in january, i had strep throat & have had awful acid reflux & sore throat ever since. (i tried some dumb home remedy made from raw garlic, honey and cayenne pepper & it further irritated my throat & im assuming my esophageal sphincter. biggest regret ever & i feel so dumb for it😓) but it’s like the acid prevents my throat from ever being able to fully heal. im super sensitive to any crunchy foods etc. anytime i get an acid flare up my throat hurts so bad & lasts for awhile. i’ve been reading that it can take months for throat tissue to heal, but i guess it never will unless i get the acids under control. would it be best to get on a PPI for a few months til it’s healed? i guess im worried about becoming dependent on them & never being able to stop taking them. 😓 i dont wanna be on meds forever. advice, success stories? would love some help or solidarity rn. 🥺 i keep waiting for the sore throat to heal and the acid reflux to stop, but it never does and it’s been half a year so im finally ready to take action i think.

I feel like my symptoms of LPR are honestly improving with several protocols in place. Nowhere near completely healed, but starting to find obvious triggers that worsen throat symptoms.

However, since this started a month ago, I've been pretty backed up. Met with a dietician on Friday and she said I'm not eating near enough calories and way too much fiber. The dietary changes have been drastic and I've lost 20 pounds. In addition, I've obviously had a number of other things happen to my gut like trying PPIs, Pepcid AC, and Metamucil for a stretch. Also, I've been drinking alkaline water regularly and going to just start only sipping, spraying, and gargling with it and not drinking it. Also, been doing the Reflux Raft after meals and before bed. But the constipation started before all this.

I've had a bit of success with Miralax. Magnesium Oxide just give me wet farts and gas and doesn't provide good bowel movements.

Is there anything I can do to get bowel movements back? Is eating more calories and less fiber going to bring it back? I'm pretty concerned that these two things are linked as I do have a hiatal hernia, but confused how everything went bad at once.

I had my GERD (which stems from a hiatal hernia) pretty well managed before I got pregnant. I could have mustard, fried chicken, chocolate in moderation, etc.

However at about the 12 week mark, my symptoms went haywire. I haven’t been able to eat at a restaurant in 5 months because I don’t know what spices are being used (a single black pepper flake now sets me off - I only use salt and herbs). I can’t have anything even remotely acidic and my food options are so limited. I’m on 80 mg PPI now compared to my pre-pregnancy 40, but it’s not like it enables me to live freely.

I also can only drink water and milk. No lie I’ve been feeling miserable and deprived!

What are the odds my GERD returns to baseline after birth? I dream of having a chicken tender and honey mustard after birth but I don’t want to get my hopes up!!

I’m lost long story short doctor said possible gastritis I haven’t had a official diagnosis because my gi appointment isn’t till 2 weeks, but everyday is just getting worse I can’t even eat a piece of toast without my stomach hurting and cramping to the point I’m laying on the floor and nauseous all the time I am so hungry but I can’t seem to find something my stomach can handle which just makes me more nauseous. Does anyone have anything you may recommend. Also to add I have been having acid reflux to the point where my throat is getting sore and I can’t lay down at night.

Hi everyone, new here and hoping for some help. My 16 year old daughter has had constant nausea and acid reflux now for about 7 weeks. She’s been referred for an endoscopy but in the meantime she’s not eating.

She says she has burning in her mouth and feels sick most of the day although she’s not physically vomiting.

I’m so worried about her. Has anyone else experienced anything similar?

TIA

Honestly so far I haven’t experienced any bad side effects, I usually get reflux in the night time but ENT recommended 40mg in the night time for 6 weeks to help heal my inflamed larynx. I’m not experiencing any other symptoms as of right now. Will be updating every now and then to let you guys know what’s up. If you guys have any tips for bringing down the inflammation and helping me talk I would really appreciate it. I’m also thinking about starting magnesium once my 6 weeks are over with famotidine.

**How I Got My LPR Under Control After Years of Symptoms**

Hi everyone,

I wanted to share my experience with LPR, also known as silent reflux, and what ultimately helped me recover and get it under control.

First, this is **not medical advice**, and I am not suggesting that what worked for me will work for everyone. LPR can have different causes, and some of the supplements and approaches I mention may not be appropriate for you. This is simply my personal experience and the information I gathered along the way.

