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Diagnosed with Silent Reflux, prescribed Nexium. Some questions...

Posted , 11 users are following.

walterw
walterw

Hi,

My ENT put a scope down my throat and diagnosed me with a "proabably new and not very severe" case of silent reflux. My symptoms are a slight burning in the throat and mucus coming up throughout the day. I was initially diagnosed with chronic bronchitis. Not sure if that diagnosis even holds now and I have both conditions, or just the SLR.

My doctor prescribed Nexium 40mg 1 a day for 2 months, then see him again. I think he said take it 15 min. after breakfast, but the Nexium site says 30 min before meals. Can anyone guide me here on when to take it?

2. Anything to worry about with this medication? I'm researching now and seeing some comments about "beware of the reflux medications your dr. prescribes because they can do more harm than good." Does that apply here, or should I just follow doctor's orders?

2 likes, 37 replies

37 Replies

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  • tata40402
    tata40402 walterw

    Posted

    Walter I have the same issues as u, and I am also on nexium. My symptoms haven't gotten any better, mucus in my throat after every meal. It's just depressing
    • walterw
      walterw tata40402

      Posted

      How long have you been on Nexium? Are you taking it twice a day?
  • Jonathan57679
    Jonathan57679 walterw

    Posted

    One more bit of advice.  When you take an acid blocker, always take it with food.  Otherwise, the chemicals will disolve and burn your stomach, making things worse, and can even cause gastritis.  Always open the capsules and take the tiny pills with lots of water.  Don't chew them up.  Also, do not chew up acid blocker pills, they are timed release. 

    I would suggest taking the acid blocker 20 to 30 minutes after dinner.  That way it will protect you from night time reflux, which is when 90% of the damage occurs.  You must also sleep on an incline or wedge.  You must protect your stomach and esophagus at all times.  You will benefit yourself by being very careful not to cause any further damage.  This can get really bad if it's not handled correctly.

  • walterw
    walterw

    Posted

    Any tips for how to not eat 3 hours before bed? If I don't schedule it just right and eat a big meal, my stomach is growling and then I end up having to eat something right before bed.
    • JFWski
      JFWski walterw

      Posted

      Well I'm sure this doesn't help you, but if you like me you stay up until 2 AM! wink  Perhaps you could have a small glass of milk. That sometimes helps.
    • walterw
      walterw JFWski

      Posted

      Yeah, my dad just told me that drinking a milkshake around 8pm would help. I'm staying away from dairy right now but will try and add it on later.

      As an aside, I have one unexplained symptom which is that when I start to become tired, I get overwhelmed with sleepiness. I used to stay up till 2AM too, but now I feel like someone is injecting me with a sleep potion. My doctor said I'm getting old, but I know what getting old feels like. This was a change that happened like someone flipping a switch. One day I was normal, and then suddenly I started not being able to keep my eyes open to finish a movie at midnight.

    • rex_44766
      rex_44766 walterw

      Posted

      We have a golden rule Walter NEVER ignore a sleep wave! The next one may not arrive for four hours or so. Trouble starts when they arrive at a different time for your partner!
    • Jonathan57679
      Jonathan57679 walterw

      Posted

      I also have been staying up too late watching TV.  Staying up late is probably abnormal.  Getting sleepy earlier is probably normal.  Most of us would not stay up late if it were not for TV.  Maybe this is quietly messing up our circadian rhythm, and contributing to digestive disorders.  It's not normal for us to be eating at midnight or 2am. 
  • walterw
    walterw

    Posted

    Update:

    After about 10 days, I've been taking Nexium 2 x day and eating mainly oatmeal, bananas, canteloupe, bread, rice, grilled chicken, pasta and seafood, as well as elevating my bed and not eating before I lie down. One of my two symptoms (throat clearing) seems to have improved. My other symtom (burning in the throat, especially when I speak) has not, and seems to have gotten worse.

    Does that make sense for what other people have been through? Just trying to figure out if this diet is working. I know it can take 2-6 months to start feeling relief, but Dr. Kaufman says people improve after 2 weeks. I just started drinking alkaline water today, so maybe that will help too.

