is any of you suffering from acid reflux, if yes doest it give u bad breath? dry mouth?

Many medications like proton pump inhibitors help the symptoms. Acid refulx is caused by more than simply excess acid. The medications can help alleviate the symptoms, but sometimes there are underlying conditions that medications cannot address. Doctors will prescribe these medications as a first line of defense to offer you some relief. If they work, great. Many times tests…& more tests need to be done. You didn’t mention what tests you’ve had.

The longer acid reflux goes on, the more damage it does to the esophagus. It can ulcerate your esophagus, erode your sphincter, cause aspiration into the lungs during your sleep (this can also be a cause of bad breath), erode tooth enamel….there are serious implications to what many ppl see as a minor heartburn type issue.

Are you having difficulty sleeping…perhaps awakening unable to breathe or coughing/feeling like you’re choking? No matter how long it’s been since you’ve eaten, does it feel like liquid is creeping into your throat when you lie down? More & more foods ‘bother’ you?

Yes, it can give you bad breath. And dry mouth. The throat can spasm causing a feeling of tightness or there can be a stricture (narrowing of the esophagus). The reason is you’ve got your stomach’s contents rising up in your throat. They’re highly acidic & don’t smell pleasant. I suggest you get checked by a specialist in these matters, if you haven’t already done so-the gastroenterologist.

A couple of tests they will likely administer are an upper GI series (x-rays while you swallow barium…a chalky like milkshake substance). The next test is likely to be an endoscopy during which a tube is threaded down your throat to get a good look at the esophagus and any abnormalities. You are sedated for this procedure (usually w/versed) & your throat is numbed to bypass the gag reflex. Some ppl are in a ‘twilight state’ (aware of things that are going on)…while others are completely out of it. It’s just a sedative…it’s not anesthesia & wears off quickly after the procedure is over. It’s an outpatient procedure, not painful & around 90 minutes from start to finish. You’ll be able to walk out of there after the procedure, but someone else will drive you home. There is no pain afterward, but it’s a good day to take it easy. A diagnosis can be made right then & there because it’s usually the doctor himself who is performing the test.

You’ve been experiencing these terrible symptoms for years with little relief. Have the tests to determine the cause. Many times it’s a physical problem & has nothing to do with what you eat. Once you know the cause, a proper and effective treatment can be sought. You’ve suffered long enough and left unchecked the problem can become very serious…treatment is straightforward. It gives you your life back. I had GERD w/hiatal hernia myself which affected my life for nearly a decade. I’d taken the meds & was sleeping in my recliner. At the end, everything burned & even water came back up. I had to have part of my ulcerated esophagus removed & an artificial sphincter implanted because mine was eroded. I’m now able to lie down, eat anything I want, have no throat pain/tightness, no meds, no reflux or vomiting…& it’s 8 years postop (lap nissen fundoplication).