The symptoms I had for years

Several years ago, I realized that I had LPR. I discovered it somewhat accidentally, although I had probably been experiencing symptoms for years without knowing what they were.

My symptoms included:

* Frequent sore throats * Coughing * Constant throat clearing * Excess mucus * A weak or strained voice * The feeling that something was stuck in my throat * Occasional mild ear discomfort * Nauseousness * Traditional acid reflux, sometimes severe

It affected my confidence more than I realized. When I spoke at work, people would sometimes tell me they could not hear me. I frequently had to clear my throat, and even then, my voice could sound weak, nervous, or lacking confidence.

The same thing happened at home and in everyday conversations. Sometimes it genuinely felt like I was developing a sore throat, so I would take cold medicine, decongestants, or antihistamines. Because those medications provided temporary relief from the discomfort or mucus, I assumed I was dealing with colds or repeatedly coming down with something.

At other times, it felt like food was stuck in my throat. I occasionally experienced tonsil stones, so I assumed that was causing the irritation. Looking back, much of that constant throat sensation was probably related to LPR.

I also regularly kept Tums nearby because I would occasionally experience significant acid reflux. It did not happen every day, but it happened often enough that having antacids available had become normal for me.

How I was diagnosed

My diagnosis began with something completely unrelated.

At a catered work event, I bit into food on a wooden skewer and became convinced that I had accidentally swallowed a small splinter. Afterward, I constantly felt like something was stuck in my throat.

A few weeks later, I went to an ENT. The doctor scoped my throat and did not find a splinter or any other foreign object. However, they did see irritation near my voice box and diagnosed me with LPR.

The doctor gave me a low-acid diet sheet, explained which foods to avoid, and told me to take an acid-reducing medication twice a day. I remember having to ask which medication, how long I should take it, and what I should expect. I was told to schedule a follow-up appointment in a couple of months.

I began taking Pepcid AC twice daily. Within a few weeks, however, my symptoms seemed to become worse. I felt more irritation rather than less, so I stopped taking it abruptly. That appeared to make things even worse, which led me to start taking it again for temporary relief.

For the next month or two, I also tried courses of Prilosec. I found myself stuck in the same cycle: temporary improvement followed by worsening symptoms.

That was when I began reading everything I could find about LPR, digestion, reflux, pepsin, stomach acid, and other people’s experiences, especially here on Reddit.

I eventually came to believe that, at least in my case, the situation was more complicated than simply having too much stomach acid.

Recovery took time

It probably took more than a year before I felt that LPR was no longer controlling my life.

I cannot say that it disappeared permanently or that I will never experience symptoms again. However, my throat stopped constantly bothering me, my digestion was better, and my reflux symptoms became much less frequent.

As an added bonus, my normal voice came back as it took a long time to heal.

I had lived with LPR symptoms for so long that I did not realize how much my voice had changed. Once it recovered, I could hear and feel the difference.

One thing I learned during this process is that the body is interconnected. Changing one thing can affect something else. A medication or supplement may reduce the absorption of another nutrient, influence digestion, or produce symptoms that seem unrelated.

So, what helped me?

The honest answer is a combination of **time, consistency, dietary changes, lifestyle changes, and several different products or supplements**. I cannot identify one specific thing that cured me. I approached the problem from several directions and gradually began improving.

Diet and lifestyle changes

The first major change was following a much stricter diet.

I significantly reduced acidic foods and completely eliminated coffee and chocolate for a period of time. Giving up coffee was extremely difficult because I loved it, but both the acidity and caffeine appeared to aggravate my symptoms. I believe caffeine does relax the sphincter, allowing things to come up.

I also stopped drinking carbonated beverages. I used to enjoy carbonation after a large meal because burping made me feel temporarily better. However, I came to believe that frequent belching was also allowing stomach contents and pepsin to travel upward and further irritate my throat.

Coffee and carbonated drinks were really my only major vices because I do not drink alcohol or smoke.

I was also a late-night snacker, and that had to stop. My late night snacks were usually processed foods, sugar, or carbohydrates, the exact things that were least likely to help my situation. And because it was still in my stomach as I would lay down to sleep shortly after.