    • JFWski
      JFWski walterw

      Posted

      Walter -

      I'm looking at the Nissen Diet which is recommended after NF surgery. It omits anything acidic along with anything that would cause gas or distension. So those are foods I would consider eliminating. (They include all citrus fruit, fruit with seeds, vegetables like spinach, brussel sprouts, asparagus etc.) I would also suggest keeping a food diary and note when you feel bad and compare that to see if there is a certain food that triggers your symptoms.

    • walterw
      walterw JFWski

      Posted

      Thanks. Today, my throat clearing returned. Disappointing. I was out in the sun a lot for a few days last week and I'm starting to wonder if it was the vitamin D influx from the sun that was making me feel better. I'm going to be diligent about taking D3 capsules for awhile and see if that helps.
    • rex_44766
      rex_44766 walterw

      Posted

      Walter I had no luck with the Kaufman regime. I can get relief from garling bi carb of soda and sipping coconut water. You can swallow BC with no problems. Think it neutralises the pepsin in your throat. Do you get this at night?
  • walterw
    walterw

    Posted

    UPDATE:

    After two weeks on Nexium 40mg 2x, I have cut back to 1x a day and will quit taking it altogether in a week. It was making my throat burn ten times worse than before. Since I cut back to 1x a day, my throat is already back to where it was before I started treatment (burning a little now and then but not really affecting my quality of life.) It was getting to where I couldn't go out with friends because my throat would become hoarse from talking. It took me awhile to realize it was the Nexium causing it.

    Any ideas why this is?

    Could the burning in my throat possibly be candida? The ENT said there were no traces of candida in my mouth or throat, but I had oral thrush a couple of months ago. I can't figure out why a PPI would make my throat burn MORE. Could I have candida that is thriving when there is less acid around? No idea what to think at this point.

    • rex_44766
      rex_44766 walterw

      Posted

      Walter zi have had a lot of luck dipping alkaline water at night each time I have an issue. You can train yourself to get back to sleep very quickly. It MUST be over PH8. Baking soda does not work as well. I have also used coconut water for minor flsir ups. For the majors I use coconut oil (suck oh a solid bit slowly.) i think these are all a better option than introducing yet another med into your tummy and I have tried em all I think!
  • walterw
    walterw

    Posted

    UPDATE:

    After a little trial and error, I realized that it was not the Nexium that was making my throat more hoarse, but alkaline water. When I was diagnosed with LPR, I started taking Nexium and drinking alkaline water (9.5ph) about the same time and when my hoarseness got worse, I naturally thought it was the Nexium. Now I'm back taking Nexium and off the alkaline water. If anyone has an opinion on why that would happen, I'd love to hear it.

    • rex_44766
      rex_44766 walterw

      Posted

      Yes Walter this all just gets tooooooo hard doesn't it. I stopped the alkaline water as like you it started working less and less and boy I hated that sulphur taste that lingers for hours. However when I last wrote to you I was getting improved sleep which was why I shared. We have a throat spray in Australia called Aqua and this does take the sting away for about 30 minutes, tastes OK. I was using this every hour or so but my doc just banned it for me as it contains sugar alchohol and that is messing with a SIBO diet he has me on. I just cant take a trick! I could never swallow my Nexium pills so used to open them and drink those little balls. You can imagine what this did to a sore throat cant you? When I was 7 I swallowed an organge pip during a really bad toncil attack and nearly bleed to death. I can remember my mum and dad frantically trying to get a doctor to come at night. The upshot is I'm too scared to swallow a pill! My throat has been so bad in the past that it used to take over and hour to swallow my breakfast which was a compote of fruite run through the blender. The trouble is Walter is that the goal posts keep changing. My LPR has currently gone back to full on acid reflux to the burning the lips stage. Now I'm writing to you trying to sleep in a recliner chair, its 3am in Oz and I'm sipping hot bone broth! Now this stuff does soothe your throat but ONLY if you dont skim the fat off the top. Initially I had trouble with this but the experts have done a U turn on fat over here and apparently its now preferred over sugar. I have 6 cups a day and it doesnt clobber your weight - nothing happens! Amazing! Its also got heaps of goodies in it "glut" something or other? Anyway how are you going overall? It really worries me the number of under thirties that post plees for help so early in life. There is something nasty going on in the world dont you think?
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