[McRobb]

Well, I have just added another medicine and another condition to my growing list!

Have had lots of trouble with my voice this past several months and have been calling it sinus infection. I got much worse quickly about 3 weeks ago and ended up calling 911 as I could not breathe in mid-July. Doctors thought it was combination of meds that dry out my mouth and throat and cause all drainage to be too thick to swallow easily. Breathing treatments followed and are still going as needed.

So, saw a Ear Nose Throat specialist a week ago and he did a scope down my nose and says it is severe acid reflux or GIRD. Put me on Nexium and told me it would take months to get much better. Seems there are two sphinter muscles in your esphogus (I know that is misspelled), one just under your vocal cords and one just above your stomach. Apparently the one at my stomach is paralyzed open (me guessing) and the other one further up is not working properly.

Anyway, major irritation in my throat, vocal cords, sinus, and broncial tubes as well - all from stomach acid.

And I wondered has anyone else had this problem? I am C-6-8 incomplete injury and my guess is that it would depend on where your injury is located. But, do your internal workings get paralyzed as well as the motor muscles? It makes sense to me but I really do not know.

Does anyone have any info on this or suffer from the same problem?

[Rudy]

Hello, I'm a level 3-4 Quadrapeligic, 45 years old and had my accident 30 years ago. I always felt sick on and off but for the last couple of months,I have been feeling quite ill, due to dysreflexia. The dysreflexia is caused by my intestines and bowls. I get pain in my abdomen and some times acid reflux.The doctors told me that there is not much that they can do about it. If it continues,my doctor says I may need a colstomy.Frankly I'm not sure if that would help me feel any better, also, I don't know if I am strong enough to go through one more major surgery. I don't want to live like this anymore. Is there anyone out there who has experienced anything similar?
Please let me know. RUDY

[KimAndSophie]

When I was in the hospital I was on a ton of medication that destroyed the lining of my stomach. Even then I was throwing up blood. It's been almost three years now, and I'm still having a lot of problems with heartburn and my stomach. There's not a day that goes by when I don't have heartburn so bad I feel like I'm going to be sick. I can't feel it until it's already at the back of my throat and there's been times when I will open my mouth to say something and I will just be sick. Even drinking water gives me heartburn and makes stomach acid come up into my throat.

I have gotten AD and couldn't fugure out why, but noticed that sometimes after I'm sick and the heartburn goes away, so does the headache and AD. I've tried every over the counter and perscription medication out there, but nothing helps. The problem I have with Dr's is that they just tell me to keep trying the medication for heartburn, and wait to see if it works. They don't think that it can be bad enough to do anything about because I don't get the burning up and down my chest. I've explained that I have no feeling there, but they still can't wrap their minds around it. I'm planning on trying to find someone who will at least try a different aproach now that I;ve moved to a different place. I just hope someone will listen. I've also started choaking to amny times to count on nothing but saliva, or from the heartburn because it just goes down into my lungs and I can't stop it.

I think if you are having problems now, you should definetly try to get it under control before it gets out of hand like mine did.

[wheels5894]

Been there for years now. Got prescribed Lansoprazol, and h2 inhibitor which reduces the amount of acid in the stomach.

Oh, and don't forget, we can have other conditions apart from SCI. A hiatus hernia, the stomach poking through the diapham can have similar symptoms so get check out with a doctor.

[smokymtn memories]

I highly advise anyone to check with their doctor about acid reflux. But, yes I've had it for years. It's a royal pain in the rear end. Does'nt matter what I eat or don't eat. I can just drink water and have it.

When I had health insurance I had a rx for it, I think it was protonic. Since I no longer have the insurance, I take the otc Prilosec and I HAVE to take it every day. No skipping. Ever. If I take it every day, I rarely have to use other antacids. If I forget, I pay for it.

If you try the Prilosec and it does'nt work, be sure and get your doctor to give you something else. The acid will eat a hole in the esophogus and can cause a lot of damage. Don't ever put up with constant heart burn.

[McRobb]

My, my, the things you learn about being paraplysed that you never even thought about before.

Thanks for the input, everyone - and sorry to hear that others have trouble with this as well. It is a real pain in the butt.

