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I have a chronic cough - a racking one, worse staring in the afternoon that is often situational, i.e, when I stand from sitting or bend over or swallow liquid... - over a year now and health professionals are from two schools of thought - that's it's GI related reflux etc. and I do have a medium hiatal hernia but have had it all my life and have felt symptoms relating to it are controlled by PPI's. I'm not showing the symptoms of a hiatal or paraesophegeal hernia, i.e. heartburn, regurgiotation, trouble swallowing, chest discomfort. There is one group of doctors who say the cough and belching are gastro related and say hernia repair would be recommended - but the others say nerve related, a neruopathic or nerve related cough or vagus nerve irritation. Especially after I felt I had an injury swallowing something hard right before symptoms of belching and then cough. So I was prescribed Gabipentin which worked at first - which led doctors to suspect nerve related - but the medication has stopped working. I'm trying to figure if this cough is nerve or gastro related - or both. It's diabolical.
Replies to "I have a chronic cough - a racking one, worse staring in the afternoon that is..."
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davidhowell, Have you had COVID? I have Long COVID and it really ramped up GI issues
and heartburn. I also have a hiatal hernia. I have been on Protonix (Prescription Protein Pump Inhibitor) for reflux for years. None of the others worked. They had to increase it after COVID as my reflux became so painful. I was prescribed Pepcid AC at night too as I had backup reflux in my sleep. If I have breakthrough reflux, I was put on Gaviscon extra strength
(over the counter) before meals. It really helps. It took a few months to calm all of this down, but, it is finally calmed down.
I try and not eat anything after 6 p.m., except and apple or Skinny Pop Popcorn....anything else will flare me up. Also, my bed is elevated and if you have extra weight around the middle
that can cause reflux issues. Eating small meals and not large meals especially at dinner helped mine too. Keep a food log of what foods bother you. I cannot eat raw onions on a hamburger anymore and pineapple can irritate.
Is your cough worse after you eat? Reflux can definitely cause coughing. I might would get a 2nd opinion from another Gastroenterologist.
Personally, I do believe that a Hiatal Hernia can increase reflux pain and symptoms, plus choking on food...just my on opinion.
Praying for you to get answers and relief. Blessings....