Wellness

[granddi]

I have become educated as to a condition called LPR. It is often referred to as throatburn reflux and thus the clinical name of laryngopharyngeal reflux. 

I never thought I had GERD because I do not have heartburn! But the reflux of stomach acids can reach the mouth,sinuses, middle ear and lungs (via the trachea). When this happens, the pepsin/reflux damages the passages that are exposed. The longer the exposure the higher our risks of developing throat cancer.

Throatburn Reflux Symptoms

* Hoarseness

* Frequent throat clearing

* Acidic taste in mouth

* Feeling of lump in throat

* Trouble swallowing

* Chronic cough

* Aspiration: food or saliva material going into lungs

* Waking up at night due to burning in throat

* Waking up at night with choing sensation

* Excessive mucus in the throat

I've tried to educate myself and the treatment and food considerations are like GERD. I've just read The Acid Watcher Diet by Jonathan Aviv, MD. It's not a weight loss book but an eating plan for all forms of Reflux (GERD and LPR)

He describes 12 foods that are the most commonly associated with Reflux. My elimination of these foods has improved my symptoms.

* Carbinated sodas

* Coffee and tea

* Citrus fruits

* Tomato

* Vinegar

* Wine

* Caffeine

* Chocolate

* Alcohol

* Mint

* Raw Onion

* Raw Garlic

The book discusses lifestyle changes, describes special testing that you might be offered, as well as how to reintroduce foods to find your trigger food. He does discuss PPI and H2 inhibitors.

I had occassional indigestion with heavy meals but I thought my throat drainage was just allergy. 

[chrystaltree]

I don't know what you mean by "educated" but if you had gone to GI specialists, you would have been diagnosed earlier.  All of the information you provided is true and accurate but it's also common knowledge.  I think people sometimes self diagnose based on what they think they know.  In this case "heartburn" which is only one of many symptoms that present with gi reflux.  I think most patients with severe reflux do not experience classic "hearburn".  Rather they have one or several of the symptoms that you listed.  Babies and children also suffer from GERD.    In sister's case, it was just the cough which she attributed to smoking.  So did her doctor but after wide range of scans, her lungs were fine.  That's when they referred her to a gi specialist who diagnosed her esophageal disease that was causing the GERD.    Foods can cause or worsen reflux but sometimes there's a physical component that isn't related to food.  She needed a surgical procedure.  

[Harvard99]

I was diagnosed with LPR about three years ago.  Never had heartburn but had difficulty swallowing.

[cherry]

A hiatal hernia can also cause this. I know ,because my husband has one. It can also be caused by medication

[jubilant]

I have a printed out sheet from my Gastro doctor that measures the acids in all foods and gives them a number as to where they rate on an acid chart.  That way you can choose the least acid food. For instance....blueberries are higher in acid than raspberries.  Red Delicious apples have less acid than other kinds of apples.  Pears and banana's have less acid.  Melon is good.  It's not just fruits....these lists go through almost all foods and rate them by numbers according to how much acid they contain.  I pretty much follow this list.  My worst food product is tomatoes.  I love them but I don't eat them.  They eat me alive!

[wagirl]

It NEVER hurts to become educated in anything---what you do with this info is the key. The symptoms sound like what my DD has and is going thru and I believe she was dx with this condition or at least suspected it was the cause. She is going to a gastro dr for an endoscopy soon.

[PilatesLover]

I got the LPR diagnosis last year from an ENT. I went to him because of a chronic, unexplained dry cough. The diagnosis was a surprise. He said it's also called "silent reflux." I rarely got heartburn and didn't even know I had it.

I gave up wine and coffee right off the bat. I cheated and had a cup of coffee once after that and it flared badly.

Other things I've learned not to consume are orange juice (pretty much any juice), tomatoes and especially tomato sauce, citrus fruits. For some reason potato chips and canned tuna aggravate it. ???

I read that alkaline water helps so I've been having a glass of Icelandic water before bed, then following with a rhinzinate tablet prescribed by my NP.

Good luck.

[PilatesLover]

PS - intermittent fasting is said to help. I've started trying it on alternate days, and while I don't like being hungry for a few extra hours in the morning, IF has definitely helped.

[depglass]

This sure isn't common knowledge around here.  DH had all kinds of tests, two doctors,  with zero diagnosis, yet continuation of symptoms.  My dentist said my teeth are etching,  I'm a GERD sufferer (traditional heartburn) and I'm going to ask him next time if stomach acid might be the culprit.

[granddi]

The literature suggests that processed foods are a trigger for some of us because the preservatives are acidic. I guess this makes sense.

I'm having problems managing the low acid drinks. I've been an hard core Diet Coke and Tea drinker so thats my biggest challenge.

Eliminating tomatoes has been hard. 

My LPR was diagnosed by ENT also.