swollen throat, breathing problems...LPR? help!

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So where do I get tested for the LPR? I had the endoscopy done and the doctor found nothing. But I know something is going on in the throat. All of my symptoms match the LPR ones. I am now on Prevacid. It's only been two days. I know it will take more time to feel better. I just want to know if I see and ENT doctor for this. Thanks for any replies.
 
Can anyone tell me if the fact that my GI didn't mention anything about LPR when he gave me my endoscopy, does that mean that I DON'T have LPR? I would really appreciate any help.
 
I need help or any kind of suggestions anyone may have! For the past couple of weeks i've felt like my throat is swollen, like there is something stuck in there, and it's really mucus-y. I went to an ENT and he said i probably have acid reflux and gave me prilosec to take once a day, 1 hour before dinner. I've been on it for about a week and a half and feel no change whatsoever. I thought it was strange when he said i had acid reflux because i have never had heartburn in my life or digestive problems, and i don't have any other symptoms of acid reflux besides the swollen throat. I've been reading lots of posts and i feel like i might have LPR instead. I have more symptoms of that then i do of acid reflux. The thing is, i'm getting more irritated and frustrated as the days go on because my asthma is definitely acting up now. I have exercise enduced asthma, so normally i only take my inhaler before i exercise.....now i'm taking it 2-3 times daily WITHOUT exercise because i feel like i have a slight wheezing and tightness in my chest. I have a follow up appointment with my ENT on monday and i'm going to see an allergist tomorrow to make sure i'm not allergic to anything. Can anyone relate to me?? It is just really hard because I want to be active like I used to be, but because i'm scared that i'm gonna have an asthma attack, I haven't been exercising and doing the things i love to do. This whole thing is hindering me from my regular routine. Does anyone have any suggestions? Any response would be appreciated. I want to nip this thing in the butt before it gets any worse!!
 
Hey Dave,

My situation has VERY MUCH improved since february! I was right, I do have LPR and my doctor increased the dosage of prilosec I was taking. I now take 40mg once a day, an hour before dinner. I also had to come to the realization that I needed to quit drinking coffee because after a month of continuing to drink it, my throat was not getting any better. I think I was in denial that coffee could trigger this thing because i really love coffee and didn't want to give it up. But it was crazy because the first day I stopped drinking it, I could already tell there was a HUGE improvement. I ate all of the same fooRAB I was eating before, but I cut out caffine (coffee, iced tea, chocolate), corabined with the 40mg of prilosec, I could already start feeling a difference. But it took a looooong time before I started going through days not noticing it at all. I know how frustrated you are feeling because I am going through the same thing. I just wanted to get rid of it, but unfortunatley it doesn't go away after 2 weeks. It takes more like a couple of months before you would feel the slightest improvement. Cutting out caffine helped a lot, but it still took a couple of months before I was able to get through a day barely feeling anything. I'm now at a point where sometimes it feels great, and other times my throat starts bothering me again. I'm just taking it day by day. It's basically under control now, but my throat still gets a little irritated sometimes (like today, go figure! lol) My doctor did tell me that I probably wouldn't be able to have coffee again for a year or so, but to be honest I don't think i'll ever start drinking it again because I don't want this thing to ever flare up.

I would suggest a couple of things for you. First, go see an ear, nose and throat doctor. He'll probably stick a small tube up your nose and down your throat (sounRAB bad, but it's not), to get a good look at your throat. If you do have it, obviously just follow the directions of your doctor. In the meantime, don't eat or drink anything atleast 2 hours before you go to bed, cut out caffine, and when you do eat, don't stuff your face so your wicked full at the end. Just try to pace yourself. And drink lots of water.

Good luck! Let me know how it goes!
 
This stuff is too weird. I have never in my life been a burpy/stomach problem person. Never.

In May I had a spinal tap which then forced me to lay around for the better part of 10 days (totally flat), then I had to go in for a blood patch which made me lay around flat for another week or so. During this time I was having to eat the best I could laying down on my side.

