Post nasal drip, silent reflux etc.
Posted , 97 users are following.
Hi All,
I have come across this forum whilst searching the internet for some answers. I have been suffering from the symptoms mentioned on here for about 6 years now.
Just to give you a short overview, will keep it short: I am living in South Africa, 29 years old, male, problem started with an irritating cough & constant throat clearing & got sore throat but not too often. Started getting upper airway infections & decided to go to doctor that diagnosed me with Asthma. After I started using the Asthma inhalers the sore throat became more apparent but my cough stopped. Decided to stop using inhalers but problem just got worse and worse over the years. Daily symptoms now include sticky white mucus in back of throat, post nasal drip, sore / burning throat, constant throat clearing, hoarseness in voice, throat clearing after eating (does not matter what I eat), blocked noise, sinus infections, etc.
I have been on all sorts of medication, nasal sprays, antihistamines, Cortisone's. I have been to 2 different ENT's, had sinus surgery (which made it worse), been to 2 different allergists, seen many GP's & a homeopathic doctor & no relief. The latest thing I have done is the G-scope after reading about LPR & doc advised that all seems normal. I have tried nexium & now use another med for reflux.
My work also involves speaking a lot so I suffer more at work than at home. I dont drink or smoke either.
I have traveled to other countries & the symptoms still continue.
My question is to those who suffer from this, do you have lots of stress, have you suffered some sort of trauma before symptoms started, do you have an active job or are you sitting at a desk all day?
Also, I haven't manged to find any forums like this for South Africans, so if there are anybody in SA reading this with these symptoms please make contact.
Many thanks, any input will be appreciated.
9 likes, 135 replies
livkatherine ryan32010
Posted
Hi Ryan,
I too had similar issues. I read everything from everyone online that I could find. I tried apple cider vinegar and many other purported cures but nothing worked. I finally went to an integrative physician who specialized in gut health. She recommended I reboot my gut and she prescribed an all natural product G.I. REVIVE by Designs For Health. I took a tablespoon in water twice daily, along with a good probiotic (I take DR. OHIRA probiotic). I was also put on a gluten/dairy free diet for 3 months. It was a bit hard to figure out what to eat at first, especially at restaurants or on the go, but it became really easy once I got used to it. I am cured. And now I just take the G.I. Revive once daily though she says I don't need to but to keep it on hand for flare ups. It is also good for a general immunity booster.
susan32361 livkatherine
Posted
Thank you for the great information! I will try the things you mentioned. My issue has improved but I still get it occasionally. I started going to Weight Watchers so I’m eating healthier foods now which I think has helped me, plus I’m losing weight. I’m not on gluten free foods but I may give that a try. It’s very annoying having to clear my throat, it seems like it only happens after I eat which makes me think it’s food related. Here lately I’ve been having issues with swallowing. It’s like certain foods like meat are hard to swallow. If it ain’t one thing it’s another!lol
Thanks again for your reply.
Susan
thankthemaker ryan32010
Posted
I think this is a result of breathing through your mouth and not your nose.
try this:
1) close mouth and breathe with your nose.
2) if unable to do step 1 then get that fixed.
3) once fixed repeat step one.
4) if unable or willing to do steps 1-3 then be a mouth breather and live with the pain of thick mucus running down your throat.
if you have successfully completed the steps above after a whill the mucus will thin and feel like water going down your throat. this sensation is called being human and it doesn't hurt or keep you up at night.
thank me or hate me. if it helped please share because this is the one and only time I will post this.
josephine44936 ryan32010
Posted
i have had P.N.D. now since last September , it followed a very bad cold and I 've felt very very ill with this, I've just come to terms after reading other peoples views that the only way to treat it is trying out things yourself.Doctors do seem to not be able to help.I got so fed up with going to them & begging for antibiotics, which seemed to be the right thing at the time but didn't get them. it definately is a horrible illness. I have a thick mucus which is a greeny brown colour & the stickiness spreads occasionally to ears & eyes, I dont feel comfortable amongst people as Icontinually cough & have to make noises bringing it into my throat,it feels like infection that I might spread, there's fatigue but I can handle that now with being retired. Anyway I think its acid reflux so I've started with buying the acid drop book & getting some alkaline water. I do sleep however, pillows propped up & nothing to eat after tea at 5--6p.m. I hope to post again when I'm improving, any advice is welcome
Guest ryan32010
Posted
Rockygirl ryan32010
Posted
I don't have exactly what you have but I do suffer from some sort of silent reflux although I went through a gamete of Tess like you did and I know for a fact that it gets worse when I am stressed out I get thick mucus and I want to spit up and put tissues in my mouth and spit them in the garbage and I have to hide them like I am guilty of something but I know it gets worse when I am stressed out pee. Sometimes I don't even realize why I'm spitting up this thick mucus because nothing is wrong with me and they could not find anything wrong with me. However I do drink water to try to thin the mucus and that might help your throat and I do have sinus problems and sometimes it is post nasal drip but not the thick goopy mucus and I know this sounds gross but this is where we live so try drinking water try calming yourself down whatever you have to do pray if you can if you don't pray listen to some calming music try to get ahold of yourself before your symptoms get worse because if you're like me no doctor will be able to help you and I'm sorry to say that but sometimes unless you get a second and a third opinion and spend your life searching down a rabbit Trail sometimes our bodies react to stress in all types of crazy ways. So try meditating try whatever you can do take a walk chill out somehow and see if your symptoms get better and do try to drink water I mean just sip it every now and then I don't know what else to say but God bless you and I hope any of this might be a little bit of help.
