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Shortness of breath due to silent reflux

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Posted 3/25/2014 11:49 PM (GMT 0)
I am writing in hopes that someone can recommend a good Specialist to treat this condition in the Philly area. For me the shortness of breath started suddenly and out of the blue. After multiple visits to the ER ans specialists, I decided to follow the lead of silent reflux and asked the specialist to perform endoscopy? Is amazing that I had to tell the specialist what to do. They are lost! Then my diagnosis came back as reflux esophagithis. Never had acid reflux or pain or any of the other common symptoms of GERD, just the shortness of breath which was suffocating, extremely intense at night. Weird thing is that it actually gets better if I move around, and gets worse when at rest. Doing a lot of research online found publications from dr Hanna Saddah who is based in Oklahoma. He describes this condition as pseudo dyspnea. You can find his literature online. Just google it. I thought it was amazing how well he described the symptoms. the problem is, no other GE I have visited seems to think there is a relationship between silent reflux and shortness of breath, but there has to be! According to dr Saddah an irritated esophagus damages the nerves end in the esophagus which causes the shortness of breath. Does anyone suffering this condition has found a good Specialist? Please let me know! Thanks so much for your help!
Posted 3/26/2014 1:12 PM (GMT 0)
I suffer from this exact same thing. I have been researching it for months. The blog post you mentioned is VERY informative. Based on what I have learned I believe the Linx procedure is probably the best way to address this problem. Some people way see good results from PPIs but they don't seem to help me much for this condition. I am in the process of scheduling for my Linx surgery now.
Posted 3/26/2014 3:42 PM (GMT 0)
Hi there, finally someone than can understand how frustrating this is! For how long have have you experience sympthons?
I started on dec 10, 2013. I remember perdectly because it has been very traumatic!
Posted 3/26/2014 3:57 PM (GMT 0)
Hi there, finally someone than can understand how frustrating this is! For how long have have you experience sympthons?
I started on dec 10, 2013. I remember perdectly because it has been very traumatic!
Posted 3/26/2014 4:37 PM (GMT 0)
I have had LPR for around four years. Looking back I had episodes of the shortness of breath on-and-off. Sometimes just going up stairs would leave me feeling like couldn't breath well. Recently though my LPR symptoms just much worse and the chronic shortness of breath started probably in October or Novemeber of 2013. It was/is horrific. At night I would have episodes where when falling asleep it would feel like I would stop breathing and I would jerk awake. This would happen all night long not allowing me to sleep. When I was awake I constantly had air hunger when inhaling. I felt like I could never get enough air no matter what I did. The more I concentrated on it the worse it would become probably due to anxiety and hyperventalation. I have been using alk. water in a nebulizer several times a day for a couple months and that has helped some. Along with my shortness of breath I have also developed chronic dizziness. This arrived several weeks after the shortness of breath. I have a feeling it might also be tied to the reflux as it feels like there is fluid in my ears. I have found several other people who have gone through both the Nissen and the Linx procedure and the breathing issue has either totally resolved or mostly resolved. The breathing issue is very traumatic and I totally feel for you. I wish you all the best in your recovery.
Posted 3/26/2014 4:43 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks so much gondore. Best of luck with the surgery!!!
Posted 3/26/2014 5:14 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks. You can email me at [email protected]. I would like to speak with you via phone sometime to if you don't mind....just to compare notes. :)
Posted 3/27/2014 1:38 AM (GMT 0)
Wish I could help with a referral in Philly but I am in KY. 

After 6 years of being in and out of Dr.s offices and ER's with symptoms of ONLY shortness of breath they all just said I had anxiety.  One x-ray did show a small hiatus hernia 6 years ago but they said it was too small to cause shortness of breath.  2 weeks ago I put my foot down and decided that I am going to stop being a "lay down" and start pushing some doors open because I felt in my heart that anxiety was secondary to something else.  I was able to "teach" my newest doctor what all I knew and convinced her to send me to a gastro for an endoscopy. Basically I am having to "teach" my doctor what she should have already known.  I was able to get the gastro specialist to see me within a few days.

