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On PPI, Still Have Lump in Throat

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Posted 1/27/2013 3:44 PM (GMT 0)
Hello, I'm new to this forum. I was recently diagnosed with GERD, although in hind site I've had symptoms on and off for close to three years. I have no heartburn; my main symptoms include feeling of a lump in my throat, coughing, occasional choking (day and night) and excessive saliva production. It was uncontrollable coughing/choking which forced me to see my GP. She diagnosed GERD and prescribed Pantropazole 40mg once a day.
The choking caused pneumonia, so I was also on a 10 day course of amoxicillin. I've been on the PPI for 3 weeks now, and have implemented all the suggested lifestyle change, but I still have the feeling of a lump in my throat and have the need to swallow repeatedly. Will this feeling go away with time? My GP said it will take 6-8 weeks to heal my esophagus.

A bit more about me. I'm a 45 year old female, 5'5" and 130 lbs. I'm active and otherwise healthy. I have never smoked, and rarely drink alcohol due to tendency towards migraines. I don't eat fast food or processed food. For the past few months I've been cutting back on gluten, and eating more protein. I walk my dogs after dinner, so there is no 'reclining' after a meal. There is no history of GERD in my family. The only possible trigger for my symptoms that I can think of is perimenopause. I should note that I take Gaviscon before bed to prevent choking at night. I also have an appointment with a GI scheduled for May.

Thanks
Posted 1/27/2013 8:39 PM (GMT 0)
Did the PPI help your throat at all? If so, that should be a good sign. My story is similar to yours in that I only had throat tightness and excessive swallowing, never any heartburn, but never had choking either. For me, a PPI helped within a few days, even then, the PPI only does so much and whatever material that is hitting your throat still contains damaging materials like pepsin and bile, even if it doesn't contain stomach acid. I'd say the PPI helped me about 75%, so I opted for surgery and I think my throat is basically normal now even though I'm still recovering.

Rather than, or in addition to a GI, you should see an ENT. I saw a GI, and he never looked at my throat despite that being my only complaint. He did an endoscopy and saw very mild evidence of reflux where most heartburn patients are worse. But I was not a heartburn patient! When I finally saw an ENT, he looked at my throat and vocal chords and saw indications of reflux there. So, for throat symptoms, I'd go to an ENT before a GI if I could do it over again, it would have taken a few months off my treatment plan.
Posted 1/27/2013 10:53 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks for your comments. Yes, the PPI has helped. Much less coughing, no more burning feeling in my throat. Like you, I'd say there's been about a 75% improvement. I'm still hoping to see more improvement as my throat heals. Its this lump feeling that's really agravating!

Ill check with my GP about seeing an ENT.
Posted 3/6/2013 7:26 PM (GMT 0)
Hello again,

I've been on PPI for 9 weeks now and the lump in my throat is >90% gone, and I have virtually no coughing anymore. What's troubling is that I've developed a new symptom: a feeling that I have acid creeping up my throat, and an odd taste in my mouth. I've never experienced this before. I'm considering going off the PPI (slow step down and switch to Zantac) to see if that makes a difference.

Has anyone experienced new reflux type symptoms while still on PPIs? Is discontinuing the PPI the right thing to do (I know I might experience rebound).

Your comments will be appreciated!

Thanks
Posted 3/6/2013 9:10 PM (GMT 0)
Hi,
I was on and off PPI a few times during the last 2 years. It wasn't easy. I also went to Naturopath Doctor and she is helping with my diet and supplements. My throat took a long time to feel near normal. When I was on the PPI, my hair was falling off so much so I decided to stop the PPI.
I did get different symptoms at different time.
Did you ask your doctor if you can go off the PPI? When I was on the PPI, I asked my doctor when I wanted to go off and she said it was up to me, so I did. I am around the same age like you so I strongly believe this has to be perimenopause things that I am going through.
Right now I still take 1 Zantac 150mg at night and I have a bowl of steam cabbage after dinner for some reasons it helps my reflux at night. Also I take DGL 20 minutes before each meal. Some nights I do get that acid feeling creeping up my throat.
Posted 3/6/2013 9:52 PM (GMT 0)
Snow.. this is interesting, I had what seems like the exact same experiece. Off of PPIs, I had a tight throat, always had to swallow. On PPI, my throat felt ~75% better, but I had a sour taste all my waking hours, more after eating. I thought the continued throat symptoms were a result of actual reflux, which I thought I could taste. But actually I think the taste is water brash, and is the body's response to reflux but not reflux itself.

