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Throat Clearing, hoarseness, swallowing difficulties

Posted , 15 users are following.

AmyYamy
AmyYamy

I was initially diagnosed with LPR for my symptoms, which were constant post nasal drip, hoarse voice, and a click when I swallowed.  I have since figured out it wasn't LPR at all, and that all the protocols for LPR only make things worse. 

I came here to hopefully help others who may have been told they have LPR when really, they have something else.

The symptoms of LPR are exactly the same as the symptoms of nutritional deficiencies of B vitamins, vitamin A, and iron.  

In particular, a riboflavin deficiency will dry out the soft tissues of your throat so that you feel every tiny drip of what is actually normal mucus.  Riboflavin is a B vitamin that is not stored in the body and you must eat it every day.  Dairy products, something many of us with mucus are told to avoid, are very high in riboflavin, and one of the best sources.  Stress, illness and certain chronic conditions can increase the body's requirements for riboflavin, causing deficiency symptoms, like a dry, post nasal drip in the throat.  (In my case, I became deficient due to an undescovered thyroid issue.  When the thyroid is not functioning properly, you do not metabolize riboflavin.)  Mild riboflavin deficiency will also cause dry, itchy or burning feeling of the eyes.  

Other B vitamins which affect the throat are niacin and folate.  Iron deficiency causes tongue and throat swelling and can even cause webbing of the esophagus.   Vitamin A and zinc also affect the mouth, tongue and throat.  Iodine is essential for the salivary glands.  

Certain health issues can affect the metabolism of nutrients.  You can be deficient even though you get plenty of it in your diet.  Your genetics, your diet, and your current health conditions all affect your nutrtitional status.  

Proton pump inhibitors and acid reducers can make things worse by reducing your absorption of nutrients.  

If you want to try some vitamins to see if they will help, start with the water soluble B vitamins.  I recommend taking co-enzymated sublinguals which melt under your tongue, so that you don't have to worry about whether you are digesting and metabolizing them properly.  

9 likes, 52 replies

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  • papote53
    papote53 AmyYamy

    Posted

    WOW, I have some of those symptoms for some time now and now the dry eyes the last month which is disturbing me alot. I don't have any of the typical GERD symptoms and medication is doing nothing for me.  I did stop taking B Complex but I do have a new one I purchased (sublingual) so just as a preventive measure I'm going to take it daily again.  I do eat lots of veggies and fruits. I don't eat red meat maybe once bi-weekly and a very small portion so maybe is time to eat read meat once weekly and take those B Complex sublinguals.  Thanks for the information. ;-)
    • tamtam1
      tamtam1 papote53

      Posted

      Hi there, 

      I have the exact same symptoms as you. I haven't seen a pulmonologist, but my endoscopy showed mild gastritis only. No reflux, but the GI doc(whom I actually really like alot) wants me to stay on reflux meds for a while. WIth the chest pressure, do you also cough alot? Especially after eating? All my symptoms are better when I lay down, too. Are you having any racing heart or palpitations? I am on anxiety meds, which do calm me down, but don't fix my symptoms. I'm curious what the doc told you(the one the was functional medicine and a nerve doc)? I also believe I have some sort of nerve issue in my throat or chest that is causing this. I am trying to get in with a chiropractor who also does muscle and soft tissue work in case there's something going on with my neck/ribs/back that could be causing this. 

      I would love to get back on some supplements as AmyYamy mentions, but I am nervous about the gastritis, although mine is mild. 

      This is all so awful, it's only been about two months and I really hope we can find out what is causing this and get better soon!

       

  • thi20955
    thi20955 AmyYamy

    Posted

    Thanks Amy for sharing this info. I wonder where do you buy subligual co-enzyme , is it over the counter and what brand is good ?
  • Relly1994
    Relly1994 AmyYamy

    Posted

    Hi, this is a really helpful thread. I have been diagnosed with lpr, the doctor looked at the back of my tongue with a microscope and said that the tonsils on my tongue are damaged. Is this also a sign of deficiencies ? I've been put on lanzoprazole and it's made my tongue feel swollen and the back of my mouth feel so dry and also makes me bloAted 24/7. Not too sure if it's done much for the other symptoms as I have a cold at the mo so got a sore throat anyway. I've decided to go on a low carb, low fat and low acid diet which is making me miserable. Anyone got any help they can give me? I'm a teacher too so shouting is also really bad for my voice box if it is lpr. 
    • papote53
      papote53 thi20955

      Posted

      LPR is a condition that occurs in a person who has (GERD). Acid made in the stomach travels up the esophagus (swallowing tube). When that stomach acid gets to the throat, it is called laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR). I had a Laryngoscpy done and they found mild acid.  Now, many ENT;s will just see it red and say is acid.
    • thi20955
      thi20955 papote53

      Posted

      Thanks that is what I am worrying. I have hoarse voice now and then, comes and go. Do you think it is your case?
    • papote53
      papote53 thi20955

      Posted

      Yes, I have hoarseness and I don't have normal GERD sysmtoms.  ENT said it was mild, but besides this I have chest discomfort/heaviness all day long plus my breathing gets heavy as well unless I lay back or sleep.  They are going to do a Barium Swallow on Friday.  Been cleared by Pulom/Cardio and Phychiatrist so they are saying is my mild Gastritis the reason and thr acid going al the up to my thorat and maybe even my head.
    • papote53
      papote53 thi20955

