Coughing Caused by ... Acid Reflux!

[braumeister]

Slightly off the topic, but that's not too unusual here.

One of the trendy things in craft beer these days is sour beers. I need to immediately point out that if you haven't tried them, don't criticize them. Sour beers have been popular in Belgium for decades.

When I was at the Great American Beer Festival in Denver recently (I'm one of the judges, so I go every year), I was in conversation with a brewer who boasted of making a beer with a pH "lower than stomach acid". The rest of us listening to him just kind of blanched and changed the subject. We didn't ask the actual pH he meant, so I can't comment on that.

But really, a nice sour beer (and there are many today) makes a wonderful pairing with so many kinds of food that you really should try one.

 

[MRG]

..snip..
Do see a Dr. and get a proper diagnosis. Both GERD and what I have can lead to Barret's disease and cancer. Better to be safe than sorry.

cd :O)

+1000

Seriously bad things can happen from this. My buddy lost his DW to what started as a very common stomach bacteria. A friend of my sister passed at 42 from a similar issue. Those OTC PPIs all have warnings on them for reasons. Pay attention to how long you are self medicating yourself.

 

[Winemaker]

2. If I eat at 4:30, how could I still have problems at 10 PM?

If you eat at 4:30 PM, your stomach is "empty" by 6:00 PM. The acid is in your stomach by itself until your breakfast.

I suggest eat a little later and definitely take your omep.. in the evening.

 

[TromboneAl]

Concerning the carbohydrate-malabsorption theory, last night I had a zero-carb meal at six PM: chicken soup from the slow cooker with nothing but chicken, water, and a some green pepper. I drank 8 oz of orange koolaid sweetened with erythritol (I know. Experimenting with different drinks). Also had a few bites of Brie cheese.

The problem was a 5 on a 1-10 scale when I went to bed at 10.

My conclusion: It can't be caused by carbohydrate malabsorption if there are no carbohydrates around.

I think the Koolaid was the problem, since it's acidic.

 

[TromboneAl]

Concerning the stomach-is-not-acid-enough theory, wouldn't drinking a big cup of coffee (which is acidic) make the problem better, not worse?

 

[travelover]

Concerning the stomach-is-not-acid-enough theory, wouldn't drinking a big cup of coffee (which is acidic) make the problem better, not worse?

I wonder about this, too. Chocolate seems to really get me if I have it late in the day.

 

[Hermit]

I wonder about this, too. Chocolate seems to really get me if I have it late in the day.

Now we are talking about a Serious issue!

 

[W2R]

Al, I mentioned this thread to Frank yesterday at lunch. He says that because the climate here in New Orleans is pretty bad for sinus trouble and allergies, most people here have bad postnasal drip and an associated cough especially when they are trying to sleep. Even after getting to sleep, we often awaken coughing and feeling as though we are drowning.

So, he thinks you probably have sinus trouble or allergies and just don't realize it because they are less common in your climate than in ours. Just thought I'd mention what he had to say. Since he has both sinus trouble and allergies himself, I regard him as the World's Expert on these problems.

 

[Winemaker]

Pretty much everything a human drinks is acidic. It gives the thirst quenching sensation in your mouth. Even if you take distilled water, ph = 7.00, after a few minutes it absorbs CO2, which forms a mild carbonic acid. If not CO2, then N, which is 78% of the atmosphere, which forms nitric acid. Remember acid rain........?

 

[travelover]

Al, I mentioned this thread to Frank yesterday at lunch. He says that because the climate here in New Orleans is pretty bad for sinus trouble and allergies, most people here have bad postnasal drip and an associated cough especially when they are trying to sleep. Even after getting to sleep, we often awaken coughing and feeling as though we are drowning.

So, he thinks you probably have sinus trouble or allergies and just don't realize it because they are less common in your climate than in ours. Just thought I'd mention what he had to say. Since he has both sinus trouble and allergies himself, I regard him as the World's Expert on these problems.

Interesting theory.

An additional factor might be allergic reaction to dust mites. We need to thoroughly wash everything including the pillows regularly, or my nose runs (post nasal drip) and I cough when I get into bed.

Dust Mite Allergy | Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America New England Chapter

 

[braumeister]

because the climate here in New Orleans is pretty bad for sinus trouble and allergies, most people here have bad postnasal drip and an associated cough especially when they are trying to sleep.

