Wednesday, October 04, 2006
Acid Reflux Disease aka GERD
20 Sp 06, Wd.: Woke up in morning with a mild sore throat from a cold or the flu, or so I thought at the time.
23 Sp 06, Sa.: Two brief choking incidents at about 3 AM where windpipe suddenly blocked shut, and can only breath normal again by desperately sucking in air. No way I can cough.
27 Sp 06, Wd.: A worse and longer lasting choking incident at 6 AM sees me go to Urgent Care Center, where I am told I have acid reflux disease, and am prescribed Protonix. My normal voice is by now croaky, hesitant, and weak.
29 Sp 06, Fr.: other bad choking incident in the night sees me call 911 and ride ambulance to nearby ER. Blood drawn and chest x-ray taken.
29 Sp 06, Fr.: Daytime violent coughing and gasping for air incidents see me call 911 and return to the same ER for more evaluations.
29 Sp 06, Fr.: See ENT doctor at the big hospital. He views top of my larynx and windpipe through my nose. It is red and swollen and damaged. Prednisone and Ranitidine are added to my required meds, and Pepcid AC, Maalox, and Lemon Drops are to be taken as neeed. Don't sleep well that night.
30 Sp 06, Sa.: Hard to breath and coughing spells in the wee hours, but no choking incident. Getting very little actual sleep between the coughing, struggle to breath at times, and being scared.
01 Oc 06, Sn.: Still getting very little actual sleep.
02 Oc 06, Mn.: Woken up in night by irregular heartbeat (atrial frib) epiosde. Call 911 and ambulance to heart hospital. About 210+ beats per minute, which finally returns to normal rythumlate that afternoon. This PAF is a pre-existing condition that was also brought on 1 1/2 years ago from lack of sleep at hospital during post prostate cancer surgery recovery.
02 Oc 06, Mn.: Long drawn out coughing and hard to breath session that evening right after I went to bed early.
03 Oc 06, Tu.: Woken up again in the night with irregular heartbeat. 911 and same ER but in 11-bpm range and easier to return to normal. Doctor says I don't have to come back in if it is a mild episode.
03 Oc 06, Tu.: Mild irregular heartbeat from 5 PM to 9 PM. Just stay home with it. Sleep better than in the last four days, but there are still plenty of off and on violent coughing, throat clearing, and difficulty breathing moments.
04 Oc 06, Wd.: Mild irregular heartbeat.
05 Oc 06, Th.: Mild irregular heartbeat.
06 Oc 06, Fr.: Mild irregular heartbeat.
So yes, this is a serious disease. And for me no heartburn throughout it all, so no warning at all that is was coming. I have less coughing and difficulty breathing when I am midly active working on the house than when I am just sitting or trying to sleep. Am 65 and retired. I do not drink or smoke or use illegal drugs at all. Can have no alochol or caffeine because of my heart medicine.
23 Sp 06, Sa.: Two brief choking incidents at about 3 AM where windpipe suddenly blocked shut, and can only breath normal again by desperately sucking in air. No way I can cough.
27 Sp 06, Wd.: A worse and longer lasting choking incident at 6 AM sees me go to Urgent Care Center, where I am told I have acid reflux disease, and am prescribed Protonix. My normal voice is by now croaky, hesitant, and weak.
29 Sp 06, Fr.: other bad choking incident in the night sees me call 911 and ride ambulance to nearby ER. Blood drawn and chest x-ray taken.
29 Sp 06, Fr.: Daytime violent coughing and gasping for air incidents see me call 911 and return to the same ER for more evaluations.
29 Sp 06, Fr.: See ENT doctor at the big hospital. He views top of my larynx and windpipe through my nose. It is red and swollen and damaged. Prednisone and Ranitidine are added to my required meds, and Pepcid AC, Maalox, and Lemon Drops are to be taken as neeed. Don't sleep well that night.
30 Sp 06, Sa.: Hard to breath and coughing spells in the wee hours, but no choking incident. Getting very little actual sleep between the coughing, struggle to breath at times, and being scared.
01 Oc 06, Sn.: Still getting very little actual sleep.
02 Oc 06, Mn.: Woken up in night by irregular heartbeat (atrial frib) epiosde. Call 911 and ambulance to heart hospital. About 210+ beats per minute, which finally returns to normal rythumlate that afternoon. This PAF is a pre-existing condition that was also brought on 1 1/2 years ago from lack of sleep at hospital during post prostate cancer surgery recovery.
02 Oc 06, Mn.: Long drawn out coughing and hard to breath session that evening right after I went to bed early.
03 Oc 06, Tu.: Woken up again in the night with irregular heartbeat. 911 and same ER but in 11-bpm range and easier to return to normal. Doctor says I don't have to come back in if it is a mild episode.
03 Oc 06, Tu.: Mild irregular heartbeat from 5 PM to 9 PM. Just stay home with it. Sleep better than in the last four days, but there are still plenty of off and on violent coughing, throat clearing, and difficulty breathing moments.
04 Oc 06, Wd.: Mild irregular heartbeat.
05 Oc 06, Th.: Mild irregular heartbeat.
06 Oc 06, Fr.: Mild irregular heartbeat.
So yes, this is a serious disease. And for me no heartburn throughout it all, so no warning at all that is was coming. I have less coughing and difficulty breathing when I am midly active working on the house than when I am just sitting or trying to sleep. Am 65 and retired. I do not drink or smoke or use illegal drugs at all. Can have no alochol or caffeine because of my heart medicine.
