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[Katejo]

Is yours any better now Katejo?

S x

Hi Sparkle   I don't think I have LPR and my endoscopy last year appears to support this. I did ask the nurse about it as it wasn't mentioned in the endo report. I don't have a problem with nasal drip or excessive mucus and i don't get coughing fits in the night.

 When a doctor told me that I did have LPR in 2015, he tried to prescribe a very strict and limited diet which I would never have maintained but i did try switching to caffeine free tea/coffee.  I then downloaded this book from Amazon and found it very interesting. It disputes the value of special diets and drugs like Omeprazole.  https://www.amazon.co.uk/All-About-LPR-Silent-Reflux-ebook/dp/B00AGVD0SC/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1503512479&sr=8-2&keywords=lpr+reflux    He predicted that my voice/throat  would deteriorate but it has stayed much the same since then.

Since that appt. I have had the endoscopy and found that I have the small sliding hiatus hernia. I now think that the discomfort which I do get is either connected with that or with my underactive thyroid/thyroidectomy. An NHS doctor dismissed my suggestions but I am about to get my thyroid checked again and may pay for a private 2nd opinion if the GP rejects my request. I have a printout from Thyroid UK which lists symptoms of insufficient thyroxine and i have several of them.

I can't say whether my tea/coffee suggestion would help Robot but it is relatively easy to try out without having to buy expensive special foods so I thought it might be worth suggesting.

[CLKD]

Try sleeping slightly propped up which will encourage any reflux not to happen.

[Katejo]

Thanks for that link Katejo, he posts up to date info on his blog on Tumblr which is helpful.

It's worth trying things like cutting out caffeine, etc and as CLKD suggests, sleeping with the head of the bed slightly raised.  Also not eating or drinking within three hours of going to bed.

S x

what is the link to Tumblr please? Or is a Google search enough? I avoid late meals as much as possible or go for things like soup/small snacks.

[Elliemay]

I wont take omeprazole because of the side effects. I know people that it has caused B12 deficiency in. The gps didn't then stop the omeprazole but give b12 injections, which seems crazy to me. Ppis arent a nice class of drug. I agree that stopping stomach acid stops you digesting food properly. One hint is that peppermint tea will trigger acid reflux. Peppermint relaxes the oesophageal sphincter so acid is free to come back up! Tomatoes are a huge trigger for me, annoying cause I like them!

[Marie62]

I'll never take omeprazole or any PPI's again, took it for about a month years ago as I suffered from excruciating pains in the middle of my chest for years, finally got told it was oesophageal spasms, used to get attacks lasting up to an hour a few times a week.
Tried omeprazole for a month and it made no difference whatsoever,came of it then a few weeks later half my hair fell out!!! It came out in handfuls one day while washing it,I was terrified it would all fall out but after a week or two it calmed down.
I was lucky my hair was really thick to start with and it wasn't too noticeable but I'll never forget the shock of seeing handfuls of hair blocking the plug hole.
It eventually grew back but never as thick as it was and about once a year it still sheds quite badly and recedes at the sides and temples.
Hair loss was listed as one of the rare side effects of omeprazole, don't want to scare anyone taking it and I've known other people who have taken it with no problems but for me personally I'll never take it again.
Strangely though since I had my last period at 50 (5 years ago) and started meno I've had hardly any pain maybe 3 times a year now, which can be controlled with ibuprofen.

[Elliemay]

Oh no Marie62 that sounds awful. My medical herbalist told me that omeprazole can cause hair loss. I didnt mention that here as I didnt want to scare anyone. He also said that gps would not admit that it does, but he had studied the drug. So your experience is interesting in that regard as well as awful. I have such thin hair I darent risk it.

[CLKD]

Are there any peer reviewed studies Elliemay?

[Elliemay]

I have no idea. I've seen the studies on dementia with it but not researched hair loss. The dementia scare was revised I think and deemed not a risk by my gp.

[CLKD]

My medical herbalist told me that omeprazole can cause hair loss - is it possible to ask him?  Alopecia is such a strange condition and can be distressing, the more we learn  ......... shock can cause it, my Dad saw someone's hair turn white when a bomb dropped behind them 

[Elliemay]

Theres quite a lot on Google. I found this article but Im not familiar with the source  and you could probably find an equal amount of favourable stuff too. My dad has taken it for 15 years no problem. Friends say it's a miracle cure. My neighbour is a nurse and was prescribed it to prevent Barrett's oesophagus by a consultant who said he hated PPIs because they mask other conditions  but there was no alternative. Think it's a case of taking the least effective dose of anything for the shortest possible time. http://www.post-gazette.com/news/health/2016/03/22/Studies-are-documenting-various-side-effects-from-proton-pump-inhiboris-used-to-prevent-GERD/stories/201603010157

[CLKD]

I don't trust GOOGLE  preferring peer-reviewed studies.  Dr James le Fanu has written articles in the Daily Telegraph about the drug too.  Not all of it favourable!

[Elliemay]

I know what you mean. That article states that there have been peer reviewed studies but I want to see those. Found out that the National Institute of Medical Herbalists run seminars on PPIs. This article isn't my herbalist but one I found that is saying the same thing. I know that the remedy mine prescribed did stop the reflux and the awful constipation I had had. That hadnt shifted with any of the movicol etc from gp. But then later he changed the remedy for my new symptoms and it didnt help that side of it as much. https://www.sussexherbalist.co.uk/herbal-medicine/the-herbal-medicine-approach-to-acid-reflux/1237/

[dangermouse]

If it helps those worried, I have baby fine hair and didn't lose any and I was on the highest dose for 6 months on and off. The A&E doc told me they wouldn't see me again if I stopped it again as my ulcers were 'clearly' severe, even though they wouldn't give me an emergency endoscopy. I had no ulcers of course. I didn't have any bad side effects though, it just made my hormonal migraines/nausea worse and eventually caused pain as couldn't digest anything.

[CLKD]

   Elliemay

[Elliemay]

No probs, that is a really good article actually! Wouldn't have found it if you hadn't asked. It makes sense to me.