Diagnosed with LPR, How Long for Symptom Improvement? - Acid Reflux / GERD Message Board

umanac · 08-23-2005, 04:24 PM

I was diagnosed with LPR in the middle of May by the ENT. I had a chronic cough that wouldn't go away and when i wasn't coughing i always felt like i was going to. I started taking Nexium 40mg twice a day and when i went to the GI for the endo he put me on Reglan 4 times a day. I went back to see the ENT 3 weeks later and told him i was doing any better, he told me to take pepcid ac every night before bed. So now im taking 7 pills a day for reflux. My symptoms have improved somewhat since march, which is the worst i can remember it being. I went in for a 3 month checkup at the ENT 2 weeks ago and he said that my throat is getting better but is still not normal, he also said that i would have to take meds the rest of my life or get surgery. Then i went to my regular doctor who told me to raise the head of my bed, and cut out different kinds of food which i have been doing since i was originally diagnosed... Does anyone have any idea how long it really takes for LPR symptoms to go away? I originally only had the cough, but now i have this feeling of a lump in my throat. I'm coming up on 4 months of medication and am not symtom free or completely healed. It doesn't bother me to have to take meds the rest of my life, or even the change in diet, what bothers me is the fact that i may have these symptoms the rest of my life. Is there anyone out there that had a cough and throat problems that took a long time to get better with meds but finally has? How long will it be before my symptoms completely go away?

vintagegirl · 08-23-2005, 06:25 PM

Well....this is kind of scary to me considering you got your diagnosis the same time I did and have been taking meds for the same amount of time....and now have a lump sensation. That is actually MY biggest fear. I can live with the idea of taking meds for life but not a lump sensation. I am doing better, but still have the urge to cough some days, and on others, get a tight sensation below the adam's apple, that passes, but makes me feel miserable...like it's hard to take a deep, comfortable breath.

Did I read right that your ENT took you off the PPI and just said take pepcid at night? He may have taken you off too soon. You need 24 hour acid protection to heal. Do you smoke? That could agitate the situation. LPR sufferers are usually daytime refluxers not nighttime...so elevating your pillow may not be necessary in your case. Your regular doctor was giving you general GERD advice.

I have read that the lump sensation in the throat is caused my low pressure in the upper esophageal sphincter....you might ask your ENT about an injection that they could give you to relieve it. I forgot the name of it. Go to aol search and type in "role of UES in LPR" and it is in one of the very first articles listed.

Taking Reglan may be counterproductive. PPI's slow digestion. Reglan expediates it. If you are taking both simultaneously, I picture the two of them duking it out and the stomach not knowing what the heck to do.....

There's another post on here that asks the question you have. Some people with LPR are better, but I have not read of any that are symptom free. We assume that others who initially posted here and were never heard from again, are fine. Everyone is different. The Stretta procedure is a new and less invasive procedure than the laproscopic fundo surgery...that will be my next step if this worsens, even if I have to pay for it out of pocket.