So scared. Possibly have had LPR for years and only just realised

Posted , 6 users are following.

Hi,

I turned 40 in August and had my 1st baby in March. Toward The end of my pregmancy I would get a strange sensation of a tingling feeling in my chest and throat as I put it down to Braxton hicks. I've had acid indigestion and acid coming up into the throat off and on through the years but never enough to warrant meds as it would disappear with otc tabs. I've had a cold feeling in my throat off and on too and sometimes have had a feeling of a tight chest and coughing plus sinus, phlegm and feeling bunged up. I have also woken with a sore throat quite a lot over the years. The only time I can remmember not waking was when I did a juice detox and a paelo style diet for a period of time. So a month or so ago I got a bad cold with a horrible cough then a week later after binging on chocolate I got acid reflux since then i have had the weird sensation I had during the latter part of pregnancy which is worse at night and waking with a sore throat. My chest feels tight and asthmatic (I'm not asthmatic), cold feeling in throat and lots of gurgling in my tummy. I find it a horrible feeling. I have been researching and kind of come to the conclusion this is silent reflux and I have had it for years but never treated it. So I'm so scared now. I'm trying to get healthy again. Have lapsed since baby takes a lot of my time. I prefer natural healing and have looked at supplements but all advise against use when breastfeeding. I've ordered dropping acid book, started cutting processed food, sugar, dairy and spicy and fat foods (ar triggers for me), have had kinesiology session, osteopathy for back which I think bf has put out of whack, doc has prescribed omeprazole (although would rather not take given side effects), drinking lots of alkaline water of 7.8, drinking ginger and manuka honey tea, chamomile tea and gaviscon.

Have read various things this could be related as to why I have had this latest attack so bad which could be eostregen low due to bf, vitamin b low, hiatil hernia from pregnancy, stress and lack of sleep from a demanding baby, also, was having numerous rows with partner!

It's been 2 weeks now and I have had no relief. Will try the DA book diet when it arrives. I'm just petrified i have had this unknown and it's been slowly killing me. I'm a new mum and want to see my daughter grow up! Have a doc appt but not until the 21st oct. Just want to feel well again. My body aches with the hormones plus I'm getting anxiety each night when I get the stinging feeling. Feels like i have acid vapours in my airways.

0 likes, 7 replies

7 Replies

  • Posted

    You might have hiatus hernia... get it checked.  If you do you can get it repaired.  The surgeon who did my lapband surgery repairs these hernias.  It's laser surgery and very easy... just overnight stay in hospital.  
  • Posted

    If you are referring to a GP appointment try and get an earlier one then you can get some advice to calm your anxieties. You will probably get referred on again and have to wait for a hospital appointment unless you have private insurance or are prepared to pay for an initial appointment with a consultant. In the meantime try to keep calm as anxiety makes things worse.  Put a hot water bottle on your back and rest as much as you can. Read the excellent help offered on this forum but don't speculate on what might be wrong or Google your symptoms just see the professionals.
  • Posted

     A spoonful of baking soda…

    A spoonful of sodium bicarbonate, or teaspoon-full to be exact, can help put an end to the gnawing, burning, sensation of heartburn caused by acid reflux. Baking soda, as sodium bicarbonate is more commonly known, can help your reflux and in turn help your heartburn because it is a base substance. It has a pH higher than 7.0, and therefore neutralizes stomach acid. Neutralizing the stomach acid means that if/when your LES decides to be lazy and acid comes up your throat, you don’t get “burned.”

    You will need…

    -1/2 teaspoon or 1 teaspoon of baking soda

    -a glass of fresh water

    Directions

    Mix either a ½ teaspoon or 1 single teaspoon of baking soda into a glass of water that is no more than 8 ounces. Give it a good stir and drink all of the mixture. You can repeat this as needed but should not exceed seven ½ teaspoon doses in a 24 hour period. Also, avoid using this as a remedy for more than a week straight, as it is high in salt and can have side effects such as swelling or nausea.

  • Posted

    Hi Sonya,

    Reflux - be it GORD or LPR (which necessarily means GORD as well) is very commonin pregnancy. And the baby growing inside you can also have caused a hiatus hernia which can be giving on-going reflux problems.

    Although you're desparate to try anything to help, the Dropping Acid book may not. It is a myth that the acidity of food makes a difference. I respect Jamie Koufman and her work in popularising extra-oesophageal reflux but any reflux, acidic or not, can breach the cricopharyngeus (upper oesophageal sphincter) and cause the symptoms you describe. She does point to research that shows pepsin refluxing in the presence of acid can cause damage to the throat and respiratory system but extra-oesophageal reflux aspirating into the respiratory system can do that anyway. If you find DownWithAcid org uk you can download a free book which someone reviewing has just dubbed, "a superb compendium of knowledge - thorough, comprehensive, approachable yet scientifically literate.." and it contains a chapter on Extra-Oesophageal Reflux.

    You need to try and reduce the reflux. As your baby weight reduces, this may as well. Your hiats hernia will be the sliding type and may well slide back. If not, it is so common, and usually manageable, it's unlikely it will be treated unless deemed to be posing a bog threat to your health.

    For what it's worth, I am 67 and have only realised in the last 15 years that ailments I've had since childhood were due to aspirated extra-oesophageal reflux. (I had my hiatus hernia fixed when I had a fundoplication to reduce reflux 7 years ago.)

    Do not overfill your stomach. You're not eating for two now. Have small meals and more frequently. Avoid exercise that will put strain on the stomach when it's full (including bending and lifting weights - which may be easier said than done with a young baby). Leave at least 3 hours between your last meal and going to bed. Raise the head of your bed by 6 to 8 inches on blocks and sleep on your left side.

    Your GP may prescribe omeprazole for a few weeks to reduce your acid hyper-secretion. We would all like to think we can control this by natural means (as if it isn't happening) but the medicines if needed are quite safe and the quickest and easiest way of dealing with it. Meanwhile try to determine if you have specific trigger foods that bring it on by keeping a food diary. We are all different and tolerate foods differently.

    • Posted

      Hi Barretts

      ​after my 2nd endoscopy I was told that as my Barretts eoesophagus was minimal I could stop taking the PPI, and various others ( Motiluim, Duspatalin Retard etc) I have done this and do get the chest pains etc etc . (If it gets bad I have a small glass of brandy in hot water ..rightly or wrongly ..which seems to help....painkiller perhaps?)

      ​My question is am I causing doing more harm than good by stopping the PPI and should I restart the PPI ? Like everyone else I would rather not take than take all these drugs. 

    • Posted

      If the PPIs stop the pain, you may need to keep taking them. Alternatively consider trying less powerful H2 blockers (eg ranitidine) or if it's not every day, try an alginate like Gaviscon.

Report or request deletion

Thanks for your help!

We want the community to be a useful resource for our users but it is important to remember that the community are not moderated or reviewed by doctors and so you should not rely on opinions or advice given by other users in respect of any healthcare matters. Always speak to your doctor before acting and in cases of emergency seek appropriate medical assistance immediately. Use of the community is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and steps will be taken to remove posts identified as being in breach of those terms.