one day my husband and I were at this fancy fundraiser having a nice dinner, and I had this sensation that I was choking, but oddly I could still breathe. I went to the bathroom and tried to throw up or swallow the piece of steak that was stuck, and it just wouldn’t budge. About after 15 mins (well ok it may have only been 5-10) I was able to toss it up but wow what a way to kill my makeup for the night, my eyes were watering and I was sweating so bad trying to figure out what was going on. So not fun when you are wearing a nice ball gown! So the following Monday I made a doctor appointment, it was a GP doc, so he quickly turned me over to a GI doc. After an appointment and endoscopy/biopsy, they determined I had EoE and GERD… kindly the doc wrote down what I had because even after he said it 2 times I still wasn’t sure what the heck he was saying…I wanted to ask him what EoE stood for.
What is Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE)?
According to the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, Eosinophilic esophagitis, or EoE, is “an allergic inflammatory disease and typically chronic disorder that affects from one to four of every 10,000 people in the United States. It is a recently recognized disease with increasing diagnoses, resulting in part from growing awareness of the condition.” Basically, your body attacks itself. In my case, my esophagus is forming rings and closing itself. One common question many people ask is how to treat EoE naturally. The fact that it has only recently been recognized added to my problems, as not a lot of doctors are used to seeing people with this condition. It was even more stressful that I didn’t know what was really going on for a while.
Now I should also mention there were a few more eosinophilic esophagitis symptoms developing up to this point too. I always just chalked them up to being a working mom of 2 kids (one with special needs) and knew I wasn’t eating the best I could along with some life stress mixed in. I was fatigued, I woke up many mornings feeling nauseous, I had more than average bouts of diarrhea and I was having a hard time getting along with life in general. I remember one work trip where I had to excuse myself from our morning team meeting to go throw up, I can’t even imagine what my client thought of me. I’m pretty sure she thought I was out drinking and parting all night, yea that was an embarrassing time of my life. At the time,I didn’t know I had EoE flare-up issues so I couldn’t even explain why I was this way. On a different occasion we went out for my sister’s birthday, and I offered to be the designed driver. Well thankfully sis didn’t drink much because I was so sick I couldn’t drive home and she even had to pull over on the expressway so I could up-chuck the popcorn I had eaten. How ironic right, the designed driver is the one that has to throw up on the side of the road… we still joke around that story from time to time.
How I am treating eosinophilic esophagitis naturally?
After I had received news of the EoE diagnosis, I was referred to an allergist. People often wonder what the best EoE home remedies are. One of the main eosinophilic esophagitis causes is food allergies, so now it was time to try and figure out what those were. So the results came back… allergic to wheat, soy, beef, dairy, and sesame. WAIT what??? I have been eating these items all my life, and NOW I was allergic to them (I was 36 when I found this out). It wasn’t making sense to me. But as I have learned this disease doesn’t make much sense. I was sent home with a few pamphlets, an epi-pen, an inhaler, and a prescription for Lansoprazole. I realized then that I had to pretty much start figuring out my own EoE diet to minimize symptoms, this is what lead me to work on treating eosinophilic esophagitis naturally
So here I was, having to learn to eat all over again. I had no real guide for an EoE diet plan. I challenge you to find many foods in a grocery store without wheat, soy, or dairy. The only way you can is by choosing whole foods, and that is what I had to do. There are no more meal shortcuts, no going through the drive-thru anymore. Nope, everything had to be made from scratch. I will admit it I HATED living with eosinophilic esophagitis at first, everything was so foreign and frustrating to me. I was learning all these new ‘alternative’ flours that I have never heard of in my life. But the learning has paid off. If you are asking how I cured my eosinophilic esophagitis, I can tell you my health has improved drastically. My health has improved and I feel so much better than I did a few years ago. I used to get colds almost every week during the winter season and this past winter I think I only had 1 bout of the sniffles.
I have stopped taking the Lansoprazole. 1) it’s expensive; 2) It’s not fixing the problem just temporarily fixing it; 3) I really don’t like to be dependent on medicine, plus that medication has side effects too. I had one doctor tell me it’s ok to be on that for life, another said you should only be on it 2-3 years or it will destroy your stomach. When I hear conflicting information like that from two different doctors, I know there’s a lot to learn about that medication, just like there’s a lot to learn about EoE. I didn’t want to risk destroying my stomach, no matter how remote the possibility. Another reason this disease is so annoying, doctors don’t even know what the correct course of eosinophilic esophagitis treatment is. So I have been treating my eosinophilic esophagitis naturally myself with my very own EoE diet recipes, and I’m getting better, I find it so much easier to think and concentrate on work with what I’ve come to know for myself as my EoE diet. I still have good and bad days, and sometimes this disease is very hard to figure out cause it changes!!! I took another allergy test about a year and a half ago, and it revealed that I should also stay away from tree nuts and eggs. I know I need to go again, but I have been putting it off. In order to tell if anything is truly working you need to have a scope done and then more allergy testing, after 4 years of this cycle it gets kind of annoying.
Now I’m an internet junkie, and I have been reading and reading everything I can on EoE, particularly EoE in adults (and there isn’t much!). Trying to find out why it happens and why is it becoming more and more popular. Honestly, I think it’s the same reason there is more cancer in this world, more autism, more ADHD, more celiac and that would be what is in our food supply. I think all these pesticides and chemicals we have been living with over the past decades are causing us harm. I believe that is why I am feeling better because I am using a whole food organic diet to help my body heal itself. I’m getting rid of the toxins, and my body can function better.
**NOTE: This is my conclusion after all the reading I have done and my experience. I am not a doctor or a scientist so take it as you will.**
Using essential oils and supplements to treat eosinophilic esophagitis naturally
My research has also brought me to essential oils. Recently I have become a ‘member’ of Young Living (now leader) and am using oils to supplement my lifestyle. I have been trying this for the past two years, and I have felt them give me another boost to feeling normal again. I have more energy and some of my drive back.
