Linx Reflux management system

I think the same. And if you read other people's experiences online they're all on different regimes and have different results - it seems to be a case of trial and error to see what (if anything) works for you personally...sigh

I don't think the doctors have got any answers to this TBH. Nothing really seems to work.

After reading everyone's story, I've come to the conclusion that the average Dr knows as much as the average reflux sufferer.
We can see from the posts that we are being given conflickting information on the same drug.

Saw my GP this afternoon about my acid reflux.
He told me to do away with the extra Lanso that I had added, back to two daily, and prescribed me Peptac Liquid to take for any breakthrough acid.

Also instructed to stop his prescribed ibuprofen (for joints) (told him so at the time) and to stop the Alendronic Acid that I take once a week re osteoporosis. He hopes this might be enough to offset the reflux.

I asked about my medication in general and what did he think of statins, any chance I might stop mine.... Hmmm... he did a few checks, including family history, worked my projection, and the upshot was a NO and I'm now on a stronger statin called Atorvastatin.

If no improvement, I've to make a telephone appointment in two weeks, possibly an endoscopy (6 years since I had one) and/or possibly a change from Lansoprazole. Otherwise, in 2 months ... get my bloods and cholesterol checked.

A few days should see if these changes help

I don't know Ana. I can't quite understand how pushing your abdomen out as far as it will go, can help. Isn't that expanding the muscles the wrong way? I'm sure my tummy has started to stick out more since I've been doing it.

petra someone online (think it as a medical site) said about how her's started with a virus. And her's went away on its own after five months. So I need to wait until early December. Fingers crossed.

I have done the breathing exercises in the night. My masseuse believes that breathing exercises are the cure for everything.
Jingle. Had a look in my diary and this came on about a month after we all had that bloody awful virus thing.

Have the breathing exercises helped at all, d'you think jingl?

I get the earache too.

Sorry for multiple posts.

My voice does sound croaky sometimes.

Only retch when I scrub my tongue with separate toothbrush and Corsodyl toothpaste. (Which I do every morning)

I have silent reflux too. Hate the horrible taste. Can't taste chocolate anymore. Hate the white tongue too. Doc tried upping my Omeprazole. Didn't help, so now I take my previous usual dose of 10 mgs only and just try to keep to a simple plain diet.

I swear mine started with a virus. I will not stop believing it will go away soon.

I will not risk surgery of any kind.

I was on Lansoprazol for years and I was still getting reflux and heartburn, I told the GP I wanted to come off it because the lack of acid was allowing me to get a lot more tummy bugs. I usually just take Gaviscon at bedtime and it works.

And do you sometimes retch when you cough? That doesn't happen so much now, but the whole business makes you not want to go out to eat anywhere in case of an attack. I know exactly what you mean, it does help to know you're not the only one this happens to.

There was a thread about reflux a while ago and I can remember being so relieved that others had similar problems too!

Ana. I know this isn't the right thing to say, but you have no idea how pleased I am to see somebody else has the earache and sometimes, teeth.
I thought I was going crazy. That alone has made me feel better.

Annodomini. That sounds interesting. My voice is so low that my friends suggest that I make some money making those saucy phone calls.
When I went to ENT that's the first thing he said: how long have you been talking like that.
I think I'm going to have to sort this out for myself. Gone are the days when a Dr had time to sort out acid reflux. It's not their fault, it's the way it is.

I had several laryngoscopies in the ENT dept of a local hospital, which diagnosed silent reflux causing inflammation of the vocal chords - almost permanent laryngitis. A three-pronged approach was prescribed: Omeprazole (an hour before breakfast), Ranitidine and Gaviscon Advance - the last two to be taken at night after everything else. It has worked well for about six years and I haven't lost my voice for a long time. And no reflux silent or otherwise.

Coolgran. My Dr says no more than one lansoprasole a day. That's why he's put me on Omeprasole, so that I can get more of the 'stuff' that's supposed to kill the acid, which it's not, if that makes sense.

The trouble is I let this acid thing get a hold. I've never had heartburn in my life. This awful sore throat/ lump in throat came on at exactly the same time as I started statins, so there was time wasted (a month) to see what happened. Then he put me on antibiotics, although I knew it wasn't that sort of sore throat. Then it's try this, try this.

Greyduster. The 'band' thing is the Linx system. I've done a lot of reading up on it. You can get it on the NHS but you have to prove to NICE that you deserve it.

(sorry, that was to Coolgran)

It's worth telling your GP that you're taking the 3 tablets daily instead of the 2 he/she prescribed so it can go on your notes, whether you decide to carry on with it or not.

I sympathise with you. I have had acid reflux for a number of years. Started taking omeprazole; when that started to lose its effectiveness, I was prescribed lamsoprazole but it didn't agree with me, so I am now on ranitidine. It is effective, by and large, but I do have odd days when it is not and I get horrendous reflux. I would like to stop taking it altogether, but my GP doesn't seem to think it's a good idea, so it looks like I'm stuck with it until my toes turn up! I have heard of some sort of band that fits around the valve at the base of the oesophagus and controls the leakage of acid that causes the problems, but I'm afraid I don't know a great deal about it other than that, or how effective it is.

Also.... however, I do have a condition which is negatively affected by PPI medication so I suppose that could be one good reason to try something other than a PPI.

I had feelings of nausea, had an endoscopy done which discovered inflammation but no hp infection.

Some time after ... taking omeprazole one daily.... had several bouts of severe chest pain, really thought I was having a heart attack. GP sent me off to a & e to be xrayed, all was ok and I was told to double my omeprazole. All ok for a while, then it was a cough for months which GP reckoned was reflux, so was changed to Lansoprazole 2 daily but I tried to reduce and soon discovered that I did need the 2 daily.

Over the last 6 weeks I've had another couple of bouts of chest pain, sore gullet, not quite a sore chest/throat but something going on, and nausea. I have myself upped my lansoprazole to 3 daily.

However, I don't know if 3 Lanso daily is ok, or if I should actually be trying something else.

I made a doctor appointment for tomorrow afternoon.
In the past couple of days the 3 Lanso daily appear to have helped somewhat and now that it is a bit better wonder if I should consider cancelling the appointment.

Feel a bit of an idiot..... sort of... ""I'm here to see you, but think I might be ok now ?? ""

Ana That is interesting. It's not just me then.

Have a thought about that folks the Gaviscon sodium Alginate stuff which is largely just a barrer might do better.

It contains Sodium Alginate, potassium bicarbonate. Omeprazole and other PPIs (Protein pump inhibitors) will interfere with your body system in a far more complicated way.

Have you tried Gaviscon Advance, petra?

Katek. I am on 20mg omeprazole twice a day. I have just come off lansoprasole 30mg a day. I forget the first one I took. None of these tabs do a thing, I don't know why I keep hoping they will.
It doesn't matter weather I eat what I should/shouldn't it doesn't get any better.

If you're having no problems with it there's no need to worry Katek!