rednees on left side of my throat

in 2005 I started having sore throat and redness on the left side of my throat. I had my barium swallowing and was told I have GERD. I had my first nissen fundoplication april 2008. I was good for few months after the surgery and then I started having sore throat again until now. I have been taking nexium and also I was given the prescription Prevacid. It did not help me at all , it always occurs in the middle of the night until all day everyday. I was referred to a doctor in USC I undergo 3 procedures, first was the endoscopy, then the barium swallowing (again) with xray . He thought I have a small Hiatal Hernia, which was taken care of I believe by a doctor at a VA hospital and wrapped my sphincter in 2008. The laste procedure at the USC Medical Center is called Bravo in which they inserted a pill to my stomach thru my nose. I have a future appointment in May to find out the re**** of all those procedures. I'm still having my sore throat and redness and I am living like this on a daily basis. By the way that clear acid was burning my throat but no yukee taste in my mouth. Can someone tells me what is this and why I can't get rid of it.

Hi its me Norski again, I never any symptoms before surgery. No nausea, vomitting, cough, need to clear throat, gas bloating, flatulence, constipation etc. I don't feel full after eating a little. The only thing I remember before my first nissen fundoplication in 2005 I was having swallowing problem and after the surgery my sore throat started. I've been taking aloe vera but only once a day, so I will try taking it before every meal. What is a DGL tablet and where can T buy it. also I'm not familiar with manuka honey and slippery elm or marshmallow root. My wife is using olive oil for cooking I just don't know what an EV olive oil is. and where can I get the charcoal tablet. I apologize asking you this things.

Hi Norski,
its interesting that they did a wrap on you for just swallowing problems. I assume you were tested for GERD with an endoscopy, barium swallow, motility test, or PH test. I will assume your doctor ruled out dysphasia. The remedies below will help sooth and or heal your throat if it is caused by acid:
- DGL tablets are deglycyrrhizinated licorice - they help coat your throat and stomach lining. It should help sooth your throat pain and most health food stores sell them.
- Manuka honey is a type of honey (mostly from Australia and New Zealand) that is also used to coat and heal the esophagus. You can google it to see reviews and understand what it does, etc. You need to check the ORAC factor on the label (15-16 is recommended for GERD). Order by internet or buy at health foods store. Make sure it is organic and says "active" Manuka honey. There is company called USA Manuka honey that sells in the US or try amazon.
- Slippery elm or marshmallow root are herbs that can also help sooth the digestive tract.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil is good for soothing the throat and stomach. If you have cholestorol though, be careful with this one. Aloe Vera is a better option but may not coat as well. However, AV will promote healing.
You can order any of these online if you don't have a health foods store near you.

Also, you may want to try L-Glutamine to strengthen your esophageal muscles and digestive tract. I only recommend using one bottle (I have tried Pure Encapsulations brand and liked it).

Try taking a digestion enzyme with each meal (use a high quality, multi-enzyme formula). I use Digest Gold and it is wonderful. This helps your body digest food and prevent gas and bloating after a meal from poor digestion. Eat mostly cooked or steamed vegetables or soups since warm food helps your stomach feel better. Stay away from white foods - white rice, white sugar, pasta, etc. Replace with brown rice, quinoa (boil with water and lemon for 15-20 mins - delicious), etc. Eat small, simple meals. Raw fruits and vegetables are great for your health but they will go down easier if you lightly steam them (even apples and pears). Dairy is also difficult to digest (esp cow products) so replace with goat's milk or kefir (also has probiotics and very easy to digest for most people). It doesn't sound like you have GERD because of a poor diet so perhaps just eating foods that are easy to digest will relieve the pain.

I wonder if perhaps your pylorus isn't closed. This is a small muscle at the bottom of your stomach that opens to let food pass into the intestines. If it closes up (usually from stress) your food can come back up into the esophagus and cause burning. You can read more about this on my threat "A Story of Recovering" if you suspect this is your issue.

I do not have medical training and all the advice I am passing along is from my own experience. Please use your own judgement and that of a professional when making changes.

Feel free to ask about anything I mention here. I wish you the best of luck in your recovery!! Most importantly, relax and believe that you will get through this!