Currently here is how I am treating eosinophilic esophagitis naturally:
- Morning:
- 2oz NingXia Red
- Sole or Apple Cider Vinegar in water, I switch these up
- A capsule of DiGize and JuvaFlex Essential Oils (usually a few drops of each and then I fill the capsule the rest of the way with grapeseed oil)
- Afternoon:
- Young Living Master Formula (like a multi-vitamin)* – I will admit that I sometimes skip this as it’s 4 pills and those can sometimes be hard to get down
- if I am feeling sluggish, another 2oz of NingXia Red
- Evening:
- Life 9 (probiotic)
- Sulferzyme (this is great as it comes in a powder form)
- Throughout the day
- eating whole organic foods
- making meals from scratch**
- Trying to eat well-balanced meals with lots of veggies
- Diffusing Essential oils to uplift my moods
- Exercising – Trying to make it to Zumba at least 3 times, plus I have a dance class once a week.
Yes, many of my supplements are from Young Living and they contain essential oils. When I was researching different supplement companies this company’s standards really stood out and I feel I can trust what they put in their products. Some companies are pretty scary with the fillers they use. Check out Young Living’s Seed to Seal process here.
**I have also discovered Wildtree which has organic allergy-friendly meal starters, so they have been giving me a few shortcuts again. Their freezer workshops are such a time saver!
I’ve also learned to try and change up my schedule when I have a flare-up (when my EoE symptoms act up). I have learned to try and take it easier, to do activities that aren’t as stressful. I do think stress is a big trigger of my flare-ups, and now that I know that it’s EoE causing these problems instead of something I used to just dismiss as being tired or being a busy Mom, I respect what I’m dealing with and handle it more carefully.
If you have recently been diagnosed, I am so sorry. This disease is a huge pain in the ass! BUT it’s not the end of the world, it can be managed, the key is to figure out what works for you. Everyone is different, and that is what makes it hard to find what will tame your system. Have you been living with eosinophilic esophagitis? Please post any tricks that you have been using in the comments, I’m always for other ways I can help my health.
For more information on EoE, please see APFED.
FAQ’s
Has anyone been cured of eosinophilic esophagitis?
There isn’t a known “cure” for eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE), but I’ve personally experienced significant improvements in my symptoms by treating it naturally. By changing my diet, avoiding trigger foods, and using supplements and essential oils, I’ve been able to manage EoE and feel better than I did when I was first diagnosed. However, EoE is a chronic condition, and every person’s experience may be different.
How did I cure my eosinophilic esophagitis naturally?
I wouldn’t say I “cured” my EoE, but I’ve been treating it naturally with great success. My approach involves eliminating foods I’m allergic to, such as wheat, soy, dairy, and sesame. I switched to a whole-food, organic diet and began using essential oils and supplements. Through these changes, I’ve noticed a big improvement in my symptoms and overall health.
What not to eat when eosinophils are high?
In my experience, some of the major foods to avoid are wheat, soy, dairy, process foods, and sesame—these are the items that triggered my EoE symptoms. Since everyone’s triggers may vary, it’s important to identify your own food allergies and avoid those as part of managing eosinophilic esophagitis.
What foods trigger eosinophils?
For me, foods like wheat, soy, dairy, processed foods, and sesame have been the biggest triggers. After allergy testing, I learned these foods were causing my eosinophils to flare up. Everyone’s triggers can be different, so it’s crucial to work with an allergist to identify which foods are problematic for you.
What foods heal an inflamed esophagus?
While I haven’t directly talked about foods that heal the esophagus, I’ve found that switching to a whole-food, organic diet has helped me manage my EoE. Eliminating processed foods and focusing on vegetables and other healthy options has been a huge part of my healing journey.
What sweets can I eat with GERD?
I didn’t talk about sweets, but since my EoE is triggered by certain foods, I’ve learned to avoid processed and sugary snacks. If you have GERD, sticking to natural, low-sugar options could be a safer choice. Dark chocolate has less sugar, these faux peanut butter snacks are great for sweet cravings.
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I have EOE. I have delt with the whole food getting stuck issue. It all started 6 years ago just found out last year that I have EOE. And found out this year I have food allergies and am still trying to figure out if I have more food allergies. How did they test you for the beef?
I’ve had a few different allergy tests done. Some where from scratch tests and I have also done some with biometric testing done from a holistic nurse.
So I too was diagnosed with eoe approximately 4 years ago. After removing certain foods from my diet my symptoms got better however when I reintroduced certain foods…. long story short the foods that I had to avoid continued increasing up to about 10 or 12 foods that I can no longer eat further study and appointments with naturopath discovered that I had sibo…. after following the natural path protocol with supplements my gut was healed and I no longer have to avoid the foods for anaphylactic reasons and I no longer have eoe symptoms….
Yay! I love to hear that you were able to heal your gut. I’m not quite there yet but I am so much better than I used to be. Keep up the great work!
So you are now able to eat the foods that supposedly caused EOE? May I ask what type of supplements did you take?
Hi Peggy! Yes, I have been able to introduce some cheese again as well as some meat. There is a list at the bottom of the blog post as to the supplements I am taking.
Who did you see? I have been dealing with so many Dr’s and they just keep throwing me around with no answers! Help
Would you be able to share the name and location of your naturepath?
Thx
What supplements did you take?
Do you still have to avoid some foods for EoE or can you eat everything?
I do avoid alot still but it’s more like I have just shifted to a different lifestyle. I try to stay away from processed foods, I stay away from gluten and I try to keep everything organic.
What natural path protocol did you do as well as the supplements ? Because I have EoE as well as allergies to nuts that trigger anaphylaxis
Oh please tell me more. My son can’t eat anything. You give us hope.
