Silent reflux driving me insane!! Can anyone relate?

[bumblenbean]

Hi all

I’ve been suffering from what is assumed (by a process of elimination) to be silent reflux / LPR for about 4 months. I don’t have classic acid reflux symptoms like heartburn, burning throat, indigestion. Instead I have a constantly irritated throat - not sore, but a need to clear it ALL THE TIME. sometimes it feels like there is phlegm (sorry!) but usually it just feels sort of ‘wrong’. It’s hard to explain, it’s just like I’m constantly aware of it not feeling right and wanting to clear it. It’s not a lump, but just irritated.

I also sometimes get a tight chest / slight breathlessness which apparently can also be caused by reflux.

GP wasn’t massively helpful and said just take PPIs. I’m not keen on PPIs for various reasons and besides i want to tackle the root cause rather than just masking it - and anyway from what I’ve read PPIs aren’t great for silent reflux as it’s pepsin causing problems more than acid. GPs don’t seem very clued up on LPR and how it differs from ‘normal’ reflux or GERD.

I saw an ENT who looked at my throat and couldn’t see any damage or other obvious issues but a saliva test indicated very high levels of pepsin which indicates silent reflux. So their conclusion was it’s most likely silent reflux but no idea why it’s suddenly started or why it’s so constant.

I’ve tried modifying diet with limited success - cutting right down on caffeine/ carbonated drinks and chocolate, tomatoes and other trigger foods- though am struggling to stop them completely as it covers so many different things. Ive completely cut out alcohol. I also swig Gaviscon like there’s no tomorrow, drink alkaline water and have raised the head of my bed. But nothing seems to help and I’m starting to feel like I’m going slightly mad.

I suffer from anxiety and majorly over think everything and I’m starting to worry this is never going to go, I’ll have it constantly from now on and that this constant irritation from pepsin must be damaging my throat.

I just wondered if anyone else has been in a similar position? I don’t know anyone else with LPR and feel like I can’t discuss it with anyone as ‘reflux’ just sounds like run of the mill heartburn so I’m sure people wouldn’t understand why it’s bothering me so much

Any tips/ advice / similar stories would be much appreciated!! Do I basically need to completely cut out all the nice things that trigger it forever more?!

I found Sucking a Bisodol tablet more effective than Gaviscon. Suck it slowly, it’s not unpleasant.

I have LPR. I was like you but in the end had to relent and go onto PPIs. What worries me most was the night time choking fits and the constant cough and I found out that these can damage the oesophagus and lead to oesophageal cancer. I decided that taking PPIs was preferable to that risk. I take the lowest dose I can get away with (15mg lansoprasole) and I have seen a massive improvement in my symptoms.

My friend has just been diagnosed with this. She was telling me all about it and what she has had to cut out of her diet. It sounds awful x

@SpeckledFrogsLog that’s interesting- I thought they weren’t particularly effective for LPR as pepsin is the main problem, but great that you’ve found them useful! It seems they work for some and not others. I might have to give it a go if no improvement in a few months. Just don’t understand why it’s suddenly come on and why nothing else seems to work. Nightmare :(

You need to really push for a GI appointment as it can be barretts disease which like Speckled said can turn into oesophageal cancer. My Dad was diagnosed with terminal oesophageal cancer without any symptoms and I have Barretts with symptoms. Please try and push for an appointment as you need a camera every few months to keep an eye on it. Something else to be aware of is EOE if you have choking symptoms

Just to add. Things like a wedge pillow to sleep on (so your head is higher than your stomach)
No food after a certain time
Also these, Tums Chewy Delights Soft Chews, Very Cherry, 32count amazon.co.uk/dp/B00DSOU8RU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_XK29G81A66TRVQ60RHHB]] they help a bit with mine

I was told by an alternative therapist to ask myself the following, so I’ll ask you too:

What’s happening in your life just now as that’s likely to be linked. Stressful. Anxious stuff?

What can’t you stomach? Literally!

What are people doing that’s unfair that you’ve not said anything about? It’s hurting you to keep swallowing it down.

You need the situation to change. What can you do to make that happen?

Once you speak your truth it should go. I’m just trying to sort mine just now but she was right.

Oh and apparently it’s a peri menopausal thing too.

Yes mine was diagnosed by a GI consultant and she recommended PPIs. I resisted for a while and, like you, tried to manage it with my diet. Cutting out caffeine was the only thing that I found made any difference and even then I was still plagued with symptoms. The constant cough and lump in my throat were the worst and actually started to frighten me.

Can I ask-are you overweight? I am and desperately need to lose about 3 stones. If I manage to do that I may try weaning myself off the lansoprasole and see whether the weight loss and dietary changes help.

As a PP said, sleeping with the head of the bed raised did help with the night time attacks.

Good luck-you have my sympathies. It’s horrible

What's been done/looked for? If you've not had a gastroscopy then I'd push for one. I have GERD and a hiatus hernia (discovered at age 25 ) with a gastroscopy.

I have similar symptoms and take a PPI which controls the reflux but doesn't get rid of the sensation from the hernia, which feels as you describe and also still often get bouts of mild/moderate gastritis and oesophagitis despite high PPI doses which causes that breathless feeling and early satiety etc.

As others have said, better a PPI than risks of cancer or severe gastritis etc.

Otherwise:

Small meals, no eating sevel hours in advance of bed, look at reflux diets and exclusions, lying on your left side at night.

@bumblenbean did you get to the bottom of this? I have the same thing

@bumblenbean @Chance2021 did anyone ever get to the bottom of this? I’ve had exactly this for 3 months and starting to get really worried it’s something more serious… booked in for endoscope but the wait could be months