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Almost better after acid damaged sore throat!!

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Posted 10/19/2011 4:06 PM (GMT 0)
Hi all

This is for those of you who have long-term problems with sore throats due to acid reflux damage.

I burned my throat just over three months ago by not treating acid indigestion. When I woke up one morning I had a very strong globus sensation and unusual sensations heading up to my ears.

Over the following weeks I had pains in my neck radiating from my throat. After 3 weeks they were starting to get better when I had reflux from a large meal which did more damage. I have a job where I need to talk a lot and this was difficult with lots of throat clearing and hoarseness. I also had unpleasant aches and pains underneath my jaw line.

Throughout this time I have been taking omeprazole - first 20mg, then 40mg then 20mg twice a day. For the last week I've also been taking a motility pill to help my stomach empty quicker as I tend to feel full for hours after large meal. I avoided caffeine, fizzy drinks and also drank lots of water (2 litres a day). I constantly sucked Ricola sweets or chewed fruit-flavoured gum throughout.

This morning I did a 1 and 3/4 hour presentation to a room full of people and was absolutely fine. I bet my throat isn't fully healed, and I still have a feint globus sensation going on, but hopefully with another month on omeprazole I'll be back to normal.

It may take a while on the right meds, but there is definitely hope!

Please ask if you have any questions!

Phil

Posted 10/19/2011 11:34 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks for your post, Phil. I would be so much happier if I could sing again. No solos, just with my church choir and a large choral group at a college. I am seeing an ENT in a couple of weeks. I don't feel terribly hopeful because I'm not willing to take a PPI twice daily, and am uncomfortable with my daily Nexium, because I have thin bones (osteopenia). I eat very carefully following the Koufman Low Acid Diet, sleep pretty upright in an adjustable bed I purchased. I'm not overweight. We will see, I guess.

Good luck to you. Do you plan to taper down the meds, or just stay on your current dose?
Posted 10/21/2011 2:58 AM (GMT 0)
Hi there - Have you tried slippery elm combined with marshmallow root in a tea? This is very soothing and healing to the tissues. Also try DGL tablets, which helps coat the lining and aid the healing. I've been through a lot and now totally recovered. Check out my most current thread, a few pages back, you might find some good advice. "Injury to lining of Esophagus" Everybody's condition is different but maybe you can benefit from some of foods and supplements I used to recover. Believe me, I know all too well what you're going through. I wish you much healing.

Kind Heart (Debra)
Posted 10/21/2011 11:41 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks, Debra. I should ask this on a spearate thread, but has anyone actually healed Barrett's? Regardless, I will go to the health food store today and try your suggestion here. And I will check out your thread.
Posted 10/21/2011 1:04 PM (GMT 0)
sunbeam-
As for healing Barretts....The only way I have heard of to actually heal Barretts is to have it ablated. I have had it for about 2.5 or 3 years and at times they have a hard time finding it with biopsies. This is usually because the esophagus can heal over it and they may not go deep enough to grab it. Unforyunately it is stil there, but healed over. This should keep it from advancing though I believe since it no longer is being irritated from reflux.

Take care,
Bill
Posted 10/21/2011 5:01 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Sunbeam - I've noticed that health food stores don't carry dried marshmallow root or slippery elm. They sometimes carry it in the form of tea bags. Tea bags are not effective. You'll need to go to a place that carries dried herbs. Use 1 Tablespoon of slippery elm and 1 tablespoon of Marshmallow Root tea and cook over low heat in 12 ounces of water for about 20 minutes, then let cool for about an hour. Then lay out some cheese cloth over your cup, then pour the mixture through the cheese cloth. Squeeze the cloth to let the gelatinous liquid seep through the cloth into your cup. Drink the gelatinous liquid at least 3 times a day. Very important! Don't drink this right before or after you take medicine. It will interfere with the absorption of medicine. Be sure to not take medicine within 2 hours of using this tea. Look up these two teas, you'll learn about the amazing benefits of these herbs. Drink lots of carrot juice. Get a juicer or borrow a juicer and make your carrot juice with a little celery. Vitamin A helps heal the tissues. Take at least 2 tablespoons a day of UDO's Omega 3 oil. With sincere effort, you will heal.

