Refluxing liquids

I've had LPR for one year now. I used to have a terrible burning throat, but luckily that has subsided. The only time I get an irritated throat now, is after I eat or drink. And usually it only lasts a few minutes then subsides. When I drink liquids however, sometimes I feel the liquids come up into my chest and hit the back of my throat, which feels uncomfortable and irritates the throat. I didn't have this before--or atleast didn't notice it, since my throat used to burn so badly--perhaps I couldn't tell it was even happening. It is especially worse with water or cold liquids. So I try to drink room temp/warm liquids. The fact that my throat doesn't burn 24/7 anymore, leads me to hope I am improving. However, the constant refluxing of liquids worries me.

Does anyone else with LPR have this happen to them? Did it go away?

if i may ask, how long have you had LPR? and did you get surgery for it?

hi trotters,

thanks for the support. I hope your redo goes well. This LPR thing is the worst isn't it? People think it's no big deal feeling a little 'burn' after meals or having liquids come back up into the chest area. But it definitely sucks big time and takes a hit on your sanity a bit.

Anyways, always good to know you're not alone in this struggle.

I've had this too, but I somehow never found it to be that bothersome. It feels like whatever I just drank comes back up my throat. Mostly it happens if I lay down too soon after drinking, but sometimes it just happens. Can be water, or any kind of liquid really.

Personally it's not really something that bothers me as much as the rest of my symptoms, as it's not painful. I usually just get up and walk around and maybe drink some more water to get it "back down" so to speak.

But then I also have a hiatus hernia so my reflux is partly due to a structural issue.

No, this small amount of acid/liquid into the throat/mouth especially after meals is the one thing that has refused to go away after one year of having LPR. I know it`s such a small amount, because it rarely causes heartburn--but the throat is so sensitive, it really is irritating to it. I also have persistent dyspepsia that lingers a few minutes after eating, including burping, and a general uncomfortable feeling like food is pushing up on my esophageal sphincters, trying to come up. But this lasts for a few minutes, and subsides after walking around. Like you, I am worried about the damage being done to the throat/mouth/teeth from these small but chronic amounts of reflux coming into the throat area.

I just use pronamel toothpaste, rise my mouth after meals, and try to drink fluids to keep my mouth clean for now. Unfortunately this isn`t fixing the root cause..but it`s the best I can do for now. My dentist also recommended using a high fluoride mouthwash to try and protect my teeth further. I tried a non-alcohol one, but found it highly irritating to my irritated throat--so I stopped using it..but who knows, you may be able to tolerate it better than I did.

Kar102, what kind of diet are you on? I tried the koufman diet for months, but found it really makes no difference what I eat. The small amount of acid/liquid that comes up the throat is constant and for now..looks like it's here to stay. For instance, I'd eat a healthy green veggie salad with no dressing and some lean chicken breast or eat a small bowl of melon, and my throat will be highly irritated with fluid coming up my esophagus. While, I'll eat a slice of cake or pizza, and my throat will feel exactly the same--if not better at times then when I eat 'healthy', 'non-trigger' foods. So now I am much more relaxed when it comes to eating food. I try to generally eat healthy..but indulge in desserts/less healthy foods once in awhile for a treat to keep my sanity, since it doesn't seem to make a difference what I eat anyways.

It's perplexing as to why this small, but annoying reflux persists. Based on my scope, manometry, barium swallow studies I do not have any structural abnormalities such as a hernia or a 'weak' sphincter (i.e. low pressures). As such, my GI/ENT docs did not recommend I be on PPIs, but just follow healthy lifestyle measures and PRN gaviscon--I did, and like many of you, the initial painful throat/burning subsided within the first 6 months or so.
I do not have h.pylori. I have been tested by an allergist, and do not have food allergies. I am, young, and of healthy weight--exercising 4-5 times/week, and not particularly stressed or anxious about anything. But based on my symptoms--I do believe my sphincter is weak, and they just couldn't 'diagnose' it as such, because perhaps it was so borderline--they couldn't pick it up on their conventional tests. Anyways..I'm starting to face the reality that this is really a chronic issue--and just trying to deal with it mentally by adjusting to a 'new normal'. I've tried to throw myself into work more and school, and go out and have fun. I realize my symptoms become so much less noticeable when my mind is preoccupied and I am out and about. I used to hold my breath that one day I will be back to my old self--but I know now this likely will not happen.

I know someone who had LPR for two and a half years, which spontaneously and ever-so gradually went away and only affects them once in a blue moon i.e. when they are tired, or when they ate something really bad for them such as a whole canister of coffee. They were not on any PPIs except a small dose of domperidone which they tapered off, and really didn't pay much attention to their diet at all--eating unhealthy foods at least a few days a week. And now--they are totally fine and happy. I saw their case as a beacon of hope that I too, could get 100% better--but as time passes, I am getting less optimistic, and more realistic about my situation--which although it may sound depressing..isn't really a bad thing..since at least I am not setting myself for continual disappointment and frustration.