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Thyroid UK
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Post nasal drip is back

Hi all, 4 years hypo. Put on 3 stone. 10 weeks ago was diagnosed with severe erosive oesophagitis. I didn't know I had it but suffered from coughing in night badly from post nasal drip which is apparently reflux. Put on large does of omeprazole 2 x 20 and ranitidine. Followed acid watchers diet, lost 2 stone and had follow up camera on 13th sept. Great result. All healed up. Consultant has discharged me and reduced my dose to only 20mg omeprazole in the morning. Rather than decrease quickly I took 30 mg fir a couple of weeks and for the last 2 days I have dropped the 2nd dose altogether so am on just 20mg. Have been feeling great but the last two nights I have had post nasal drip and choking really badly. Hasn't happened since starting my treatment. I despair. I need to reduce my dose because I'm already feeling a drop in my thyroid meds performance due to poor absorption/no stomach acid. Is this it for life? Has anyone got past this? I'm still doing all the right stuff. Not eating 3 hours before bed. Lots of pillows to prop me up etc. So upset. 😢😢

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I think it's common to get rebound when reducing Omeprazole. That's why its done v slowly. Keep up with the max dose of ranitidine. I find it better than Omeprazole. I also drink v strong mint tea. Teapigs I find is the best even though v expensive. I have some by the bed to swig at night. Mint from the garden might work.

You need to raise the bed head with blocks under the legs. Pillows aren't enough. For sale on Amazon or just use books, wood etc

I've recently been using slippery elm tablets from H & B after eating. V healing and might help.

Check on google, lots of supplements people use to help.

Bananas help me but aren't so good for keeping the weight down. I have a hiatus hernia and get reflux when hungry.

Good luck

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I've just discovered slippery elm tablets, too. You can also get it as powder to make up into a milky drink. Have you tried that?

I find the tablet really reduce my reflux. I take them just before getting into bed.

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sorry to butt in here but you mentioned peppermint. It's actually not good and can affect the sphincter muscle. I was mad on one of the pukka varieties and it caused me a lot of problems. Just google why mint is bad for stomach .

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found one article on.my phone everydayhealth.com/digestiv...

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Yes my consultant told me to keep off mint as it is a carminative. It was a shock fir me as that was the only hot drink I had before my diagnosis. I miss it.

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I don't know if this applies to you, but I read that chronic postnasal drip can be a symptom of candida (yeast infection). As is usually the case, doctors treat symptoms not the cause.

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Hi queridlady, is your Hypo autoimmune? If yes, we tend to suffer from low stomach acid which can cause gerd/acid reflux. One solution might be to take a digestive enzyme like Betaine HCL and Pepsin before your meals. This should also help to kill pathogens and aid with the absorption of vitamins and minerals from our food

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HI welche, i don't really know if I am autoimmune although consultant assumes I am. I had antibodies tested about 3 times in the first year since diagnosis and they were always negative. I have become intolerant to gluten seen going hypo. Haven't eaten gluten for 3 years and hardly eat dairy.

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Suggest you get vitamins checked, vitamin D, ferritin, folate and B12

PPI's strip out vitamins and your ferritin was low in previous post.

Acid reflux is symptom of being under medicated or poor uptake of thyroid hormones due to low vitamins

Post nasal drip can be result of dairy intolerance, which is 2nd most common intolerance with Hashimoto's

thyroidpharmacist.com/artic...

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thanks :) i hardly eat dairy but perhaps should can it altogether. yesterday when the PND was really bad I hadn't eaten any dairy at all. I use almond milk

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Hi, I have had similar problems myself. When you try to come off omoprazol you stomach acid increases above what is normal for you, acid rebound they call it. Perhaps slower withdrawal may help. I think you know that omoprazol lowers B12 and so has an effect on thyroid med absorption . I had a night time cough that was both acid reflux and a cronic low level sinus infection, mine was resolved after a course of antibiotics and then using a nasal decongestant at bedtime for a couple of months and continued use of ranitadine. As to hypo and low stomach acid, in my case I tried taking apple cider and it made matters worse so perhaps not all of us have low acid. Hope you find something that works for you.

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I don't believe in taking a drug that actually STOPS stomach acid but there again the medics of today are still in the dark ages. I would say NO to any digestive enzymes at the moment because you have erosion and this could cause further issues for you in the healing process. Vitamin C is a stomach acid producer and a healer - it is this (in my opinion) you are low on) particularly as the adrenal glands capture all the C it can to keep them going.

