1. < Digestive Health

GERD - Aspirating

Posted by Buffy143 @buffy143, Jun 19, 2012

Hi there. Does anyone else out there experience acid reflux to the point where your reflux , when lying down/sleeping, enters into your lungs and/ or your sinuses? If so, have you been treated successfully?

I have had GERD since high school. I have tried all the PPIs under the sun and I finally found a PPI that successfully treats the burning sensations and pain experienced from GERD. However, I have noticed that over time, my LES (lower esophageal sphincter), the sphincter muscle that prevents back up of stomach contents into the esophagus, is gone. It doesn't do what it's suppose to do anymore. So I fight gravity everyday and when I lay down at all, I get back up to my throat and when in a deep sleep and lying flat it goes into my lungs and sinuses and inner ear cannal. I sleep propped up with a million pillows but it seems to just be band-aide.

So some side effects are: coughing/productive coughing, pneumonias, yellow sputum, post nasal drip, inner ear pain, dizziness from inner ear pain, vertigo, and the most serious, spontaneous pneumomediastinum.

Anyone have any inspring stories of treatments, excercises, natural treatments, special doctors they've encountered concerning this? Anything?

Thank you so much 🙂

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riflemanz64 | @riflemanz64 | Oct 28, 2023

Don’t eat 4 hours before bed. Buy a bed that you can elevate the mattress. Cut out all fried foods, soda, booze and no weed. I bought the book the acid watcher diet.

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x999x | @x999x | Oct 28, 2023

Cromyln Sodium might be an option. Usually from allergist

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jackielb | @jackielb | Oct 28, 2023

I have GERD. My gastro doc recommended 6 small meals instead of 3 and chew slowly/thoroughly. I also have to take a PPI 40 mg and sometimes 80. 40 in am and 40 before dinner. I was also recently diagnosed w/presbyesophagus after having esophageal manometry test. This makes GERD worse. I had my gallbladder removed in 2021. The recovery period took 3 months for me. I had no appetite and lost 15 lbs. One doctor told me it shouldn't take more than 3 mos to recover. If its been longer than that go back to surgeon.

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t98 | @t98 | Oct 28, 2023
In reply to @oppdalloen "Hi all I see great comments and suggestions, and I thank you for that, I myself..." + (show)
@oppdalloen

Hi all I see great comments and suggestions, and I thank you for that, I myself I am suffering from accid reflux every morning I wake up I feel bitter mouth, I've seen my GI doctor and done endoscopy the doc says everything looks fine and gave me a med it worked for about a week was great but problem came back, I dont know what else to do, my doctor doesn't seemed to care much I can't change a doctor either here where I live I have to continie seeing same doctor because government paid doctor.. it's very very uncomfortable life quality deteriorates I'm afraid to develop cancer. I dont smoke i dont drink and i eat mostly healthy. please need help

Jump to this post

Cut out caffeine, soda, do the other suggestions of not eating a few hours before bedtime and elevate the head of your bed (blocks under the feet of the bed at the head or an adjustable mattress). Maybe try taking famotidine (or similar H2 blocker) at bedtime. What medication were you taking, and did you stop it or did it stop being effective?

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rashida | @rashida | Oct 30, 2023
In reply to @buffy143 "Hi LovinJesus, Thanks so much for your suggestions. Luckily I do take Prevacid which works very..." + (show)
@buffy143

Hi LovinJesus,
Thanks so much for your suggestions. Luckily I do take Prevacid which works very well to neutralize the acid but does not solve the reflux of food. I will have to try elevating the head of my bed without pillows b/c, ur right, all it does is contort the body and by the time you wake up ur body is in an uncomfortable position. Gotta love gravity! lol

Thanks again,
take care,
Buffy143 🙂

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@buffy143 the best way to elevate the head of your bed is putting risers under the two legs/casters at the head of the bed. You can find the risers on Amazon or any bedding department of a store.

I recently bought an adjustable bed from Amazon (mattress is not included in price) and I find that better than having my bed on risers because I can adjust the head of the bed to any elevation with a remote controller. But if buying an adjustable is not possible the risers work fine.

Have you been diagnosed with a hiatus hernia? Sounds like that is what you have, which is causing your GERD.

I eat only between noon and 8:00 p.m. If you go to bed before midnight, you may need to stop eating and drinking earlier - you need to stop at least four hours before you go to bed.

Also, try not wearing clothes that fit snug around your waist and abdomen.

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rashida | @rashida | Oct 30, 2023
In reply to @msw "Buffy, My question to everyone and no answers is this: During exertion, I get a burning..." + (show)
@msw

Buffy, My question to everyone and no answers is this: During exertion, I get a burning in my throat and then into my chest. Then I get so exhausted I have to go sit down for a while. Do you think this is from acid Reflux? I am taking Proislec (sp). It helps for a while, but then it starts all over again.

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@msw yes, I do too and it definitely is from acid reflux! Also, I avoid bending over. Avoid exertion that puts pressure on your stomach as well as bending. I can’t even use a vacuum cleaner without getting chest pain caused by reflux.

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