According to an ENT doc I once consulted, postnasal drip can actually be caused by GERD. So it comes full circle!

 

[NW-Reader]

Purely anecdotal, but the tried and true apple-a-day keeps my heartburn at bay. I haven't tried the vinegar method. I still have to avoid too much deep fried stuff, and eating too close to bedtime. Even if it's not the apple that's really helping, it's still good for me, so why not?

 

[Looking4Ward]

My wife has the problem, and waking up in the middle of the night with reflux is absolutely frightening. If you aspirate down into your lungs, pneumonia most likely will setup and you're in a heap of trouble....

That's for sure. First time I experienced it was at age 50 - woke up after reflux had aspirated into my lungs and it scared the crap out of me. Excessive coughing the following day trying to clear my lungs...

I've probably had a couple dozen episodes in the six years since and I can pretty much predict when it's going to happen; spicy high carb meal with beer or wine will do it to me every time. Relaxing that valve with a stomach full of acid is something I now strive to avoid.

 

[Hermit]

That's for sure. First time I experienced it was at age 50 - woke up after reflux had aspirated into my lungs and it scared the crap out of me. Excessive coughing the following day trying to clear my lungs...

I've probably had a couple dozen episodes in the six years since and I can pretty much predict when it's going to happen; spicy high carb meal with beer or wine will do it to me every time. Relaxing that valve with a stomach full of acid is something I now strive to avoid.

I would keep some omeprazole around and when you get in a predictable situation, take one.

 

[W2R]

Interesting theory.

Yes, I read your post and then forgot to quote it and to say Frank agrees with you! Sorry, and glad you caught that.

 

[Mr._Graybeard]

Purely anecdotal, but the tried and true apple-a-day keeps my heartburn at bay. I haven't tried the vinegar method. I still have to avoid too much deep fried stuff, and eating too close to bedtime. Even if it's not the apple that's really helping, it's still good for me, so why not?

I do the apple-a-day thing too. And I eat applesauce. The pectin in apples is a great digestive aid.

 

[Looking4Ward]

I would keep some omeprazole around and when you get in a predictable situation, take one.

I've actually had great success with generic Ranitidine acid reducer, specifically the Equate brand from Walmart. I only find myself taking it once or twice a month and mostly after a spaghetti/tomato sauce/wine dinner

 

[mpeirce]

Just so people know...

There are generally two very different types of medicine used to treat heartburn: proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) - like Prilosec/omeprazole or Nexium/esomeprazole) and antacids - like Tums, Maalox, etc.

Antacid neutralize existing acid in your stomach immediately whereas PPIs prevent acid production in the first place..

What this means is that if you have heartburn you can take an antacid for quick relief, but not PPIs since the acid is already there and PPIs simply prevent the production of it. That's why PPIs are prescribed as a daily dose - they turn off acid production and keep it off over time.

If you pop a Prilosec because you have heartburn and it clears right up, it's probably a placebo effect.

 

[Carpediem]

Are there any long-term concerns with taking Prilosec everyday? I seem to recall something in the news about it being possibly linked to dementia but I thought that report may have been debunked later.

 

[Hermit]

Just so people know...

There are generally two very different types of medicine used to treat heartburn: proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) - like Prilosec/omeprazole or Nexium/esomeprazole) and antacids - like Tums, Maalox, etc.

Antacid neutralize existing acid in your stomach immediately whereas PPIs prevent acid production in the first place..

What this means is that if you have heartburn you can take an antacid for quick relief, but not PPIs since the acid is already there and PPIs simply prevent the production of it. That's why PPIs are prescribed as a daily dose - they turn off acid production and keep it off over time.

If you pop a Prilosec because you have heartburn and it clears right up, it's probably a placebo effect.

Heartburn and acid reflux are not the same thing to me. Acid reflux can continue for quite some time. It takes somewhere between 30 minutes and an hour for the PPI I use (omeprazole) to start working. When I find myself in a situation where I am, say, at an Italian restaurant, I usually know in plenty of time that there are going to be many things that can start an acid reflux issue. My choice, between being very careful about what I can order or taking a PPI and enjoying the evening, would be to take the PPI. With heartburn, I agree with you and would take something for heartburn.

