LPR/Silent Reflux - desperately in need of a miracle. Has anyone recovered from this?

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Hi - I'll be as brief as possible. For almost a year I have had symptoms which have worsened, starting with throat clearing and progressing to regular spiting out of white, frothy stuff, post nasal drip, lump in throat or sharp sensation, streaming or blocked nose and hoarseness. These are all unpleasant and irritating but because I talk for a living my work is becoming badly affected so it is now making me depressed and anxious as well. I was referred to ENT, had the camera up the nose and down the throat to rule out anything sinister and was given Omeprazole and Gaviscon Advance. No advice, no explanation. I had to find it all out myself. (and I'm not confident/assertive with docs, either).

The drugs haven't helped, I'd go so far as to say the reflux significantly worsened. I had faith in the Gaviscon Advance having read how it works but that hasn't made any difference either. I have monitored everything I eat and drink and can't find anything that triggers it with the possible exception of bread, and I may be grasping at straws there. Certainly coffee, alcohol, spicy food etc don't trigger it and ginger, acidophillus, apple cider vinegar don't help. It does seem to be cyclical - I'll have a week or so of decreased symptoms then it gradally works up again to two or 3 weeks of hell. No heartburn, and the reflux is almost always upright, no problems sleeping...just the other 17 hours a day! The ENT was brusque on my return visit and said that, aside from speech therapy, there was nothing more he could do for me. This can't go on, though. At it's worst it makes me tearful and desperate at work and speech therapy isn't going to stop me spitting up into a whole toilet roll each day, or reduce the other symptoms. I'm also worried my teeth will rot and I fear for my job. Has anyone experienced this with the same pattern/lack of triggers etc? I would love to hear any positive experiences that don't just repeat the same old same old, ie, raise the bed 6 inches, dos and donts with food etc.

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  • Posted

    I have suffered silent reflux symptoms every day since last september. It had a sudden onset and never abandoned me till recently. I tried ppi's with limited sucess and when I left them, the symptoms worsened. Basically what has helped me is chewing ginger two or three times a day. I chew  a peeled piece the size of a kidney bean. It is rough, and the first times was difficult, but for not feeling that burning in my throat after every meal or upon waking up, I would do anything. Give it a try, I hope it works for you.
  • Posted

    I'm wondering if that's my problem the LPR. I cough with lots of mucous and my mouth burns I also have to take prednisone for PMR. It gotten worse since I started taking the preds. I'm tapering off but a a ways to go and this cough is not letting me rest. Help me please.......
  • Posted

    Alex, come this Oct...I will have endured this beast for 4 yrs. There is a doc who wrote the book on it called "Silent Reflux" or close to that title...I have it in storage currently.  Dr. Kaufman is her name out of NYC.  Check out...this is a monster of a ailment...I am miserable most of the time.  Drugs haven't done a thing either.  Nor cleansing, nor non gluten..it's as though my dis-ease is with me for life!
    • Posted

      Yes, I feel the same way. We take the meds to camaflouge the real problem. My ent dr. Told me to get the surgery or I'll end up with the big c.
  • Posted

    I am depressed with this Alex.  I went to doc yesterday...#15 doctor.  Now on Zantac which I had been for a little while before amongst all other drugs I have had.  And, Galviscon too.  it all stems from the stomach.  We have a condition.  I can't affort this clinic here "Center for Advanced Medicine" ..it is so hard to pay when they don't take insurance.  It does have to do with the sphincter muscle.  They say an operation MAY help but that the flap then loosens again. 
    • Posted

      I'm depressed also. It consumes u.
    • Posted

      Yes tata40402  It depresses one...I hope to God that other than a possible operation on the flap, that they can maybe open up a clinic outside of Dr. Kaufman and perhaps do a steady treating of monitoring one...I don't know.  I am groping for answers.
  • Posted

    Alex and all of those here.  Well, I will retake the Zantac and Galviscon.  I do know that when I had the endoscope procedure along with the Bravo procedure, they said my sphincter muscle was lazy.  That is the flap at the end of the esphogus.  Not good.  They can operate I understand only under adverse dire need, but no guarantee is will stay flexible to open/close.  I also, forgot to mention, lost my taste buds.  Talk about depressed on top of other symptoms.  Oh, and YES, get the PH water.  Expensive, but I think if one takes it off and on...although I don't have high acid in system.
  • Posted

    After multiple visits to my ENT where she saw "profuse redness" in the larynx area, months of OTC and prescription strength antacids, GERD pillow, burning throat, shortness of breath due to acid dripping into lungs, fears of looming cancers, I discovered the cause. It was tea!

    An unrelated visit to my allergist led to a convesation about my throat issue, he explained that certain chemicals in caffinated tea, light roast coffees (also some dark roast coffees, caffinated or decaf), chocolate, alcohol and spicy foods lead to relaxation of the sphincter where acid travels up to the throat area, damaging the larynx.

    Being an avid tea drinker in my case was the main issue. Switching to decaf tea for several weeks has alleviated the problem completely. An espresso, a glass or two or wine or spicy food does not bother me anymore if I don't overindulge. Whe you know what the problem is, its easy to manage. Best of luck.

    • Posted

      Also overloading stomach and sweets will cause this problem.

       

  • Posted

    I have a lot of secretion in throat in which i cough a lot as well. A constant plague. I have been to 2 ENT's and both put me on prilosec which does no good! Isn't there somebody out there that can help????

     

    • Posted

      Since posting 4 months ago I have been trying several things which seem to have made a difference to the degree of reflux symptoms I now experience. Firstly I have been reducing my calorie intake in order to lose the fat around my stomach and protruding upper abdomen which has placed less stress on my digestive system. Further to reading a post about iodine levels affecting this condition, I have started to take 2 tablets of Sea Kelp a day and lastly I have been trying out an aruyvedic remedy

      called Kanthil. I have found I experience less mucous/ globus sensation

      and my sinuses are a lot clearer. It has just been 2 days since I have been trying this out but already I can notice a difference. Maybe It might be worth a try if you feel you have exhausted many of the other natural

      remedies that have been suggested in previous posts. Hope you feel better soon.

    • Posted

      Where do you find the Kanthil and what is it?

      Is the sea kelp in a mg. or what, or just 2 pills?. I know what that is just not familiar with the form it comes in for this usage.

    • Posted

      The sea kelp I take comes in 400mg size and I take 2 of these before a meal as instructed. If you type in 'Kanthil' into ebay you'll find it; it isn't very expensive so it won't cost you a lot to try it out.
    • Posted

      It's a cough syrup. I am assuming you can get Sea Kelp at Heath food store

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