End of my tether - choking cough/throat spasms and GERD.

[Olidom]

Hi all, first time poster here. I was wondering if I could get some advice from any of you who might be suffering/ or have suffered from the same as I am going through at the moment, although I apologise if I'm in the wrong sub-forum
My GERD flare ups have been swings and roundabouts for the past two years since I was diagnosed (M,42) - I am currently on 30mg Lansoprazole - which sometimes seems to work, and sometimes not. Since Christmas it seems to have been behaving itself as I've been trying my hardest to avoid my triggers (although a new one always seems to rear its head every so often). When it does flare up I get reflux, chest pain, bad breath (God I hate that part), stomach ache etc, but thankfully it's never really affected my asthma unless you count being tight chested. About four weeks ago I developed a random dry cough, no GERD symptoms, no fever, slight sinus pain but the cough was setting off my asthma. I went to the GP who thought it was probably allergies and sent me off on my merry way. Then the cough turned wet so I went back, got prescribed antibiotics as a precaution as I was going away on holiday, and was then dismissed again.
Thanks for bearing with me here people! Anyway whilst I was away I suffered a terrifying moment when I woke in the middle of the night coughing, choking, regurgitating - I couldn't breathe as it felt like mucus covering my windpipe, and I was making this weird whooping sound whilst trying to catch my breath. However, this time I had a burning chest which felt like one of my GERD symptoms (I will admit that I'd eaten quite late the night before) and a slight acidic taste at the back of my throat which I put down to the coughing/regurgitating: I was just so shocked as this has never happened to me before. This has now been repeatedly happening, pretty much once a day for the past two weeks, which is having a real impact on me going out on a day-to-day basis (the second time it happened was in a very public street). I discovered on Easter Sunday that chocolate really is my enemy now, and I am thinking of putting this 'cough' is a hideous GERD flare up as I am now suffering from my classic symptoms: just with this added nastiness of the cough/choking/regurgitating/can't breathe. The cough has moved back to being dry (but it's hit and miss, occasionally there's mucus), but I am now struggling with a sore throat and a croaky voice, which is great when I have to talk for a living. Has anyone else had this/dealing with this/anything that might help? I'm at the end of my tether and I am feeling utterly miserable.

[Scass]

Yes all sounds familiar to me.
I went on the acid watchers diet and cut out everything triggering. Chocolate definitely makes me cough.
I also take gaviscon after meals and before bed. Research LPR REFLUX & it will sound very familiar to you. C

[Olidom]

Thanks Scass, I'm going to give that a try - I really am losing the will over this, and my HA has gone through the roof.

[Carnation]

Sounds familiar to me to.
Apple cider vinegar (the Mother)

[Catkins]

Sounds familiar to me too. It's quite terrifying waking up like that but now that I know it's related to what I eat it's not so scary. It's also worse depending on how stressed I am.

[Carnation]

I agree with that catkins

[Olidom]

I know to try and calm down when it happens, but that's easier said than done... I will try anything to stop it now, stress is breeding stress

[Scass]

The most common culprits are diet and stress.

Don’t eat 2-3 hours before bed, don’t lie down after eating. I sleep on a wedge pillow which has made such a difference.

[Olidom]

Yesterday was a really bad day, it happened twice and I've pulled a muscle in my neck from doing it – it's like a long litany of pain ��