Have posted a couple of times recently re Bronchiectasis but want to ask today if anyone has LPR and especially how do you cope when it's made much worse by antibiotics? Every time when on antibiotics I get this strange asthma type reaction which doesn't respond to usual asthma treatment like ventolin ( on in daily steroid inhaler) and it's preceded by dry throat like am about to get a virus, almost seems like a bronchial cough. No one has really known what it is. This time it's started on day 4 of the 14 day course and I've realised by researching its LPR. Am on lansoprazole 30 daily ( in case acid reflux makes my lungs worse). When I mentioned to my GP previously I thought I'd got LPR, he said " what do you mean?" My symptoms are getting daily worse and still have a week to go... sore bronchial type chest, croaky voice , ears feel deep down itch, stuck feeling behind breastbone. Have done all suggestions from online... alkaline water, gaviscon advance as well, low acid diet. Maybe in time this will help (?) but the antibiotics are just making it so hard! I know if I return to GP then he'll just put me on higher lansoprazole dose ( potential rebound..) and it won't help. Maybe this is a post for acid reflux but as we have to take antibiotics for 2 weeks often, wondered if any other bronch sufferer experiences this? Also do I need to go to an ENT for investigation? Sorry rambling! Love to all
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winter2013
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Hi winter. This is tricky one. I am 66 and have lifelong bronch. I had increased swallowing problems for about 8 years which were ignored by my docs and eventually resulted in a split oesophagus in 2012. I was put on 30mg lanzaprozole to suck twice each day and this sorted it. I do think that certain antibiotics cause an over production of acid which can also result in a harsh persistent 'virusy' cough on top of the usual bronch symptoms. This is why it is important to take the abs with a meal, stuff like mashed potato and bread. Bland food. Avoid anything which makes acid in you. I can't eat tomatoes or fruit when taking abs. Try sleeping propped up and perhaps accept doubling the lanzaprozole whilst you are taking abs. Insist on the disperable ones that you suck though. I found capsules to be useless. They disolve too low down in the digestive system. I hope that helps.
Thank you for that. Didn't realise you could get dispersable lansoprazole so will ask for that. Am currently getting quite anxious as I have the classic LPR ( silent reflux) symptoms but last night my ears started feeling funny and feel blocked, pressured, discomfort..have looked on net and seems a lot of people have this problem with LPR and find it upsetting. Especially hard for me to handle as have a type of menueres disease and in one ear a partially dysfunctional eustacian tube so don't want more ear problems.
Am on amoxicillin for strep pneumonie and still have a week to go. It cleared infection up this time very quickly , have amazingly no phlegm from Bronchiectasis so ... know it's usual to have antibiotics for 14 days but NICE guidelines day 10 to 14 days. As you're an expert (!!) , do you think it'd be ok to stop at 10 days this time as side effects of LPR , ears are getting worse daily ? All the asthma/ upper chest problems, threat, voices, now ears...
Hi, It is never wise to stop antibiotics before the end of the course. It helps the organism to gain resistance and in bronchiectasis resistance is something that you do not want. Are you sure that the phlem is not stuck down there? It is very unusual for there to be none with bronch. If you have no sputum why are you taking antibiotics?
I have had ear problems all of my life. Infections, dizziness, blocked feelings, itchy you name it. It is part of the bronch package. I do some exercises called Epleys manoevre when I have the dizzies and this sorts it.
Thank you ! Will finish course. Also helps to know you've had ear problems. Am getting in a state over it all. Probably as am still in a learning curve and being a perfectionist by nature , wanting to reach a point where I feel I know how Im managing it.. take control! Also as was misdiagnised, given poor advice for so long, know I've got LPR now... don't want to have a repeat with that.
I guess life is never simple and I'm expecting too much, tell myself constantly how lucky I am.. Retired 3 years ago and feel haven't really enjoyed it much yet with health. Realistically, I know I have to accept there aren't easy answers, medical profession don't often know and make best of it. Not there yet with this though.