 

Results were:

Small hiatus hernia found in the esophagus.

Esophagitis seen in the distal third of the esophagus.

Mild gastritis was found in the antrum and body of the stomach.

A polyp was found in the body of stomach.  Polypectomy was performed.

Gastric bile was found.

Possibly atrophic mucosa was found in the 2nd portion of the duodenum.

Recommendations:

Raise the head of the bed 4-6 inches.  I have a hospital bed but they said that it would just "bend" my stomach and that they would rather I raise the head by placing risers under the legs at the head of my bed instead of moving the hospital bed up in more of a sitting position.  Avoid smoking and alcohol (I don't smoke or drink).  Avoid excess coffee, tea or other caffeinated beverages.  Avoid garments that fit tightly through the abdomen.  Avoid eating before bed (was told not to lay down for at least 3 hours after eating).  Avoid eating before bed. Begin medication as prescribed.  Begin taking Dexilant 60 mg PO every day.

Had a reaction to Dexilant; racing heart.  Next morning presented with shortness of breath.  Typed in "Esophagitis shortness of breath" into Google and Dr. Hanna Saadah's article on "False Shortness of Breath (Pseudo-Dyspnea)" popped up.  I read it and it was talking about ME and I knew then what was wrong with me this WHOLE TIME which has been 6 miserable years of not having a diagnosis for the shortness of breath.  Dr. Saadah said in his article that there are sensory nerve endings in the esophagus that can send false messages to the brain. When the esophagus is burned by refluxed acid, these nerve endings fool the brain into feeling short of breath, as though the lungs were not providing enough oxygen.  Reacting to this feeling, the individual takes in deep sighs in an attempt to alleviate the perceived shortness of breath.  But, the more and the deeper the sighs, the worse the perceived shortness of breath gets, rendering the individual restless and anxious.  This restless anxiety leads the individual to pace or exrecise, which temporarily relieves the shortness of breath.  When motion ceasees and the individual sits or lies down, the shortness of breath returns.  I immediately took some of my daughters Zegerid since Dr. Saadah mentioned taking "Omeprazole" which is Zegrerid or Prilosec AND a Simethicone which is basically Gas Ex.  Within 10 minutes my shortness of breath left me!!!!!  Woke up 24 hours later though with shortness of breath and after taking Zegerid and Pepcid I started feeling better but wasn't 100%.  The Zegrid I had been taking was only a 20 mg so I decided to take another 20 mg so that I would have a total of 40mg along with another Pepcid and it did the trick!  I have been breathing well ALL day. It is just my second day on Zegerid so I am just in the beginning stages of healing from "Esophagitis." 

Since I have a hiatus hernia I did some research on Nissen Fundoplication and was able to get an appointment on April 9th (2014) with a Nissen Fundoplication surgeon to talk about having this procedure done.  In order to get this appointment I had to have already had an Endoscopy performed of which I had.

I am so glad I took the "bull by the horns" and MADE things happen in my life with regards to my health, otherwise I would have only anxiety pills to treat my symptoms.  My findings are that the majority of Doctors are NOT educated on "shortness of breath" and that it can be from SILENT REFLUX of which I had.  I only had symptoms of shortness of breath and nothing else.   

I want to close by giving credit to our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ for helping me find the answers to my health problems and for putting a fire under my feet to "make things happen."

