I have just been reading some of the old threads and finally come to the conclusion I have LPR. I had a barium that was ok. An ENT doc put a scope down my throat to my vocal cords. He said he could see acid and a lot of muscous. I was told I had acid reflux. Endoscopy also ok. I get very little heartburn if any. My main problem is this ball of mucous in the base of my throat that is there constantly night and day. It has made me afraid to eat because of the choking sensations. Its not so much while I am eating (sloppy diet, not much chewing) its just after I have eaten. The mucous is 5 times worse and sits there I think with the food for ages after. The stress it puts on you after you have eaten is awful and it makes me feel frightned and anxious.

No one has suggested LPR to me but I really do beleive thats what I have. I am in the UK. I am on valium and it interacts with the PPI's I am supposed to take so I have had to stop them. They also give me a very dizzy sensation and headiness and nausea. Need the valium and will take ages to wean off.
Is there an alternative to meds for the mucous? I need to find a way to get the mucous under control but need to stay on valium for a while. Also is LPR curable? Is it something you have for life? Is it better to treat than GERD?



Many thanks

Bilbobeth,

Unfortunately for all of us here, LPR is for life. In most circumstances, it is controllable to various degrees with 2 doses of a PPI each day.

Are you certain you need to stay on the Valium? There is some thought that Valium and its fellow benzos like Xanax can actually make LPR worse - because they have muscle-relaxing properties.

Prior to being diagnosed with LPR (main symptom was chronic cough), I was put on Xanax - the doctors thought the cough was psychosomatic. It tooks a year to sort out the LPR condition and get off the Xanax - which actually required 3 days in a detox facility. However, as I am financially fortunate, I had checked myself into one of the best facilities in the county that was experimenting with using depakote to get people off of benzos. The depakote made the detox almost painless. I went in expecting the worst, and was shocked by the ease of the detox.

Hi
Thanks for quick reply. Valium has terrible side effects when coming off. I know cos I been on and off it for over two decades. If you take quite a lot they even liken it to coming off heroin. It has to be extremely gradual which is what I have started. I am doing 0.5mg about every 10-14 days. I am taking up to 9 or 10 mg a day so you can see its going to be a while. I was on depakote a while back (mood stabiliser?). Maybe I should ask about it but I know they will still want me to come off valiium very slowly.

Thanks for reply

Canyou take Entex - I forget the class of medication but it makes you cough up flem and they give it to people with chronic respiratory problems.

Entex is a decongestant, which is actually a stimulant (opposite of Valium). It can increase anxiety and cause insomnia, rapid heartbeat, etc. I took it years ago but needed to stop due to my anxiety.

This thread has been very interesting for me to read. I have been treated for GERD for at least 15 years, and I'm pretty sure (based on symptoms) that I have LPR, too. I'm on a heavy-duty dose of Ativan (Benzo) for my anxiety disorder, and no doc has ever suggested to me that the Ativan could be a problem. I'm going to bring this up to my G.I doc on Thursday when I call for the results of my biopsies.

Thanks for all of the very useful info.

On all the PPI's I have tried so far all say on the packet you must tell your doctor if taking tranquillisers. Mine knew but put me on them anyway. I beleive they lessen the effect of the PPI plus strengthen the effect of the valium. I have a family to care for and cant afford to be falling aseleep! Its been really difficult for me weighing up what I need most. I struggle a lot with panic disorder and valium has been my only respite, Iwont take anti depressants any more.
I wish there was an alternative drug for LPR but obviously there isnt as its a class of drugs meant for the disorder. I will just have to suffer until I can be off valium - a few months!

With LPR does anyone else get dizzy suddenly? Do you have a chronic bad taste in the mouth? Has anyone else got any severe eating problems through this disorder?

Thanks everyone

Is there a connection between antidepressant/anti-anxiety meds and LPR & GERD? I'm pretty sure I have LPR after reading alot of what is posted on this site. I get my results from my Barium Swallow on Tuesday. I, too, was on anti-anxiety meds prior to all these symptoms starting. They started about one month after I stopped taking Xanax.

That is very interesting! I too was on antidepressants for a long time and now have LPR. I haven't taken the antidepressants for a couple of years as the side effects were worse then the help.

Now that you are bringing up other meds perhaps causing this problem may I ask if any of you are on Levothyroxine for low thyroid?? I have been on that for 2 years. It says on the bottle to take with a full glass of water. I have not been doing that. Mostly just a swallow of water. I don't want to drink that much in the morning. Do you think it could have caused acid reflux? Or eaten away at my stomach?? Just a thought. THanks!

This is an interesting thread.

I have taken .5 MG of Klonopin for about 5 years to help me sleep. I am a very hyper person and it calms me. I have had stomach/reflux issues since January 2007 so I am wondering if the three years prior of taking this med may have contributed to the LPR.

I hope more will contribute to this thread as we all are seeking answers.

Ish

I completely agree with the medication connection - and it is proven with certain classifications of meds - they can cause or contribute to reflux - drugs like calcium channel blockers for HBP, drugs like Valium for depression, etc. Certain antibiotics, aspirin, motrin, etc. I have no doubt that certain medications when taken on a regular basis can cause and/or contribute to GERD - or worsen it.

I am on asthma meds and they definitely make my GERD worse - my Dr. is switiching my HBP med on Tuesday because the one I am on definitely affects my stomach. I am getting scoped on 8/1 to see the extent of the damage.

What are you to do though when you HAVE to take meds for chronic health conditions?

Nessa

Vanessa, :)

you are so right. I strongly believe my GERD is a consequence of using prescription drugs. Actually, it is listed as a side effect of a couple of my medications. I wonder if the benefits of taking these meds outweigh the nuisance of having to live with their awful and painful side effects.

What are you to do though when you HAVE to take meds for chronic health conditions?

Grin and bear it???? :D

flowergirl

Well add me to teh mix... This can't be a coincidence that all of us have anxiety and take meds for it and also have LPR, or can it? I have been on Paxil and .5 mg of Klonopin for almost 8 years...my LPR is debilitating since I feel as though I can't breathe and have a lump in my throat all day. I havn't really enjoyed life for almost 2 years now. We leave for vacation and I have my entire medicine chest with me since I will be so uncomfortable due to the LPR and the anxiety which has taken me over due to the breathing.

I just don't know what to do, also can't come off of ani anxiety drugs or will be an insane person from teh lpr. :confused:

Alex