Anyone with Seasonal Reflux???

  • Thread starter Thread starter MountainReader
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MountainReader

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Hi All,

I've had GERD/LPR for about 8 years now. I had a Nissen Fundoplication in 2008 when all other treatments failed to work anymore. I consider that it was very successful from the moment of the surgery. I continued to take twice per day PPI's until switching to Kapidex 60 even after the surgery due to other digestive issues.

Here is my problem. I had a major asthma flare from Noveraber-mid-February this past year. My asthma and reflux symptoms are the same--a chronic cough. Sometimes it is asthma, sometimes reflux and sometimes reflux triggering my asthma. It was a miserable winter for me--very cold air and a bad polluted inversion. I tried all winter to get an appointment with my Pulmonologist, but there was a 3-4 month wait. By the time I got my appointment moved up to the end of February the weather had significantly warmed up and my coughing was much better. By the time I got my PFT appointment last week I no longer had a problem. I know this flare was solely asthma, but because I haven't been able to actually see my Pulmonologist when my asthma was bad (3 years running now) he wants to cut back on my asthma treatment because he feels reflux is my problem. I don't agree that this is my main problem right now. I did talk to my Gasterenterologist and he offered to add a second PPI at night. Along with my 60 mg. time release Kapidex, an additional PPI would make this the equivalent dosage of taking 3 PPI's per day. I'm really not sure I want to take that route yet. I've been on all the PPI's on the market and no longer had complete success with any of them. I'm not having many problems right now and haven't heard of reflux as a winter seasonal issue. I have heard of spring/summer seasonal GERD issues tied to allergies, but I didn't have any allergy problems over the winter.

Any thoughts would be welcome.
Thanks,
MountainReader
 
Get a sleep study. I know it does not sound related, but OSA (Obstructive Sleep Apnea) can cause Reflux, as well as trigger respiratory problems in general. There are not enough physicians out there educated in OSA who you would think would be. It is the leading cause to Reflux, heart-attacks, and strokes. It can also lead to difficulties with gaining weight and trying to loose weight. It also can cause men to be impotent. The treatment is non-invasive and does not include pills, including that little purple pill that has been so pushed on men!
I use CPAP which controls my reflux, and I lost 20 lbs in one month without exercise or dieting after using CPAP. I have kept it off for 4 years now! Thus, tell your doctor you want a sleep study. It is just a test, it can't hurt to check.
 
Thanks NonBlondeNC.

I haven't had a full sleep study, but I have had two overnight Oximetry tests done in the last 3 mos--One for my ENT and the other for my Pulmonologist. The most recent was about 2 weeks ago. They both came back fairly normal. I'm waiting to hear back from my Pulmonologist who is also a Sleep expert to see if he recommenRAB that I do a full on sleep study.
 
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