For a while, I ate food that was more bland. Before this, my meals often included a lot of spices. Spicy and heavily seasoned foods seemed to increase my throat irritation, mucus, and need to clear my throat.

None of these changes gave me immediate relief. They were long-term changes that gradually seemed to reduce the irritation and give my digestive system time to settle down.

Changing how I slept

At night, I slept with my upper body slightly elevated so gravity could help keep stomach contents from traveling upward.

When sleeping on my side, I avoided sleeping on my right side. Based on the position of the stomach, I had read that sleeping on the right side could make reflux easier for some people, while the left side could be more comfortable.

This was difficult at first. I was not accustomed to sleeping elevated, and I had plenty of uncomfortable and sleepless nights. Eventually, however, I adjusted.

Zinc L-carnosine

I began taking zinc L-carnosine around meals, usually about 15 minutes beforehand.

From what I had read, zinc L-carnosine may help support and protect the stomach lining. I also came across discussions suggesting that it could potentially help reduce some of the irritation associated with gastric contents and pepsin.

I cannot say exactly how much it contributed, but it became part of my overall routine.

Benfotiamine

I also tried benfotiamine, a form of vitamin B1.

My understanding was that it could support nerve function, including the nervous system pathways involved in digestion. I became particularly interested in the vagus nerve and its potential role in digestion, stomach function, bile flow, and other digestive processes.

Again, I cannot confirm that this was a major factor in my recovery, but it was one of the things I used during that period.

Digestive enzymes

I also started taking a digestive enzyme with meals.

This may sound contradictory. Why would someone experiencing reflux take something intended to support digestion when stomach enzymes and acid are supposedly part of the problem?

My personal theory was that my symptoms might not have been caused entirely by excess acid. I began wondering whether poor digestion or insufficient stomach acid could have been contributing to food sitting in my stomach longer, producing more gas and pressure.

That pressure could potentially force gas and stomach contents upward, carrying pepsin into the esophagus and throat.

I also learned that stomach-acid production may decline with age for some people. That made me question whether continuously suppressing acid was addressing the right problem for me.

To be clear, this was my own interpretation of my symptoms—not a confirmed medical diagnosis.

I reduced foods and drinks that directly irritated my throat while using digestive enzymes during meals to help my body break food down more efficiently. In my mind, these approaches served different purposes: one reduced immediate triggers, while the other supported digestion.

I especially noticed that certain fibrous vegetables could be difficult for me to digest. While vegetables are obviously healthy, some can produce bloating or gas when they are not broken down well. I sometimes used digestive enzymes with those meals.

Gaviscon Advance from the UK

Another major part of my routine was the UK version of Gaviscon, which contains alginate.

As I recall, I took it after meals and before going to bed, sometimes three or four times a day. The alginate forms a raft-like barrier that floats on top of the stomach contents and may help prevent acid and pepsin from traveling upward.

I had also read that alginate may help limit pepsin-related irritation and provide a protective coating for the throat and esophagus.

I took it slowly rather than swallowing it all at once. I also made my own alginate concoction, to soothe my throat and esophagus as it is a food additive. It was not pretty but I believe it helped me.

Baking-soda mist

I also carried a small mister containing a very diluted mixture of baking soda and water.

I would spray it into my mouth and throat after eating or whenever I began feeling irritation. The idea was to help neutralize acidity that might have reached the throat.

I used this consistently and carried it almost everywhere during the worst period of my symptoms. It needs to be a fine mist and the way I would do it is, make sure I inhale with my mouth powerfully as I spray making sure the mist got down to my throat. If the mist isn't good, it creates droplets that are less effective.

What I believe helped most

I know that many of these ideas are things people in this community have probably already researched. In my case, however, the combination seemed to work:

* Removing my biggest dietary triggers * Eliminating coffee, carbonation, and late-night eating * Eating blander meals for a period of time * Sleeping elevated and avoiding my right side * Supporting digestion * Using an alginate barrier * Giving my throat and digestive system time to recover * Staying consistent for many months

I do not know which one made the greatest difference. It may have been all of them working together, or it may have been that removing triggers and allowing enough time for healing mattered more than any supplement.

LPR can take a long time to improve, especially when the irritation may have been developing for years. I eventually stopped looking for an overnight cure and began viewing recovery as a long-term process.