I was recently diagnosed with EOE after having stomach problems my whole life! It was a relief to understand what’s wrong but you’re right – a total pain! I’ve been eating a whole-food plant based diet. I have the same allergies as you. Soy, dairy, peanuts, corn, basically anything GMO, chicken & beef. Although I’ve found that eating grass fed meat is much better, because those cattle aren’t fed soy or wheat like the normal meat industry cattle. I wonder if that would make a difference for you! But I’m totally in the same boat. I’m sorry! I just met with a naturopathic dr today and will be trying some probiotics and enzymes to help heal my gut/digestive tract since 75% of your immune system is in your gut, it’s likely coming from a damaged digestive tract! If you haven’t looked into doing some digestive healing that might help :). I like Dr. Josh Axe website!
Yes I have found grass fed beef is better! I’m also noticing that anything with pesticides on it makes me flare up. Hopefully the Naturopath can help you find some solutions,
I like Dr Axe too… I’ve been switching between his probiotics and Young Living’s.
I see you have a blog too so I am going to go check that out. Thanks for posting 🙂
Hello. My son has eoe. He is 18 months. Ppi for two weeks. It is helping him sleep better, but still in pain. Still haven’t found all of his reactive triggers. For instance yesterday he reacted to dairy free, soy free yogurt. I am desperate to get him off of medication and start healing his body. Can you give me some oil tips on where to start? I have used digize on him since 6 months to help the hard tummy at night. However we are still having major throat issues. He is losing weight likd crazy. If we don’t figure something out I am afraid they will put him on a tube.
Hi Brooke, I will give you an email.
Phew I stumbled upon your blog and you described my experiences to a T. Thanks for sharing your journey. I too started using Essential it’s or this reason and I am thankful to say I stopped using ALL my anti-acids. PS I’m also not a medical professional, with that said I find Digize and Lemon oil helped me the most. I’ll add the probiotics too.
Hi I have a friend who has EOE, I am curious if you use Digize…internally or topically? She can’t eat anything with Citric acid.
Thanks
Jen
I take DiGize internally… few drops in a capsule and then fill the reset of the capsule with grapeseed oil.
I’m so glad I found this! We are in the midst of a whirlwind right now with our 4 y/o daughter. We have been battling for 3.5 years to figure out what is wrong and our recent pediatric GI consult is pointing toward EOE as her mother I’m a mess and have no idea what to expect. We are waiting for a date to have scoping and biopsy done to confirm. My son has severe food allergies (without EOE symptoms) so this makes sense I guess that our daughter may have some…but EOE?!?! I don’t even know where to begin. Not much info out there. I would appreciate any tips/info u may have! We had to navigate the food allergy thing for my son and I’m so saddened my daughter may have a battle of her own now too. Feel overwhelmed and my mind of course is racing how hard this is going to be for our whole family:(
So sorry Mindy, to hear you are dealing with this with both your kids. My best advice is to always keep a food journal, eat as clean as possible (all organic, nothing processed) and keep the sugar down… remember sugar is hidden in lots of items. You need to become a label reader. Also, ditch the toxins in your home… get rid of the frebreeze, dryer sheets, candles, anything with fragrance. Just look at a few of my posts here on the blog and it will give you ideas on how to switch items out for less toxic solutions, many will save you money too!
Hi Jen. Just stumbled on your website. I was diagnosed with EOE in February. I’m seeing a naturapathic and taking many supplements and waiting for results of a food intolerance test. GI dr. pushes PPI’s which I tried and don’t want to stay on. I’ve seen an allergist for food sensitivities and tried an elimination diet which really didn’t help. I’ve lost so much weight, so I have an appt. with a registered dietician. My first question is when they say dairy and nuts does it also mean almond milk or coconut milk, if you know? And what about nonfat dry milk powder? Thanks!
Hi Lori,
Sorry you are going though this! Just hang in there, it takes awhile to figure out your triggers but once they are figured out it gets better. Usually coconut milk is ok, but it depends on which kind of nut allergy it is though. Coconuts are considered tree nuts, but in general those allergic to nuts usually can have coconut, but again it depends on the person. If you have a Target by you check out Ripple milk. Believe it or not it’s made from peas but it tastes a lot like regular milk. I would try and stay away from Almond milk and soy milk. I have also found that going organic and staying away from process or foods with pesticides helps me.
If you are on Facebook, check out my new group, https://www.facebook.com/groups/athomewithjen
I’m going to be posting different tips and some meal plans that might help you out. Hope to see you in there and let me know how your journey goes.
I’ve had trouble swallowing food for 9 years. An test 8 years ago showed nothing, but recently found out it was EoE after 2 more scopes, prompted by food being stuck for 2 hours. I’ve not done allergy testing yet and have no idea what triggers might be. My troubles seemed so random before that I could never pinpoint what might be causing it. Will that get easier? Will I be able to tell when certain foods/environments cause problems? What am I looking for? I’m also a YL member, but don’t know anything about Digize. Dr. has me on PPI for now, which I’m not excited about, but don’t feel like I know enough to quit taking it and make my own decision.
I think the allergy testing will greatly help you. I would defiantly start by eliminating the most common ones (Wheat, Soy, Dairy). Good luck on your journey and feel free to email if you want to chat.
Hi there. I’ve suffered with EOE my whole life (I’m 33) & now 2 out of my 4 kids have it. I tested positive to EVERY grain, most vegetables & fruits, all nuts except pecans. Just for starters….it was devastating and miserable for years. I tried eating healthy, taking several different supplements that seamed like they would be promising but nothing helped at all. It wears you down so much. Finally I had a friend ask me “well what kind of water do you drink?” I was like huh? Tap water.. She gave me some information on ionized water and how when our bodies are acidic it becomes inflamed which is a breeding ground for disease.
