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I've had LPR for 7 months and despite fighting it from all angles, it's still with me? How long do I

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janet136
janet136

i began at Easter 2015 with what I thought was a dry cough. It was soon diagnosed as silent reflux and I was prescribed omeprazole and double action gaviscon. I put myself on a diet avoiding things that seemed to trigger the phlegm at the back of my throat, eg dairy, caffeinated drinks, alcohol .... I returned to the doctor and she referred me to an ENT specialist as the camera was less invasive than an endoscopy. He confirmed silent reflux  and added. Nasal spray to the mix.  He later discharged me as he had done his bit and in desperation , after ready various accounts on this site, I put myself on the alkaline diet. I and a lot of success with this diet,and though I have tried to adopt some of the sensible priinciples into my diet, it is still there. It gets me down especially when eating out or with friends. It's a good job I am old enough to have free prescriptions as I go through gaviscon at a rate of knots. I wou,d however pay anything to be back how I was and eating food I enjoy. I am a vegetarian anyway and eat healthily, but have still found room for improvement. I drink alkaline water, chew everything 40 times , don't eat anything over refined, but still suffer. I'm back to see the doctor soon and will ask for an endoscopy. Has anyone else experienced anything similar, I'm not too bad at night as I don't eat after 7pm, but as soon as I begin eating again in the morning" it begins again

0 likes, 3 replies

3 Replies

  • abbie34168
    abbie34168 janet136

    Posted

    Sorry to hear you're still suffering.. I myself don't have silent reflux but gerd and have been suffering since December 2014 despite trying everything I possibly can. I went back to my consultant on Saturday to see if he could help or do more tests but was politely told to go away.. I really hope you start to get better soon! Keep pushing at the doctors x
  • Barretts
    Barretts janet136

    Posted

    Hi Janet.

    Many of us suffer with (or have suffered with) extra-oesophageal reflux and the many symptoms from aspirating refluxate.

    If you find the DownWithAcid org uk site and scroll down the contents list, you will find a chapter on Extra-oesophageal reflux below the main Reflus section heading which will describe what's happening.

    Reflux and acid hyper-secretion are actually two different things. Reducing acid does not mean you reduce the reflux.

    And eating alkaline foods doesn't actually help. Stomach acid is very concentrated hydrochloric acid. Eating alkaline foods is as effective as pouring a kettle of boiling water in the ocean. Moreover, if food is too alkaline, the stomach will just produce extra acid to combat it. The other myth to watch out for is alkaline water which was propagated by bottled water companies in the US.

    Dr Jamie Kouffman is an excellent ENT physician who provides considerable helpful advice regarding extra-oesophageal reflux for which she coined the terms LPR and "silent reflux" and, more recently, "Respiratory Reflux" but I disagree with her over her description of the mechanical process of this reflux. Very many patients taking high doses of acid suppressants still experince it.

    I used to be on very high dose omperazole, 80mg a day, for a number of years but my chronic cough was causing me to have at least one fit a day wherein I practically blacked out and would spend two hours a night in the early hours sitting up coughing and consuming far too much cough suppressant.

    I tried all the lifestyle advice to control reflux without success and eventually had the fundoplication (reflux reduction) surgery which gave me my life back. The symptoms reduced 90%. I no longer have the chronic cough attacks. I no longer need the medication which had resulted in my becoming anaemic. I went from being unable to walk 50 yards to cycling 20 to 30 miles every day before breakfast.

  • tbier
    tbier janet136

    Posted

    Same here. I started with regurgitation in september 2014. Got PPI and went will untill easer this year. Started burping after everyting I eat and drink. This leads to acid en pepsin coming up an irritating my throat. My first doctor did a 24 PH test and diagnosed LPR but couldn't tell me what exactly causes this belching. At nights no problems, but in the mornings it starts after eating. I don't enjoy eating and drinking at this moment and not even thinking abou eating out with friends. I've found some ways to reduce the complaints, but don't manage them to go to zero...not even for 1 day. I'm going for a second opinion end of this month and hopefully get a doctor who wants to check some more things (endoscopy, manomentry, barrium etc.) to find out what I have.

    ​I've even heard that the belching can come from the long term use of PPI's? Is there anyone who can confirm that? Because it didn't start with this, this showed up in april, after 6 months of PPI use.

    ​So keep on trying.. and keep on reading and sharing..

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