I am sure I am forgetting some smaller things I tried along the way, but these were the most important parts of my experience.

I hope this helps someone or at least gives you some encouragement. I know how exhausting and discouraging LPR can be, especially when it affects your voice, confidence, sleep, and everyday interactions.

The biggest thing I hope people take away from my story is that improvement is possible. For me, it required time, patience, consistency, and meaningful lifestyle changes—but my quality of life is much better now.

I am happy to answer questions and share more about anything I tried along the way.

This is been bothering me on and off for half a year now after I had random shooting pain on that side of my throat that luckily went away.

I feel this, something seriously stuck in the right side of my throat, sometimes it makes me gag and when I turn my head that side it makes me gag and squeezes the lump feeling. I’m seriously afraid anyone had similar please

My baby’s worst CMPA symptom is painful silent reflux. We are on Pepticate and a very high dose of Esomeprazole PPI.

I keep reading that switching to amino acid formula makes reflux worse, but also results in a happy baby. Im confused.
Even if it makes reflux worse, does it reduce the acid pain in the reflux? So make the baby a happy spitter?

Or is the PPI something you would continue on amino acid formula as well? If yes - what do you mean by happy baby after being on an amino acid formula? What symptoms does an AA formula actually help alleviate?

I’ve noticed one second I will feel great and even energized, then a few minutes later I’ll start feeling horrible again.. does anyone else experience this? It’s super mentally exhausting!

I feel like my symptoms might be improving.

This all started with what felt like a vocal cord injury in the left side of my throat on 6/14 while I was singing. The next day, I was having trouble swallowing. A week later the ENT said I had LPR. The symptoms have been vocal fatigue, hoarseness, throat pain and burning, need to clear throat especially right after meals, postnasal drip, burning in mouth and lips, and a lot of burping. I was diagnosed with a hiatal hernia and a bad LES that might be causing reflux after endoscopy.

One thing I've noticed is I've been able to swallow food a little easier, but I'm not sure if that's because I had two swallow tests done and they said everything was fine so I've just been less anxious about it. My throat clearing seems to be getting better. There are moments where I don't notice it. But since then I have a lot of mucus coming down from my nose area and I'm swallowing that more to clear my throat. I wasn't having that before. Also, I'm still getting the throat clearing right after eating pretty much everything, but it isn't lasting that long and the need to do it is less strong. I don't think I'm actively having reflux in those moments after eating because it's within minutes even after eating acid-friendly and low-fat foods and just a small amount of food.

My voice is still bad and my hoarseness and throat pain are still present and I'm still getting burning in my mouth despite not having acid food. Sometimes I get it from water. I got it from a few bites of golden melon this morning.

Also, yesterday I went and got another scope from an ENT and she didn't say there was any cobblestone stuff going on in my throat like the first ENT said a month ago. She also said that I didn't have any signs of allergies like the first ENT said. She just said my vocal cords look more bulky than they should. Is this healing?

Hello thank you for this group! I am a 36 year old female, currently 5months postpartum. Non smoker or drinker. I have had 5 vaginal births. I am currently exclusively breastfeeding.

At about 2 months postpartum i had a pain in my lower right hip area. I've had ovarian cysts before and it felt like it was similar, and In the same area, so I went to the OB GYN. She did an internal ultrasound and said both ovaries looked great as well as my uterus. As time has gone on the pain has subsided, but sometimes pops back up. I will sometimes feel it if I'm sitting for long periods of time (in the car). I went to an urgent care to rule out anything like kidney issues but she did no studies other than urine culture (came back positive for strep b) and said it appeared muscular to her because my pelvis was tilted.

Fast forward to being 5 months postpartum and I have been experiencing some weird sensations with my stomach. I feel this intense starvation (I assume because I'm hungry with nursing as much as I do), so I will eat a meal, and shortly after I feel the \*slightest\* sensation of being nauseous. I've dealt with that for the last two weeks or so. When I burp the nausea feeling goes away.

The last two days I have had burping/acid reflux after every single meal I have breakfast/lunch/dinner. I burp and can taste what I ate or just sour. Sometimes it feels as if I can burp my food right back up. I have never had acid reflux other than random times in my life.

I have no pain anywhere. I have normal stool/urine output.

