Post nasal drip mucous and how do I search a topic

Eileen, it's not coming from my chest. I have no productive coughIt seems to be forming in my throat. I have absolutely no symptoms of anything resembling GCA right now. The thought came that maybe it is a function of dust mite allergy because house is more closed in but nasal steroid made hoarseness worse.

? Silent reflux?. Some days worse than others.

Silent reflux is a possibility - but my problem was also not down in my chest - so was blamed on post-nasal drip. Which I really don't think it was. 

Your symptoms sound kind of like mine. I have morning  phlegm of varying degrees.....Sometimes I cough and cough and sometimes it's just a little.  I can also trigger coughing during the day if I eat something that upsets my silent acid reflux and I think something I have at dinner causes my morning episodes.  I also have a lot of throat clearing throughout the day. 

I used to have hoarseness ness to the point that I had to exert extra effort to get enough volume in my voice to carry on a conversation. 

I spent many months going to an allergy doctor who treated me with rounds of antibiotics for sinusitis, and I was referred to an ENT specialist who checked for things like nasal polyps.  All was a waste of time as I discovered silent acid reflux on this forum.  

The symptoms of reflux and sinusitis/allergies/sensitivities overlap so it's easy to not consider that it's reflux.  and as the silent reflux has no regurgitation or heart burn many people, like me, may not even know about the silent reflux condition. 

Its very easy easy to get started - just google it. Very good info can be found on the Mayo Clinic and Cleveland Clinic sites. 

Another thought about silent reflux. I was taking a high dose of famotidine 40mg 2x a day because I was initially getting bellyache from pred despite taking it with food. It worked but it was the maximum allowed dose. I recently cut the dose in half of famotidine; the problem of rebound reflux could have occurred. I should have tapered the famotidine more slowly. 

Did you find anything that helped CJ ?  I am in the same situation as you but havn't found an  miracle to help

 

I find your suggestion that excessive coughing could be linked to GCA very interesting. After an unusually severe headache last November I was diagnosed with GCA (although personally unconvinced with no other evidence, CRP or ESR raised blood tests. However, on my physician's anxious instruction, I increased my Pred from the hard-won daily 7.5mg dose to 60mg - shock horror). 

I developed a "chest infection" two weeks later and between mid November and mid December was put on five different antibiotics. None made any difference and I have coughed and wheezed and spoken "huskily" (for want of a better description) for the past two months. I was in England over the Christmas period and saw a GP there. She said I probably had "adenovirus" and there was nothing I could do, no medications I could take, but wait it out. 

Wouldn't it be interesting if there is a link between this and PMR/GCA?

I need to add, as I write I am - between desperately trying to rid myself of the phlegm at the base of my throat - still waiting. 

To Heather and Eileen - Recently I was told by my Optometrist (who seems to know more about PMR/GCA than my Doc), that 'they' are now using a very simple diagnostic method for GCA initially. Patients are given gum to chew for 10 mins before appointment begins. GCA also affects the jaw, so problems will arise with ongoing chewing. I have not researched it on Dr Google, but it would be a simple way for those of us who are sometimes concerned when we have pain around the eyes, to check to see if we have jaw problems as well.

?As you have been diagnosed with GCA Heather, you could test it out for us.

?Have you heard about this simple diagnosis Eileen ? Op did go into a very long medical explanation which sounded very intelligent, but then he is Irish with a good sense of humour.

?I have taken up gum chewing

I was prone to phlegm in certain seasons long before PMR, but it has become a major problem now. I do think, for me, it has to do with allergies, both food and seasonal, which have become much worse since PMR. I use salt nasal sprays to help clear the plegm and I have been changing my diet and trying different probiotics fo improve my gut/reflux. I can improve my problems,but cannot cure them.

No I haven't, must have a search - but I would suggest it is no more reliable than any of the other options since by no means all patients develop jaw claudication. "They" go on about the typical clinical picture and there are doctors who will try to say it isn't GCA because there isn't this symptom or that symptom. Each of the so-called characteristic symptoms appears as presenting symptom in under half of patients - and claudication is no different from the others: Medscape says presenting in 4% and present in 40%. The reasoning behind the idea is perfectly plausible - but the theory and the practice remain "two pairs of shoes" as they'd say here in German-speaking Europe!

And the allergy thing - I developed an allergy to wheat along with PMR symptoms. Not gluten - just something in the starch structure of wheat. No wheat, no rash, can eat the other gluten-containing grains.

Changing my diet has helped the most. The trick is to identify YOUR food triggers.  I really have trouble with foods with vinegars, lemons and tomatoes.

also I get empty gel caps from my pharmicist along with my prednisone prescriptions. The theory is that the prednisone gets further along in the digestion process and therefore doesn't increase the stomach acid as much. 

The internet is full of things to try, they are easy to do and you can start them immediately!

I have been diagnosed with Silent Reflux and my doctor wants to do surgery on my throat.  That's where the worst of my problem is.  He said he can make a cut in the back of my throat that will widen it and allow food to pass more easily and therefore stop the reflux.  But this surgery requires 4 days at the hospital and I don't like that.  I want to know if any doctor has discussed surgery with you?

Throat surgery? I think I would want a second opinion there. I take it you are in the USA?

After posting that I went and did some reading - all I can find says nothing about throat surgery for silent reflux - surgery is mentioned as a last resort after conservative approaches (lifestyle changes and medication) and when, it is surgery to STOP the reflux which I assume is tightening the sphincter at the top of the stomach to stop the acid coming up into the gullet. 

Definitely - I would seek another opinion and from someone who doesn't immediately push surgery at you. Of course - he can bill the insurance a lot more than if he gives you pills...

Yes and I have tried to get a second opinion but my insurance will not pay for anyone out of my network.  I will have to pay out of pocket which is very expensive but I have to say, I'm getting pretty desparate. 

Surely you can insist you want conservative treatment first?

i believe I am going to write the Ins. Co. a letter appealing their decision to decline coverage for a second opinion.  It can't hurt.  Thanks for sharing your thoughts.  It helps to know that there are others with this.  

They can only say no - and maybe they won't. Good luck 

No discussions of surgery for me. I can pretty much control my silent acid reflux with diet, sleeping position (on left side) and putting my prednisone into gel capsules to help decrease my prednisone increasing stomach acid. 

I hope u can get a second opinion. A site that has some good info can be found by googling reflux doctor.