Asthma with GERD

[gremlin1]

I still face control problems with my asthma and find it increasingly frustrating to get my various doctors to explain or commit to an answer so I rely on places like this for help. People who experience it in my view are actually a better source often. Here is my question.

Yes, I have asthma. I take symbicort twice a day. Peak flow is generally in the green. I can exercise without a problem. But I have GERD. Sometimes it shows itself as heartburn. I believe that affects my asthma especially at night even though I have implemented all the various diet and lifestyle changes that go along with trying to control GERD. I have read that certain asthma medications actually can relax the valve(sphincter)between the stomach and the esophagus. This valve is what is supposed to close thus not allowing acid to travel into the esophagus.

Has anyone please heard this to be true? It seems that if it is true, then using an inhaled corticosteroid daily when you have GERD could be anti-productive even though the ICS is something needed to control the asthma. But if the ICS is damaging the sphincter, the asthma is not controlled and there you have a bizarre cycle.

I guess I would be curious if anyone agrees with this or has been told this also. Doctors will always push risk versus reward and I get that. But if I'm right, then this is counter productive.

Thanks ahead of time if anyone has any comments.

G

[Beasley63]

I also have gerd but I had it years before I got diagnosed with asthma. I have always taken Nexium for it. I have had to had my esophagus dilated several times. I got diagnosed with asthma 2 years ago. for the past few weeks I have been having trouble with this awful heartburn and spasms. It is terrible! I guess I am going to have to go back to see my gasteronolgist and make sure everything is ok..

[starveycat]

I have reflux disease. I eat no acidic foods I avoid spices, in other words a very bland diet. My bed head is raised ten inches, not pillows as they can strain the neck, raise the mattress itself.

As my vocal chords have been damaged by it I also have a lacto free diet. I know it sounds complicated but you can eventually work it out , and it's ok when you get used to it

[gremlin1]

Thanks to all who have offered advice. I think I'm going nuts. Basically my asthma is under control but due to the gerd, it really isn't. It happens every night and affects sleep. I don't get wheezing or coughing. My lungs just feel obstructed making breathing not easy. I know enough to know it's not so much to do with my controller medication symbicort. It seems to be all about the GERD causing my breathing at night. I wake up often feeling like my airways are like straws and there is cotton in them making breathing hard. I continue to try and fix the GERD. 4 months of Dexilent(PPI) didn't seem to do it. In fact, after getting off of it, it appears worse with heartburn added. I do all the lifestyle and diet modifications to no avail. I'm going in for a PH Monitoring test as that is the next step my Internist has me doing. I know in my heart if I can control this GERD, then my asthma will be fine. I never have flare ups, can exercise full out, and like I said, the only symptom I continually get is obstructed breathing from what I believe is the acid hanging around my esophagus. I also keep reading that a lot of asthma inhalers can also be the cause of the esophageal sphincter not working properly. Has anyone else heard this?

[Viorelbadescu in reply to gremlin1]

Stop carbs gastric pressure caused by sibo in the small intestine might be your problem try a very low carb diet for one months and will see great feed results,

[gwarrior99]

Hi there, I have had asthma for a long while since childhood, I had a bad episode in April and am still not 100%, like you I'm usually under control and can exercise etc. A few days ago I saw the link bw GERD and asthma, and how they each contribute to one another. These two links were a first line of information, and even mention certain meds which was helpful to your question. But we do have asthma, and some of us need the asthma meds, it's a bit too risky to go off the asthma meds so the reflux can abate. And that can create the negative loop. This piece to my asthma is new to me. I have tried to take my medicine not after eating and in the morning and evening away from meals. Interesting you mentioned ICS as medicine that can affect the sphincter and reflux, the article mentions short and long term broncho dilators and prednisone. For me, when I had my bad episode in April, the long run on prednisone crushed my stomach IMO, and while better I'm still working fully thru this and gathering more information.

asthmaandallergies.org/asth...

nationaljewish.org/conditio...

The National Jewish hospital in Colorado is known for its focus on respiratory issues and asthma.

It sounds like you're doing everything else, diet, small meals, etc as it related to GERD

I do know a lot about asthma and treatments as probably many others here. The GERD piece amazingly is new to me. You could go in another direction and look at holistic/alternative options, which become more and more appealing as standard medicine can't help. With a chronic condition like Asthma, Ive found that very helpful

[Funnylady33]

I have had asthma for about 6 years now I had a continuous cough I went to the doctors so many times and they gave me anti biotics and it never went away I went to and asthma specialist and said I definitely had asthma I take Delera twice a day and it works great. In the last year my cough started again and I thought it was my asthma acting up so I went to my endo and just from hearing my cough he said it was acid reflex and prescribed Dexilant and he said you must take it as soon as you wake up in the morning before anything else or it will not work. That’s what I do and it helps 100%

[Suerkaplan]

My GERD was first too. I've been on omeprazole since 1990! The Asthma came in around 2002. My comment is about "I wake up often feeling like my airways are like straws and there is cotton in them making breathing hard. " If your cough is 'wet' that is, when it releases mucus, you may ask your doctor about Mucinex. or it's cheaper alternative, guaifenesin. I take that 24/7 in the summer as my asthma is triggered by my allergy to mold. IF I take it on schedule I feel pretty good. If I miss a dose the mucus can get 'stuck' and the coughing is painful and ineffective.

Sam's club has a 12-hour 1200 mg pill - Guai-Aid is a brand that comes in mega-bulk if you find you are taking it as often as I do.

[Lindabid1]

Check out Vocal Cord Disfunction. It can mimic asthma and is much more easy to treat. I have LPR (silent GERD) that was making me hoarse. I also have been diagnosed with Asthma/COPD Overlap Syndrome. I hadn't seen my ENT for awhile because hoarseness seemed like the least of my problems, plus avoiding the pandemic. When I finally got back I mentioned that my asthma seemed worse but I was already on the strongest meds. He referred me to a voice specialist and I do have vocal chord disfunctio A few weeks of voice therapy and I feeI so much better!