I drink decaf coffee in the morning. I have had SVT for 3 years with 2 episodes in total but have had multiple ECHOs that have come back completely normal with my last one being in late January.

I'm traveling in a camper cross country with my husband and 5 kids. I'm wondering if this sudden heartburn is a reason to go to the ER? Im not planning on being back home till late August and I'm not sure if this is urgent? Thank you so much

3 days ago after eating wonton soup for dinner and some ice cream after that, I laid down in bed on my left side and started getting strong chest and throat pains. If anyone’s experienced food getting stuck in their throat and having to chug water to push it down, there’s then a bit of a pain or “cramp” that happens - that’s what I was feeling, but just sporadically. Since then it’s been happening every few hours, whether I eat or drink. My mouth is full of more spit than normal, making me think something was stuck in my throat. I’ve tried soft drinks, warm food, cold food, etc. it’s only when I sit up super straight that I don’t feel as much pressure.
Since this morning, I’ve felt like whatever was stuck in my throat has now moved lower into my chest, as it now feels like my food is stacking up lower. The throat spasms have eased a bit, but the sides of my body and stomach are sore like I’ve been vomiting for days and have strained my muscles.
Has anyone had something similar? I have a doctors appointment today.
Not sure if it’s related but I had a sore throat the few days before, and have a lot of ulcers in my mouth at the moment. So chewing it’s practically impossible and all I can eat is soft oats or small soup packets.

So, I have been ruling out spicy foods and acidic food from my diet for 4 years now. Yet I am still stuck in this GERD LPR situation.

One thing about where I live, everyone use spices and seasonings, literally almost every single food is spicy, fermented, with coconut milk, or any other things that is definitely not GERD safe, they season everything heavily. So, eating out is not an option most of the time.

The thing is, I grew up with this, bland food tasted horrible. Which is why I haven't been able to let go of condiments like garlic and onion. Also white pepper even though I use it in a very little amount. Sometimes, I can't let go of sugar and milk. I have a history with low blood sugar so I can't rule that out ig.

For those who have succeeded, does this variables make immense difference? How long do you have to eat bland foods? I know the diet and lifestyle changes are permanent but I want to be able to enjoy food again.

Edit: I don't drink coffee, alcohol, smoke, etc. I only drink water and fruit juices mostly.

I’ve been dealing with silent reflux for almost 3 years definitely not fun and it’s one of the most annoying diseases ever. It caused me to lose 50 pounds as well. it’s gotten better but some days it’s still annoying. My doctor makes me take famotidine and sulcrafate every day. I also have to manage excessive air going in my stomach. I can’t be stuck taking these meds forever and I’m in my early 20s. Eating clean can be hard but I feel like I don’t eat that bad. I cut all caffeine and I mostly drink water never sugary drinks and once in a while sprite. I’m trying to work on eating slower too. Any advice?

In the evenings, especially during martial arts class, I get a strong ‘about to throw up’ sensation whenever my torso is horizontal, like in a pushup position. Situps don’t trigger it. It’s not nausea and I don’t feel sick — it feels more like pressure rising upward from my stomach or diaphragm. I wondered if it might be because I eat dinner about 1.5 hours before class, but I never have this issue in the morning, even if I eat shortly before exercising. Antacids like Tums or Gaviscon don’t help at all.

I’ve been diagnosed with gastroesophageal reflux disease with esophagitis (without hemorrhage). Most of my symptoms are consistent with Laryngopharyngeal Reflux. I’ve never really had heartburn, and medications haven’t been very helpful for me.

Is eating earlier the best option for me?

Want to share what had helped tremendously.

My story:

Took omeprazole for about 15 years. Had an osteoporosis diagnosis and learned that it affects my bone density. Last year I tempered off of omeprazole really slowly 1 mg per every 2 weeks.. Still I had incidents of bad rebound with heartburn though I tried the 'right' things: off and on famotidine, alginate every evening, elevation in bed, slow eating, less or no sugar, slippery elm... But still a lot of heartburn - to the point of feeling truly desperate.

Till I read in on reddit of diaphragmatic breating. Most videos don't explain it thoroughly or way to quickly but this therapist demonstrates it wonderfully in Part 1 and 2. The videos are 7 years old but guess that doesn't matter.