 

[John Galt III]

Are there any long-term concerns with taking Prilosec everyday? I seem to recall something in the news about it being possibly linked to dementia but I thought that report may have been debunked later.

Yes. The concern I read about was that kidney disease is * associated with * use of PPI's, Proton Pump Inhibitors, which reduce the production of stomach acid. Prilosec, I believe, is one of those PPI's. I take Lansopazole, a PPI, but only at the lowest over-the-counter strength, and only once every 2 days, not every day. Works like a charm for me and gets rid of the cough. My PCP says he's not worried about the kidney disease thing, though! Recommends I keep taking the Lanso, since the effects of acid reflux can be so bad (Barret's esophagus).

 

[TromboneAl]

Al, I mentioned this thread to Frank yesterday at lunch. He says that because the climate here in New Orleans is pretty bad for sinus trouble and allergies, most people here have bad postnasal drip and an associated cough especially when they are trying to sleep. Even after getting to sleep, we often awaken coughing and feeling as though we are drowning.

So, he thinks you probably have sinus trouble or allergies and just don't realize it because they are less common in your climate than in ours. Just thought I'd mention what he had to say. Since he has both sinus trouble and allergies himself, I regard him as the World's Expert on these problems.

I sure don't have any sensation of dripping back there or sinus congestion, but you never know. Last night I woke up with that coughing and drowning feeling. And all I had for dinner was one hamburger patty with some mayo and low-carb ketchup and 8 oz water.

I'm thinking I need to see an ENT guy or a gastroenterologist. There are too many variables and too much variability to get good answers from my experiments.

Here's one kind of question I need answered:

If I skip coffee in the morning, will that make my problem less bad that night? That is, is there some kind of cumulative effect from eating something acidic.

Tonight is spaghetti squash with home-made, low-card spaghetti sauce and a little wine. Expecting trouble ...

Spaghetti Sauce


1 can tomato paste
1/3 cup water
3 fl oz wine (optional)
1 Tbs oregano leaves
1 Tbs Italian seasoning
.5 Tbs onion powder
1 Tbs garlic powder
.25 cup Parmesan (add until desired thickness)
3 drops liquid Splenda


Heat.

 

[braumeister]

I'm thinking I need to see an ENT guy or a gastroenterologist. There are too many variables and too much variability to get good answers from my experiments.

OMG!!!
What a concept!
Are you sure it wouldn't be better to keep asking random people on the net?

 

[Ian S]

I'm thinking I need to see an ENT guy or a gastroenterologist. There are too many variables and too much variability to get good answers from my experiments.

Don't waste time playing around: go to a gastroenterologist and get checked out. I wish I had taken it more seriously; now I have Barrett's and the increased risk of cancer to worry about. At least I know what I'm dealing with and now will have to get scoped every couple of years to see if there's any progression. I'm on a high dose of pantoprazole but wish I wasn't even though I've seen no side effects so far. That hasn't eliminated the problem entirely but the doc says that with far less acid in the stomach the stuff that comes up past the sphincter is not nearly as destructive to the tissue in the esophagus.

 

[W2R]

I sure don't have any sensation of dripping back there or sinus congestion, but you never know. Last night I woke up with that coughing and drowning feeling. And all I had for dinner was one hamburger patty with some mayo and low-carb ketchup and 8 oz water.

That is awful and I don't know what could be causing it. Just passing along Frank's comments in my prior post. BTW, if it was me I'd go to your internist first instead of a gastroenterologist, since you don't really know that you have reflux - - your main symptom is a cough, right?


I had a cough a few years ago that turned out to be a common side effect from my blood pressure medication. But it was pretty much constant, not just at night. Oh well. Anyway, lots of problems can cause coughs.

If I skip coffee in the morning, will that make my problem less bad that night? That is, is there some kind of cumulative effect from eating something acidic..

I don't know. As an aside, I stopped drinking coffee for a while when my doctor put me on an NSAID (Meloxicam). I had had stomach problems with a different NSAID, Aleve, so I wanted to take it easy on my stomach and avoid them. Not drinking coffee had lots of great and unexpected health benefits, but I was so sleepy without coffee that I didn't remember any of them after I gave up and resumed drinking coffee. Luckily no stomach problems ensued.