Debra
Posted 10/22/2011 12:55 PM (GMT 0)
Bill, Thanks for that info.
Debra, you have healed because the source of the damage is gone. That's not true in my case. I have had silent heartburn, maybe I still do. I do take Nexium, but still have the throat-clearing symptoms which suggest irritation.
Posted 10/22/2011 2:37 PM (GMT 0)
Good morning Sunbeam ~ During my course for healing, I did everything to tighten the LES valve because my GI Doctor was concerned that gastric juices was leaking and causing re-injury to my lining which is why he referred me to a Surgeon. So, I read and read on how to tighten the LES valve. Here's one great book: GUT SOLUTIONS by Brenda Watson, N.D. and Leonard Smith, M.D. - you'll see their RENEW products at health food stores. Now my diet and lifestyle is geared to continue treating, caring and tightening my LES valve. I learned it can weaken with age and lifestyle. I learned I have a small hernia which can weaken the LES valve. I had an Esophagram done where they saw the small hernia. If it is leaking, it is not enough to detect but now that I know I have a potential for leaking, I will continue my campaign to tighten my LES. So in light of this knowledge and my whole experience, I will continue juicing, eating lots of orange fruits and vegetables, like papayas and carrots to maintain good LES health. I will continue with my slippery elm and marshmallow root teas. These products will continue to be a part of my health regimen.

I'm sure that silent heartburn is caused by a leak in your LES valve - I'm sure you agree. I recommend you try Gaviscon foam tablets. It is the Alginic Acid made from seaweed that creates the protective barrier. I used the Canada version which does not contain Aluminum or Aspartame. I do believe these Gaviscon tablets helped me heal my lining and protected my lining from normal gastric juices. During my healing, even normal amounts of Gastric juice irritated my lining so I had to use the Gaviscon. I found that most everything I was doing was right in the Gut Solutions book.

So, try to solve the source through diet, lifestyle and stress reduction like music and meditation and time for yourself.

I hope I have helped you.

Debra
Posted 10/22/2011 2:58 PM (GMT 0)
Another thing Sunbeam ~ How do you know you have Barrett's ?? Do you think you have it? I ask because that is a more serious issue.

Debra
Posted 10/22/2011 3:21 PM (GMT 0)
My Barrett's was identified during an upper endoscopy. Yes, it is a more serious issue. But it often does not progress, I am hopeful about that. The Nexium I take has helped more than the preceeding Prilosec, but I still have to be very careful about what I eat or I feel yucky. My cough has been rare since I started the Koufman diet, so that helped.
Posted 10/22/2011 4:06 PM (GMT 0)
I just read the chapter on Barrett's Esophagus in my Gut Solutions book. It says there is no actual cure short of surgical intervention. Treatment is generally aimed at controlling the underlying GERD symptomes to slow or control the disease and prevent complications. They suggest 1. Use of acid supressing medications 2. Surgery to strenthen the LES 3. Lifestyle and dietary changes. I suggest you go to a bookstore and read Chapter 2 of this book and try the optional nutritional approaches with diet, supplements and lifestyle. Don't forget Mind/Body therapy like Yoga, Massage, Music, Meditation/Prayer..... I'm glad the Koufman diet is helping you.

I hope this helps you.

Debra
Posted 11/4/2011 11:26 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks for the replies.

I will eventually go to taking PPI's once ever 2-3 days which is normally enough to keep my indigestion at bay.

Thanks for the suggestion about Slippery Elm and Marshmallow root - I'm drinking some as we speak!

I'm a bit fed up though as the improvement seems to have flat-lined. I regularly present to audiences in my job, and after a presentation my throat hurts for several days. Last Sunday my voice was feeling fine, but I had to do a lot of presenting on the Monday. All week I've had a mild-globus sensation and the feeling my voice might go hoarse, although it never quite does.

Any other suggestions on healing the voice? Has anyone had a similar problem that eventually cleared up? I'm interested to know the timescales involved.