Nice to hear from you as you do sound "sorted out" and calm. I know you've said previously you've had bronch most of your life and have sort of known nothing else. Nevertheless well done to you. Please can I have some of your ... inner strength? X
Inner strength happily given. Believe me I'm not always so strong. Especially when it comes home to me time and time again that medics are knitting fog whilst pushing an elephant backwards uphill when it comes to their knowledge of bronchiectasis. Thousands of people are misdiagnosed as having some other condition for years.
I look after myself and use the docs to get my meds, keeping up with consultants etc. Basically I am in charge. This will come to you as you go on. I can tell that you are very positive and determined to do this.
I have learned to live with the accompanying irritations - ears and acid etc It is probably better not to consider yourself as suffering with an additional 'condition' but deal with them in the best way that suits you. I do think that permanent dispersable lanzoprazole and not eating food that creates acid in me has made a big difference for me.
Listen to your own body. Make sure that you create your own routine for life. Diet, moderate exercise, staying away from other people's smoke and stress and getting rid of any fluid which you have in your lungs on a daily basis. This helps to stop it getting infected.
Make sure that you have an emergency pack of antibiotics at home because exacerbations are weekend lovers and you will soon recognise when one is setting up a party.
Finally, pace yourself and get on with your life. Find the things that you enjoy and continue with them. You are the same person today as you were in all of the time that you were struggling with the wrong diagnosis. At least now you can move forward.
It means " silent reflux".. the sort you get in larynx/ pharynx do not heartburn but irritated dry cough in throat, stuck feeling in throat and this time ( if it's same thing) got pressure pains in ears when got this bad , what I imagine is " airways reflux" on antibiotics having done research on it x
Thank you. That sounds very familiar my res physio was asking me lots of things that bother me about my reflux I will ask on my next visit if that is why
I've sort of worked this out myself as have an irritating cough normally and am on lansoprazole 30 although when I mentioned LPR to my GP, he said ... what do you mean? My huge problem though which no one else seems to have is... am on antibiotics for an infection then when I'm clear ( still on antibiotics) I get this awful " asthma type" reaction but not typical asthma. Peak flow very low, upper airways sore constricted, can't breathe properly, when I cough chemical fumes come up ( different to infected taste). GP doesn't know what it is but it's worse than the infection , goes on for ages. By time I see a consultant it's gone. Consultants think it's to do with infection but it's not(!!) as always happens when crystal clear. Sorry ranting on but have it at moment. In fact it caused me so much stress , and due to extra phlegm think infection has returned. I feel if I hadn't had this reaction then infection wouldn't have returned. Again have rambled on but would love to hear if anyone else has had this. The best I've come up with is that maybe reflux is worse on antibiotics! Good luck to you anyway x
Ps you asked why I'm taking antibiotics if I have no sputum. Well I did have infected sputum but for some reason this time the antibiotics cleared up this bacteria .. or seemed to... very quickly. X
I have exactly same problem as you do. I've been handling with my LPR since three years ago, it took me almost a year to discover my LPR, since the symptoms are misleading. But every time I get a cold and I have to use antibiotics, I feel that my LPR gets worse and annoying, sometimes even makes breathing difficult and I have exactly all the symptoms you mentioned and I also came to this conclusion that this must be the antibiotic that has caused it. I was searching the internet to find some supports for this thought and now after reading your post, I am happy to know that I am not alone and I guess I can be sure now that this is the antibiotics that strengthens my symptoms. Surprisingly, this time I was taking antibiotics as an injection, not oral. So I guess taking antibiotics in any form can worsen LPR symptoms.
Even respiratory consultant said it’s to do with the infection but does not make sense when my airways are so! clear.
I think that the antibiotics disturb my gut bacteria .... as they do kill some off.... which then makes reflux worse and then a strange airways reaction which feels abit like bronchitis!
Frustrating when no one gets the same reaction so thank you for telling me!
Ps think the “ chemical fumes” are coming from my stomach and it tastes like this as the lansoprazole produces this !
This is my husbands theory but it makes sense as I had a gastric bug recently and got these chemical fumes ... not as bad as when on antibiotics for lung infection... but got chemical fumes for 3 days. Didn’t effect my lungs but shows the gut bacteria were effected etc
All this probably sounds like rubbish to a medic but makes sense to me .... I think!!
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