I was willing to try anything so she let me come to her house and fill my water jugs up—long story short, it helped my EOE about 80%! If I stopped drinking that water the allergies came back every time. I filled my water up for almost 5 years until I finally purchased a machine (you can get them for around $2k usually) I’m not saying this will work for everyone but it was truly a miracle for me & my kids. The machine is called a water ionizer. Don’t buy it from a sales rep, you will pay twice as much. Buy straight from the factory. (Learned that the hard way) The place I got mine from was alkaviva.com
Good luck all—-maybe someday there will be a good treatment out there for this illness
Interesting! We do have a Reverse Osmosis in our house, mainly because we have well water. I know this takes out the bad, but it also takes out some of the good. I’ll have to look into these systems. I’ve also been looking at Young Living’s HydroGize bottle, https://www.youngliving.com/en_US/products/hydrogize-water-bottle
I was diagnosed last year with EOE and referred to an allergist. My food allergies came back negative so evidently no food allergies…although from reading online, it is said that some EOE allergies don’t show up on regular allergy tests since it is a delayed reaction vs. hives etc. I have had reflux since I was about 5 and I’m now 32. I am worried about being on high levels of medication due to the side effects and the fact that if I miss one day of medication my stomach immediately hurts and gives me issues. Thanks for your blog post. It helps to know we are not alone.
Hi Jen- Wow! Can I relate to this blog. I am 40 years old and still working to find all of my triggers for EoE. I have a scope scheduled for tomorrow. I am beginning to think that one of my triggers is pollen (right now ragweed is crazy high). I have done all the allergy testing, elimination diet and meds. I was good for about 2 months this summer but once fall hit, I have been beyond miserable. I was wondering if you use any YL oils on your neck? Does this help if so? I have copiaba that is supposed to be good for anti inflammatory uses. I am very new to essential oils. I am too scared to ingest any since I have so many allergies to pollen. Thoughts?
Hi Megan! I hope your scope is going well. Yes, I used to have bad flare ups in Fall when high allergy season happens. I am happy to say that mine are nill to none this year! I have been working hard to heal my body and I think it’s working. Yes I have used oils on my neck and I also do take them internally… I pretty much use them everywhere 🙂 It is VERY important that if you are taking them internally that they are oils that are made for that. i.e. Young Living has a vitality line that is marked specially for internal use. To help with the fall season I take a veggie capsule of Lemon, Lavender and peppermint. I diffuse copiaba, lavender and lemon for my dog (yes my dog has severe allergies too!). Everyone is a little different and your needs will change so its great to try different oils until you find the ones that help. I also use a iTivio scanner which helps me decide which oils may help me the best.
Get with your upline to see if she has a scanner they also should have some resources for you. If they can’t help you then please contact me and I would be happy to help, jen@athomewithjen.com
Hmm I wonder if this is my issues im having. Terrible esophagus pain.
It very well could be. The only sure way to find out is to get a scope done.
Wow. Your story is so similar to my story. Such a frustrating disease because so little is known about it. 2 Nexium pills per day stop my throat from getting swollen but I really don’t want to be on the medicine because I’m worried having low stomach acid will just result in even more food allergies! I’m trying to research natural supplements. I’m going to start with a multi and a probiotic and go from there. Any advice on supplements or resources for more information? Thanks!!
Hi Jill!
Yes anything that will help heal your gut is the way to go! Do be sure to take a good quality vitamins/supplements, there are so many on the market that have bad fillers, coloring and other preservatives.
I have been taking Sulfurzyme, Essentialzymes-4, and Master Formula which is like a multi-vitamin (you can learn more here). Sulferzyme comes in a powder form which is awesome since I still sometimes have trouble swallowing pills.
Fermented foods are also great too!
Everyone is going to be a little different so it’s important to see a doctor, if you have a holistic doctor near you they can do a bio-scan and see which systems are the ones that need support and that can help point you in the right direction.
I was recently diagnosed but didn’t really have any symptoms.. Yes.. at times it felt like a hard boiled egg wouldn’t go down well but a few swigs of water and it always did. So my doctor diagnosed me and put me on acid reduction medicine but last week all of a sudden I had this flare up. I was scared to eat.. only had broth a couple days then started to eat a little .. felt a little better.. then it kind of flared again… stopped eating.. Long story… was kind of ok today.. not bad.. then during dinner it came. It feels like food is stuck in my esophagus… right in the middle of my chest. I don’t know what to do…??? Do I go to the ER? it is almost 9pm!! Help!
If you ever feel like you can’t breath or are chocking then yes go to the ER!
I hope everything is alright. Have you gone for allergy testing? Almost always EoE is related to some kind of food allergy. For me when I do get some food stuck it sometimes helps to stand up, relax (take deep slow breaths). If you can relax yourself that sometime will ease the tension and the item can then fit down. I also apply some oils to help me relax. I hope all is well and don’t fret this is manageable, just have to find your triggers.
Thank you Jen. I finally fell asleep last night. I could breath fine but it felt like food was stuck in my chest between my breast bones. It still feels weird. I drank so much tea with some essential oils last night.. Nothing seemed to work. But it got the bowels moving so I don’t think food is actually still there. I tried to throw up but I have never been good with that. I can’t throw up.
The odd thing is that I never really had symptoms or flare ups or anything… I had a pain in my side which prompted the scope and then the doctor said I have EoE… So this last week is the first time I have ever had this odd discomfort. I am 50 and have always eaten everything under the sun and never had an upset stomach at all… I have never had allergies to any extent and am very rarely ever sick.