Since that time I've noticed my voice being raspy/croaky at times. I've also increased my intake of orange juice/spicy fooRAB (turmeric, lots of it) and drink about 5 cups of iced tea a day out of habit. This past month I started doing some new exercises on an exercise ball that puts strain on my core area while I'm flat or even upside down, more or less. And I am guilty of doing this very soon after eating. And I eat right up to the minute I go to bed.

So last week I wake up one day and the back side of my tongue is swollen. Very nasty feeling b/c it feels like I am going to choke on it always and my uvula hits it when it normally doesn't. Gag. Also I have post nasal drip and a raspy voice. The swollen tongue senRAB me right to the ER b/c I figure I'm having an allergic rxn to something.

Nope. Long story short, my vocal corRAB are a mess and I was diagnosed with LPR. So here I sit with my swollen tongue amazed that this is the cause for it. But it completely explains my voice issues over these past few months. And the doc said they looked awful right in the area, he would expect with LPR.

This is my first day with no caffeine, no nothing tasty. And I've taken one Nexium. I pray my tongue swelling goes down quickly as it is most disturbing!! If the voice neeRAB longer to heal, fine.

I wish everyon on here a speedy recovery!!
 
Hi Megan,

Thanks for getting back to me. I have a couple of questions for you if it's not too much trouble.

1. Is that med they're giving you a "PPI"? I'm on a PPI here, generically called rebeprazol, at 20mg per day, mornings.

2. How much coffee did you used to drink? I only drink about one cup per day, at breakfast. In my diet the more likely culprits would be chocolate, which I read is bad and which I eat a ton of, (I live in Switzerland after all!), and Coke Zero, which I often drink in the evenings shortly before bed. I've cut the coke and chocolate, but kept the coffee so far.

3 What precipitated all this for you (if anything)? What puzzles me is that this all started suddenly, and I can feel the differences. From one day to the next I became someone who burped. I never used to burp (well, hardly ever), and now I can feel gas gurgling up my throat even at night. It's as if some barrier just "gave out" three weeks ago. Is that what it was like for you?

I'm still up and down, but your encouragement really helps! Thanks.
Dave
 
Chronic acid reflux, excessive burping, allergies, etc. that occurred "suddenly" may be due to Lyme disease...Lyme disease begins with symptoms similar to the cold/flu, and if left untreated escalate into other chronic conditions including arthritis, TMJ, IBS, insomnia, etc.

If you live in a high risk area for Lyme (northeastern and coastal states, midwest, canada, and the UK) you may want to consider this possibility...you might want to consider it even if you don't live in a high risk area as Lyme has been identified in every state in the Union.

You'd need to see a Lyme Literate Medical Doctor to rule Lyme out/in.

Bethsheba
 
Hi,
Just sturabled on your post and your symptoms sound very similar to mine. Never had asthma...but not constricted feeling in chest with wheezing when I inhale. Have the meRAB helped you at all?? thanks and hope you're feeling better!
 
MeganOB said:
Hey Dave,

Yes it is a PPI, there are all different kinRAB - i just happen to be on prilosec.

As far as the coffee goes, i only drank 1 cup a day. I guess it really doesn't take much to get this thing started. If you think you have lpr, which it sounRAB like you do (but i'm not a doctor), you HAVE to cut out caffine. It is really hard to quit, even just drinking a cup a day, but trust me it will help. For some reason caffine is a huge aggravant (which includes chocolate). Also I forgot to mention that i'm not supposed to have anything carbonated either. So that Coke Zero will have to go too, and beer if you drink it. The worst things you can do is have any kind of caffine, and eat/drink 2 hours before you go to bed.

