After the holiday……

During the last 2-3 days of our holiday at Cotherstone / Barnard Castle unfortunately I started to develop a chest infection. This did get frustrating in a few places (trying not to have coughing fits where people would stare at me!!). When we got home, I did do a COVID test which was negative – but I didn’t think it was COVID. By this time I had almost totally lost my voice – a situation that persisted for a few weeks!

I hoped this would get better in a couple weeks – but after 3 weeks or so I went to the doctor and he gave me some antibiotics. These seemed to be making things better – but it didn’t clear it up so I told him they seemed to be working and maybe I just needed a second course of antibiotics to be sure.

After these didn’t give any more relief and I was still finding it hard to speak – my voice certainly wasn’t “back to normal”. After more tests including a chest xray and an ECG for good measure, the doctor belives its “Silent Reflux” which I had not heard of. Apparently this is stomach acid entering your lungs – which obviously irritates your chest and throat.

So far I’ve been taking this PPI (which in this case is not payment protection insurance!), a type of “Antiacid” that reduces the amount of acid the stomach makes for a little over a week now. Unfortunately a common side effect is headaches which have arrived within 30 mins of taking the tablet each day now, although are starting to reduce.

Three weeks later, I have not really noticed any difference – I still have coughing fits and need to clear my throat regularly. I need to go back to the doctor if it hasnt helped after 3 weeks – but this week (the forth) I am too busy to take the time off work – and next week is a major upgrade job so wont be free until the later part of the week at the earliest so looks like its going to be another two weeks.

I guess we will see…….