The throat feeling can either be caused by direct contact with reflux, or by acid in the lower esophagus. With me, I noticed that there was an inverse relationship between tight throat and sour taste. I think they are both defense mechanisms against reflux, or perceived reflux.

I would be very interested to know what your doctor says.

I have a very long thread on here called DRTinsac journal, extremely long. You may want to look at it to see my test results, symptoms etc. I am recovering slowly after my surgery in terms of these symptoms, but I think they are improving week to week. I have seen that people sometimes dont' experience tight throat relief for months after the surgery.

Posted 3/7/2013 11:45 AM (GMT 0)
I suffer from "lump in the throat", wierd thing is I never had this symptom until I started taking ppi's every day.
Posted 4/6/2013 1:27 PM (GMT 0)
Thought I would post a quick update. I was on a PPI for 9 weeks, which mostly resolved my reflux symptoms (globus, coughing, choking, sore throat) but I started to develop new symptoms like acid creeping up my throat. I switched to Zantac, which wasn't too bad in terms of acid rebound. When I tried to wean off the Zantac all hell broke loose in my belly!! Horrible burning, pain, acid in my throat etc. Its taken 4 weeks, but I'm off all acid reducers, and only use Tums or Gaviscon when I need to. My diet is gluten-free and dairy-free which I believe is helping with the reflux.

One thing that really helped was keeping a food journal. I resisted the idea for a long time, but finally broke down and started to keep track of everything I ate or drank. Trends started to appear, and I was able to modify my diet to manage my reflux symptoms. I've even started to have the occasional glass of wine with no ill effects!!

Coming off the PPIs is tough, but it's worth it if you can find other ways to manage the reflux.
Posted 4/6/2013 3:55 PM (GMT 0)
Hey snow, I do not if you remember me, but wow I am so happy to read the comment above me ^^ I am so glad you are doing better. I think approaching things the natural way is so much better. Since I last talked to you I have had mucus in my nose but I do not know if its the common cold or LPR so I am waiting see what happens but so far I have found ways to combat my heartburn, how did you get rid of your burning stomach? I still have it but its slowly going down in degree of pain, mine just happens after eating which is strange but we will see since I was on Protnix and combination of drugs for such long time. I also wanted to ask the lump of your throat was it more of ball stuck there or like just ring around your throat? I think mine is linked with my dyspepsia because I noticed it goes and comes. I had it two weeks ago and now its back. Well other then that I am glad to see you are doing well, makes me hopeful about my condition, I just need figure out what's causing the redness in back my throat but its not something major.
Posted 4/6/2013 5:58 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Inpinkagony,

When the burning was really bad I resorted to a Zantac. I only did this about 3 times. For more mild burning it was 4 tums at once. I did drink a lot of water and ginger tea, and started taking a digestive enzyme. The burning slowly subsided and its gone now. It's hard to describe the throat feeling...it was like there was swelling that caused a lump sensation. Made it hard to swallow.

Sounds like you are making progress with your symptoms. I just keep wondering how long this acid rebound will last.
Posted 4/6/2013 6:10 PM (GMT 0)
Yeah I think the acid rebound messes up your whole digestive system then what it already was. I know like ppi cause food allergies in some people, and I think thats what I am experiencing. Haha I just jinxed my 2 day free of heartburn. I just had one now, if I do not chew gum after every meal I am screwed because my heartburn is everyday right after any meal. I do want to keep food journal but I feel like everything triggers it or something sometimes it makes me afraid to eat but I can't focus on this disease forever. right now I am on probiotics, doing the dgl before meals, and manuka honey before night time. I am just trying to restore my stomach to what it was, because decreasing acid in your stomach for so long brings about so many new problems, I do not know how long the acid rebound lasts for me I am waiting another month but I doubt it will get any better since usually the burn is suppose to happen without eating anything and for me it starts after eating something. I shouldn't complain because my heartburn compared to people is mild but still its not about the degree of pain its about the frequency you know? I really want to see another doctor but they are going to recommend me to take ppi or zantac and I want to be drug free because all those drugs are what caused my problems to be worse in the first place. OH yeah that's how it feels like I can't swallow and it's like linked to my stomach I think for me stomach doesn't digest things well causing frequent reflux episodes. What enzyme are you using? and I know maybe I should do ginger right now I am doing chamomile tea.

Glad to hear from you keep me updated :)
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