Hi Megan,

OK, giving up coffee is going to be tough. I'm now working my way down a bit every morning (and am at present staring dolefully at the 1/4 cup I gave myself this morning). Alcohol and Coke is no real problem for me to give up, but the coffee KILLS. ;)

It's funny, what you're telling me is helping me understand what might have triggered this thing, b/c in the months before it started I was drinking rather more beer (not a ton or anything, but instead of having wine a couple of times a week I was having beer a couple times a week, often close to bedtime), and I also was lying down a lot after meals, and a lot of the time in general, b/c I had ACL reconstruction on my knee for the second time and really had to stay horizontal most of the day for about 8 weeks in Nov / Dec. 08.

So I'm beginning to understand how I put that LES muscle in my throat under additional stress until it finally sorta gave out.

I'm hoping that my reversing some of those things (the beer, the lying down, etc) maybe the muscles will start to work better. I'm also seeing an osteopath who's working on some alignment problems related to my knee that might have screwed up my diaphragm. The idea is that by getting the diaphragm working right again I'll be able to get those LES muscles working again. The osteopath says this sort of problem is at least partly mechanical (i.e., muscular, bone alignment, etc), which makes sense when you think about it. So I'm going to try out his approach and see if it works. The big sites (Mayo clinic etc) with GERD info don't talk about that approach at all, but I figure I have nothing to lose. I do NOT want to end up talking a PPI for the rest of my life.

Do you know anything about sports + GERD Megan? I'm wondering if some of the sports I do might aggravate it. Esp., I did a lot of weightlifting after my operation b/c I couldn't run, ride or mountaineer. And bench-pressing now seems to induce those episodes of breathing problems and oppression in the chest area. 8Not the lying down part -- even when I use the press-chair and am upright. So that's strange.) But my GERD problems actually started just after I began riding outside again, in a fairly jerky, post-operative manner (standing up on the pedals still hurt my knee so I was totally assymmetrical when I rode the first few times). So maybe that was it. Did anything change in your sports in the months before this started for you?

Dave
Click to expand...
 
Hey guys,

I have been diagnosed with minimal GERD and mild gastritis. I don't know if I have LPR or not. I don't have a sore throat, but I do have mucus and breathing issues. My GI did an endoscopy. Would this have revealed LPR?
 
Megan,

Hi , i'm sorry to hear that you are not able to perform your regular routine, i have no solutions but can very much relate- i went as far as having my gallbladder removed trying to address similar problems as you but mine also included nausea... but whenever i run or lift weights my chest creates this tightening sensation that last for like 4 days and drives me insane.. so i havent really worked out in a year b/c of this... and i use to never miss a day. I had all the scopes n tests run .. they found a tiny hernia and told me i had acid reflux which none of the meRAB really worked.. the lville amitriplyne helped some.. you might have them put you on that - none of the PPI's worked for me though as in the chest tightness feeling.. if you figure something out please let me know - i'm in the same boat and it sucks but hang in there
 
Hi,
I've been taking a PPI for about 7 months, and it does appear to be helping. I also try really hard to follow the lifetstyle-modification advice I got on this board (i.e., giving up coffee (with the occasional backslide) and watching my alcohol consumption etc. I have angled the head of my bed up too. The asthma symptoms went away quickly; I also had heart palpitations, and they still show up once in a while, as does the acrid taste in the back of the throat. But a lot less often than 6 months ago.
Good luck to you.
Dave
 
I have quite similar symptoms as you. My reflux started about 1 1/2 years ago. Out of the blue I was belching all the time and had periodic soar throats. The gas gurling sensation you speak sounRAB just like my experience.

I was put on prilosec 20mg in the morning. I too have vices with caffeine and spicey fooRAB. I need to totally cut out coffee & pop. My symptoms are definately coming back, probably due to my relapse on diet.

I am seeing the ENT Dr next week to see what he thinks.
 
