Does surgery work for Laryngopharyngeal Reflux (LPR)?

Hello @bpositive,
My sincere apologies for the tardy reply; your message slipped passed me. I'd like to welcome you to Connect, and thank you so much for sharing your history. I can imagine the frustration and stress these symptoms may cause!

You may be interested in reading these threads:
Laryngo-pharyngeal reflux - made a decision to visit the Mayo Clinic http://mayocl.in/2uaMnRY
Laryngopharyngeal Reflux (LRP) - severity and outlook? http://mayocl.in/2tcNxiK
Acid Reflux and its Symptoms http://mayocl.in/2uaXPgD

I’d like to introduce you to a few members who have posted about Laryngopharyngeal Reflux, LPR (also known as Silent Reflux), and may be able to offer some insights. Please meet @smorford, @davehudsn, @stardisc, @cowboy1997, @kaystrand, @ptfitzy, @cab26, @ptfitzy, @davearnatt, @kaystrand, @dancemom57, @boogirl, @danielad, @dandl48, @robbinr, @cbs618752, @cmaso67, @dynesapp, @pauletta.

I’m also tagging @travelgirl on this discussion as she has experience with h. pylori

@bpositive, it sounds like you are dealing with a lot and are frustrated, but you have found a very supportive community and we thank you for finding us. If I may ask, has your ENT specialist communicated the findings with the gastroenterologist?

Hello @bpositive,
My sincere apologies for the tardy reply; your message slipped passed me. I'd like to welcome you to Connect, and thank you so much for sharing your history. I can imagine the frustration and stress these symptoms may cause!

You may be interested in reading these threads:
Laryngo-pharyngeal reflux - made a decision to visit the Mayo Clinic http://mayocl.in/2uaMnRY
Laryngopharyngeal Reflux (LRP) - severity and outlook? http://mayocl.in/2tcNxiK
Acid Reflux and its Symptoms http://mayocl.in/2uaXPgD

I’d like to introduce you to a few members who have posted about Laryngopharyngeal Reflux, LPR (also known as Silent Reflux), and may be able to offer some insights. Please meet @smorford, @davehudsn, @stardisc, @cowboy1997, @kaystrand, @ptfitzy, @cab26, @ptfitzy, @davearnatt, @kaystrand, @dancemom57, @boogirl, @danielad, @dandl48, @robbinr, @cbs618752, @cmaso67, @dynesapp, @pauletta.

I’m also tagging @travelgirl on this discussion as she has experience with h. pylori

@bpositive, it sounds like you are dealing with a lot and are frustrated, but you have found a very supportive community and we thank you for finding us. If I may ask, has your ENT specialist communicated the findings with the gastroenterologist?

Hi. My problem started about a month ago when I started chugging down a glass of water and suddenly I had a spasm in the area of my pharynx. It scared me, and took several minutes to abate, but no other symptoms. Soon, I found that I could no longer drink orange juice without the same problem, and then ice cream gave me very thick saliva that was difficult to spit out as well as the tightness in my throat. I had had problems with normal heartburn in the past, but a few days of ranitidine (Zantac) and I was OK. I think this was because of my taking ibuprofen on an empty stomach. If the Zantac didn't help, which was seldom, I took Prilosec for 3 days and it was gone. Now, after the spasms, I began burping and having hiccups frequently, which was new to me, so I started on Prilosec 20mg once a day. I also changed my diet to conform with the diet for GERD and I think I'm beginning to get better, but it's taken a lot out of me because I've been on the same diet for a long time and all of a sudden I'm missing crucial nutrients that I ordinarily get. By the way, I"m 69 and have been healthy and disease free for at least 20 years. I want to discontinue the Prilosec because I've only been taking it for a little more than two weeks. I'm wondering if I could switch back to the Zantac 150mg twice a day without experiencing rebound symptoms because I've been on the Prilosec for such a short time. I can see that there are many people here with digestive health problems and I'm hoping someone can steer me in the right direction. My doctor is very good at giving labs and writing prescriptions, but he doesn't seem to do much doctoring, but that was OK, because I haven't had any serious health issues. He just told me " You know you have to see a gastroenterologist". Because of the holiday I haven't been able to schedule an appt. yet and now, with some of the symptoms lessening, I'm hoping there's a chance that I can switch to Zantac, or preferably cimetidine (Tagament) which helped me greatly when I developed an ulcer many years ago, and solve this problem without any intervention. The reason I want to stop taking it is because of the side effects. I've had diarrhea a few times and lots of headaches.I"m also worried about the things that can happen when you have so little stomach acid. I"d appreciate any comments from people who have had experience weaning off Prilosec after short term use, or anyone who has suffered with LPR or laryngopharangeal reflux, or anyone at all. Thanks for listening!!

