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[Penguin]

I hadn't thought of histamine, that's a good point, hormones can really mess with your histamine response. Katherine I do think it would good to mention the lips to your doctor, or perhaps at least try taking an antihistamine when it happens to see if it helps with the swelling?
If it is histamine caused by too high estrogen whatever, rather than food, then they may just want the dose adjusting so your levels don't go too high or law, whatever the issue is.

[Gilla999]

Yes i wouldn't worry about them taking your HRT away, even with my severe condition that was never a conversation.

Just to highlight though... when you have angioedema of the lips, you know immediately that it's that, without even looking in the mirror. They feel grotesque (and often end up looking not as bad as they feel to you). If you only noticed when you looked in the mirror it's possibly not the same thing. Good idea to rule things out as you suggest xxx

[discogirl]

Hi Katherine

Im so sorry you had this. it must have been so frightening for you.

I think its a good idea to avoid food well before bedtime.

Im thinking of you. take care xxx

[Katherine]

I hadn't thought of histamine, that's a good point, hormones can really mess with your histamine response. Katherine I do think it would good to mention the lips to your doctor, or perhaps at least try taking an antihistamine when it happens to see if it helps with the swelling?
If it is histamine caused by too high estrogen whatever, rather than food, then they may just want the dose adjusting so your levels don't go too high or law, whatever the issue is.

Hi penguin, after thinking about this and searching for images of swollen lips due to allergic reactions,etc, I don’t think I had that, they weren’t as swollen as any of the images, I think the swelling was due to my body overheating as I was dripping with sweat. I don’t know why I was sweating like that because I had the same bedding on last night in similar air temperature and I was fine.

That night when it happened I had 1 extra pump of oestrogel in the evening for the first time in a few weeks and a small glass of red wine from the bottom of a bottle that had been in the fridge maybe too long and I know red wine gives me excess stomach acid and boxed red wine with high sulphite levels makes me wheezy, but I thought I’d be ok as I’m usually ok with bottled wine but I drink infrequently. I just didn’t remember the gaviscon. I think because this breathing thing happens fairly infrequently, once it stops I feel like it’s not going to come back and I don’t have a strict routine as such, but it looks like now I really do need one as this will just keep happening otherwise.

Last night I followed my new rule of no food within 2 hours of bedtime and gaviscon before bed and I was fine, so I’m hoping it’s just eating too close to bed or the occasional wrong red wine that’s causing it.

[Katherine]

Yes i wouldn't worry about them taking your HRT away, even with my severe condition that was never a conversation.

Just to highlight though... when you have angioedema of the lips, you know immediately that it's that, without even looking in the mirror. They feel grotesque (and often end up looking not as bad as they feel to you). If you only noticed when you looked in the mirror it's possibly not the same thing. Good idea to rule things out as you suggest xxx

Hi gilla, I looked at images of angioedema of the lips and I wasn’t as bad as that, now I think it was due to my high temperature. Thanks for your help though, I welcome any thoughts or ideas as they often are useful. Xxx

[Katherine]

Hi Katherine

Im so sorry you had this. it must have been so frightening for you.

I think its a good idea to avoid food well before bedtime.

Im thinking of you. take care xxx

Hi discogirl,

Thank you, I was good last night, no food at least 2 hours before bedtime and gaviscon, and I was fine. Xxx

[Katherine]

I just wanted to say thank you to all you ladies who replied, I felt quite traumatised after what happened and all your messages in itself made me feel better and recover quicker, you are all lovely xxxx

[Flossieteacake]

How did last night go Katherine? Did you manage to get a decent sleep without the breathing difficulty?

[Katherine]

Hi Flossie,

I did sleep fine last night with no problems thank you, I followed my new rule of not eating within 2 hours of bedtime, I took 2 tsp Gaviscon before bed too just to be on the safe side. I had no symptoms as all. So hopefully this will continue. I have heard, however, that it is not recommended to take anti acid products regularly and that doing so slightly increases your risk of stomach cancer.

So I will have to look into that. It might be that just avoiding food before bed and during the night, and only taking anti acid products if I have had wine or something like that, might be enough. Once I have gone symptom free for a few weeks I think I will try that.

Katherine x

[Flossieteacake]

Hi Flossie,

I did sleep fine last night with no problems thank you, I followed my new rule of not eating within 2 hours of bedtime, I took 2 tsp Gaviscon before bed too just to be on the safe side. I had no symptoms as all. So hopefully this will continue. I have heard, however, that it is not recommended to take anti acid products regularly and that doing so slightly increases your risk of stomach cancer.

