Tried everything to prevent nighttime reflux

[towersteel]

I don't remember my exact blood count...but yes it wasn't a "little bit" low, it was moderately low. but not life threatening. The weird thing is, I haven't had an infection for a pretty long time. So it surprised me. maybe theres something hidden underneath.

I don't take any antibiotics, the only other pills I take aside from Nexium is my hay fever medicine.

hmm! And yes the anxiety thing really annoyed me this time. can't even begin to tell you! all in all it was a frustrating appointment, but at least she let me go on with the pills (but not without inflicting guilt in me).

I am leaving just now for the new doctor. I am excited for this one. I am hoping she is great

[Vanessa74]

Please let us know how you make out.

I can understand her concern about the medication - but if she offers you no alternatives - what are you supposed to do for your suffering???

Best of luck today - hope you have better results.

Nessa

[towersteel]

Yesterday was awful! it left me really anxious

turns out this wasn't a ENT, but it was someone specified in the voice. So she had no knowledge of LPR and the sort. she went straight for the voice. She said that when I talk, I don't use my abdominal strength enough and put too much pressure on my throat. I was completely baffled. "I know, but ever thought this might be due to my burnt vocal cords from the reflux?" she said "maybe, but if you continue like this your vocal cords will be burnt out in 10 years."

I didn't know how to react. Because she didn't even discuss my LPR. I am pretty sure I am not the only one who has had speech problems from LPR - fatigue etc. My speech problems appeared together with reflux, actually at the end of it when my reflux was at its worse. I know its due to the reflux, but from her perspective (she didn't have any knowledge of stomach issues, she said "you need to go to a gastro specialist for stuff like that, I only deal with the voice". So she wanted to sned me to a speech therapist. I was VERY skeptical to this. because lately, my fatigue when speaking is getting less and less as my reflux has got better and better. But she made me very anxious when she said that I would lose my voice in 10 years.

She had me say stuff like "iii" when looking at a screen and the vocal cords had a tough time coming together like they should. well this is due to 1) I had a huge thing down my throat and i didn't know it was a vocal exercise, or else I would have used abdominal strength (just thought she wanted me to widen my throat so she could look further) 2) My vocal cords WERE still inflamed, and swelling on vocal cords = they have a tougher time coming together = the hoarseness I have been dealing with.

I really think this has to do with her lack of knowledge on the effects of LPR but on the other hand she scared the hell out of me. So I don't know. the visit just gave me something else to worry about. I've never had problems with speaking before reflux, but swelling on the vocal cords sometimes makes you compensate for it (I speak very quietly at times to spare my vocal cords).

I told my close family about it and they were all surprised, they have never noticed anything wrong with my speaking technique, I have never had problems getting myself heard or anything like that before reflux.

Do you also think her judgement is due to lack of gastro-knowledge? She didn't even go into my other throat problems - phleghm, throat thickness etc. Am I right in that others have had similar problems as me due to LPR?

thanks

[golfhat]

Tower: sorry about all these problems. I have reflux and esophageal spasms...I know that the coughing and spasms are partly due to acid reflux & I hit on one solution that has worked for me.

ACV and prilosec.
Also, one interesting thing just happened to me--- I had a CT scan because of severe coughing that would leave me vomiting at times. Could not control it. I have been sick lately with a virus/cold and the doc decided to see what my sinuses look like. sure enough i have a bad sinus infec. so he put me on an antibiotic along with Tessalon perles ---

However, now I am wondering if it is all related. The drainage from the sinuses causing hoarseness and cough, my acid reflex coming up from the opposite direction causing irritiation and cough as well!!!!
Altho the Prilosec made me better I stopped taking it with the Levaquin.

Now I am wondering if my cough is not all because of the sinuses but also to my reflux which is back.

I am going back on the Prilosec. I will take it two hours before the Levaquin.

***Also, my husband swears by ACV. He believes it is roto rootering his arteries. We take it only in the morning usually in juice. i can't stomach it any other way. Rinse your mouth out good afterwards because it is bad for the enamel.

but there is nothing wrong with ACV... I do think it is a miraculous product. The apple is nature's most natural remedy. The Apple Cider Vinegar which is unprocessed and still has the mother is the way to go. ACV has a lot of potassium and many of us suffer from that deficiency.

If you cannot take it, don't-- but I honestly think it is ok if taken in watered down juice. You just had a bad experience. this is just my opinion based on experience.

I stupidly downed it straight one time and thought I was gonna die.......

[towersteel]

Thanks for the reply golfhat, very helpful.

Right now I am awaiting another doctors visit on thursday. I am going to the speech therapist anyway even though I know its not the main issue, mainly because its good learning anyway if I'm going to recover from the LPR damage. I want the healing to be as efficient as possible.

I am still on 40mg x2. It's going alright most of the time but right at this second am a bit frustrated. I am so incredibly strict with the food but I seem to get LPR episodes every now and then anyways. It's not constant anymore - its every now and then, but everytime it happens it lasts for about 30 minutes. It doesn't burn anymore - the pills are taking care of that - but when I get the episodes it leaves my throat raw and irritated, I get very hoarse for a while and it feels like there is no end to the throat damage. Everytime this happens I tend to panic because I'll get frustrated because theres really nothing I can do.

Right now, LPR isn't much about physical pain anymore but my "journey" is now at the point where I just want to recover. My genereal quality of life is better but occasional epsiodes leave me frustrated.

I am wondering, if you get a bout of LPR every now and then (but not constantly) - can you still heal? Because I am thinking, since my throat is already irritated it might also be easier for me to feel when LPR is taking place (like putting salt in a wound). Maybe longer into the treatment this won't be the case as the throat will have recovered itself a bit more? Can anyone who has recovered from LPR shed any light on this? Did all LPR episodes dissapear immediately or was it a gradual process?

I don't know really! I am staying positive. I have to keep telling myself that "this is just an exception, you have LPR under control" otherwise I freak out. My goal is to have got rid of LPR by the time summer is over. infact, I feel there is no other choice. I will do anything for that to be the case

When I look back to when I started this thread, I am at least 60% on the way.

Thanks for listening