I am going to see how the morning goes… this pressure is still there. But maybe I will work out and then see… Usually I feel like I go to the doctor and they don’t really do anything…
Try sipping Coca Cola sometimes that will break it down enough to allow food to go down. We keep Coca Cola on hand for this. If you can not swallow liquids or producing extra saliva you need to get medical assistance
Hi Jen,
not sure how i found your blog.. but just reading this post.. thinking this is ‘me’.. although a little different! i have had choking issues all my life, growing up in the country Australia having allergy testing which revealed similar allergies – wheat, eggs, soy, dairy and yeast. Going off wheat bread in the country was hard, grew up with pumpkin nickle bread – could bounce that bread like a ball! No dairy meant no more cheese, no yeast meant no more vegemite and thank goodness i went to school in a era that you were allowed peanut butter! Not sure what kids have these days! Being in the country also meant it was hard to source fresh fruit and veggies, so basically we ate things we shouldnt of. Thank you goodness things have moved on and now living closer to the city, fruit and veggies are readily availiable and my allergies havent changed, but my body reacting to them has got worse.. I would have my esophagus dilated every 2 years to whatever they could stretch it to possible – usually around 9mm, however after being on flexitide (swallow it – its a gas, its hard) they were able to dilate my throat to 11mm whcih was fantastic news.. and since being on gluten free diet, turmeric, kombucha – basically a high dose of probiotics my esophagus has enable to heal itself to 13mm, and the lower stricture is now 15mm. yeah!
I have learnt i need to stay clear of wheat – so i say i am celiac but my testing has said NOT. however, my bowel now reacts as if i do.. I had some wheat (naughty) 24hours prior tonight, and its upset my gut and i choked tonight on beef.. so i wonder if i also need to add beef to the list? i think its the effects of the wheat.. So keep searching, i do recommend high probiotic diet..
Hi Leish, glad you found me! and glad to hear that you are getting better. YES, probiotics are wonderful for helping with our digestive system!
I’m the same way, my celiac test came back negative but I know I am allergic to wheat for sure! Beef is a hard one to tell, I do chock on that alot but I wonder if it’s from the beef itself or if it’s because it’s a harder thing to swallow. I do tend to say away from beef just because of that… especially if we are out to dinner.
Keep in touch on how it’s going and what other solutions you come up with 🙂
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Hi Jen, I was diagnosed with EOE January 2018, but have been having symptoms since I was 19 (I am now 53). Stomach ulcer at 19 before they knew it was caused by H pylori, so that was treated the old school way of bland foods. Then hiatal hernia at 32. As well, my mom was “allergic” to onions, and would often get food stuck. Pepper made her gag, even just a speck of pepper. But she just blew it off as she was allergic to onions and she choked from time to time. Then my sister, who is 18 yrs younger than I (and who lives in Oregon where they have more progressive alternative medicine vs the Midwest where I live) was diagnosed with it, and she was sensitive to almonds and eggs. So it is familial, however the age differences led to uncanny timing of each diagnosis. Especially the last 2 years I found the following symptoms increasing: choking on food, especially a single pepper flake, projectile vomiting with certain foods/drinks, (which I didn’t nail down until after diagnosis), losing my “buttery” voice and sounding like I smoked 3 packs a day, and then multiple issues with having “a bug” that led to severe upper GI cramping for 2-3 hours and going from constipation to diarrhea throughout, nausea, wanting to vomit. Now I know I wasn’t sick, it was EOE, which, BTW, was suggested to me by someone in my MTHFR Support Group, and then I had a follow up endoscopy. I get regular colonoscopy/endoscopy, and apparently the last endoscopy showed EOE and pre-cancersous cells in stomach and esophagus. I have NO recollection of this from 4 years ago when the last procedure occurred, so now I have a new gastro doctor. (idiot) That’s something I would have definitely remembered. Apparently it is not uncommon among those of us with MTHFR. Ain’t life grand? I am currently sensitive to corn, oats, rice, seeds, and seafood. I have eliminated corn and oats, coconut and almonds, those seem to affect me especially, and I’ve kept a diary because the timing of the side effects varies (some 4 hours later, some 30 min, some 18 hours), but always the same side effect and same length of time of cramps/diarrhea and vomiting. I do not want to be on Prilodsec, especially with MTHFR, and am working with my holistic practitioner to find what works best for me. Throughout my life I have mostly eaten whole foods, with some exception, but no more! And I am using essential oils, (not Young Living), which are a huge help. DigestZen, Zendocrine, and others. I also take FermPlusPro as my probiotic and I love it. Swear by it. I love my beer and bourbon, and have given up bourbon because it’s just not worth the pain. But I have been able to find one domestic beer I can drink, and the rest are home brews, local brews, or German brewed. I crack up because my friends are all like “she can’t have gluten!” And I’m like….”I CAN have gluten, I can’t have CORN, OATS or SEEDS/NUTS. LOL I haven’t tried to verify rice or seafood yet. Kind of don’t want to knowing the pain (and thus lack of sleep) I’ll experience. Although I really LOVE seafood. It’s great to find blogs from fellow EOE’s to share info and advice. I am currently taking Calcifood as I ween off Prilosec. And I agree with you about the poisons in our food system….I’ve been preaching this to my friends for YEARS!!!! And long before my MTHFR and EOE diagnosis.
Hi Maria! Great to hear from you. The DigestZen I think is very similar to Young Living’s DiGize… it’s awesome! I’m going to look into the FermPlusPro. Thanks for posting!
I just found you by chance. I was just diagnosed i think with EOE. Still waiting on the biopsy. I had the same experience as you when i found out. I stared gagging on steak expect when i was throwing up it didn’t move. It stayed. I was told to go the the ER right away. So i did. 10 hours later. And 10 hours of vomiting every 10-15 minutes later. I was put under. Scoped. And turns out he had to use a scope for a child because my esophagus passageway was smaller then the size of my pinky and he said I’m basically lucky to be alive. I’m 37 years old and have the esophagus he size of a 5 year old. I’ve lived with this issue all my life. Even seaked help when i was 17. An ENT told me the constant choking was due to having enlarged tonsils. Well. Obviously he was wrong. So over 20 years of added stress and whatever else i have done has shrunk my esophagus. But like you. As a mom of 6. I kept putting it off and convinced myself i was just eating too fast or too big of pieces. My next step is an allergy test and waiting to hear what the biopsy says. I go back to the GI SPECIALIST on the 22nd to get more information.
Hi Amanda! It’s amazing how many have this disease, and how many that have been misdiagnosed or just don’t know that they are sick and its not just old age! Hope you get some answers soon!
