Reflux-induced asthma...anyone??

Leah68 · July 10, 2006

It's 2 a.m. and I'm up after awakening from coughing and reflux. It has been months since I slept for more than 2 hours at a time. My primary care physician said it's reflux-induced asthma. My GI sent me for a barium swallow, but I haven't heard the results yet.

I have stopped eating after 6 p.m., sleep upright in the recliner most nights (my husband has the patience of Job!), take prescription Prevacid, but I still have the reflux and cough. Even if I am fasting, I wake up choking on saliva, or have the tickling in my throat that produces the coughing. The band is not too tight because I can eat just fine.

Dr. Spiegel banded me April 2005, then rebanded October 2005 due to slippage. Since the rebanding with the larger band I have had nothing but trouble. I've gained back 20 of the 40 pounds I had lost, endured overfills, underfills, and now reflux.

When I called Dr. Spiegel's office for an appointment, I was told that he doesn't see patients like that, and I should drop off the x-rays and they would be in touch after he looked at them. I am now in the process of trying to get an appointment with a doctor in the medical center who provides patient care. I feel like I am floating without a doctor's care, but regular doctors don't know anything about the band. Dr. Spiegel is great for surgery, but I have had no luck in getting proper, analytical medical care.

Has anyone else had a similar problem? I'm feeling very despondent.

KelliW · July 13, 2006

Hi. I don't have a band yet, but was dx with reflux-induced asthma one year ago. It preceded my most recent and serious weight gain. I coughed for 6 months straight before I was correctly diagnosed and treated so you can imagine I wasn't really up for walking... Anyway, I have been taking Protonix (reflux) for a year along with Allegra (allergies), Advair (asthma), Singulair (asthma), and Astelin (allergies/nasal spray). I've weaned off the last 3 and am still doing OK. Protonix gave me immediate relief. After meetings with my PCP and a GI doc, I saw an ENT re. allergies who explained that the reflux basically acts like a chemical burn on the lungs and that it can take 3-6 months for the lungs to heal once the reflux is under control. Best of luck to you. I know how difficult this is... Kelli

Leah68 · July 13, 2006

Hi, Kelli. Thanks for responding! Your information is very helpful. The band is supposed to help with GERD, and it did with mine...it actually disappeared until the latest situation. There is great hope for you that you may get off asthma and GERD meds with the band. Let me tell you of my latest turn of events:

I went to a different person for medical care. She said my band was so tight that nothing was getting through; therefore, it was backing up my esophagus. I told her that it didn't make sense because I could eat just fine. She replied, "I bet you can't eat in the mornings, yet around 4-5 p.m. you can pig out." I told her that was exactly right. She said it's very common when the band is too tight.

Dr. Spiegel had continued to tighten it, saying that the reflux was possible when the band was too loose. She removed half of the saline, said to let my stomach rest for about 2 weeks, then we would start over with the fills using the barium swallow to ensure the fill was right.

Unbelievably, I slept like a baby that night, and have had NO reflux since then. It is so critical that we have good medical care after the band is in place. Getting the band is only the start. I hope my situation can help others avoid the weeks and weeks of suffering I needlessly endured, not to mention the ilong-term mpact it may have had on my respiratory system.

Good luck, Kelli, and thanks again for sharing!

NancySmiles · July 17, 2006

This has got me thinking!!! There are sooooooo many different reasons why someone is coughing all the time. When I was on Zestril years ago, I could not stop coughing either....the doc had me on inhalers and other meds too!!! Finally he realized that it was the Zestril (since it's a beta blocker) and stopped it and miraculously it went away!!! A friend of mine has been coughing for almost a year and her doc now says it might be her Accupril.....see the pattern? I warned my husband who has just started taking Lisinopril.....that if he gets a cough, it might be related.

But this reflux-induced asthma I had never heard of before!!! I am looking it up now and reading up on it. I have been coughing relentlessly for at least the last 2 months....was on a Z-Pack for 5 days....have cough medicine with Codeine. I stopped taking it cuz it made me nauteous and started coughing again. All I want to do is get some sleep!!! It's crazy! PCP says it's allergies, which I had never had before....The Allegra-D does not help at all....and I just want an answer!!!! Argggggghhhhh! GI doc said that since I have been on the Aciphex (for reflux) for the past 3 years with no problem....then it has to be something other than being caused by reflux. Yet, my friend's doc says that you can DEVELOP an allergy to a medication. She has been taking the Accupril for 7 years!!! Who's right????

Help!!

Nancy

Mita · July 17, 2006

Hi Leah - I can relate to what you are going through and not getting enough sleep at night due to the reflux then the asthma attack is enough to pull your hair out.

Here is what I have done for me.

I raised the head of my bed 4-5 inches. I do not eat or drink after 6 or 7pm granted I go to bed around 10pm. I take a Nexium each day to keep the Barretts at bay. If I was not doing all this I would be back in the same boat you are in. My band (knock on wood) is fine up till now but last year from Jan to May I had the reflux which in turn caused many a asthma attacks.

Well I hope you can get it under control and get some rest.

Mary