So I will have to look into that. It might be that just avoiding food before bed and during the night, and only taking anti acid products if I have had wine or something like that, might be enough. Once I have gone symptom free for a few weeks I think I will try that.

Katherine x

Sounds to me like this was all connected to acid. How reassuring to know this and hopefully you can continue leaving a gap between eating and going to bed. I have read it is best to always leave a gap of 3 hours if a person has trouble with acid. Maybe in time you will no longer need the Gaviscon.

I hope you feel better about things now and not worried. It is horrible to feel anxious.

[Penguin]

Hi Katherine I an so glad you had a better night and have worked out the problem! I do wonder about you reference to antacids and stomach cancer though, I thought that was only in relation to the proton pump inhibitors that stop acid production rather than products like gaviscon which basically form a raft over your stomach contents and stop them coming back up. Did you read anything specifically about gaviscon, because I use it most nights as an alternative to taking omeprazole but would be looking at finding a plan b for myself too if it was risky?

[Katherine]

Hi Flossie,

I did sleep fine last night with no problems thank you, I followed my new rule of not eating within 2 hours of bedtime, I took 2 tsp Gaviscon before bed too just to be on the safe side. I had no symptoms as all. So hopefully this will continue. I have heard, however, that it is not recommended to take anti acid products regularly and that doing so slightly increases your risk of stomach cancer.

So I will have to look into that. It might be that just avoiding food before bed and during the night, and only taking anti acid products if I have had wine or something like that, might be enough. Once I have gone symptom free for a few weeks I think I will try that.

Katherine x

Sounds to me like this was all connected to acid. How reassuring to know this and hopefully you can continue leaving a gap between eating and going to bed. I have read it is best to always leave a gap of 3 hours if a person has trouble with acid. Maybe in time you will no longer need the Gaviscon.

I hope you feel better about things now and not worried. It is horrible to feel anxious.

I think 3 hours without food may be a big ask of me unfortunately Flossie but I will do it if 2 hours doesn't work, I suppose I will have to have a Chinese banquet or something to keep me going . I hope you're right that in time I no longer need the Gaviscon every night. I do feel better thanks Flossie, my partner is staying over the weekend too so if anything were to happen I'm not alone and that's comforting. xxx

[Katherine]

Hi Katherine I an so glad you had a better night and have worked out the problem! I do wonder about you reference to antacids and stomach cancer though, I thought that was only in relation to the proton pump inhibitors that stop acid production rather than products like gaviscon which basically form a raft over your stomach contents and stop them coming back up. Did you read anything specifically about gaviscon, because I use it most nights as an alternative to taking omeprazole but would be looking at finding a plan b for myself too if it was risky?

Hi Penguin, Thank you! I am not sure which specific anti acid product it was referring to so I can't say with certainty, but I suspect it was probably about omeprazole. I know many people rely on Gaviscon and take it regularly and no GP has ever said not to take it regularly. One GP told me to take Gaviscon before bed due to these breathing issues.

 I am going to look into it though, if I forget to let you know feel free to PM me. Also we must remember that correlation does not equal causation - what I read is that people who take anti acids (or whatever specific product it was) have a slightly increased risk of stomach cancer, but it did not say that the anti acid product was the cause of this increased risk. I suspect that many people who take these products do so due to the effect of alcohol or unhealthy diets and that, I believe, is more likely to be the cause of the stomach cancer, although I don't know enough about this to say anything with confidence. I'm sorry if I have worried you and I will look into that. xx

[Penguin]

Thanks Katherine, I am glad of any info tbh so no need to apologise, and my GP also knows I have a swig of gaviscon before bed, although for me it only seems to be at certain times of the month, then it goes and comes back again. I hate all these niggly little things that happen as we age. I remember laughing at my mum and the amount of bits and bobs she travelled with to keep herself comfortable and I am now doing exactly the same. I wrapped my gaviscon and took it to Germany with me last weekend, just in case I needed it 🤣

[Katherine]

Oh I understand penguin, my bedside drawer is literally full of medications, hormones, inhalers, gaviscon, creams, whereas just a few years ago I didn’t take anything at all. Then there’s my supplements and energy bars downstairs. I also need my noise cancelling earphones with me at all times. 😂. I also used to be amused at home my Nan used to keep telling me the same stories over and over again and how she would forget our names, now I’m doing it. I even forgot my partners name for a few seconds recently, I do hope it’s just hormones!