Hi Jen,
I too, happened upon your blog by accident and so grateful. I was beginning to feel alone. I am amazed at the various responses and ALL the similarities in my life to others. Essentially, I could just cut and paste other peoples’ responses to match my life. i recently started Essential Oils, thanks to a caring boss. Of course, I still have to be very cautious with the oils, as I have so many allergies. My allergies are so bad that when NWMH put me on a liquid diet, I had to be removed because I was having allergic reactions to something that was in the powder that they swear was so processed and grounded it wouldn’t bother me. No one knows a person’s body better than the patient!!!
So glad you found us! Be sure to get the Facebook group and let me know which oils are helping you. I”m always eager to learn more ideas of what to use 🙂
So glad I found this. I use young living too and will be using some of the supplements you mentioned. How does the sulfurzyme help?
Sulfurzyme support the immune system, liver circulation and proper intestinal function so it kinda covers everything that needs support when you have EoE 🙂
I also have eoe along with other issues. I will be ordering the Wahl Protocol book and the Wahl cookbook. I met Dr Wahl 10 years ago when my son came home from Iraq with traumatic brain injury (tbi). She had MS and had been in a wheelchair. After radically changing her diet she has no problems with MS. This way of eating heals the brain and at a cellular level, mitichondrial. He didn’t want to make these radical diet changes, but now here I am. I asked my Dr if he could suggest anything for me to do. He talked about Dr Wahl, and was so surprised I knew her. He told me that there is no evidence of the effectiveness of the diet. But, I don’t care, I’ll do anything I can to help me heal, and feel better. Good luck to all of you on your journey.
I haven’t heard of the Wahl protocol yet but I will look into it. I will have to disagree with your doctor on the effectiveness on diet. I truly believe that many of the diseases today could be fixed by changing our diet. I have seen diet change the lives of many people, including myself! I would say go for the better diet, you really don’t have anything to lose (except weight!) and I bet you will gain some of your old self back.
I had an endoscopy recently and the dr said I had rings characteristic of EoE however the biopsy cameback with no eosinophils-could he have missed it??? I read on another site that they can cluster and be missed….what do you think? Also I don’t have food getting stuck but the pressure and tightness in my chest makes breathing so uncomfortable!
Hi Jennifer,
Sorry I’m not qualified to say if it is EoE or not but I can tell you that I have rings in my esophagus, it’s what causes my food impacts. Yours could be developing and isn’t enough to call it EoE. Did they give you any other diagnosis?
My mom sent me a link to your blog and I’m so glad that she did. I was diagnosed with EOE about 7 years ago and I was so overwhelmed and confused. I recently did another scratch test and scope and my allergist has recommended doing allergy shots for the foreseeable future (I’ve already done them for two years). I have several food allergies and had an allergic reaction to every environmental item they tested me for. I think I will try your regime before deciding to continue with shots long-term.
Hi Juli,
I think it would be great if long term you were able to get off of them. I am glad to hear that you did find something that helps though 🙂
Just let me know if you have any questions.
Hi, thank you so much for sharing your story. I was dx with EOE in April 2019 and my story is very similar to yours. Although I have never been known to have a food allergy. There are some suggestions as to environmental and food allergies. I just finished the skin and patch tests and find that I am allergic to oat and rye. So now it is a matter of figuring out what foods to remove from my diet. My husband and I have been following a more Mediterranean diet for about 8 years now. So for us, we were already working on clean eating. And like you, as I read, it is a moving target and there is no clear path. The food elimination diets that are initially suggested, for me, makes me wonder, how will I know if it is working other than to have another upper GI? I find more questions than answers; however, reading your story and others that share theirs, I am finding that I am not alone and I try to take in as much of another’s experience as I can and see if I can apply it to my situation.
Hi Stacie! Sorry, you are having to go through this! I have found by clean eating, reducing stress, and keeping up on my supplements has helped me tremendously. As far as what to eat and not eat I listen alot to my body, it will tell you! But yes the only official way is to keep going in for scopes.
Hi,
I just was diagnosed today with EOE after an endoscopy/biopsy. I have never heard of it-what led me to be checked was I had an episode where I felt like a piece of chicken was stuck. I had this happen once before with chicken and twice with shrimp- but this is over the course of several years so more random. I thought it was because all those times I had been either, rushing, anxious, at a party where I was talking while eating. My dad told me he had GERD and to take a Zantac if I’m going out for a heavy meal, so I would do that from time to time or if I was traveling. This past episode was more serious though where I felt that food stuck feeling for 24 hours, I went on Prevacid and felt better after 48 hours-then went to the gastro as I never want to experience that again! That being said I’m of course overwhelmed- I already eat a clean diet @80% of the time and it’s weird to think I wouldn’t have these symptoms all the time if I had food allergies! I don’t eat a ton of dairy but I do eat eggs, I eat tons of almonds, walnuts- maybe I eat more wheat products then I realize. I’m on medication for now, am to do a follow up scope in 3 months, then a food elimination diet. I definitely would like to get off meds so appreciate all your advice definitely will start with the essential oils thx u!
Yes, definitely do an elimination diet and be sure to keep track of what you eat. You can also have some allergy testing done and that might help steer you in the right direction. Good luck and let us know what you find out.
[…] you follow my blog you know I have EoE, and finding the foods that weren’t agreeing with me was the best thing I did for my […]
I just got diagnosed with EoE and Barrett’s Esophagus. I have had food stuck in my throat and it’s terrible. I’ve had allergy testing done, I’m allergic to tons of stuff. Even black pepper. Had endoscopy and biopsies. Ive been taken off of wheat and dairy and eggs. Feels like I’m always starving. My work schedule is crazy and dont cook much.
Hang in there Paulette! It gets a little easier with time, you have to adjust to a whole new way of eating but you will see that once you do it for a while it becomes a habit and it’s easier to deal with.