 

Post Edited (larlar00) : 3/26/2014 7:49:46 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 3/28/2014 12:13 AM (GMT 0)
Thank you lariar and gondore for your comments. It really is very helpful to share experiences, especially because of this broadly unknown sympthons. I too feel i have to educate the last GE visited. Unbelievable! But thanks to this support group i am able to fund that i am not the only one experiencing this.
I found a new specialist and very hopeful he will be able to treat me. Good luck and best of all on your way to recovery. I will continue to post any news!
Posted 4/7/2014 3:26 PM (GMT 0)
Update:

It has been 2 weeks since my endoscopy and almost that long that I have been on acid reflux meds after being diagnosed with esophagitis caused by silent reflux. I tried to get a prescription for Zegerid 40 mg but insurance required that I try something else. I did and I had a reaction to it. My pharmacy refiled for Zegerid but it is in the insurance red tape so I am taking Zegerid 20mg OTC. I did try taking 2 Zegerid 20mg to equal the 40mg but that would then be too much Sodium Bicarbonate which Zegerid warns against doing so I stopped doing that after just 2 days. I also take Simethicone as well.

In an earlier post I copied an article by Dr. Hanna Saadah's article on "False Shortness of Breath (Pseudo-Dyspnea)" where is stated in his article that there are sensory nerve endings in the esophagus that can send false messages to the brain. When the esophagus is burned by refluxed acid, these nerve endings fool the brain into feeling short of breath, as though the lungs were not providing enough oxygen. Reacting to this feeling, the individual takes in deep sighs in an attempt to alleviate the perceived shortness of breath. But, the more and the deeper the sighs, the worse the perceived shortness of breath gets, rendering the individual restless and anxious. This restless anxiety leads the individual to pace or exrecise, which temporarily relieves the shortness of breath. When motion ceasees and the individual sits or lies down, the shortness of breath returns.
*****
Well the last few days I have been having some shortness of breath. It could be that I am not taking a strong enough dose of Zegerid but I read this today in the following article (emphasis on the sentence that is ALL in CAPS):

***********************************************************************
Although research has shown a relationship between asthma and GERD, the exact link between the two conditions is uncertain. One possibility is that acid flow causes injury to the throat lining, airways, and lungs, making inhalation difficult. ANOTHER REASON MAY BE THAT WHEN ACID ENTERS THE ESOPHAGUS, IT TRIGGERS A NERVE REFLEX THAT CAUSES AIRWAYS TO CONSTRICT TO KEEP ACID OUT, WHICH LEADS TO SHORTNESS OF BREATH.
***********************************************************************

So, which is it? False shortness of breath OR airways actually constricting to keep acid out? I am totally confused now but..........I have an appointment in 2 days to see a Surgeon about having the Nissen Fundoplication to hopefully rid myself of acid reflux so that I don't have to live on reflux meds for the rest of my life.

I will talk with the surgeon as well to see what he thinks is happening during episodes of shortness of breath. 

Post Edited (larlar00) : 4/7/2014 9:30:44 AM (GMT-6)

Posted 4/8/2014 5:41 PM (GMT 0)
Larlar,that is exactelly what I am trying to figure. I actually brought this to my
First GI attention and he was very dismissive.
So I changed dr. Very happy with the new Dr. He actually listens, asks lots of questions about my life style, etc. what i know for sure is that without an endoscopy is hard to tell. I am actually rrepeating mine as tge firt GI did not take pictures neither a bipsy of the esophagus. The issue seems to be there.
The new dr said the they need to determine what is the extent of the damaga of the esophagus and based on that, the treatment is different. For some cases the antiacids alone will not help. I think this is my case. My dr mentioned a treatment with estoroides to help heal the esophagus. Another critical aspect is ti keep your self calm and look for ways to relax. Stress causes the sphinter to relax which worsens the situation. I am having the endoscopy done next week. I will share the results. I know how hard and isolating this can be but hang in there! You will heal and go back to feeling 100%. Have patience :)
Posted 4/17/2014 7:06 PM (GMT 0)
I also have problems with Shortness of breath,acid and PVCs from it 2 years now, First my shortness of breath was on bike at uphill ride, I have checked heart 2 times and all comes fine strong muscle etc.., I cant ride bike or properly walk, this shortness of breath always catch me at downhill but strange it goes away uphill, at home I am almost fine when I am at rest, my doctor gave me lanzoprazol and I shell see if it helps, I was on Pantoprazolum but had side effects stomach pain at the most.
Posted 4/23/2014 12:16 AM (GMT 0)
metafora and gondore, i have the same symptoms from few months. The shortness of breath is constant, specially while walking. Hyperventilation as well, and suffocation which is awful. Made me suspect many things like copd,hernia,hypoxia. GERD is one thing, and i think the main culprit. Root of all evils. Suffocation gets worse sometimes causing anxiety and depression. And apparently doctors are the same everywhere, they don't take the patient's concerns seriously, you actually have to teach them
Posted 5/3/2014 7:27 AM (GMT 0)
This is VERY interesting as I've been suffering very recently from rather similar symptoms. I've had some GI issues for years;
- been on Somac (pantoprazole) for about 10 years as a daily med.
- had a gastroendoscopy (upper) 7 years ago; all clear
- had colonoscopy in 2010, clear on cancer etc but showed small amt of diverticulosis
- diagnosed late last year with IBS

