I've been sucking on pure manuka honey drops the past couple of weeks for my throat irritation and putting honey in my tea every day. I just looked up the pH of honey and it ranges, but the average is 3.9. I had no idea it was that acidic.
Wondering if I've been making my throat worse with the honey!!! It feels soothing while I am using the lozenges, but maybe it's also activating the pepsin in my throat?
I've been on Pepcid for about a month now. Doctor had prescribed 40 mg to be taken once at bedtime. It wasn't managing my daytime symptoms very well, so I started splitting the dose. I've been playing around with the timing and dosage, and have been taking about 30 mg day. I've had improvement in the globus sensation after eating and I managed to stop throat clearing and coughing all the time. I decided to come off the Pepcid because of side effects. It gives me a very bad headache and causes fatigue. And my sore throat got worse while I was on it, not better. The back of my mouth and tongue were slightly swollen and they hadn't been like that before I went on the med.
I haven't had a dose since yesterday late afternoon, so about 24 hrs. My headache is gone and my throat feels less sore today, and the fatigue has improved. I'm feeling a little burning in my stomach now. Wondering if I should taper rather than go cold turkey? Maybe take 20 mg at bedtime for a couple nights, then 10. I've read mixed things about needing to taper or not. My doctor's instructions had been to use it for 2-4 weeks and stop if my symptoms improved. He didn't mention needing to taper.
This part in particular was interesting!
“My belief is that dietary/lifestyle elements are critical—appropriate lifestyle counseling is first and foremost,” he said. “But if there’s an absence of GERD symptoms like heartburn or substernal symptoms that are more classically associated with GERD, then I don’t recommend any type of acid suppression as first-line treatment. We’ll add a PPI typically if there are only partial responses, but the majority of LPR tends to be either nonacidic or weakly acidic.”
As for patients that he considers for alginate therapy, Dr. Gao said, “Any patient who primarily presents with more LPR specific symptoms—throat clearing, mucus in the throat, globus sensation, reflux leading to mild dysphonia, chronic cough. And we would recommend that either alone or in combination with PPI. I recommend using it initially as much as possible—after meals and before bed with a wedge pillow, which later can be tapered after symptom improvement.”
I'm really struggling with trying to consume enough calories without worsening my LPR symptoms - trying to stick to a low acid diet, small meals. I'm already slender and slightly underweight, and I know I've lost a bit more weight since my LPR symptoms started.
Any ideas on how to increase my calorie intake would be much appreciated! I'll add that the only meat I eat is fish. I can also do eggs and dairy.
Thanks!!
My main LPR symptom is throat pain and hoarseness, and voice weakness. It is typically better first thing in the morning and gets worse throughout the day as I eat meals. I take 30-40 mg of Pepcid a day, split dose. I just started using Reflux Gourmet after my meals, and I think that is helping a lot. I'm eating a low acid diet, small meals, sleeping elevated. I've managed to reduce the lump in the throat and throat clearing by quite a lot. But I still have daily throat pain.
Yesterday, things were much better until after my evening dance class when I exerted myself a bit. My throat got irritated and my voice was shot for the rest of the evening.
I don't think I've been completely pain free in my throat for at least the past month. Medicated lozenges make it worse. Honey throat drops and tea helps a bit, as does ibuprofin.
Isn't there anything on the market - Rx or OTC that helps to protect the delicate tissue of the throat from the stomach acid? Someone here recommended chondroitin/HA, which does seem to have research supporting it. But that is a specially formulated topical form of chondroitin, which coats the throat. And it's not available in the U.S. All I can find here in the US are tablet forms. My understanding is that it doesn't have the same effects when metabolized by the digestive system.
Thanks for any ideas!
I developed symptoms consistent with LPR a little over a month ago after a bout of badly clogged ears (I have ETD). I was using decongestants and Flonase to clear my ears when I developed sore throat, hoarse voice, and a lump in the back of my throat. I've been throat clearing like crazy, which just made things worse. Trying to stop that now. I stopped the nasal spray because it seemed to make my throat more irritated.
I only get the throat symptoms after I eat, which gradually worsen throughout the day. My throat is almost always sore by lunchtime through the evening. I'm usually symptom free in the morning. No past history of GERD. No heartburn.
My GP has me on Pepcid, which I think is helping somewhat. I've reduced the acid in my diet as well.
The only thing I can think of that might be causing this is the HRT I started 6 months ago - estrogen patch and oral micronized progesterone. Not sure if it can take that long to start causing problems?
Thanks for any thoughts!
Very excited about this trip. I was initially planning to ride in coach from NYC to Chicago and then a roomette on the Zephyr, because the roomettes on the LSL were just too pricey for one night. But, my family gifted me an upgrade to a sleeper car on the LSL for my birthday, so I'm very happy! 😄
This will be my first multi-day trip on Amtrak. I've ridden local lines from San Francisco to Sacramento and did the Coast Starlight down to LA and back - tried out a roomette on the return trip, so I know what to expect now.
I've wanted to do this for ages, so I'm really looking forward to it. I've been watching all the traveler Youtube videos and reading all the helpful posts in this group, so I'm feeling pretty prepared!!
I'm taking an Amtrak trip in June from NYC to Emeryville. From Chicago to CA, I'll be in a roomette. For the portion of the trip from NYC to Chicago, I'll be riding in coach. The longest I've ridden in coach was 12 hrs from Oakland to LA during the day.
Would love tips for the overnight from NY to Chicago. I'm hoping I can at least get a window seat, but I have no idea how crowded the LSL line gets? I've read it gets cold, so I plan to bring a blanket.
This will also be my first time on the CA Zephyr and I'm really looking forward to it. I tried out a roomette on my return trip from LA, just to see what it was like and I really enjoyed it.
Thanks for any thoughts!