I've been dealing with acid reflux for a long time, LPR specifically, and was put on Nexium, Zantac and bland diet. Things seemed to get better for a while, but are worse again. I still get that feeling of something being 'stuck' in my throat, mucousy, etc. (Assuming my larynx is getting swollen or something). At night when I drift off to a deep sleep, it feels like my airway is blocked. There are nights when I only get a few hours sleep and am miserable during the day. I know I have a hiatal hernia, and am waiting for a scope to be done next week. But it seems like the doctors aren't taking this real seriously, like sleep apnea, because I don't snore and am not overweight. But this problem is absolutely miserable when I feel I'm suffocating in the night. I tried to do a sleep study in a lab, but it was impossible to sleep with all those wires and everything. I don't know what to do next.
Has anyone here ever heard of this? If it's reflux, then why isn't the Nexium making it all better? Does anyone have any thoughts? Thanks so much,
Kathleen
I think there are a few of us here with the exact problem, the feeling of your throat closing and hard to breath along with a something stuck in your throat feeling. I was told that I won't stop breathing but I am not convinced, there are days I just feel like I cannot get the air in, my breaths are just not satisfying. At any rate, you may have sleep apnea ... I don't but did do a sleep study. I have to take Klonopin at night to help me sleep (it's like a Xanax)...i take the lowest dose but at least it relaxes me enough to not worry about my throat closing.
I have been on and off of ppi's and none have worked.. I am off of them now and just doing OTC meds, still nothing helped. The only time I felt OK was when I had a stomach bug and wasnt eating, so I guess my throat was healing. haha But Of course I could not enjoy it because I felt like I was going to throw up! hah
Good Luck
Hi Alex thanks for replying. Well I figured I wasn't the only one, although my doctors make me feel like I am. Well I hope you find help too. I know I have a hernia...I'm at the point of wanting to get surgery because I don't feel like I can just live with all this. If I was 80yrs old, I may say 'oh well', but I'm only 39 and a busy mom. So I'm searching out good surgeons, and praying my GI will cooperate with me.
Yes I know what you mean, I am a 34 year old mom with 2 kids and somedays (like today) are a struggle...my breathing is bad and my throat is so tight. I have been to 3 GI's.... if you find one that cooperates let m know
THey all act like it's not a big deal, well it's not happening to them so they can act like that. Just because it's not life threatening doesnt mean we should have to live like this! UGH!
Kathleen,
I have the same sort of symptom, I think; I find that when I'm sort of drifting off to sleep, watching tv in bed, I sort of come to feeling like my throat is dry, sore, and closing up. It only lasts for a moment, but it is so unsettling, and can happen a couple of times before i fall to sleep; i usually sleep okay, but it is such a disturbing experience, and I've been treated for the last year for LPR with protonix 2x day; i have a hiatal hernia, very small, but could this be causing all this trouble? ...
Hello to you both, thanks for replying. Well if you look up LPR on ******, the main site that comes up describes both gerd and LPR. It says right there that it can affect the breathing, although that's not the most common symptom. But it's a medical site and it says it...I don't know why my doctor seems confused!
But I think at this point, surgery to help fix the hernia and tighten the LES is my best option. I'm researching surgeons to find the best one for the procedure. In the meantime I'm having my first endoscope done on Tues. Kind of nervous about it. But we'll see what comes from that.
Oh by the way, do you think we could be on a viscous cycle with these meds? Initially the Nexium helped with getting the swelling of my larynx down. But then months later, new symptoms of bloating, and that lump-in-my throat feeling became worse. I just read that PPI's allow the bacteria H.Pylori to grow. Great!
I'm going to take the advice on here to try a magnesium supplement in the meantime, and I'm eliminating all wheat products to see if by chance that might get the inflammation in my throat down. I'll keep you guys posted. Let's all keep researching and helping each other!