Have changed diet in recent months to cater to IBS and have lost a considerable degree of weight. What HAS been a concern recently has been a shortness of breath that has at times been accompanied by some minor discomfort just under the diaphragm, sometimes not. There is NO burning pain further up in the oesophagus.

There is NO respiratory distress and whilst I do have an anxiety disorder, I've not lapsed into hyperventilation and panic attack. There's been no issue when I've been out and about but rather comes when I'm at rest/sitting later in the day. Any common ground here ?

This info about silent reflux and false dysnpnea seems to 'ring a few bells'. I DO have a great gastroenterologist who I will be in contact during next week so I 'll "put this ball into play". I'm also seeing a respiratory specialist on Tuesday (primarily due to adjustments to my CPAP for sleep apnea - which is having some great positive effects in other areas) and will ask the question and maybe get a test done.
Posted 5/3/2014 6:39 PM (GMT 0)
Hello fellow sufferers: I've finally found others with my condition! I'm 66, female, and have been suffering with acid reflux for 6+ years, now. Acid controllers do NOTHING and my breathing difficulties continue to increase. It's so bad now it's scaring me to death! My chest pounds and hurts after I swallow ANYTHING.

I still must work and I'm just exhausted all the time. I can't even carry on a conversation with anyone for more than a few minutes without getting so breathless, I must stop talking before I pass out. I never had this problem before my hiatal hernia was diagnosed with acid reflux being the culprit. I also had my gall bladder out as I was told that would fix things ... a lot they know! It only made things worse.

I'm real interested in the LINX procedure as I can't find any answers to my misery. I am starting to wonder if I actually DO have 'acid reflux' and if so, why is there NO ACID CONTROLLER THAT WORKS??? Other esophageal conditions can mimic GERD so I must be sure I don't have what is called an 'esophageal motility disorder'.

I read that article referred to above by one of you (thanks), but was NOT encouraged as it's one thing to know what might be causing my issues, but quite another that Dr. Saadah has no answers or solution. It's like a death sentence.

I now must start over and go back to my GI and also make an appointment with my cardiologist to rule out heart problems (there were none in the past). I've had 3 endoscopies, too.

Before I can pursue the LINX procedure, I first must make CERTAIN that what I have can be remedied with this procedure.

Has anyone had this procedure yet?
Posted 5/31/2014 7:19 PM (GMT 0)
interesting , i was in hospital over night 2 months ago as i was so short of breath (though i was better when laying down) also i had very fast heart rate (though that could be just coz i was struggling to breath) this was constant for 3 weeks and also i was really sick after loads of tests n no answers a month later i started getting gastro symptoms and have been diagnosed with gerd,hiatus hernia and gallstones , so maybe , just maybe the original mystery illness was just symptoms of the gastro problems starting up ? could hernia,gerd or gallstones cause me to be really badly breathless it was that bad i couldnt move or talk without struggling to breath accompanied with a very fast heartrate?
Posted 5/31/2014 7:50 PM (GMT 0)
I'm really hoping my SOB is stress related and could use some opinions. Mine only begins when I swallow, especially if I swallow thick mucus. It goes away with enough distraction (i.e. When I don't swallow) and if I take the herbal supplement QuietLife, it goes away until either the tablets wear off, or I swallow again.

