I have had soreness in my throat for several months. It sometimes feels like there is a lump in my throat and my voice becomes hoarse and raspy. I saw an ENT regularly for a few months. He originally looked at my throat with a small camera and said my lingual tonsils were inflamed and he thought that was the "lump" I was feeling. I took an antibiotic and steroid for that. When I saw him again, still had symptoms, so he put me on Nexium and told me it might be silent reflux. After a month on Nexium, still had soreness. He then had me do a barium swallow that showed everything to be functioning properly and said he found nothing anatomically wrong and wanted to refer me to a neurologist. I asked if there was a chance I did have silent reflux and maybe the Nexium didn't take care of it and he said maybe and gave me Aciphex. I have not yet started the Aciphex and wonder what my next step should be. Is the neurologist a logical choice here?
Hello, I am 19 years old and I've been living with acid reflex since as far back as i can remember. I am 5'6 and weight 108 pounds, I eat very "boring" foods and have raised the head of my bed. I've been on medication for it since I was in the 5th grade. A year ago i was switched from prevacid to dexilant, I've been put on a ton of different medications and none seem to have worked as well as dexilant. I take dexilant twice a day, even though it is only recommended as once a day. I have seen a change in how many full nights of sleep I get, I went from waking up every night, to now only once or twice a night a week. The medicine helps, but I am obviously still suffering. I've been thinking about having surgery, however, I am only 19 and every doctor I've been to doesn't want to push surgery because of my young age. I just would like to know your opinion about a 19 year old having surgery for acid reflex. I would also like to know since I have been on medicine for so long for this problem, what are the long term effects?
Hello! I wonder if you have had an upper endoscopy and biopsy. It is important to evaluate the severity of the reflux and rule out other causes of your symptoms before considering surgery. Often a pH probe is recommended to also assess the severity of the reflux. Talk to your doctor about delayed gastric emptying. Sometimes the slow movement of food through your digestive system can cause more acid. Also rule out a hiatus hernia.
At that point, you will be in a better position to discuss whether surgery is a good option for you. Surgery may reduce or eliminate the need for medication but it may not. Talk to the gastroenterologist and maybe even a surgeon to get a better idea if surgery would reduce your symptoms and the need for medications.
The PPI medications do have side effects. However, if you are at risk for esophagitis and other complications of GERD, you and the doctor will need to look at the lowest dose of medication that gives you the most benefit.
Let me know if you have had any additional testing and consultations with specialists about your GERD.
Good luck, Jan
I have had acid reflux for 2 yrs. I've had ever test there is. None of the meds, chiropractic or accupuncture has worked until I tried Nexium last month. The first 2 weeks it was wonderful, I felt normal again. Then, I developed a 3 day headache so I took a lot of Tylenol comb products and then one night we went to friends and I had pie and a strong cup of coffee. I woke up in the night with excruciating gut pain. Since then I have had some of my symptoms return. Had an EDG which showed gastritis. I've been trying to stay away from caffiene, chocolate, coffee, soft drinks and fat but still feel very uncomfortable. In the meantime, still taking the Nexium along with Librax.
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