LPR? Advice please.

[pffft2017]

Had GORD for over 20 years and Barrett's was diagnosed about 5 years ago. Was refused a check up by a GP ( quote; The NHS don't do those any more. ) but managed to wrangle a gastroscopy by a reckless and arrogant 'medic' and ended up with a hiatus hernia and thrush, then told I did not have Barratt's so she didn't even bother to take a biopsy. The consultant, can you believe, told me it had 'healed up'. Of course my reflux worsened after this episode.

3 months ago I developed a chronic sore throat, blisters on the left at the back of my mouth and the right side very tender and red, blood blisters on the roof of my mouth. What concerned me was a pain in my jawbone on the right. Was given antibiotics at first, no effect, then Nystan or something for thrush, no effect. I suggested it was acid related but ignored. Consulted Dr Google and symptoms fit exactly with LPR ( laryngopharanyngeal reflux ). Had a doctor's telephone appointment Thurs and mentioned it sounded like LPR and she said " What's that? "

Anyhow it's getting worse, short of breath in the mornings and a cough, pain in the jaw and base of tongue, can't see anything or feel any lumps but fear the worse. Can't get an appointment with the local quacks, any recommendations for a solution please? Any other LPR sufferers out there?

Sorry for the tome btw.

[Golfer217]

I know how you feel I have similar symptoms to yours although fortunately not as bad but it is very worrying and when I go to my GP I come away feeling unhappy and unsatisfied. He always asks me the same 3 questions— Can I swallow? Do I have a loss of appetite? Have I lost weight? And as the answers are always No he says he can’t justify sending me for any further tests but that’s no good to me as I want to know exactly what is happening and causing the acid reflux which if left untreated can cause cancers. I have always thought it better to know early if there is a problem and then try to do something about it. I feel the only way I am going to get the answers I want is to go private and at £3000 for a basic endoscopy I can’t afford it. All in all I am very unhappy about it all and constantly worried which is now beginning to effect my live 24/7.

[pffft2017 in reply to Golfer217]

£3000? That's ridiculous. I was quoted £245 for an ultrasound of the oesophagus, the only problem is I live in a backwater so it'd be quite a trip. Am atm waiting for a callback from the GP before I decide what to do. I know it sounds unethical, but try fibbing to get a referral, but tbh if my last gastroscopy was anything to go by, I'd plump for an ultrasound any day. If you're lucky maybe the gastroscopy won't make matters worse. Best of British.

[ParkSchool5]

Hi, my symptoms are similar to yours. I last had an endoscopy in 2019 which diagnosed mild Gastritis, 2cm hiatal hernia and 15 gastric polyps (from 5 years of PPI use!). I never really suffered from Acid Reflux badly until a week or so after the endoscopy, since then it has been terrible every day. I do wonder if some endoscopies cause more harm than good, also depending on who performs them. I have a sore red dry throat most mornings with red blisters that come and go, even though I take a PPI and Famotidine and Gaviscon at night. Your jaw tightness could be due to stress and worrying about it. I paid to see an ENT doctor who performed a laryngoscopy and said there were signs of GERD but no permanent damage as yet. Hope you can resolve it soon.

[pffft2017 in reply to ParkSchool5]

Thanks for the reply. Glad you got the all clear. I agree, I think gastroscopies are medieval treatments, I'll never have another one, I think she used to work for Dynorod the way she shoved that thing down m gullet with no concern for my choking fits. Ask for an ultrasound next time.

I wish the jaw pain was stress, but it started the same morning as the chronic sore throat and pain at the base of the tongue. Fingers crossed though.

[Brownie1895]

Barrett never ever goes away.It may be covered by healthy cells or maybe misdiagnosed in the first place.Of course,ablation therapy for dyplasia or cancer,may get rid of Barrett.Interesting ,enough,I was diagnosed with Barrett and a later test came back,negative.You,can always find another doctor that is willing to perform a scope.That would be my advice.Barrett really shoukd be monotored.

[pffft2017 in reply to Brownie1895]

Thanks for your reply sorry for the late response. Yes apparently it's quite common for cells to mask Barrett's but she had photos and a report of the previous scope confirming 5mm Barrett's.

After that experience I'd never have another gastroscopy, sooner pay for an ultrasound.

[Hidden]

Here’s some ideas that should help you…

LPR is easily treatable… first about why it is so stubborn to fix using PPI’s.

When acid comes up into the throat usually during sleep due to lying flat… it also brings with it “pepsin”… this will lodge in the mucosal layers of the throat and nasal passages… which then inflame and burn every time you ingest acidic food such as sugar or meat …

The fix is to neutralise the pepsin by using bicarbonate of soda nasal washes and just a small sip of it after the mask rinse.

Use a nepi pot or pipette. Yes it is messy but with two or three days you will see improvements…

Stick to a routine of not lying flat for three hours after food… try using melatonin or eat broccoli or walnuts… this will retrain your LES to begin closing properly again… this will then reduce reflux problems .. then reduce PPI’s … you can reverse this problem.

[pffft2017 in reply to Hidden]

Thanks for the advice, sorry for the late response.

Yes I've been elevating my head and upper body for years, sleeping on the left helps too. I even have to ask the dentist to treat me in an upright position.

I'll certainly try your nasal wash method. I have noticed one nostril is a bit blocked since this all flared up and the throat mucas has been annoying. A big gulp of Gaviscon Advance before bed helps a lot too.

A few NHS sites recommend taking an PPI 30 min to 1 hr before supper. Have to get into that routine.

[Jaby86]

Hi, I also suffered from lpr for a few months. Started as more classic acid reflux symptoms then progressed to Lpr, clear abdo scan and gastroscopy and was on PPIs for 7 weeks. My symptoms have greatly reduced since the end of January and I put that down to removing triggers (caffeine being the main one for me) and changing my lifestyle (eating more and having snacks between meals) but the main things have been reducing stress and anxiety through acupuncture, mediation and yoga/pilates and taking slippery elm, marshmallow root supplements and having DGL licorice chewable tablets 20 mins before eating and also if I feel symptoms coming on. Gaviscon advance was also helpful but I don't take that any more. I feel addressing the root cause for me was when things improved which was anxiety and lifestyle. I hope things improve for you