Had anyone had a gerd test for silent gerd?

EGD, manometry, 24-Hour pH Impedance test, esophagram and barium swallow test.

Thank you so much. I will send an ENT for silent reflux next week and will ask for these tests.

My bunch of Dr's were conflicted on whether an esophagram and barium swallow test could be preformed at the same time. My own research was conflicted also. I'd certainly ask your Dr about both. Good Luck.

Thank you very much. I will certainly ask the doctor.

It’s also good to know that when you don’t have a serious issue. However, because we have diseased lungs, even having microaspirations in normal range might require attention.

I had the 24 hr impedance test 5 yrs ago and had about 30 microaspirations a day—-NORMAL!! And, they were all during the day, none at night! Still, I raised the head of my bed and follow other lifestyle precautions. Furthermore, during the day I am cautious about bending at the waist and squat instead. I also eat a piece of bread before going to Pilates.

And, yet another webinar 🙂
https://tinyurl.com/bha6mbc5

I'm new to the site and this is the first time I have seen BE/MAC. Could you please tell me what it is? I have MAC but no symptoms right now. Have dealt with reflux most of my adult life. My sphincter muscle did not function properly and I have a hiatal hernia. Thank you

I continue to be confused as to the root cause of my mild bronchiectasis and subsequent MAC infection, with respiratory reflux being one of the most confusing elements.
Ten years ago, before I was diagnosed with BE/MAC, I saw an ENT for primarily throat symptoms following a respiratory infection. At that time she was a leader in identifying what was then called LPR (laryngo-pharangeal reflux) and did a 24 hour ph monitoring test, diagnosed me with laryngeal reflux and started me on PPI's. I was treated with them on and off for about 4 years. Since my diagnosis and trasferring my care to the pulmonary team at NYU, I consulted with the GI team at NYU to explore the reflux issue and they did an endoscopy and a BRAVO capsule study (a test that the ENT I had seen poo poos) which showed reflux to be not that significant.
The presenter from NJH on the webinar shared on this thread is doing 22 hour ph study, not the BRAVO, and also presented a case study where the patient was treated with, a commonly used bladder medication, Bethanechol to tighten the esophageal sphincter to prevent (not mask) reflux, and her symptoms resolved. I'm wondering if anyone has thoughts about the varying tests for reflux, which is most definitive for purposes of respiratory reflux influence/causation of BE/MAC and also if anyone has experience using Bethanechol for this purpose.

I just watched this webinar, and it was so, so helpful and informative. Although I was tested for reflux with barium swallow and also had endoscopy- negative on both- I really believe that I do have silent reflux/micro aspirations that contribute to my bronchiectasis and resulting MAC.

Besides elevating the head of my bed with a combination of wedge and pillows on top, this webinar taught me about not drinking too much fluid. I was under the impression that it was important for thinning the mucus. Also, NAC needs to be taken with plenty of water and not with food. Then there are the supplements and meds. All with water. My doctor has me taking the Azithromycin and Ethambutol at bedtime, and I have been taking them with a full glass of water because the Ethambutol pills are large and saucer-shaped. Now I have to figure out how to take them with just a sip of water. I can also have some bread to soak up some of the liquid, I guess. The webinar speaker was from NJH and said we always have at least 6 Oz of water in the stomach. She said you should not drink too much liquid, and when you do, you should also have a solid food that can absorb and bulk up the stomach contents, in order to prevent the liquid from backing up and entering the lungs through the laryngeal esophageal sphincter. Makes so much sense. Excellent, excellent webinar. Thank you so much for posting it!

Yes, I had all the testing over 10 years ago. I couldn't find anyone locally to help me (Florida) so I ended up seeing Dr Koufman at the Voice Institute in NYC. She did all testing. I was a tough cookie and ended up with fundoplication surgery. That did the trick. I still follow all precautions.

@becleartoday Thanks for posting the link to the Medical Management of GERD webinar. A must view for everyone with bronchiectasis. The link belongs on the what-you-need-to-know page of this forum.

It cleared up many questions about my own condition. One in particular: how/why do I get frequent exacerbations and yet my sputum culture comes back negative. There's research on mice that Dr. Huitt describes around time-mark 1:37. Essentially, digestive enzymes through reflux causes a chemical burn in the trachea, which causes pus to enter the airway and spawn pneumonia, even though there are no typical "germs" present. Untreated it can lead to sepsis. She said it was a common occurrence, which is why pulmonologists will treat with an antibiotic. It takes 7-10 days for healing. Wow.

Time to get super serious about reducing fluid intake. I'm a huge water drinker.....