RA and lungs

[Gottarelax]

Hello, I'm anti CCP positive RH neg and awaiting formal diagnosis. I'm only taking Naproxen to ease symptoms until then. The onset of symptoms has been rapid and most joints affected now but worst in shoulders, hips and knees. Alongside onset of these symptoms has been a general tickle in my lungs. I'm not coughing a lot but the general feeling of wanting to cough is always there. At night it feels like I'm having fluid settle in the lungs...to the point of dreaming that I was drowning. Is this a RA thing or should I be treating it as a separate condition? I doubt that I have caught an infection as I haven't been mixing with people.

[Hidden]

Hi I always treat things separately until proven it’s RA. It’s so easy to blame RA for everything. I had a Gp who did this . I suffer from silent reflux and get these symptoms. Not saying it is this but keep an open mind. You know your body. If your not happy push for tests.

[tyncwmmarchhywel in reply to Hidden]

good morning, what are the symptoms of silent reflux my rhumy mentioned it lst week, I have not heard of it before thank you

[Hidden in reply to tyncwmmarchhywel]

For me it’s wind and coughing lying down at night sometimes the acid will burn my mouth at night and the skin peels. A particularly bad attack will cause immense pain and bloating even water will cause belching . I also become breathless due to acid getting into my lungs.

[Lolabridge]

Shortly before RA hit me hard I suffered from GERD - and gastric reflux feels like the symptoms you describe, particularly worse at night when you're lying down. You may know Naproxen can make gastric reflux worse (as can ibuprofen/nurofen) and you should always take Naproxen immediately after food and never on an empty stomach.

Do see your GP about the problem, as I did. Mine cleared up after a short course of Omeprazole and making sure I did not eat anything within several hours of bedtime.

[Runrig01]

Same as J1707 I always treat things as separate till proven otherwise. Like the others I suffer with GERD, to the point my breathing got a lot worse and an HRCT scan showed I had lung damage from aspirating acid. The put me on a stronger PPI, which has helped. The other potential cause could be post nasal drip whilst you sleep, which results in coughing up phlegm on waking. Definitely get your GP to review you, and if not on a ppi it may be worth trying

[Gottarelax]

Thank you for your replies. I’d never heard of silent reflux. Having never really suffered with heart burn or indigestion it’s something that never crossed my mind. I take lansoprazole and always take naproxen after eating.

[oldtimer2]

It does sound like a lung reaction to reflux. Is it possible to come off the naproxen?

[Gottarelax in reply to oldtimer2]

At the moment I’m awaiting my consultant appointment- it’s now less than 3 weeks away ( unlikely I’d get to speak to a GP beforehand). I am hoping that I will get diagnosis confirmation and more targeted medication and can discuss these symptoms. In the meantime, I’ll be more careful about evening eating habits to reduce likelihood of reflux.