# Stomach acid in lungs



## eitu343 (Apr 15, 2011)

Hi,

I have IBS and managed to get stomach acid pushed into my lungs a few days back. It was a v painful experience. Is this classed as Jurd? My lungs seem to be healing again slowly.
Recommendations on what I should do and what medications if any I should take would be appreciated. I've started making sure I sleep with my head raised though I'm not sure how far to raise it.

I've not had acid pushed into my lungs before but I'm thinking I've had acid reflux over the past few years. How do they go about testing your throat and stomach muscle to see if there's any scarring? I used to have problems with bad breath a few years back and I always used to have a feeling like mucus was stuck in my throat.

Thanks


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

Ouch, that sounds painful.

I'd call that GERD and not a part of the IBS.

They will probably want to do an endoscope (put a camera down the throat) to look to see if there is any damage.

Usually treated with antacids, acid blocking meds (like Zantac) or Proton pump inhibitors (like Prilosec)


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## eitu343 (Apr 15, 2011)

Thanks, painful is an understatement lol. Are there any major side affects to those meds and are they ok to use long term?


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## Cadences (Aug 14, 2013)

I just had that recently happen to me as well, it sucks. I have GERD along with Gastroparesis and IBSC so its pretty much my system is messed up from tounge to bottom lol...

I also have a NJ feeding tube (goes thru my nose) so my aspiration danger is a bit higher but. Generally if you raise the head of your bed 30 degrees - 6 inches or more it helps. On really bad nights i sleep pretty much sitting straight up. You can put things under your mattress to elevate it, or like what i do is have just like a TON of pillows, or get a Wedge pillow.

You may want to get a endoscopy to see the extent of your GERD.

I have been on a PPI called Protonix for about 2 years now and just had to up my dose to the max because its still not helping much.

I get the mucus feeling too and i thought all this month it was a sinus infection minus the pain and swelling. I went to the ENT he said stomach acid is getting up into my sinus and irritates it so it overproduces mucus to kinda cause less irritation.

PPIs are not great for long term use unless the benefit outweighs the risk. You need some stomach acid for a good immune system it also makes you much more susceptible to getting things ike CDiff if you are in a hospital setting alot because there is not much stomach acid to fight off the usual. But normally they do like i think a 6 week or less then you stop and see how you do off them? and go from there.

Good luck  Hope you find something that works well


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## HumanistRuth (Sep 19, 2013)

I've been taking acid reducers for decades, and I attribute my spinal stenosis in part to the negative effects on bone health. Acid reducers interfere with the normal bone remodel process. But GERD forces me to take them. Be sure to raise the head of your bed as high as you can. Acid in the lungs is not something you want to repeat.


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