Please say stress if it's true. Please.
Posted 6/2/2014 9:53 AM (GMT 0)
If it is stress, try diaphragm breathing. I practiced it a lot. I close my mouth, breath sloowly NOT through my chest but through my diaphragm / stomach. I practice everyday especially when sob attacks. I try to stop breathing through my chest because i noticed it became a habit to me and there's a feeling that my ribcage are so sore because im always pushing myself to breath deep.
Right now I dont have SOB anymore. I hope it will never come back because it's so miserable!
Posted 6/6/2014 12:42 PM (GMT 0)
UPDATE:

It's been around six weeks now since I have had the Linx procedure. I have noticed improvement in all my LPR symptoms. I believe the breathing is getting better but it's VERY slow. I have also started taking a very low does of Elavil before bed (10 mg) and .25 mg xanax in the morning. Between all this I have been able to get back to work for the most part. I just recently had two really good days but today has been tough so far. I'm not totally sure my reflux is causing my breathing issue but I had a lot of other issues from my LPR that seems to have resolved or are getting better.

How are all of you doing? Have you found any answers or have things gotten better for you?
Posted 6/9/2014 3:59 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Gondore. May I know what are your other LPR symptoms aside from SOB?
Posted 6/9/2014 7:19 PM (GMT 0)
angelcat, I had throat pain, throat tightness, acid taste in mouth, bad breath, feeling like throat was closing up if I talked much, sometimes got chest pain, throat clearing that produced no mucus. Why do you ask?
Posted 6/11/2014 8:05 PM (GMT 0)
Hi, I have been diagnosed with: first UC, then GERD with HH, then dr. here in KY says it was IBS all along with gluten sensitivity. I am not feeling a lot of confidence in drs. right now. I have been gluten free for almost a year and that has helped with a lot of stomach problems. I still have heartburn since I stopped taking PPI's - just didn't want to reduce acid which is needed to digest food and in particular proteins which is what gluten is. Anyway, I have been taking apple cider vinegar tablets, Digest Gold and aloe vera gel. This has helped tremendously. I do have shortness of breath as described by others - even was rushed to the ER and hospitalized for 24 hrs. as I had high PPV'S - many times I get so bad that I have to use a rescue inhaler. I KNOW there's a correlation to all these systems but drs. don't seem to have found it. Many nights I go to bed and tell my husband, "I just don't fee right" - praying for us all.
Posted 1/1/2015 11:00 AM (GMT 0)
I am a 38 yo WM 5'6" 155lb, very athletic. My sob would happen periodically but I only chalked it up to stress over the past year even though in my mind I did really feel stressed out. I did see a PA a couple of weeks ago for fluid in my ears and when I explained that I periodically had some sob she immediately did an EKG which was normal. She thought it was anxiety and made aware of the medications for anxiety. Christmas night my sob of breath started around midnight and it almost pushed me to the ER. I got up the next morning and ran a mile and half and my symptoms got better. I had some sob during the day while resting and the same issue the next two nights. It was so bad that I told my wife to give me one of her xanax around 11pm Saturday, but that did not relieve the symptoms. I still had sob sitting in church the next morining. I found Dr Hannahs blog Saturday night while I could not sleep due to the sob. After church I went and bought Nexium and after taking the Nexium my sob decreased dramatically. I was doing great up till Tuesday, I decided to clean the shower and used some bleach cleaner and I felt that the bleach had me inflamed. This past Saturday I had someone run and EKG and heart ultrasound and all was normal. I also had a chest xray and PFT yesterday and that was normal. I did an overnight pulse ox on myself last night and when I did wake at night my o2 sat was good and heart rate good, but I was still having the sob.