Keep away from taking anything with zinc in it too - as this will cause a burn in the stomach if you are prone to this - when you are better you can perhaps take zinc for healing - I am posting this link - but having had what you have - please be very careful in what you take and approach any treatment slowly - if you do take Vitamin C then you must start off with a very low dose to see if it makes your issue worse - you just never know everyone is so different. Cider Vinegar that SM recommends is not for you with erosion - it burned me.

prohealth.com/library/showa...

I use these BUT these are tablets (same bottle though) - Holland Barrett used to do a 250mg of Vitamin C - chewable - that way they are not going into your stomach in a large lump but gradually - I got through my GERD by doing this but everyone is different so please be careful..................ask them if they still do 250mg Vit C chewable BUT NO ZINC - not at the moment anyway.

hollandandbarrett.com/shop/...

Good luck with what is a horrible horrible condition...............I know.........

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Huge thanks fir your advice. After 10 weeks on omeprazole the Ulcers and erosion are all gone. No sign at all so consultant has discharged me and reduced omeprazole to one per day fir the rest of my life. It's during the reducing if the dose process that my throat symptoms seem to have come back I have tried acv in the past but it hurt. And thank goodness I didn't take it before I knew about the erosive oesophagitis. Now that's gone I just don't know what to do. I take spray b12 and Vit D3 and good probiotics. Just so fed up with it all. Xxx

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Hi there - this is ia good read

prohealth.com/library/showa...

I agree with slowdragon that PPI's do deplete vitamins and minerals and thyroid hormone - so perhaps you need to find out what you are missing - if you can that is............would have to be private I daresay as NHS wont do it.

Magnesium citrate should help but dont take at night ........

take during the day to see if it helps - taking at night might relax your respiratory system too much ............

this is from the internet

Magnesium deficiency is another cause of reflux because magnesium helps the sphincter at the bottom of the stomach relax, allowing the food to go down. While controversial, I believe that a common infection can cause not just ulcers but reflux as well. Are you on thyroid meds as low thyroid function is causing this I would say.

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Hi again - forgot to add I use a natural ginger biscuit - I discovered on a ferry when I was feeling sea sick - they are called Queezibics and help me when I have pain after eating.

also this is a good article -

healthline.com/health/diges...

biscuits contain 1,000 mg of ginger and I would recommend - here is link to company - queezibics.com/

I used to nibble half of one after eating..........or when I had pain.

BW's

A

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Thank you fir all your help. Are you on ppi's at all now? Xx

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I only went on them once and never again - I am a firm believer that low stomach acid is a NO NO - as it opens up avenues for other things much worse - I did find that my thyroid was involved heavily in how my stomach was behaving and often if I was on too much thyroid hormone it made it worse (and too little the same)..........probably because it pulls out further vits and minerals as the metabolism speeds up even more. I am back to taking Vitamin C again and it is helping ..............but it is an awful awful syndrome to have .........I also believe it is a gall bladder thing too.........which can be low progesterone ..........apparently low progesterone can thicken up bile ...........suggest you go back to your normal thyroid level if everything has come back by reducing it.............have you tried taking Vitamin D - see link

sepalika.com/gerd/vitamin-d...

also Vitamin B complex rather than B12 alone - does help - I found B12 didnt agree with me and made it worse taking it on its own. I think if you can wean yourself off the PPI's eventually - there is a lot you could do alternatively rather than resort to PPI's for the rest of your life.

Hope this helps.............

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Sorry forgot to add - PPI's strip out B12 as someone has previously stated.

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I was reading this today, may not help specifically but I'm always ready to try something natural over something made by the drug barons! healthy-holistic-living.com...

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I have a similar problem with rhinitis. I find this is made worse with too much milk and dairy but as I find dairy especially a bedtime drink with cocoa and sweetener, I have some milk but have cut down on cheddar cheese, soft cheese, but have low fat cottage cheese and low fat greek yoghurt

with stewed apple or blueberries black berries, which helps the metabolism and gives iodine.

I have been prescribed loretadine which is an antihistamine which keeps the mucous problem at bay but know if I have something too citric, or too much dairy it can increase the mucous.

