Acid Reflux and Asthma?

[pagelsr]

I was recently diagnosed with asthma about a month ago, and was subsequently placed on advair and combivent, along with clarinex. About two weeks ago I had a bad reaction to the advair (face tingling and numbness, face spasm) and was switched to flovent. In addition, I have thus discarded the combivent at my doctors advice since when used it seem to offer little relief. While the breathing has improved, my throat issues, feeling of a lump in my throat, agitation, soreness, still persisted, symptoms initially thought to be linked to my asthma. At that point I went to an ent where he told me that I had aciod reflux (stuck tube through my nose and down my throat). Being 23, relatively healthy until these recent epsiodes, and not overweight in addition to never having heartburn before or ever taking anatacids, I was quite surprised. After doing a little research, I found that acid reflux can be misdiagnosed as asthma in cases or can lead to the onset of asthma. Since I have never had asthma before, I am definitely wondering if once I get the acid reflux under control, the asthma might disappear. If anyone has had similar experiences or can offer any information, it would be greatly appreciated.


Thanks in advance

[NancyH]

Yes, my GERD was initially diagnosed as asthma(I've never used a inhaler since dignosed 15 yrs ago)and as it, GERD that is went untreated it has since led to mild asthma. I don't take meds for it but the symptoms are pretty much the same and depending on which dr you see. If I'd gone to the gastroenterologist first I might of received treatment long before it presented asthma but that didn't happen and I'm thankful as yet not bad enough to require inhaler treatment. Gerd has the same symptoms and there'r just discovering that relationship.

[injuredlist]

I'm 22 so I'm sort of in a similar situation, except that I had asthma pretty bad as a kid and then it went away until college (and then came back, at the same time as the GERD started). Right now I've been on Nexium for about a year or so and Advair for a couple of years, and I'd like to stop taking both but I'm pretty sure if I do the asthma will come back. Also the Nexium seems to help but I still get an acidy taste in my throat sometimes--but not from food, so rather than heartburn I'd suspect the muscle in my throat is lax--I get acid after working out or going out drinking. Seems to me that the whole system is linked, which my ENT says "may be the case", but I guess they don't know that much about the linkages between these different things. I'm trying to quit Advair in the next month and stay on the Nexium... I can let you know how it goes.

[scb411]

They have found that GERD (gastroesophogeal reflux disease) plays a major part in the breathing process. I am being seen at National Jewish for my asthma, and I had a pH probe to see if I had reflux because 15% of the people that come to be evaluated at National Jewish don't have asthma at all! They have acid reflux! It is a great possibility that you suffer from this. The next time you feel SOB take an antacid instead of trying an inhaler first. Also, don't buck at the idea of having acid reflux, but never experiencing heartburn. 1/3 of all those with acid refulx have silent reflux, meaning they do not feel it.

Your throat symptoms also sounds like some symptoms of Vocal Cord Dysfunction. TO read about VCD go here: [url="http://nationaljewish.org/medfacts/vocal.html"]http://nationaljewish.org/medfacts/vocal.html[/url]

The best way to go about figuring if you have ashtma AND acid reflux AND VCD or just one or two, or whatnot is to have a methacholine challenge. THe methacholine challenge is usually called "Bronchial Provocation" and they'll give you something that irritates your lungs and wait for a drop in your breathing functions. When and how you react will give them a better idea as to if you have asthma. After the meth they like to do a laryngoscopy to make sure that you don't have VCD. If you do, the camera will pick up your vocal cords spasming. If those tests come out negative, then you most likely are just a refluxer!

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Hope this helps!

Sara

[peregrine]

Hi Sara,

You mean something like Tums will help with the SOB?

I'll give it try.

Thanks,

P