My symptoms: sob at rest and night. when I say sob I describe it as my lungs will not fill to capacity and I try to yawn to get that deep breath. When I get that deep breath, oh what a feeling. The middle of my chest appears to be a slight issue, I would not call it burning just maybe inflamed. I belch often and loud. I have fluid in my ears and my nose runs after I drink orange juice in the morning (which I have quit drinking). Other than the above, no other symptoms.
I mention the ears and nose because I have in the past two years and just a couple to weeks ago been to the doctor (gp) with just a check up or my ears feel like fluid in them and the doctor says my nasal passages look inflamed and my ears are filled with fluid but my nose is not running or any congestion.
I say all this to relate it back to my 8 yo. When he was 8months old he had constant congestion, running nose, on numerous runs of antibiotics, and tubes in his ears. We finally took him to an allergy specialist and from all the info we sent to him on his questionaire, the first 10 mins of the visit the dr said my son had reflux. I said no way, he never spits up or cries abnormally, but he was constantly congested. I was in the room with my son when he had an upper GI and we gave him a bottle of the fluid and within seconds I saw the reflux on the screen and it only went to his throat and back down. He was put on meds for reflux and within a week no more congestion and runny nose. The doctor said that the acid caused the brain to over produce mucus causing the runny nose and fluid in the ears of which anitibiotics would not cure.
I am going to a GI doctor Monday and will be curious to see what he thinks of the sob.
I am thankful for these post because until Dr Hannahs info and now this thread I thought I was going crazy. The PA I mentioned above is good friends with my wife and I and she states that I am the healthiest person that she knows. I say this becasue when you never have any health issues and then all of a sudden you cannot fill up your lungs and all your tests are normal or no other symptoms, yes you begin to think your crazy or question being stressed out when your feeling great. I will not say that at times I do not get stressed and that stress and anxiety may be issues at times, but when the symptoms started consistently this past week, I have been off work for a week and was off the next week and all in my life is going pretty good. 2 weeks off of work, who wouldnt be relaxed. i have been running and working out everyday since Friday and no issues with the sob while exerted. I had not recently been consistent with workouts just due to our family schedule. I will keep posted of my progress going forward. Again thanks for sharing
Posted 1/11/2015 7:21 AM (GMT 0)
Gondore, please tell me you're still here..you're my glimmer of hope at the moment :). Your symptoms seem to match mine, if you have the time to read them, would please take a look at mine and let me know if this seems like LPR:
- frequent and excessive post-nasal drip
- shortness of breath that is usually worse at night, mainly a difficulty with exhaling, and i regularly find myself chest breathing rather than diaphragm breathing
- a foul taste in my mouth that usually results in bad breath
- throat tightness
- a vague feeling of stomach discomfort/unwellness

the worst of all of this occurs within the first couple of hours after eating, and it is usually worse in the morning. I've also noticed that symptoms get worse during a random period of about a weak, and then recede for an inconsistent amount of time.
I have been suffering from these symptoms for about 4 years, i've been anxious as heck and have had just about every test thinkable done on me.

Of interest, the endoscopy did NOT find gastritis, but I've heard that LPR can exist without any esophageal evidence, and that the only true way of discovering it would be a saliva acid test.

Any input whatsoever would be hugely appreciated,

Matt
Posted 6/6/2015 3:01 AM (GMT 0)
Anyone still on this thread? I have constant shortness of breath all of a sudden for 3 months straight. I have underlying issue with asthma, but my inhalers and nebulizer are rendered useless with the SOB. I also have chest pains, a stuck feeling right in the middle of my breast bone, cough, tons of mucus that pools in the back of my throat and burning acidic feeling constant in the throat. Voice is starting to change and I can't sing anymore:( I feel my diaphragm can't expand. Also yawns are not coming out. I try to get a full yawn but can't for the life of me! Anyone?
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