Thanks

Phil

Posted 11/5/2011 12:48 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Phil - I am glad to hear that you are drinking the slippery elm/marshmallow root tea which I suggested. I hope you let it cool for a bit so that it got thick and jelly like. Like you, my profession requires public speaking. I'm a traffic school instructor. I'm just about ready. The final stage of my recovery is to raise my serotonin levels to pre-injury levels so that all throat tightness is gone. During low levels of serotonin caused by the trauma, I had tightness, spasms and hoarseness. Have you considered whether your ordeal has dropped your levels of serotonin resulting in throat tightness and hoarseness? Just 10mg of Lexapro every day since first week of August together with a low dosage of Xanax a couple times a day brought me completely out of this. I still have just a little tightness left which I can tell is lifting with each day.

Keep in mind, we are puppets of our brain chemicals and injuries or misery caused by pain to our esophagus and throat can cause reduction in serotonin levels which will can cause tightness in the larynx area of your throat. Also, meditation tapes, music and massages will help.

Good luck!

Debra
Posted 11/5/2011 10:15 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Debra

Thanks for your reply. I've actually been taking the slippery elm stuff in a milkshake using a blender to mix it in - not sure how to get it properly mixed in to a tea - any tips?

Not thought about serotonin levels, but I certainly notice issues with my voice less when I'm absorbed in something interesting, so I'm sure there is a psychological dimension. I'll give that one some thought!

Phil
Posted 11/5/2011 2:03 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Phil - Here's what you need to do to prepare and use the slippery elm and marshmallow tea combination. Use 1 Tablespoon of dried herb from each slippery elm and marshmallow root (not from a box). Cook in small pot with 12 ounces of water over low heat for about 15 minutes, then turn off the heat and let cool for about an hour. Have a cheese cloth ready (buy at any grocery store for about $3). Lay the cheese cloth on top of a cup and pour the tea through the cloth. The cloth will capture the leaves and stems. Then, with clean hands, squeeze tightly the cloth with the liquid in it and squeeze out the gelatinous liquid into your cup. Squeeze it tightly to get all the jelly like liquid into your cup. Then clean your cloth and throw away the wet stems and herb. Lay your cloth out to dry in a clean place - I hang mine over the knives. The gelatinous liquid will coat the lining of your esophagus and larynx. Make sure you don't take medicine or vitamins within 2 hours of using this tea or it will interfere with absorption of your medicine. This way to prepare allows you to benefit from the jelly like liquid which will sooth and heal your lining. Use this 2 to 3 times a day and give your body a complete break every 3 or 4 days.

Now, the lump in your throat feeling, tightness and hoarseness could be caused by low serotonin. The anxiety over your condition could reduce your serotonin and cause these symptoms. Ask your Dr for a mild Xanax to experiment with. The Xanax is also antispasmodic. If the Xanax starts to help, then it suggests you are likely low in serotonin and could benefit from a drug called Lexapro. That is what I take with no side affects. My lump in throat is gone, tightness is becoming less each day and I'm speaking and laughing normally.

Keep in mind, my injury was a mechanical injury caused by vomiting all that lemon juice. I do not have heartburn and I'm now completely off all PPI's and don't need it.

If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask. I'll get back to you promptly. I hope you will get better and regain the ability to speak again without hoarseness and that horrible lump like feeling in your throat.

Debra
Posted 11/5/2011 3:04 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Phil,
I am planning to take some voice lessons, since I am a singer. I'm told there are ways to protect your voice when singing. I don't know if that is also true for speakers (not the electronic kind!). It is an avenue you could explore.

The lump in your throat can be a sign of acid reflux. Your PPI only every third day may not be enough. Acid reflux does not always produce heartburn.

You might want to consider the Kouffman Low Acid diet. I have a thread with the details not too far back here. I will bump it up if you can't find it. This diet has definitely helped me heal. I saw the ENT yesterday, and my vocal cords looked nice and pink, not red. YAY!
Posted 11/8/2011 9:22 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks for the responeses guys!