Food prepping was a huge help for me. Pinterest has lots of freezer meal recipes or check out Wildtree that I mention in the video.
Hi Jen,
I was recently diagnosed with a severe case of eoe. I really appreciate the work you have done. I am having a problem with weight loss(alot). What is the connection? Also is there a connection between the food that become impacted and the food you are allergic to? or is it just the throat is narrow.Thank s
Greg(the thin man)
Hi Greg!
Some experience weight loss because they find themselves afraid to eat or just can’t find enough products they like to eat. Have you tried protein shakes or anything like that to help put the weight back on? Also, have you tracked to see how much protein you are getting, I know when I started tracking my food I found out that was something I was deficient in. Cronometer is a great app to help track all this.
I, myself haven’t found a connection to what becomes impacted… for me it’s mostly the density of the item or how fast I am eating, like if I don’t chew it enough. The items that most often get stuck for me are items like steak or supplement pills.
Hi, Jen! Thanks for sharing your story. I’m a mom of four, and my second son, now 6yo, was diagnosed when he was 1.5yo. This year is our first noticing how seasonal changes increase his flares. He only made it through one hour of school today before we got a call from the secretary. We have tried several courses of treatment over the past 4 years, but I stopped essential oils a few years ago after he had a major topical reaction. With the seasonal allergies, and his age (being more equipped to express himself) I’m thinking of revisiting the idea. What essential oils have you found to help ease symptoms of flares/seasonal allergies, both diffusing and application?
Hi Jennie! It is so true, this time of year usually gives me a bit of trouble too. The past few years haven’t been that bad but this year is bad. I don’t know if it’s because of all the rain we had over the summer or what.
While yes some can have a reaction to the oils, may times it can be because of the quality of oils. Cheaper oils are mixed with fragrance which can cause the irritation. That is one reason I only use Young Living essential oils. Their quality hands down is the best and there is only oils in the bottle of the singles. For support this time of year I use lavender, roman chamomile, peppermint and/or lemon. I also make sure to take probiotics and enzymes. When trying them again I would also be sure to add a carrier oil to them (fractioned coconut oil, grapeseed oil, V6) when applying them to little ones. If anything diffusing would be a great start.
Hello Jen , I’ve also been diagnosed with EOE and I’m having a hard time eating at this point . I read a lot on this issue but I yet to hear someone write about a complication I’m having. Cold air from the air conditioner or cold air from the outside makes my EOE worse in wich my esophagus just closes up and my chest gets so cold and lasts a long time . Has anyone ever had cold air affect your EOE in this way ? Thanks .
I haven’t had cold air affect me, but high humidity does. I often get short of breath if the humidity is really high.
I was recently diagnosed with EOE only after there was a fear that I had celiac, which I dont. I experience zero EOE symptoms and am on an elimination diet now, 3 weeks in. I feel totally the same, just a bit more bloated due to more beans and GF grains so make up for no eggs. I am not even sure that when I do introduce foods back that I will even be able to tell if one of them is the offender. I have horrible seasonal allergies and feel like my lungs are not happy but my throat feels the same all the time. I have 7 foods that are not part of the elimination diet that if I eat them I vomit but they will not come up on an allergy test, which is why I am now on this quest to figure out what is going on. Has anyone had this problem, no symptoms and actually figuring out what the issue is? I am also a YL distributor but I had read to not change too much of what you are doing on the elimination diet so you can really see the difference in how you are feeling. So currently, the only thing I take is Inner Defense when the family is all sick.
Hi Kelly, what type of allergy test did you have? There are many on the ‘scratch’ test that didn’t show up for me but they did show up on the biometric allergy test I did. You might want to try one of those to see what else might come up.
What a relief to come across your page. I have recently been diagnosed with EoE. I have had an endoscopy as well as allergy testing. I am suppose to eliminate Soy, Dairy, Eggs, Tree Nuts, Celery and Oranges. I am extremely frustrated and have almost developed this anxiousness over eating. I am fine cleaning up my diet and food choice but this trying to swallow and food getting stuck I can’t handle. I do not want to be on medication forever, I had thought about starting with a probiotic and multivitamins but not sure where to go from there. Any advice on a good probiotic? Thank you for all your beneficial information regarding EoE. I pray it gets better for us all!
The probiotic I like is Young Living’s Life 9. I would also take some enzymes. It gets better with time, you learn a new normal and it’s not so overwhelming. Hang in there!
I was diagnosis with EOE last year and placed on Prilosec. My doctor wasn’t very informational about allergy testing and just told me to take 40 mg a day. Here I am 8 months later extremely over weight and in my eyes more sick then with swallowing troubles and heartburn. Prevacid gave me horrible side affects and I was off of it within two weeks.
I tested negative on all allergy tests but my allergenist still said to go without wheat and dairy. I just lost my father to esophageal cancer and have fallen off my diet during that time while I was helping care for him. Scares me to think my lifestyle with this condition could kill me as quickly as his cancer did him.
Anyone who has any suggestions for me please respond. I’m trying to put acid back in my stomach with HCL currently and I’ve read into paleo diets for my condition. Eating meat and taking HCL seems to be the best way for helping my symptoms right now but I’m struggling to trust my doctors and I’m doing this new product on my own.
Hi Beka,
I would also try adding in an enzyme supplement and a good probiotic. You might want to check to see if there is a doctor near you that does biometric or muscle testing. Sometimes that can also give you an idea of what your body needs. Keep searching and I wish you lots of healing vibes!
