Being sent for a gastroscopy as having shortness of breath. Already have asthma and acute broncho-pulmonary aspergillosis. I have gastric reflux which is always worse when I have shortness of breath. The belching is so intense it could launch a space ship. I take lansoprazole. I have nothing on my chest, no wheeze, cough, phlegm so when I go to A&E they don't know what to do with me . This is how I usually am when I have attacks. I can sleep flat and my shoulders are not hunched. Now they are wondering if I have a hernia which can affect your breathing. About 10 years ago I had a gastroscopy and they found that the sphincter at the top of the stomach was not closing properly and prescribed lansoprazole. so things could have developed in meantime. Anybody relate to this, please?
Hernia affecting breathing? - Asthma Community ...
Hernia affecting breathing?
Gastro issues can most definitely cause breathing symptoms, sometimes intermittent or sporadic and often ongoing. Sometimes these underlying issues exacerbate or trigger someone's asthma but very often they are separate and actually cause very similar symptoms and it's the gastro issues (reflux, gastritis, hernias, etc) which are causing the symptoms full stop. Often the person doesn't even have asthma (in these cases it's often misdiagnosed) or some people will have asthma alongside but the asthma is controlled/not being affected by the gastro issues.
I suppose the answer to whether it's triggering asthma or mimicking asthma is the same though - treat the gastro issues (in your case when they've decided fully what the problem is!)
Is there are similar forum on HU for such conditions? Just wondering if there might be more experience and knowledge there. I know people on here do have experiences with gastro issues as I've read many times situations which seem to include reflux as a definite mimic and I can't remember who but a few definitely have spoken of hernias (so hopefully they'll be along soon!) but there may be wider experience of hernias etc and the management in a gastro group? If one exists that is!
I am in a similiar situation. I have asthma and bronchietasis. Some of my symptoms do not fit in with either of these. I have suffered with reflux for years ( about 25) and also have a hernia. It is only now that the Doctors/ consultants have suggested that some of my breathing issues come from my reflux etc. Waiting on an appointment to have some further tests Hopefully we can both benefit from futher investigation.
I have a hiatal hernia and reflux, and it does impact my breathing, my respiratory consultant wants my GI doctor to add a PPI on to my medication to see if it'll help my breathing or not.
I have reflux issues which affect my breathing. Some years ago I was also told after a gastroscopy that the sphincter at the top of my stomach wasn’t closing properly. Thirteen years and two further gastroscopies later no other consultant has noted the same thing leaving me wondering whether there is an issue there or not. Recent 24hr pH monitoring revealed that whatever the reflux is it isn’t acidic. As a result I’m currently in the process of weaning off the stomach acid suppressant medication I was on - cimetidine in my case.
It can be very difficult to tell between breathing issues caused by asthma and those caused by reflux. With me the easy way to tell is by what helps with the symptoms. Ventolin just doesn’t seem to help much if reflux is responsible whereas 5ml of Gaviscon Advance will.
The one thing that really interests me is the fact that you can sleep flat despite having reflux. Was that also the case before you were put on the Lansoprazole or has that med helped with that?
Like you, several years ago I had a gastroscopy and was told the same about the sphincter but they did not think the operation would be useful. The belching which always accompanies the shortness of breath is unbelievably loud and forceful. Do you have this? Interesting that your reflux isn't acid? Did you feel any acidity? When I was younger with an asthma attack my shoulders were hunched to my ears and I had to be propped up in bed and now don't need to. Think it was even before lansoprazole. Dr has put me on esomeprazole to see if any help. I also have vocal cord dysfunction now called inducible layrngeal obstruction where the vocal cords tighten up making difficult to breathe. Sometimes I am ok.
I have had episodes of quite forceful belching in the past- at the moment not so much; they don’t always occur whilst having breathing issues resulting from reflux though.
At the time of the 24hr pH monitoring any feelings of acidity were low, so I wasn’t overly surprised at the result. That said, the test was done a full eight months after it was requested by the consultant and well over a year after a sudden flare up of symptoms at the end of 2019 after three years of things being relatively normal (bed head raised 5 inches and Gaviscon Advance required before bed but that was it) - thanks to covid. But there is no doubt I was still getting symptoms at the time of the test. Mind you, that could have been brought on by being on acid suppressing medication when it wasn’t needed.
There are two complicating factors in my case (in addition to my asthma): I have Hypermobility Spectrum Disorder (used to be called Benign joint Hypermobility syndrome). This is an inherited condition in which the collagen in the body is a little too elastic. The condition can result in an increased risk of hernias; I do have hernia history, albeit not hiatus hernias. I also suffer from allergic (and quite probably non allergic too) rhinitis; this has recently been found to be (at the very least) a contributory factor in problems with my larynx (an awful feeling of pressure being applied to the voice box - really quite unpleasant). The ENT specialist who found that noted the results of the pH study and is of the opinion that I have Laropharyngeal reflux (LPR), also known as silent reflux, so called because of the lack of heartburn/indigestion when it occurs.
Interesting to hear about LPR, thanks for replying. The acidity did affect my oesophagus so was put on medication. Praying for an early gastroscopy. Sometimes am ok.
That’s what I find most frustrating - the way the flare ups come and go. When the 2019 flare occurred I notified my consultant immediately in the hope he would act on it and request the appropriate tests. What he did was to put me on cimetidine (I get rebound from PPIs) and made the comment that if it didn’t work it would mean having a gastroscopy. By the time we knew the medication hadn’t worked covid was upon us and outpatient appointments were being cancelled - including mine. Opportunity missed.
Fingers crossed your gastroscopy isn’t delayed too long.
I too have had issues with my breathing, my chest gets so tight. I had been to A&E twice before realising it was to do with my stomach and not my lungs! It's such horrible feeling. I don't have asthma so it must be all gastro. I've had ibs for years too. I've been taking lansoprazole for a year and it definitely makes a difference to me but it did take 2/3 months for me to notice any change.
I've stopped them recently to see how I'd be but the chest tightness and trapped wind are awful. I'm trying to do lifestyle changes to see if it helps otherwise I'll be back on the tablets.
The doctors think it's silent reflux (LPR) as I don't have heartburn or acid just the trouble breathing. Although I do get these symptoms when I come off the tablets.
I have an appointment with the gastro doctor albeit a telephone one in the next couple of weeks.
Hopefully you get some answers soon.
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