I was diagnosed by an ENT with LPR a little over two weeks ago. He did a scope through my nose to look at my throat. I had gone to see him because I had this chronic dry cough, post nasal drip and then all of a sudden had trouble swallowing. I was also having some issues with anxiety, so that didn't help. I am taking nexium 40 mg in the am and Rantadine 150 mg at bedtime. I am also being really strict with what I eat and drink. Water, apple juice now and then and decaf green or herbal teas. Barely eating at all really.
Over the last several days my throat has been really sore. It isn't too bad early in the day, but by 5 or so it hurts alot and I don't want to eat dinner or even talk. I find that I am hoarse by then. The mucus also starts really bothering me. I am taking some liquid Tussin, hoping it will help with the mucus. Also just started today with some aloe vera juice to see if it helps.
Does anyone have any suggestions to help with the sore throat and PND? Also, I have now felt like crap for three weeks. How long does it take to start feeling better? This is really draining me and making me so depressed. I can't seem to enjoy anything anymore because I feel so bad. I am hopeful I will start to see some improvement soon???
I was diagnosed by an ENT with LPR a little over two weeks ago. He did a scope through my nose to look at my throat. I had gone to see him because I had this chronic dry cough, post nasal drip and then all of a sudden had trouble swallowing. I was also having some issues with anxiety, so that didn't help. I am taking nexium 40 mg in the am and Rantadine 150 mg at bedtime. I am also being really strict with what I eat and drink. Water, apple juice now and then and decaf green or herbal teas. Barely eating at all really.
Over the last several days my throat has been really sore. It isn't too bad early in the day, but by 5 or so it hurts alot and I don't want to eat dinner or even talk. I find that I am hoarse by then. The mucus also starts really bothering me. I am taking some liquid Tussin, hoping it will help with the mucus. Also just started today with some aloe vera juice to see if it helps.
Does anyone have any suggestions to help with the sore throat and PND? Also, I have now felt like crap for three weeks. How long does it take to start feeling better? This is really draining me and making me so depressed. I can't seem to enjoy anything anymore because I feel so bad. I am hopeful I will start to see some improvement soon???
Thanks for listening!
When your ENT did the scope through your nose, did he/she see any inflammation or irritation in your throat/voice box?
I was "diagnosed" with LPR a month ago because I have been having issues with my throat. I get the globus sensation off and on, a very dry throat, and cracking voice. Even feels like food gets stuck behind my tongue when I eat sometimes.
However, when the ENT did the scope he didn't see any irritation or inflammation. So I am confused. I don't know if my issues are sinus/allergy related, or LPR. My GI doc wants to do a full endoscopy in a few weeks.
I have been on 40MG of Prilosec and Gaviscon twice a day. I cut coffee, alcohol, and tea from my diet, along with spicy food. Nevertheless, after one month of this I have seen virtually no improvement. This further adds to confusion and anxiety.
Silas, the ENT did say my voicebox was irritated, although he acted like it wasn't too bad. I had already started Nexium 1 x per day and he added Ranitidine 150 mg at bedtime. I've seen improvement in my swallowing but that's about it. By the end of the day my throat is sore and I still have PND. The PND is better if I take Tussin to thin out the mucous. The stupid dry cough has reappeared. Not sure why. It's been three weeks but I don't seem to be making much progress. I wonder if I should be on the Nexium 2 x per day? I read somewhere that is the preferred treatment. I am going back to my primary on Monday to express my frustration and see what he suggests. I have a feeling an endoscopy is in my near future.
I wonder if your problems are really allergy related more than LPR? I hope you get some answers soon!
I was diagnosed with LPR about 4 years ago or so. I too take 40mg Nexium once a day in the morning, and that seems to eliminate the heartburn. I too presented with the "lump in the throat" & dry cough for 3-4 weeks, and had the tube down (up?) the nose to view my vocal chords. I think it took a bit longer than 3 weeks to resolve the lump sensation and dry cough, but the heartburn went away by then. Unfortunately, the mucus issue has never gone away, and from what I gather, never will. I fight the thick mucus in my sinus and into my throat off and on all day, but it's especially bad in the morning. I think the acid just does damage to the sinuses, and they are damaged to that extent forever. Thus I take my Nexium every morning, and have ben free from heartburn, dry cough, globus sensation for 4+ years, but the mucus & sinus issue is here to stay I'm afraid.
I was diagnosed with LPR about 4 years ago or so. I too take 40mg Nexium once a day in the morning, and that seems to eliminate the heartburn. I too presented with the "lump in the throat" & dry cough for 3-4 weeks, and had the tube down (up?) the nose to view my vocal chords. I think it took a bit longer than 3 weeks to resolve the lump sensation and dry cough, but the heartburn went away by then. Unfortunately, the mucus issue has never gone away, and from what I gather, never will. I fight the thick mucus in my sinus and into my throat off and on all day, but it's especially bad in the morning. I think the acid just does damage to the sinuses, and they are damaged to that extent forever. Thus I take my Nexium every morning, and have ben free from heartburn, dry cough, globus sensation for 4+ years, but the mucus & sinus issue is here to stay I'm afraid.
I don't have a cough or heartburn, but I do have the lump sensation that comes and goes. My throat always feels very dry and sometimes feels mildly irritated. My voice cracks a lot.
In the Summer I had the mucus feeling you describe. Always felt like I had gunk in my throat. When the winter arrived, and the weather got cold, this turned into a dried out feeling.