I did talk to my doctor this morning and he is going to refer me on to a pulmonary specialist to get my lungs checked. He thinks the GIRD may be part of the answer but wants to make sure the there is not a better cure than breathing treatments. At least he is intersted in finding out what is going on and is very concerned. If I happen to learn anything else that might help others, I will pass it on.

[ruth32]

Hello i'm a c2 i was hurt at the age of 8 and i'm 32 now so i have had acid reflux for a long time my meds cause it and now food so together it's realy bad i just went to the doc a few days ago because i could not swallow or talk and hurt soooo bad he gave me 5 pills of nexium and it was gone but i do take zantac with my meds every day so that helps alot dont know if this helps you at all good luck to you

[Mr.Rochester]

When I was having radiotherapy treatment I was pre warned that the radiation could burn my aesophagus which could cause some temporary heartburn and discomfort when eating.
That was in August 2006 and I still get it now. My Doc only gives my Omeprazole which is just gaviscon in a pill basically, when it gets really bad it doesnt do jack sh*t!

[kewlcatkez]

Hi,

I get oesophageal reflux. My Sphincters very floppy and lax due to my genetic connective tissue disorder. Also since paralysis, it seems worse. However it could be just effects building up over time, the medications I take which cause more reflux etc. As I take anti inflammatories, this is quite possibly the case.

Zoton ( Lansoprazole) & Omepraxole are the drugs of choice now here in the UK as they pose less side effects to those with conditions such as congestive Cardiac Failure, has less negative effect on the U&E's potentially, and in clinical trials reportedly were at the top. Of course, there also may be the case that reps put spins on these things.
It depends upon Consultant/DRs or in some cases the Trust's preference as to which one is prescribed.

Combining Zoton or Omeprazole with gaviscon does seem to work for a lot of people with Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD or GORD using the British acronyms).

if Omeprazole isn't working, perhaps asked to change to Zoton? Omeprazole can also be increased to dosages above the 'set' suggested ones under the direction of your dr and by combining it with other Proton Pump Inhibitors.

Also, as the capsules are big, this is one time when its ok to split open the capsules in order to swallow. The actual drug inside the capsules, both Omeprazole and Zoton ( lansoprazole) are digested and broken down by the stomach. To combat this, the capsules contain little grains/granules/ and you can open a capsule and take with a glass of water, apple or orange juice or yogurt.

I hope this helps someone,

Take care,

K

[Ben]

I had acid reflux right away and sometimes i would wakeup barf and go back too sleep. i didn't know what I had then. so many years later i got a stomach x-ray and have been on losec or something like it for over 10 years and if i take my 20mg everyday i'm great. But miss a day and I'm royally screwed. i can get away with it when i'm up, but lay down too sleep and I will start coffing etc..

[mcferguson]

My rehab doctor proscribed me an acid reflux medicine (can't recall the name) in the rehab hospital as a preventive measure and I haven't felt any burning of my throat. My voice does get gravelly every so often, which I suppose could be acid reflux. My GP has switched me to Omeprazole (an OTC) when my current prescription runs out. Has anyone had any experience with Omeprazole? I'd much rather take it than the prescription for cost reasons.

[greybeard]

mcferguson, on Oct 6 2009, 08:13 PM, said:

My rehab doctor proscribed me an acid reflux medicine (can't recall the name) in the rehab hospital as a preventive measure and I haven't felt any burning of my throat. My voice does get gravelly every so often, which I suppose could be acid reflux. My GP has switched me to Omeprazole (an OTC) when my current prescription runs out. Has anyone had any experience with Omeprazole? I'd much rather take it than the prescription for cost reasons.

Omeprazole has been prescribed for me and I've been taking it for a year or so now. In my case, it's to stop stomach damage from the aspirin I have to take daily following a retinal vein occlusion. I have not had any adverse side effects from it.

[partygirl]

I think this is quite a common complaint. I also have it. I take Nexium (esomeprazole) daily, for the same GERD symptoms, regurgitation, gravely voice , cough, post nasal gunk etc. I also have a hiatus hernia that doesn't help and slow peristalsis in my esophagus.
The investigations you would need are a gastroscopy and a barium swallow.
The cough is caused by small amounts of reflux seeping into your airway as the two openings are situated very close together.