Glad you are so much better hope watching your dairy and citric fruits and drinks, will help and may be the antihistamine which I have found helpful on a daily basis.

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Soya and nut milks make for very nice cocoa with honey, I prefer the taste - it's more chocolatey!

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Soya is not recommended for anyone on thyroid replacement

Nut milks are good though

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I have issues with some but not all forms of soya - I can't have soy sauce (even gluten free soy sauce) due to msg allergy. I'm ok with soya lecithin and I'll take soya milk from coffee outlets as it's preferable to regular milk if don't do nut milk. I try to avoid soya protein though.

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Why low fat? That doesn’t alter the dairy content it just deprives you of some quality saturated fat but you’re likely to be getting sugar and or thickeners in its place?

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No the brand I get is low fat and has no added sugar or thickeners. It has lactase in it which has natural milk sugar. As I am diabetic, I have to watch any fat as it raises cholesterol. If you are weight conscious then low fat does not exclude all fat in the diet but helps to keep weight under control. I get mine from Asda Tescos or Lidl. Think many people might use other foods such as coconut oil as recommended by some naturopaths but I don't like them much.

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Fat doesn’t make you fat, that has been discredited. Saturated fat is essential for good health as long as it’s from a good source such as grass fed animals, whole dairy such as double cream, whole milk etc. It’s more likely to assist weight loss than to add to it. Cholesterol isn’t bad for you either, it’s made in the liver and used by the brain. It is also no longer considered to be implicated in heart disease.

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The research you refer to is new. My reply was in response to Querilady who agreed that too much dairy encourages mucous.

I think she said in her post she found when she stopped the dairy the mucous symptoms re occurred. Dairy is wonderful but it does not suit everybody and can be an allergan. I agree with you about whole cream milk and dairy but for people with endocrine conditions such as diabetes high fat dairy is not recommended. As dairy has a lot of calcium it may not be recommended in certain conditions such as coeliac disease.

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I believe NHS UK guidelines for high fats and cholesterol show that arterial blockage of major arteries can be caused by a too high fat diet and does pose a health risk. Embolisms from arteries can lead to them being lodged in the lung with potentially fatal consequences.

A friend died of complications following a car accident on her hip

and pelvis. An embolism blocked her artery and she died as a consequence. Some hospitals use clot busters along with surgery but others don't. There are two types of cholesterol in the body but

one is more dangerous than the other. Dr Gundry a former heart surgeon and now a leading professional in advice on metabolism and diet pre and post heart disease gives interesting advice which explains how organs get blocked not only by fats but by carbs in wheat. He claims that certain foods aggravate metabolism such as

soya products. It's well worth a look at his site, though his ideas may not be in tune with UK advice and research. His video and blog

is interesting. Interested in where you gained your research and whether it is Uk in origin.

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I don’t want to get in to an argument with you lol, but NHS advice on many areas of health is just plain out of date, especially with regard to diabetes, statins, the importance of fat and more. The committee set up to dispense guidelines to the government contains 8 out of twelve members who have links to the sugar industry! There is a lot of peer reviewed research that points to the opposite of what the NHS recommends yet they are still ignoring it, you only have to read post after post by people on this forum who have thyroid issues who can’t get the right treatment because the NHS says no, despite a lot of evidence to the contrary. I have read many books now, articles and research papers so I’ve tipped in favour of fat and very against carbs and sugar. Dairy I appreciate is perhaps more difficult because the evidence isn’t so clear cut.

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I don't mind an argument as I agree the NHS is out of tune with international research. There are so many bio drugs and treatments which could be used to engulf cancer cells without the dangerous side effects of chemotherapy using old drugs which only have a 40 percent success rate. The Daily news reports new advances in treatments but the public cannot access the treatment. The Novalis cancer machine, which was developed over ten years ago to destroy tumours of a certain size, was hailed as the new method of helping

cancer victims. Alas the private patient from abroad who is willing to pay thousands of pounds for the treatment to help the NHS pay back debt is the benefactor of public money. The housing units which hold the machines are

usually in an area of a quarter of a mile, where the local population can access the treatment. People two miles out of town won't qualify for the treatment.

We still have not got the new cancer machine which most other European Countries have. People travel to India or Czeckoslavakia for treatment. Sometimes the staff make mistakes, leading to worsening of a cancerous or non cancerous growth treatment, so the level of dosage and the exactness of the beam have disastrous results. I understand your scepticism of the NHS but as far as high cholesterol there is masses of evidence that some people are affected by arterial plaques.

