L
lilypony
Guest
I have had a nonstop mucous in throat along with chronic cough fits for many years. Always worse at night but have a few daytime fits as well. It's lots of mucous in my throat that I'm coughing up. The last few months it's gotten so bad that my husband booted me out of the bedroom. About five times a week or so, I will cough so hard that I vomit, but it's usually just lots of mucous not so much food. I have been treated for allergies over the years which sometimes helps a little but never more than a week or two. I do have seasonal allergies to things that aren't out right now plus have about 5 years of allergy shots under my belt so not sure this is an allergy problem.
My LPR consistent symptoms are the cough, nonstop postnasal drip, and then when I get a cold (I have a 1 & 2 year old so we're going to get sick!) I will always lose my voice for anywhere from a few days to a month or more.
Not consistent with LPR is that I have never had heartburn (except while pregnant), no lump in throat, no trouble swallowing, no sore throat, nor do I have any other symptoms that you could think of to go with it.
6 weeks ago, I went to an ENT who diagnosed the LPR based on chronic cough and losing voice. He prescribed 40 mg prilosec twice daily and 150 mg zantac twice daily along with what I call the nursing home diet. No fat, no salt, no seasoning, so I'm basically eating bland baked meat and plain veggies. I've lost an awful lot of weight though so that's a good thing to oRABet my misery - bought some size 4 jeans today! I am only drinking water with a splash of apple juice or low-acid OJ for flavor. No soda, no caffeine, no coffee or tea, no alcohol.
The kicker? I'm getting worse. I am now coughing so bad that I have injured my back and ribs horribly. I cannot pick up my children anymore. I had an xray Monday which ruled out rib fracture and it's "just"soft tissue injuries. I have not slept more than an hour at a time in at least a month despite enough benadryl to knock over an elephant.
When I had my follow up with the ENT two weeks ago, he did the camera scope into my throat to visually confirm his diagnosis. We were all taken back that my throat looked 100% perfect. There is no redness, no masses, and my vocal corRAB look perfect. When I asked what to do next, he said to just come back in a month and we'd figure out what to do next.
I could not wait another month because I feel like I am dying. I got an appointment with a new GP who can refer me to a new ENT or GI on Monday and she seems to think it's LPR as well, but she doesn't know how it could be so bad but my throat looks normal. She gave me singulair and prednisone (neither of which is doing anything other than making me cranky) and I go back next Monday, at which point I will be evaluated to see which specialist I need to go to. Oh, and the xray showed clear lungs and I had a TB test which was confirmed negative today.
I'm so frustrated and can do nothing but cry anymore because I am in so much pain and so debilitated by the cough. I understand that this will take a very very long time to heal if it is LPR, but after 6 weeks of strict diet and all these meRAB, should I be getting a little relief? Is it possible for the acid to somehow bypass damage to the throat and just hit the sinuses? Have any of you experienced anything like this before or have any suggestions for me?
My LPR consistent symptoms are the cough, nonstop postnasal drip, and then when I get a cold (I have a 1 & 2 year old so we're going to get sick!) I will always lose my voice for anywhere from a few days to a month or more.
Not consistent with LPR is that I have never had heartburn (except while pregnant), no lump in throat, no trouble swallowing, no sore throat, nor do I have any other symptoms that you could think of to go with it.
6 weeks ago, I went to an ENT who diagnosed the LPR based on chronic cough and losing voice. He prescribed 40 mg prilosec twice daily and 150 mg zantac twice daily along with what I call the nursing home diet. No fat, no salt, no seasoning, so I'm basically eating bland baked meat and plain veggies. I've lost an awful lot of weight though so that's a good thing to oRABet my misery - bought some size 4 jeans today! I am only drinking water with a splash of apple juice or low-acid OJ for flavor. No soda, no caffeine, no coffee or tea, no alcohol.
The kicker? I'm getting worse. I am now coughing so bad that I have injured my back and ribs horribly. I cannot pick up my children anymore. I had an xray Monday which ruled out rib fracture and it's "just"soft tissue injuries. I have not slept more than an hour at a time in at least a month despite enough benadryl to knock over an elephant.
When I had my follow up with the ENT two weeks ago, he did the camera scope into my throat to visually confirm his diagnosis. We were all taken back that my throat looked 100% perfect. There is no redness, no masses, and my vocal corRAB look perfect. When I asked what to do next, he said to just come back in a month and we'd figure out what to do next.
I could not wait another month because I feel like I am dying. I got an appointment with a new GP who can refer me to a new ENT or GI on Monday and she seems to think it's LPR as well, but she doesn't know how it could be so bad but my throat looks normal. She gave me singulair and prednisone (neither of which is doing anything other than making me cranky) and I go back next Monday, at which point I will be evaluated to see which specialist I need to go to. Oh, and the xray showed clear lungs and I had a TB test which was confirmed negative today.
I'm so frustrated and can do nothing but cry anymore because I am in so much pain and so debilitated by the cough. I understand that this will take a very very long time to heal if it is LPR, but after 6 weeks of strict diet and all these meRAB, should I be getting a little relief? Is it possible for the acid to somehow bypass damage to the throat and just hit the sinuses? Have any of you experienced anything like this before or have any suggestions for me?