Young and very sick from silent reflux
Posted , 8 users are following.
Hello I am a 20 year old girl use to be a sport student but had to quit due to really severe gerd. It came out of no where last July I was very healthy never drank alcohol or smoked was studying sport at college.
First I was coughing for 6 weeks non stop to the point of coughing up blood visited doctors 8 times didn't do anything for me as they said my lungs sounded fine. Then came the constant vomiting, I woke up one night covered in vomit and had no idea how it happened in my sleep. This went on for 2 more months I vomited all day every day even water made me, I would throw up in the streets on my way to the doctor it was humiliating.
Anyway fast forward to today my gerd has turned into silent reflux I am on one omeprazole once and day and ranitidine at night. But I have a huge problem with my throat it is constantly tight and spasming to the point I can't eat or drink anymore or exercise it has completely immobilised me I have constant nausea too.
Has anyone else had this and does anyone have any remedies? Would greatly appreciate it, gerd is ruining my life to the point where I don't want to live.. thank you
1 like, 21 replies
tim77966 shan86375
Posted
When coughing, drink water very slowly to rinse irritant off your esophagus. I have stage 3 esophagitis. I while ago I got a cough that lasted about 6 months. I was recommended all kinds of things, none of which worked. What I discovered, is that once it went away, if I ate or drank certain things I'd start coughing again. That's when it occurred to me that it was an irritant in my food, sticking to my esophagus. I then tried "rinsing it" by drinking a lot of water VERY SLOWLY and found that it worked. I use purified water, so not sure if other types would work as well. It happens to me anytime I eat anything with salt. And also when I drink one of those "energy-shot" type drinks, but goes away after rinsing in that way.
By the way, I also quite taking all acid blockers (like Omeprazole) about 6 monthis ago when I found out that the lack of acid prevents processing of protein and certain vitamins when I found out that "too little" acid can also cause reflux. I now take HCL which "adds" acid to my stomach, along with an enzyme that helps process the acid. I now have no reflux during day after eating. However, If I eat past 5pm in evening and then go to bed by 9pm, I will have reflux if I lay on my right side (where stomach is) but not on my left side, since my spincter valve is also stuck open. Research the HCL since it usually takes more than just one capsule to work, and also needs tweaked for the amount of protein consumed. Protein is what triggers the body to add acid to the stomach, but things like stress and other factors can too since the body may automatically prepare itself for a meal by injecting acid even if you never actually eat.
Good luck.
tim77966
Posted
A little more about my condition, cough, and reason for quiting the acid blockers.
I was diagnosed about 3 years ago with stage 3 esophagitis after increasing heart-burn which at times had symptoms similar to a heart attack. An endoscopy showed a very inflamed esophagus that looks like the pictures a Google search would show of the condition - a pretty scary time for me. I also experienced my first season (about 6 months, starting one winter) of the cough that seemed similar to a "whooping cough." at first it was both in the chest (felt like it was in my lungs) and also higher up which made me choke to nearly the point of passing out. I was told I would need to stay on acid-blockers (PPIs) the rest of my life.
I've always been into fitness and good health and had yearly physicals. All bloodwork had always been okay until I began taking the acid-blocker, afterwhich time my protein levels (also shown on the tests) began to fall. I consume about 180 grams of protein each day in the form of whey protein powder, chicken breast, red meat, and other natural food proteins, which, if anything, should, and always had made my proteing levels just a bit high. That's when I began to be concerned. Protein in the body does so much more than build muscle, so I began to research what was causing the problem. All my research led to the use of the PPIs (for me, omeprazole), which not only block metabolism of protein but also many other nutrients. That was when I also researched more into acid reflux and discovered too little acid can have a similar affect as too much acid since the pressure created within the stomach, or the sensing of "enough acid" is what causes the sphincter to close tighter, preventing up-flow of acid into the esophagus.
More research led me to the discovery of the betaine HCL supplement, and more, to the protein digesting enzymes. However, the cough still came back the following winter and lasted about 4 months on into the spring. One doctor then diagnosed me with what he referred to as a "cold weather asthma" and prescribed an inhaler which I used with no success. I then discovered that wearing a carbon type painter mask (the paper type, not the rubber type with cartridges) while outside in the cold (and even indoors) helped prevent the cough. Not sure why that worked, but guessing it may have provided enough "warm moist air" into my esophagus, or lungs (if lungs inflammed from so much coughing). I had researched why it seemed to warm the air and found out that carbon does react with air and warm it a bit, as well as just some of the warm exhaled air staying close within the mask to be then inhaled. Anyhow, one day I got to thinking and it occured to me that the cough got worse after eating or drinking certain things (anything with salt, or the dark chocolate which I also love and eat for it's antioxidants and beneficial nutrients), which is when I tried rinsing my esophagus after eating or drinking anything that provoked the coughing. I no longer have any heartburn so I figure my esophagus has healed significantly, but do still get the cough which too is much less affected by eating, even without taking a drink afterwards. I haven't yet had another endoscopy done to see it's current state, but plan to have that done soon.
tim77966
Posted
. . . a bit more:
I also discovered a cup (or more) of hot tea made with a tea bag of each: Yogi brand "throat comfort" and "green tea (super antioxidant)," helps sooth the esophagus. To that I add a couple drops of povidone iodine - J. Crow's (Lugol's Solution 2%) which is reported to have cancer-fighting properties (besides it's well known use for regulation of the thyroid), since my Gastroenterologist mentioned that I was a candidate for cancer of the esophagus. I also take other supplements for same reason, which I can list if anyone would like to know more.
tim77966
Posted
In two notes up, I wrote: "All my research led to the use of the PPIs (for me, omeprazole), which not only block metabolism of protein but also many other nutrients." That should have been written : "All my research led to the use of the PPIs (for me, omeprazole), which not only block acid which aids, or is nearly completely responsible for, metabolism of protein, but also many other nutrients."