This is a real good thread. I am currently going through the same symptoms as you all. I am REAL frustrated. The thick mucus thing has me out of breath and feeling like my chest is tight. It has set of my anxiety and I have had to get meRAB for that. ugh! I have seen a doctor last night and again this morning and they both don't think my drainage is a sinus infection and they don't hear anything in my lungs but I feel panicky. The mucus coming down my throat or up...whatever is crazy! We do think it is the so called silent acid reflux. I don't always feel any burning going on. However I do from time to time and I do burp and hiccup and feel full fairly quick. It is better for me to eat smaller meals. I feel winded working out when the mucus is thick. I am going to start a new acid reflux med tomorrow.

So do any of you feel like this? Thanks for any responses!
 
jk119 -

Thanks for responding! But i'm sorry you're going through all that, it sounRAB terrible =( Although i don't wish this upon anyone, it does make me feel a little better knowing that someone can relate to me! I just got back from the allergist and they did a bunch of skin tests which revealed i don't have any food allergies which is good. I'll let you know what my ENT doctor says on monday and if he has any good advice i'll definitely pass it on to you and maybe it will help. Thanks and good luck, I'll keep you posted!
 
I sure can relate to that! It's like a vicious cycle. My acid reflux will cause me to feel like I"m congested in the throat. I was diagnosed with asthma back in 1995, it took 2 more years for them to find out I didn't have asthma but severe GERD. When my GERD is under control, my breathing tests are normal, when it's out of control my breathing tests are not up to where it should be! I took Nex twice a day for three months and it helped a lot, enough to where I could drop down to once a day. I do get flare ups where I need to up it again for awhile, probably stress and the corabination of eating one of my triggers because it tastes so good going down, until that evening of course! I know this disease can be under control but it is one that is NOT cured only controlled.
 
That sounded like good sound advice, I am currently following the same regiment to control my LPR, and hated to quit my coffee, but now I have camaline , caffeine free tea, and i am working on the eating habits, hard but i am determined..

This is a response to megans post # 6..
 
LPR is a form of acid reflux. It can definitely be present without any heartburn or "typical" symptoms.

I have some similar symptoms. My reflux comes up and irritates my lungs and flares up my asthma. Then I have to try to get both things under control at the same time.

Typically, one dose of PPI's per day doesn't do it for LPR. Twice a day PPI's are usually more effective for some reason. I do that and supplement with Gaviscon. I also treat the asthma and allergies aggressively.
 
Hey Dave,

Yes it is a PPI, there are all different kinRAB - i just happen to be on prilosec.

As far as the coffee goes, i only drank 1 cup a day. I guess it really doesn't take much to get this thing started. If you think you have lpr, which it sounRAB like you do (but i'm not a doctor), you HAVE to cut out caffine. It is really hard to quit, even just drinking a cup a day, but trust me it will help. For some reason caffine is a huge aggravant (which includes chocolate). Also I forgot to mention that i'm not supposed to have anything carbonated either. So that Coke Zero will have to go too, and beer if you drink it. The worst things you can do is have any kind of caffine, and eat/drink 2 hours before you go to bed.

My symptoms also started fairly suddenly. Nothing really precipiated it, which I also thought was strange. One week I started noticing my throat felt like there was a lump in there that never went away, and when i ran it was harder to breathe. Within a week it got really bad and I knew something was wrong. So yeah, it just happened suddenly. I think i've probably had this my whole life and didn't know it. The fact that within the last couple years i started to drink coffee regularly, I think that aggravated it and it flared up so I noticed it.

I still am struggling with this thing but it has gotten a lot better since it first started!

Good luck!
 
Hi Megan,
I'm going through very similar symptoms to yours -- the same mucusey, thickish feeling in the throat and episodes where I feel like I can't catch my breath enough even to be able to finish a sentence. (I've never had asthma in my life and I do tons of sports, so the breathing probs are totally weirding me out.) It started two weeks ago with lower central chest tightness and difficulty breathing; the swallowing weirdness has only come on in the last few days. Like you, I'm beginning to suspect it's LPR. They put me on meRAB to calm down the acidity, but it's been 14 days and I'm still having episodes. How about you? Has yours improved since February?
 
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