I'm taking PPI's twice a day and I'm confident there's no reflux about now. I also taking a motility agent to empty the stomach quickly as I kept feeling full long after a large meal.

I went to the doctor today as I last did a presentation over a week ago and my voice is still intermittently hoarse. The day before the presenation it was (at last) feeling fine. He suggested some steroids to help control any inflammation while the voice heals, but I seriously wonder wether there is a psychological component to all this - something I think you hint at Debra with the serotonin.

I'll look into the Slippery Elm but it sounds like a bit of a mission creating all that 3 times a day!

Can I ask, Debra - did you feel your voice hoarseness coming and going? I feel like I'm taking 5 steps forward and 4 back most of the time!

I also wonder if I should actually go and get my throat looked at. The doctor said he'd refer me if I wanted, but said they'd almost certainly see acid damage and we'd be non the wiser. He recommended a couple of months on the steroids / PPI's and see - do you think I should go for an earlier referral? The doctor said that as far as he was concerned there were no 'red flag' symptoms that would suggest I had anything sinister and given the whole episode started with a bout of indigestion I'm inclined to think it is reflux-related.

Thanks in advance

Phil
Posted 11/8/2011 10:54 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Phil - Try making the tea only once and drink from the same prepared tea twice a day or once if you can. Even once a day will help heal the lining.

Yes, after I was essentially healed, as evidenced by negative barium swallow test and Endoscopy of my throat, I still had the hoarseness and uncomfortable tight feeling in my throat. I wasn't able to speak normally because of the discomfort and speaking made me more hoarse. I was also on heavy PPI's, 20mg of Aciphex in the AM, 40mg of Famotidine at Noon and 20mg of Aciphex in the PM - that's a lot in my opinion and I was still hoarse. So, my Primary Doctor had a hunch she wanted to explore and suspected the final phase of my case involved low serotonin. She had me try Xanax and Lexapro and within a few days I was feeling better and speaking better. I began speaking better each day. After I showed results within a few days, she had me stop the Famotidine immediately and quickly taper off the Aciphex. She told me the believed my mechanical injury to my lining was healed and now she had to balance my serotonin to finish my recovery. If it weren't for my Primary Doctor, the GI would have continued maintaining me on heavy PPI's and the Surgeon would have continued pursuing additional invasive and expensive tests. I am now better. I no longer take any heartburn medication. I only take Lexapro every day and a Xanax every now and then. I hope this helps you or at least gives you something to think about.

I am on the phones heavily each day and will soon be returning to teaching traffic school - hurray!

I am curious to see how you progress - stay in touch,

Debra
Posted 11/8/2011 10:57 PM (GMT 0)
By the way, to answer your question - I was up and down hoarse. Sometimes able to speak better and then I'd take two steps backward. It was forward then backwards, up and down. My Doctor said this was also a clue.

Thanks,

Debra
Posted 11/9/2011 8:32 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks again Debra

Had a very interesting day today - I mentioned to my doctor I might like a referral and 3 hours later I was in an ENT consultant appointment.

He looked at my vocal cords, but before even getting near them he told me I had rhinitis with constricted nasal openings and inflamed nostrils.

When he examined my cords he said there was no evidence of reflux damage and that they look perfect - perhaps a hint of inflamation. He said the problem was due to Post Nasal Drip resulting from the rhinitis. He said it commonly causes globus and voice problems - he will be emailing me an advice sheet to get rid of it - should be totally gone in 4 weeks.

I'm interested to see how that pans out!

Phil
Posted 11/10/2011 4:55 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Phil - I am so excited to hear that you had your throat and vocal chords examined. I know the procedure is horrible, I had it done 3 times. I hope he numbed your nose good. I am glad to hear that you had no evidence of reflux damage. Unlike other ENT Doctors, he did not prescribe higher PPI's instead he saw what could really be causing the problem and Rhinitis sounds like the real culprit. This could most definitely cause that globus sensation in your throat. Get that Rhinits under control and do be sure to post your progress.

