Acid Reflux???

I want to post an update for the one?? reader of this blog, before I decide to delete this blog, as I have deleted 6 previous blogs, after I became tired of blogging. So here's the latest on the persistent cough/fatigue symptoms:

I awoke after 9 hours of sleep feeling really good on the morning of my doctor appointment. So I didn't think I had a cold or flu or anything to exacerbate my cough. I almost cancelled my appointment with my doc. However, I had suffered that tickling cough for over 3 months and wanted to consult my doctor about those symptoms.

During my walk to the clinic, I again experienced acid reflux, even though I had not eaten foods that exacerbate reflux. However I did take my usual HCl (betaine hydrochloride) digestive supplement and zinc (to increase immune response to fight a cold) with my lunch. Then I realized that the reflux might cause the cough. When I first began to take HCl several years ago, that eliminated my reflux and really helped digestion. However, while I was taking vancomycin HCl for c-diff, I experienced more problems with reflux and tried to reduce the amount of HCl I took, because the vanco also contained HCl. Maybe my digestive difficulties were more related to having gut infections than depleted HCl in my stomach. I did seem to have one gut infection after another for several years. My husband thought that maybe taking HCl for a few years 'primed' my stomach to make enough of its own. Now HCl seems to be doing more harm than good now.

At my appointment, my doc examined my throat and listened to my lungs while breathing. She didn't notice anything. Then she recommended a chest x-ray. She also asked me about reflux. So I shared what I just wrote about my HCl experience. She said that acid reflux would cause the throat tickle and cough. If I refluxed a bit into my bronchial tubes, that would cause the asthma like symptoms I had (difficulty taking deep breaths without coughing and coughing more when breathing cold air). My doc and I both agreed that I should stop taking HCl. I'm tired of having to take digestive enzymes every time I eat proteins or fats. I would love to be able to eat whenever I'm hungry, whatever satisfies me, without worrying about digestion. Maybe getting rid of all those gut bugs while taking oodles of probiotics finally resolved my digestive problems. So now I don't need digestive supplements.

The lung x-ray was clear (no signs of tb or pneumonia). However, I still have the throat tickle and cough, but I suspect few more days without acid supplements reflux will heal my throat. On my way to my doc's clinic, when I realized the reflux irritated my throat and caused the cough, I worried about getting esophageal cancer from reflux. Thank God this cough to made me stop taking HCl to avoid, while I also avoid foods which weaken the lower esophageal valve and cause reflux.

After a week of no HCl supplements, I still have a slight throat tickle and cough. I still seem to need 8-9 hours of sleep. However, I noticed decreased tickle and cough. So I will continue eating meals without digestive supplements for awhile.

I seem to have gone full circle now ... from taking acid blocking drugs for 'gastritis' to abstaining from those drugs because I suspected overeating caused my reflux to digestive difficulties before my CD and food allergies were diagnosed ... to taking enzymes to assist digestion to taking betaine hydrochloride capsules to supplement digestion of meats and fats ... to eliminating digestive enzymes to avoid acid reflux. Maybe the betaine hydrochloride 'primed' my stomach to produce more of its own acid. However, I've also read in Jonathon Wright's "Why Stomach Acid is Good for You" that certain foods, not too much (or even too little acid) can cause the lower esophageal valve to relax and let acid reflux into the esophagus. Nevertheless, even abstaining from those foods won't help if I take more acid than I actually need. So I'll focus on eating no more than I need to satisfy hunger, when I'm hungry and trust my stomach to do its job.