The Truth About LPR

Worried sick about LPR? I don't blame you. It can be quite unnerving! However, you're not dying, and it's probably not an indicator of major health problems. For more LPR TRUTH, read on...

  1. It is very unlikely you have cancer. Almost eveyrone suffering from LPR worries about cancer at some point. That's because LPR feels very cancery! It usually involves a lump in your throat. It doesn't go away like a normal illness would. You've heard about throat and esophageal cancer. This is how it starts, right? WRONG! Early cancer symptoms are typically not limited to simply LPR symptoms, and having LPR does NOT indicate cancer is on its way. A very small percentage of LPR cases do become esophageal cancer, but only if left untreated for many years, and usually it's due to other factors such as smoking. The bottom line is that LPR by itself rarely indicates cancer.

  2. Prilosec, Nexium, and similar medications probably won't work. Your doctor may paint a rosy picture that taking these medications (called PPIs) will fix your problem, and you'll be on your way to a cure within a few weeks. That's untrue in most cases. If you have GERD, or both GERD and LPR, then your chances of being helped by PPIs is fairly good. If you have just LPR, they probably won't work. You can try them for 2 weeks, but I would not suggest doing them for any longer than that, or you may worsen the condition.

  3. You may have to deal with this problem for the rest of your life. Depressing, huh? Some people have tried everything to stop their LPR, and failed. Others have eventually stumbled upon something that helps. It's pretty much trial and error, and this website is attempting to make it easier. But you may never solve it. It is best to emotionally come to terms with this now, and then be pleasantly surprised if you beat it.

  4. Any victory may be short-lived. Somestimes you think you've "cured" your LPR, only to see it right back within a few months!

  5. Avoid surgery to fix LPR. There is no reliable surgery at this time to fix LPR. There are some proceudres which work, but they also have the potential to worsen the situation or cause new issues. For most, it's not a risk worth taking, at least for now.

  6. There are many possible reasons you have LPR. Many of these reasons have not been discovered, and others have been discovered but not understood. It is probably not anything you did wrong, though smoking, frequent alcohol consumption, and overeating do seem to have some influence on LPR's appearance.

  7. Even if it feels like you can't breathe, you probably can. Many with LPR end up with shortness of breath or choking sensations. If these are short-lived and pass, it's likely in your head, as a result of the "clogged throat" feeling LPR brings.

  8. There is no magic bullet cure for LPR which works for most people. Anyone who claims such a cure exists is lying to you. There are, however, some treatments which have brought success to some people. The two most common (though both have not helped me much) are Gaviscon Advance (UK verson) and D-Limonene.

  9. If you have abdonimal pain along with LPR, get tested for H.Pylori. It's an easy and painless test. It's also treatable, though the treatment is difficult for some people. There is some belief that H.Pylori can cause LPR.

  10. It's not in your head -- there probably is something physically wrong with you. Sadly, some doctors dismiss LPR as "anxiety" or "allergies". While you should get tested for allergies if you suspect that, in most cases LPR is indeed real, and not a side effect of allergies or anxiety. If your doctor does not take you seriously, find a different doctor.

  11. Try "low risk" treatments first. Don't jump into surgery, anti-depressants, or high-dosage PPI use to treat your LPR. Try the low risk treatments first, including lifestyle modifications, Gaviscon Advance, D-Limonene, and other low-risk supplements before jumping into higher risk solutions which will probably also fail.

  12. Medical tests mostly won't give you answers, but rather will just rule out other problems. Many believe that an endoscopy, CT scan, or ultrasound will give you the exact answers you need. They won't. Even if the cause of your LPR is pinpointed (such as acid reflux), solving the problem is still going to be difficult or impossible.

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