Hi. My problem started about a month ago when I started chugging down a glass of water and suddenly I had a spasm in the area of my pharynx. It scared me, and took several minutes to abate, but no other symptoms. Soon, I found that I could no longer drink orange juice without the same problem, and then ice cream gave me very thick saliva that was difficult to spit out as well as the tightness in my throat. I had had problems with normal heartburn in the past, but a few days of ranitidine (Zantac) and I was OK. I think this was because of my taking ibuprofen on an empty stomach. If the Zantac didn't help, which was seldom, I took Prilosec for 3 days and it was gone. Now, after the spasms, I began burping and having hiccups frequently, which was new to me, so I started on Prilosec 20mg once a day. I also changed my diet to conform with the diet for GERD and I think I'm beginning to get better, but it's taken a lot out of me because I've been on the same diet for a long time and all of a sudden I'm missing crucial nutrients that I ordinarily get. By the way, I"m 69 and have been healthy and disease free for at least 20 years. I want to discontinue the Prilosec because I've only been taking it for a little more than two weeks. I'm wondering if I could switch back to the Zantac 150mg twice a day without experiencing rebound symptoms because I've been on the Prilosec for such a short time. I can see that there are many people here with digestive health problems and I'm hoping someone can steer me in the right direction. My doctor is very good at giving labs and writing prescriptions, but he doesn't seem to do much doctoring, but that was OK, because I haven't had any serious health issues. He just told me " You know you have to see a gastroenterologist". Because of the holiday I haven't been able to schedule an appt. yet and now, with some of the symptoms lessening, I'm hoping there's a chance that I can switch to Zantac, or preferably cimetidine (Tagament) which helped me greatly when I developed an ulcer many years ago, and solve this problem without any intervention. The reason I want to stop taking it is because of the side effects. I've had diarrhea a few times and lots of headaches.I"m also worried about the things that can happen when you have so little stomach acid. I"d appreciate any comments from people who have had experience weaning off Prilosec after short term use, or anyone who has suffered with LPR or laryngopharangeal reflux, or anyone at all. Thanks for listening!!

I was taking omeprazole 40 mg twice a day for only two weeks when I stopped it because of side effects and I had lots of the rebound effects for a couple of weeks until I started another PPI. Sorry, that’s probably not what you wanted to hear, I imagine this is probably true with most if not all PPI meds.

sanchopanza: Your doctor is correct; you need to see a GI doctor, a gastroenterologist. It sounds like you may need an upper endoscopy to sort this out. I put it off for a long time and finally did it -- very easy procedure but do make sure to be totally 'out' for it, i.e., general anesthesia. It's an out-patient deal, painless, and only takes a few minutes. You will need a ride home, however, because they don't want liability of someone driving right after anesthesia.

I had been taking Tums myself for years on occasion but within past year it was nightly. There are so many symptoms associated with indigestion and sometimes people have 'silent' GERD as well so they don't really know anything is wrong.

I am over 65 as well and life catches up with us. My GI doc wanted endoscopy plus abdominal CT scan. The scan was fine except it found several small kidney stones in one kidney. Totally surprised by that and have to deal with it now, too.

The endoscopy was not expected to show much but doc found Barrett's Esophagus tissue in lower portion (you may need to research that); a growing problem around the world and can in some cases turn to adenocarcinoma of esophagus . Chances of having this happen are small but it's good to get the upper endoscopy to check, especially after age 50. These days, though, this problem is being found in people in their twenties and thirties, too.

I would go see a GI doc and get the endoscopy if it is recommended. My best to you.

Hi. My problem started about a month ago when I started chugging down a glass of water and suddenly I had a spasm in the area of my pharynx. It scared me, and took several minutes to abate, but no other symptoms. Soon, I found that I could no longer drink orange juice without the same problem, and then ice cream gave me very thick saliva that was difficult to spit out as well as the tightness in my throat. I had had problems with normal heartburn in the past, but a few days of ranitidine (Zantac) and I was OK. I think this was because of my taking ibuprofen on an empty stomach. If the Zantac didn't help, which was seldom, I took Prilosec for 3 days and it was gone. Now, after the spasms, I began burping and having hiccups frequently, which was new to me, so I started on Prilosec 20mg once a day. I also changed my diet to conform with the diet for GERD and I think I'm beginning to get better, but it's taken a lot out of me because I've been on the same diet for a long time and all of a sudden I'm missing crucial nutrients that I ordinarily get. By the way, I"m 69 and have been healthy and disease free for at least 20 years. I want to discontinue the Prilosec because I've only been taking it for a little more than two weeks. I'm wondering if I could switch back to the Zantac 150mg twice a day without experiencing rebound symptoms because I've been on the Prilosec for such a short time. I can see that there are many people here with digestive health problems and I'm hoping someone can steer me in the right direction. My doctor is very good at giving labs and writing prescriptions, but he doesn't seem to do much doctoring, but that was OK, because I haven't had any serious health issues. He just told me " You know you have to see a gastroenterologist". Because of the holiday I haven't been able to schedule an appt. yet and now, with some of the symptoms lessening, I'm hoping there's a chance that I can switch to Zantac, or preferably cimetidine (Tagament) which helped me greatly when I developed an ulcer many years ago, and solve this problem without any intervention. The reason I want to stop taking it is because of the side effects. I've had diarrhea a few times and lots of headaches.I"m also worried about the things that can happen when you have so little stomach acid. I"d appreciate any comments from people who have had experience weaning off Prilosec after short term use, or anyone who has suffered with LPR or laryngopharangeal reflux, or anyone at all. Thanks for listening!!