Wow! This thread is uplifting! I was diagnosed with EoE at 15. I was eating a large piece of beef with a plastic fork and did not bother to cut into it; when I swallowed it, I then began to throw up a clear consistency. Fortunately, I was breathing, but throwing up bile constantly. I was in school when this happened and my friends took me to the bathroom where they then called a nurse. The nurses told me not to try to spit it out as it could get further stuck in my throat and then I could possibly start choking. So, I was rushed to the nearest emergency room. There, they told me to sip Coca-Cola, but that did not do anything. Also, since I was a minor, they could not perform surgery on me. So, I was rushed to CHKD hospital where I waited a few hours before the surgery, still throwing up the bile. I could somewhat speak. The doctors said the surgery would take up to 10-20 minutes. I was in there for over 2 hours — the surgeon had to call an ear surgeon to help get out the piece of meat. I then was diagnosed with EoE, stayed in the hospital for two days, and left with a steroid I was told to inhale. I used the steroid for a little while after that; stopped eating beef altogether after the incident. When I was 16, I had another biopsy to see if the EoE still existed — yes. The GI doctor desperately tried to get me on steroids, but I am very much into holistic and natural medicine, so I said no to that, my mom supporting the decision. During that time, I don’t really remember my throat hurting, but I did notice bloating. When I was 17, I saw the GI doctor again because of the bloating and constipation problem; I was put on a low-FODMAP diet, but that did nothing. After a while, I decided to take the steroid. But only for a few weeks — I saw no point as I wanted to take the natural route of testing allergies. But my doctor just never scheduled an appointment, but he knew that’s what I wanted. I am now 18 years old; after the FODMAP diet, I definitely limited certain foods from my diet. I am now a vegan and notice my body reacting much better to this diet. Certain foods, however, make my throat hurt. Fortunately, I have never felt an overwhelming pain from my throat. But the bloating worries me. I really do think EoE is causing the bloating. Anyway, I absolutely love the fact there is a conversation going on here about EoE. I just wish there were more doctors willing to help. And if there are, I want to know. My major concern is the bloating as I want to make sure I have a healthy gut. I already eat whole foods, so I think probiotics may help. But is it possible EoE is triggering the bloating? Also, I still have no idea what I am allergic to — I just know certain foods trigger a reaction from my throat. Thank you for such a community!
I think the bloating is sometimes related to the EoE and sometimes possibly something else. But yes I do get bloating when I eat certain foods. My advice is to keep a food diary. I also for you to keep track of your nutrition. I would also get your vitamin levels tested too, sometimes with Vegan diets, many are missing some key vitamin if they aren’t keeping track.
I’m also a huge fan of probiotics so I would definitely add those!
Glad to have you around 🙂
My son was diagnosed with EOE this year. He doesn’t have any allergies to speak of, which is very frustrating. He gets major acid reflux, he feels like he’s choking on it, and has a lot of nausea and anxiety from this. His diet gives him reflux and seems to be a moving target. He is a very picky eater and is now only able to eat steak, potato, rice and eggs. Any suggestions?
Hi Lee… he still might have an allergy to something they just don’t test for. For me one of my bigger triggers is food with pesticides (wheat is a big one), could also be environmental. My best suggestion is to keep a food diary and then also record how he is feeling. Sometimes it takes 24-48 to get a reaction. By tracking everything it might give you an idea of another trigger.
For me, eggs were a trigger, until I started raising my own chickens and controlling what they ate. Sadly there are so many variables to this disease. Good luck and please let me know how it’s going.
I carry around liquid or powder (in a capsule) Benadryl for when I am at a restaurant and something gets stuck. I pour a couple of the Benadryls onto a spoon, and pour it down my throat to try to coat the esophagus or use the liquid. I do this if the food is impacted and I can’t even swallow saliva and foam is coming up. Usually, almost every time, if you get enough Benadryl down, it opens up after about 5 mins or so if you don’t spit it up. I have had food impacted all night before and someone suggested Benadryl, and it worked the next morning and has worked a few times since then. I would really recommend to try this in an emergency as it has worked really well for me so far. Still avoid all the trigger foods, but you just never know.
i analyzed my root cause to be flu shots and cvd shots.
i had first ever flu shot in jan 2019 . immediately after 2 -3 weeks i got sick with sever cough every night and that’s going for months . in my second visit to doctor i took allergy test which gave hell lot of allergies and food allergies like milk, nuts, wheat , egg and many more which i grew up eating . i had no answer for why i got this suddenly . i always suspected it’s flu shot but wasn’t sure how.
and then covid shots came. took it in doubt. in few months i started getting breathing issues and choking with cough at night . ear blocking and ringing. when skip food i feel somewhat better at night . recently i verified my blood CBC reports . found this
my eosinophils count before flu shot around 300 which is with. in range and good
after flue shot it spiked to 780
after covid shot it spiked to 1280
which is the reason i feel sick every day .
now i’m finding ways to reduce this count .i’m going start working on eliminating foods that cause allergies .
So, I’m perplexed. If stress causes a flareup, does that mean you get symptoms even avoiding some trigger foods? I thought food caused the flare up, not stress.
Hello, THANK YOU for creating this page and video. I was diagnosed back in August of 22 and my specialist basically told me what the diagnosis was, but had no information on how to help aside from an elimination diet. I am a foodie, so hearing her say I ad to cut basically everything out was an automatic no for me. As time went on, my symptoms became more prominent and less easy to deal with. I had originally went in because of acid reflux and food getting stuck, but it quickly turned into mucus build up, not being able to swallow even saliva, and feeling like Im drowning. My pcp is a holistic doctor, and listens to me and my fears. She had a blood panel done to test for food allergies, and I came back with a few different allergies, wheat being highest as a Class 2 allergy. Gluten free diet has helped a lot, but again, is hard for me to sustain. I study this disease frequently to keep up with any changes that come to light. They recently approved dupilumab (Dupixent) for it, which is a medicine used to treat eczema as well. I am seeing my PCP Wednesday to see if I would be a good candidate for that medication. I wonder if you have heard of this? Something I found interesting is that I have keratosis pilaris on my arms and legs, and there are studies showing I am not the only one that has KP as well as EOE. I will keep you updated with what’s to come, and if the medication gets approved for me. Thank you for making me feel more hopeful, and for being somebody who understands the pains of this ailment. Love and light to you.
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