Dr Gundry has found there are certain substances which increase the fatty deposits which might be rogue proteins

or enzymes. which are higher in some people than others. This might be genetic in origin. he also recommends foods with substances which help clear the arteries and inflammation in foods such as berries.-polyphenols?

We may never agree with each person's point of view based on our own personal experiences, but it would be a terrible world if no one had the gumph- to challenge the norm.

Suppose this might seem a rant.

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The NHS recommends low fat high carb diet for diabetes but some Israeli research in the last few years has recommended the opposite. In 3 months after diagnosis I went from type 2 diabetic to not diabetic by cutting the carb and increasing the fat .Especially good to get rid of marg for butter.

As to cholesterol read Dr.Kendrick's "the great cholesterol con" I think it is called.

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In our area slow release carbs are recommended such as pasta but

a low carb diet is recommended with low fat. Only half a banana is allowed per day in carbs but green veggies and salads are recommended. Baked beans were recommended but they have sugary starch sauce and are starchy carbs. I have found that for me an increase in fats leads to irritable bowel trouble, especially cream cakes - after I have a binge I pay for it!

Other carbs such as rice potatoes potato crisps are like dripping sugar into the system. Even tomato and fruit juice is strictly limited to a very small glass as it has fructose. Dairy again has lactase and the diabetic clinic were annoyed I was eating ordinary natural yoghurt instead of low fat. In England the recommendations might be different to the rest of the UK. I'm not surprised that your low carb diet has improved your condition but not sure about your cholesterol levels with high fats cream and cheese. Well done any way.

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Professor Taylor at Newcastle University conducted trials which conclusively proved that reducing carbs and calories intake for 8 weeks could effectively get rid of Type ll diabetes and reduce or remove the need for any medication. That’s not been taken up by the NHS either!

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I can relate - although I weaned off PPIs prior to thyroid even getting looked at! Giving up milk really helped during this period. I restarted on dairy later, but I'm now back off it again.

howtotreatheartburn.com/how...

The above link may help. I took a teaspoon of glutamine powder dissolved in water (in the mornings only - you will not sleep if you take it later) as it really helps line the oesophagus. It coats the lining of your throat and tastes a bit 'sweaty' but it does the trick.

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Thank you! Do you not have reflux now?

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No, I don't get reflux unless I'm a bit run-down. I got it the last time I had a cold.. and took some Gaviscon type medicine for a couple of nights (which obviously isn't ideal). Stomach acid is still not optimal, so I take Betaine HCl. I've also noticed fewer issues with my sinuses since addressing hypochlorhydia. Another thing to consider (Heloise is spot on) is fermenting gut. Doing a poo sample for analysis may be your best chance of getting some answers. My symptoms are not really that bad, but if they'd persisted that's what I'd be going for.

Probiotics - Coconut water kefir sounds interesting, but I've only bought it ready made and not made it myself.

Prebiotic Inulin Fibre helps feed the good bacteria and is nice to take at bedtime. No side effects for me.

N.B. Avoid sleeping on your right hand side early in the night (your stomach is more likely to leak out acid this way).

drmyhill.co.uk/wiki/Hypochl...

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Hi lady, you know mucous is your body's way of protecting the membrane. I know a hiatal hernia is a problem of a lose sphincter and not necessarily too much acid and you need acid. Have you tried using Deglycyrrhizinated Licorice or DGL. Having too little acid opens up the possibilities of all sorts of bacterial infections like H-Pylori.

Slippery Elm is soothing in the meantime.

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Thank you. I don't have h-pylori but I have always taken good probiotics. Such a mine field. Consultant doesn't think low acid. Internet often suggests low acid. The only way to know I guess is having one of those tubes in your stomach but I'm not going fir that! Xx

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Well, look at reviews for DGL at any vitamin site and see if it may relate. I don't really have that problem myself but others who do feel it is helpful without disturbing the mechanics.

(As Posthinking mentions in the link she posted.) Sometimes you DO have other infections without symptoms and if you ever wanted to pursue that without using the tube, you could have SIBO breath tests done which are simple.

I guess there are methods for pushing the stomach down below the diaphragm.

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