josephine44936 Rockygirl
Posted
Your advice is so good. I am a little bit better doing the acid reflux diet, it should get weight down too which will be good for other things. I have always been a worrier so all of which you said does apply to me.Also knowing from others that there is no quick cure we can ease symptons so what we can do for ourselves is good. What annoys me is when friends say they have or had a tickly cough as if thats all it is. Anyway we're all enjoying this weather in England. I started off by buying the B.L.K. water but now have gone on to Highland Spring bottled 2 litres at least a day as always my throat & mouth is very dry,bye for now Josie
hazel87915 ryan32010
Posted
hi I'm from UK and note that most of these replies are from US . I have had this condition for approx. 20 years and realise it is since I have been taking tablets for high blood pressure. I have been to umpteen doctors appts., ear, nose and throat appts. at hospital. I am at present taking tablet for asthma (although) I havn't been diagnosed with this, a nasal spray, an anti-histamine, ranatidine for stomach acid, and two tablets for hbp ( adizem and irbersatan ). I was told by an ent doctor to move to a mediterranean country and my condition would improve, well such would be my luck (is he going to pay for me to do this haha ). ANYWAY, I have been a couple of times on holiday, and I must say, I hardly coughed while I was there. I am 72 years of age, and I get very depressed with my condition. I have to think twice before going anywhere., as I cough a lot and choke, so get very embarrassed. I wake up in the morning and cough my guts up and usually choke on my breakfast, but as the day goes on, things get better. I have the odd coughing session during the day. I do not go to social gatherings as I might start coughing. I too have thick phlegm in my throat, sometimes I feel suicidal. WHEN is this going to end? I AM SO GLAD to find this site and realise there are other people out there with the same problem.
patient_mod1 hazel87915
Posted
Hi hazel87915
We note from a recent post which you have made to our forum that you may be experiencing thoughts around self-harm. If we have misinterpreted your comments then we apologies for contacting you directly. But if you are having such thoughts then please note that you are not alone in this, and there are people out there that can help.
If you are having these suicidal thoughts then we strongly recommend you speak to someone who may be able to help. The Samaritans offer a safe space where you can talk openly about what you are going through. They can help you explore your options, understand your problems better, or just be there to listen.
Their contact details are on our patient information leaflet here: https://patient.info/health/dealing-with-suicidal-thoughts, which also offers lots of other advice on how you can access the help you may need.
If you are having such thoughts then please do reach out to the team at the Samaritans (or the other people detailed in our leaflet) who will understand what you're going through and will be able to help.
Kindest regards
Patient
josephine44936 hazel87915
Posted
Its very nice to hear about yourself Hazel. I am seventy four years old next month. I've had P.N.D. since September twenty-seventeen It followed a type of cold that was going about, my illness is just like yours. Now a lots happened this last year. Because of the listless feeling that this brings & not understanding it ,I was at my own Doctors nearly every week asking for antibiotics. I am usually a happy optimistic person but I felt so different. Having given up my social life I was very depressed & tried to end my life just in the nick of time the thought about family & what a lot I had to live for came across in reality to me. Anyway I went into a rehabilitation hospital,they do a good job worked hard to get out after 2 months, with all my necessary medication & they diagnosed me with P.N.D. I found out more about this from this site, reading about other people did help me & one guy had written he had had it for a long while & he decided years ago to treat it best he could but not let it stop him doing anything.I decided to do the same & I have a lot of wonderful family & friends & lots of support & I thank God that I feel that I've been forgiven by everyone that matters to me.
josephine44936 patient_mod1
Posted
Thank-you, I did have these thoughts and I have been helped by being treated in a rehabilitation hospitalquite locally to me for two months & now with the help of tablets for depression the thoughts are completely gone & I'm so thankful for all the wonderful support that I've had from friends & family, especially to my dearly loved son Peter who has never left my side till I was better & still does but we both have our independence back now.
Mzburney128 ryan32010
Posted
I have alot of the same symptoms sticky white mucus, cough clogged ears sometimes stuffy nose and sometimes neck or chest pain!!! in the past I had food getting stuck due to inflammed esophagus
renee15737 ryan32010
Posted
i've got the symptoms you described . the constant throat clearing and coughing up mucus, lump in throat and pnd is really getting me down. i saw an EnT last week and he said the pnd was likely caused by reflux but taking omeprozole isnt doing anything
mapp ryan32010
Posted
Hi Ryan,
I was wondering are you still suffering from PND?just came across this forum while resarching myself.
Sinead
veni92 ryan32010
Edited
Good evening Ryan and to everyone else as well, My name is Veni and I been having a runny nose, postnasal drip, cough, and congestion with sinus pressure since I was a teen, the symptoms weren't bad at all when I was a teen but now that I'm 28 years old, the symptoms have gotten worse with clearatin and most allergic pills not working, medicine tends to calm it down a bit but I'm trying not to take pills, medicine for the rest of my life and if it wasn't for my wife or son being there for me when I think I have given up, I wouldn't be here typing this cause its has gotten me so tired of it and all I want to know is what has someone done to lessen the symptoms or made it go away forever at least to where it is tolerable enough to where I feel normal again, I am a bit overweight and have not exercised in forever and I recently gave up soda and drink straight water, with teas and honey in between and take zyrtec which kind of helps and dayquil that has guaifenesin and phenylephrine (6ml every 4 hours to not over do it) and sinus rinse morning and night. symptoms still come back and if I stop taking any it comes back. currently trying to see a ENT to get a diagnostic.