      Posted

      No, but is mild with a little itching.Very little caugh, It was just diagnosed the other day and all she said was to take my Pantoprazole 40mg which is doing nothing for me.  So far I have used 3 medications which have done nothing fo me. Even high doses for 30 days.  The hoarseness will be gone when I stop the acid.  In my case they did a Laryngoscopy and found the acid behind my thorat/vocals. She did make me sing when she had the tube in my nose. ;-)  I have no prblem with that, ha it done twice before for my sinus but it wasn't a laryngoscopy but very similar.
    • AmyYamy
      AmyYamy Relly1994

      Posted

      I lost my voice last July for almost a month, and have two kids.  It was pretty awful trying to be a mom without a voice!  I can't imagine trying to teach a class with that dry hoarse voice problem.  

      The soft tissues of the tongue and throat can become red and inflammed from deficiencies.  I would definitely take a b-complex, and something with the methylfolate and methylcobalmin, which are already in the form your body needs, and don't require you to have the right enzymes to convert them yourself.  Message me if you want brand recommendations, as we can't post them publicly.  But I've tried a ton of different ones, and can definitely recommend which ones are better than others.  

      Another possibility, if you don't have much saliva, you are probably not getting enough iodine in your diet.  The salivary glands normally produce saliva to lubricate the mouth and throat.  They add bicarbonate automatically when acid rises into the throat.  But if you are low in iodine, your salivary glands can't make enough saliva.  The throat is left unprotected.  

      During my worst time with my throat, and voice, I found sipping water with a little bit of baking soda added to it really helped.  The baking soda changed the PH of the water to about 9, which is ideal for your throat.  

      I didn't take any of the LPR recommended medications after trying it once and feeling much worse.  I did take this thing called "Alginic Acid" which is NOT an acid, but is a food supplement that "foams" when it hits your stomach and "floats", creating a cork at the top of your stomach so acid can't rise up into your throat.  Since it works as a physical barrier, your stomach can still have the acid level it needs for digestion.  And it keeps you from having all the problems associated with low stomach acid, and malabsorption.  But then it turns out I didn't actually even need that.  Psychologically though, it made me feel better at the time.  And it works great for people who actually do have LPR.  

    • papote53
      papote53 AmyYamy

      Posted

      Interesting, so did you actaully had?   Alginic acid? Like Gaviscon?  I have never taken any OTC medications, my phychiatrist recomended Mylanta.  I will have a Barium Swallow tomorrow, after I get the results I just might try this because regular medication is not working for me.
    • AmyYamy
      AmyYamy papote53

      Posted

      Paptote53,  that chest heaviness was another symptom I had too.  Your symptoms really do sound just like the ones I had last summer.  It felt a little like my diaphram was weak, and I had to use my upper chest to breath.  I thought some of my chest soreness was from all the throat clearing I was doing, and my horrible dry cough.  Then I went out for sushi and had a seaweed salad, and felt like someone gave me super powers, I felt so amazing the next day.  That's the only reason I suspected some of this stuff wasn't LPR but deficiencies.  Since then it's been one discovery after another, for the past 8 months.  

      The chest heaviness can be from anemia, which most people thing of iron for anemia, but B12, folate, riboflavin and vitamin A and copper all are needed to make red blood cells properly.   Beef liver is not popular, but there is no better food to try, if you think you have any deficiencies.  If you feel better the day after eating it, that will tell you a lot about your nutritional status.   That, and sushi with a lot of seaweed, which is high in iodine and tyrosine.  

      You don't by any chance drink a lot of green or black tea, do you?   It's supposed to be so healthy, but tea contains a lot of anti-nutrients that no one talks about.  The tannins block iron and other minerals, and tea is naturally high in aluminum fluoride which silently interferes with thyroid hormones and will go undetected by TSH testing.     

    • AmyYamy
      AmyYamy papote53

      Posted

      Yes, exactly like Gaviscon.  Some folks from another forum recommended it.  I found one that was chewable tablets.  I didn't want the liquid stuff, although it would have made controlling the dosage easier.  The chewables were more convenient to take with me to restaurants.  

      This blurb explains it well:

      "Alginic acid forms a gel and potassium bicarbonate produces bubbles that get trapped in that gel-producing a floating foam layer that sits above the contents of the stomach

      This protective foam barrier develops less than a minute after two natural berry flavor tablets of esophageal guardian are chewed and swallowed"

    • papote53
      papote53 AmyYamy

      Posted

      I will try all of your suggesions after I get the results from the barium test.  I already have the sublingual vitamin b complex and I for sure don't consume beef but will give it a try with the gaviscon.

      No, I don't drink any teas but was about to start with green tea.  I appeciate your suggesions whcih I will try all of them. ;-)

      It's funny, the first time I tried a small portion of sushi was last week and I loved it.  So this week I'm going for both including the seaweed salad. ;-)

    • Relly1994
      Relly1994 AmyYamy

      Posted

      I think I will definitely try the alginic acid as the horror stories from ppis are making me not want to take them at all! I'll look into the iodine issue. Could be a problem, I've never thought of that. 

      Thanks!

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