Thanks,

Debra
Posted 11/10/2011 8:33 PM (GMT 0)
Hey Phil,
I'm also glad you seem to be working your way to the bottom of things. My ENT experience was actually fascinating and very positive. They just sprayed a local anesthetic into my throat, and went straight in, didn't go through my nose. He said singers have better tongue and throat control, so this works well for us. He took the video, even sent me home with color photos that he explained to me. He wasn't eager to prescribe double PPI's like Kouffman does, and I didn't want it since I am slowly improving. Just "shows to go ya" (like my mom used to say), that there are a lot of different experiences.

I went to my first church choir rehearsal last night, the first since I completely lost my voice.  My voice is not strong, and I am not able to reach a lot of higher notes that used to be comfortable for me.  I sing the lower range (alto) anyway.  It was good to be back, and I believe my voice will continue to improve.  I credit my improvement to the Kouffman diet and my sleeping much more upright than previously, because I bought an adjustable bed.

Post Edited (sunbeam48) : 11/10/2011 1:38:32 PM (GMT-7)

Posted 11/10/2011 10:45 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks guys - I'll let you know how I get on! Hopefully my voice will be back to full strength soon!

Phil
Posted 2/13/2012 10:52 AM (GMT 0)
Hi There guys,

Its a great forum you have here. Im a Gerd or LPR sufferer from a long time. Im on Aciphex since a long time which i stopped taking before 3 months but now again i started getting the sypmtoms back of bitter taste in mouth,  every morning when i wake up i have a sore throat and pain in the throat a slight feeling of lump in the throat, pain in the ears, itchy and painful throat and ear and the throat is red. So again i started using aciphex twice daily which my gastro doc gave me before also when i had the same sypmtoms. BUt its amlost two weekes now but i havent gotten any relief. Still every morning when i wake up i have a sore throat and all day long i have pain in my throat. Im using many remedies from the net like im taking aloe vera gel, apple cider vinegar, baking soda but to no relief at all and the sypmtoms are increasing. so please someone help me in how to cure these problems as im afraid to take aciphex again as there are very serious side effects from taking this medication on a long term which i have already taken for more than a year.  I have seen some of you guys have really got better and got rid of the symptoms without a ppi. SO please help me.

Posted 2/13/2012 5:10 PM (GMT 0)
Good morning AWJ ~ I'm responding to your post below. Yes, I did completely recover but the source of my injury was mechanical. I burned my lining by vomiting a high quantity of pure lemon juice. I came close to being considered for surgery because Doctors thought my lining would not heal until they shut down any possible acid from leaking up. My tests did show that I had a small hernia, so it is possible I had some leakage. However, my lining has healed enough to tolerate normal gastric juice that might leak up. I'm no longer on Aciphex or any medicines. It was a long hard year for me in 2011, especially since I was like a mute for several months because the injury affected my ability to speak.

All I can advise you is to eat small bland non-gas producing foods. Eat lots of papaya which are now in season. Also eat cantaloupe which is also high in Vitamin C. Eat lots of bananas too! Avoid Iron supplements and Vitamin C pills. Only swallow very small tablets. Take DGL tablets, probiotics, digestive enzymes, tea from slippery elm and marshmallow root, made from scratch, elevate your bed, eat nothing 3 hours before bed, avoid all citrus, tomatoes, coffee, sodas, chocolate, alcohol, peppers, mint of any kind and please avoid vinegar. Vinegar strips the mucous. Like lemon juice, vinegar is used for cleaning windows and coffee pots. Please stop all vinegar remedies. Aloe Vera is good. Make dishes of steamed vegetables and rice or potatoes and avoid all processed and fast foods. Cook all your own food and be sure it is organic. Try to gently walk after meals to aid digestion and relief from any gas in your stomach. Burping can allow acid to escape and leak up so try to get the gas out with gentle burps by walking around and stretching out your arms. If you follow these recommendations and give your body time to heal your lining and tighten your Valve, you can very likely heal and no longer need any medicines. A proper diet and lifestyle changes is key to your complete recovery. This will take a lot of discipline. I wish you a speedy recover!

Debra
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