9 years ago I was diagnosed with Silent Reflux, 5 years ago with a hiatus hernia. The discomfort previously was intermittent. Since last summer it has been constant. I have had 2 x gastroscopy, but the GPs are all about PPIs, which don't work. My symptoms are mild stomach pain, a cough, croaky voice, sore throat and fatigue. I have read a bit about pepsin being a player in silent reflux. Can anyone give me any advice about what to do to alleviate this discomfort? (I have been caffeine free, no alcohol, spicy foods, tomatoes for 5 years. )
Thank you.
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I would ask for a referral to a consultant gastroenterologist. I am about to have a procedure called a manmometry to assess my oesophagus functioning because PPIs don't work.This may be helpful for you.I would also read Dr.Jamie Kaufman's Acid Reglux Diet. Good luck.
I was wondering how you got on with the manometry? It has been mentioned to me, as no progress yet and still struggling. Seeing an actual consultant might help! Still waiting.
I have just started on slippery elm and licorice capsules and manuka honey.
I have just been to an ENT Appt today. Among other useful things, the Registrar I saw said, was that PPIs are not much good silent reflux and acid in throat problems. She says I need to take Gaviscon half an hour after each meal and before bed, and it will take about a month to really affect it.PPIs suppress the acid in the stomach and are useful for gastritis, and a hiatus hernia, but not throat.
I was also a bit staggered when she pointed a camera through my nose and down my throat, and said that one of my vocal folds was not working properly and therefore my airway wasn't closing properly, so the coughing and choking I was getting and the breathlessness I was getting would be related to that. I have other causes of breathlessness, heart and lungs etc, but looking it up on the internet it described closely the main problems I've been having. I am to see a laryngologist, and treatment is possible. Never heard of it as an issue before, nor the effects it can have.
Hi: I am new to the board. Age 67, female. I have had reflux in one form or another since at least 1980. I now have silent reflux and it is doing a lot of damage. I had a Nissen fundoplication for reflux in 1999, and had it redone by a superior surgeon in 2002. I have been fighting with the Nissen ever since. The surgery reduces stomach size and can cause dumping syndrome and chronic gastritis. Eventually I learned how to live with it, small meals, etc. The problem now is silent reflux. I have it very bad, just figuring out that it is the problem with other serious health issues I have. The worst one being severe sleep apnea, which I now believe is being caused by the silent reflux, also called LPR, short for Laryngo-Pharyngeal reflux. I am very curious about Jean 46s advice to take Gaviscon. I am assuming Jean46 is across the water. I am in the US. In the UK Gaviscon is formulated to contain a product called Alginate, made from seaweed. Alginate forms a raft in your upper stomach and stops reflux. Here in the US the Alginate is absent and there is a lot of aluminum and magnesium. So, using the US version of Gaviscon I have had very little relief from silent reflux. So, I found a product here in the US that has a nice dose of Alginate, 1000mg. per dose. Last night was my third night using it. First night I literally had no reflux, and my CPap numbers were very good. Second night I did great with it also. Alginate really works to block reflux. Here is an article from NIH on alginates:
That being said, last night was a nightmare. I took the alginate chewables at bedtime the first two nights. The directions on the bottle say to take right after a meal. I eat 4 hours before bedtime. Taking after a meal was a huge error for me. The alginate wore off by bed time, plus I had taken my blood pressure pill, and instead of being digested it just sat at the top of my stomach. By 2 a.m. I was in misery. So, like anything else I think this has a learning curve.
Here is a quote from a similar NIH article:
PPIs reduce the volume of acid reflux, but nonacid reflux may still occur. Orally ingested liquid alginate reacts with the acid in the stomach to produce a “raft” that acts as physical barrier to reflux. This is the only nonsurgical treatment that physically prevents acid and nonacid reflux disease. Alginates act rapidly, are long-lasting and inexpensive, and have no known side effects.
I am not giving up on this. I just wanted to explain that Gaviscon is a completely different product in the US and the UK. The UK version is far superior.
A year since you posted this very interesting piece of info. Just adding that in Australia the main ingredient of Gaviscon Dual Action is Sodium Alginate
a lot has happened in a year. I learned that alginate is acidic, so if a person suffers from chronic dyspepsia on top of reflux, then alginate can make things worse. I was diagnosed last November with MGRS, a form of Multiple Myeloma where the cancer attacks the kidneys. So, no magnesium or no PPIs all of which cause kidney damage. The reflux is now the least of my worries. I just finished four months of chemotherapy, trying to rest up for a stem cell transplant on the 17th. My biggest concern now is neuropathy in hands and feet from the chemo. It's always something.
Hi I can vouch for gaviscon advance for symtom relief along with slippery elm, marshmallow root and DGL licorice however as much as they helped me they don't address the root cause. For me it was diet and lifestyle (under eating eating acidic foods) and having anxiety. I have added in stress reducing activities in such as meditation, acupuncture, breathing exercises and lower intensity exercises such as yoga and pilates as well as eating meals and snacks and eating less acidic foods. Everyone has different triggers and it's difficult not to be stressed when you have horrible symptoms but I found that mine definitely got better when I relaxed more. Hope that helps
Try strength training with a device called Iqora, it worked for me. My symptoms were the same as yours,I'm now almost symptom fee and have been able to slowly add caffeine, alcohol etc back into my diet.Iqora is now available on prescription, but 12 months ago it wasn't and thats when I paid 150 pounds for one, but it has been worth every penny. I still take omeprazole as GP says hiatus hernia causes an excess of acid, but I do know some people using Iqora have come off antacids.
In the meantime you could try gaviscon and antacids, this helped me when I was really suffering. I really hope you find this advice helpful.
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