Silas, I wonder if you really have LPR? My cousin had problems with her throat and voice and the tube down the nose in the office didn't show anything. The doc put her on Prilosec and sent her on her way. It didn't get any better, so she went to another ENT who did an ultrasound on her throat. It showed a 1.3 cm nodule that was causing the problem. They ended up removing it and she is much better now.
You and I are almost exactly the same in how we feel. I was diagnosed at the same time as you, and your entire post mirrors exactly how I feel. Instead of the cough for me, though, it was constant throat clearing.
The anxiety I developed is probably worst than the LPR itself. I assume you feel the same way, since you say you cannot enjoy things anymore.
Anyway, I did some extensive research on this, from peoples opinions over the internet to University studies from places like Columbia U, NYU, Stanford, ect. The studies all concluded that 2 months of treatment resulted in about 2/3 of the patients reporting some sort of relief. The studies went on to say that the larynx continues to see improvement up to 6 months from diagnosis. My doctor seems to agree because my next appointment is not until 3 months from now!
I've tried everything, aloe vera, restricted diet (even though I have no heartburn), PPIs (twice a day even), and nothing has worked 100%. The only thing I do notice, if I control my anxiety and stress, I don't feel the symptoms as much. This is all I can do. And I suggest you try the same. Continue your meds like your doc says of course, but instead of focusing on "curing" the LPR, focus on controlling your anxiety and stress.
Go out, do your normal activities. Try not to think about it, and if you do just remember improvement is slow (studies say 6 months for full improvement), and move on. The studies also suggest not to clear your throat or cough as much, carry water and cough drops.
Let me know how your LPR has been as I am curious, I feel like you and me are in the same boat.
I was diagnosed with LPR 5 months ago. Went on the strict low acid diet for 3 or 4 weeks and it eased right off.
It's back again though. Tried omeprazole and now on nexium 20mg a day. It's very depressing - totally had enough of it and despairing. It's very strange as I don't have heartburn and cannot feel any acid at all.
I too have LpR and im so depresssed about it. i feel like no one understands me... how are you guys doing? any updates? any suggestions on things i can do? i have alot of PND and feeling that something is stuck in my throat
Hi there - there is hope. I had LPR for about 9 months from Oct last year to June. I was absolutely despairing of it by the end and you're right, nobody really understands and thinks you ate just mad. Saw the ENT consultant twice and had all the checks.
It is now virtually gone. Hardly notice it at all.
The fix for me was Nexium. 20mg a day. Took a few weeks to take effect (maybe 5 or 6) but has seemed to have done the job thank goodness. Don't despair - you think this thing will never go, but it will eventually when you find the right treatment. It just takes a lot of time, many months in my experience.
I also believe anxiety is part of it, so having all the checks and getting the all clear (twice) that there was nothing more sinister helped me a lot too. Hang in there!
The Following User Says Thank You to ARC1970 For This Useful Post: mariana3526 (09-07-2012)
Thanks for the reply... I have Been on omeprozole 20mg twice a day for 3 weeks...very little improvement so far.. But it helps to know some of you got through it. I'm in therapy now bc of the anxiety/depression it has caused me. It took 2 months of doctors not listening to me before I got sent to a ent that diagnosed me with lpr. Mine came after a bad virus....
I was on omeprazole too for a while and that did absolutely nothing for me. You need to get on Nexium (which is esomepraze rather than omeprazole). Its a much, much better drug in my experience. Others have told me the same. Then stick with it for a few weeks. Don't bother with omeprazole.
Another strong recommendation from me is when you are on nexium also rest your throat. I know it's difficult but work hard and not clearing your throat for a few days.
My LPR absolutely started with a virus too. Was unwell for 48 hours with reasonably mild flu like symptoms then the ridiculous LPR thing kicked in. I thought I was going mad!
I am staying on Nexium for now but at some point I guess I will have to come off it. Message me if you want to talk or I can help any further.
The Following User Says Thank You to ARC1970 For This Useful Post: mariana3526 (09-08-2012)
If it came after a virus, how could it possibly have to do with your digestive tract?
If the virus was a URI, then it was a foreign body attacking your upper respiratory tract. If you now have lasting chronic symptoms in your upper respiratory tract, then what you have should be seen as the result of damage done by the virus.
Getting ppis after a virus that attacked your throat seems to me like walking into a doctor's office with a kidney stone, and having him give you a neck brace.
Try a little beer. It's an older drug with a more proven track record.
The same thing happened to me. Got a flu, and the weird throat stuff continued for weeks, then months. I went to the ENT and of course he gave me the usual ppis.
I'm just mentioning the absurdity of the situation that it is funny how the doctors don't bother connecting the URIs ever to the supposed acid reflux, when the patient had no history of acid reflux before, but they do have a recent history of a virus attacking the exact area they now have symptoms in.
My GP (local doctor) failed to diagnose it. I saw her 4 or 5 times and was given antibiotics, throat sprays, blood tests etc. and she eventually sent me off to the ENT specialist. LPR wasn't even on her radar. Not sure she had ever heard of it.
Thanks ARC.. Now does anyone know anything about this throat clicking I'm experiencing. I had a polyp removed on Aug 8 and had yo be put yo sleep. Two days later I noticed that when I swallow I hear a clicking noise in the left side of my throat. Kind of like a bone click like a pop. Dr said he doesn't know. I feel like maybe they messed me up during surgery......it scares me so much! It doesn't hurt its just annoying....I really don't want to always live like this . Its worse when I first wake up. If I lay down its worse.
Newly diagnosed with LPR - Help! 