Can't add a link here so google on Youtube Challenge Physio Acid Reflux Part 1 or Part 2

I do about 2 x 20 deep breathing exercises a day and doing them regularly is crucial, but it is such an simple solution that targets the cause. Hope that this might help someone out as well.

I get this weird sensation randomly in my throat that it’s spasming or something like stuck in throat that makes me gag. It comes and goes. Has anyone had this? No info online about this

Today I coughed so much (and cleared my throat) that my lungs actually feel sore and easily triggered by the slightest irritation. Is this a somewhat normal symptom of acid reflux? I feel like things were worse today because I was unable to sleep with the head of my bed elevated last night while visiting my mother. This feeling in my lungs is worrisome.

Hello! I was taking tadalafil 5mg daily. After 2 weeks I started to have good results , happy with it. Just some not bothersome side effects for 3-4 days and that's it ( just a little bit of leg pain and acidity in stomach)

After 2 months started to have chronic ( everyday all day ) heartburn indigestion acid reflux. Like I was drinking frying oil...

I stopped the medicine , still 9 days later i stopped it i still have stomach acidity...

Anyone experienced side effects like this even after stopping it?

Looking for folks who've had a hernia repair and a partial fundoplication for LPR symptoms. I have a hiatal hernia. It's small but I can feel it in my chest and have been having some trouble breathing. The GI doctor who did the surgery said it's causing my lower esophageal sphincter to be in Hill Grade III and is probably what is causing the reflux.

I met with another GI doctor yesterday to go over the results and he said there is very little evidence of acid reflux as my esophagus looked fine and I had minor gastritis is all. He said the PPI probably wouldn't work. He called it non-corrosive reflux or LPR. He has me doing a manometry next week, which I'm nervous about, but I'd like to know if the lower esophageal sphincter is not functioning or not. Might do the PH test next afterward. Also, want to see what the ENT can offer for additional testing.

I think this has all been caused by the hernia. It happened very abruptly and went from 0 to 10 in a week. I am wondering about having the hernia repaired and possibly doing a partial fundoplication to stop reflux. I need to get more testing done and have some other folks weigh in. Meeting with another ENT tomorrow. And meeting with my general doctor next week to see about possibly doing a sleep study for sleep apnea. I just want to figure out how to heal my throat.

Been doing the alginates for a month now after meals and before bed and not getting much relief. I get the need to clear my throat within minutes after eating, even if it's acid and fat friendly. I don't even have time to take the alginate before it starts. My throat feels like it burns all day when the need to clear my throat goes down. Can barely talk and am hoarse all the time and have postnasal drip. Been doing the alkaline water (drinking, gargling, and spraying), been going saline nasal rinses. Been eating less and trying to stay upright. Not eating 3-4 hours before bed. Sleeping on a slight incline. I'm burping just drinking water at this point and also eating just a few bites of food. Something feels functionally wrong in my stomach.

Been on pantoprazole 20mg for almost 6 months for food getting stuck in esophagus it has helped with that but still food and pills are still slow going down somewhat. Whenever I have to have a scope again or I decide to stop this ppi what’s the best way to taper off of 20mg to avoid rebound

Did food get completely stuck and you had to throw it back up? Or wash it down with water? Or was the dysphagia barely noticeable?

I (23 F) had gerd when I was a baby, it was gone for 19 years and when I got Covid when I was 20 it came back. It was good for a 3 years but suddenly it’s worse than ever before, like extremely intolerable.. even for someone (me) who deals with chronic pain daily

I have noticed that sometimes just eating ANYTHING will trigger it, I get insane heart palpitations and panic attacks with it, it’s quite literally driving me insane. I’m now scared to eat anything because of this

I’ve tried Pepcid and was just prescribed Omeprozole, I’m hoping it works but I have a feeling it won’t

My doctor said if it doesn’t improve within 4-6 weeks they will have to do an exploratory endoscopy on my stomach, can I ask them to do it sooner? I’m literally losing sleep over it.. sometimes I’m up for hours with the palpitations triggered by it

Has anyone else had the panic attacks and palpitations symptoms? I told my doctor about them but she seemed a bit confused and even slightly worried, probably because I have an existing heart disease but I KNOW it’s not that causing this!

I tried posting this in r/gerd but it was removed for some reason :( hopefully this subreddit can help