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[Katherine]

Hi ladies,

I had such a frightening episode of breathing difficulties last night, this time much later, 6am, I woke up drenched in sweat, my airways were tight and my heart was irregular, and my lips were a bit swollen. I had eaten at 2am, and had loads of blankets on so it could be explained by acid reflux and too much bedding, and the swollen lips due to the heat, but I’m frightened that something else could be wrong. I woke with milder breathing difficulties at 12.30am too and had eaten before bed too without taking gaviscon. It only seems to happen when I eat close to bedtime. This time though it was so frightening I will be avoiding food before bed at all costs and taking gaviscon like clockwork. I did have a chest X-ray a few months ago but never been contacted about the results.

[Flossieteacake]

I am really sorry to hear this Katherine. You saying this happens when you eat near bed time makes me wonder if it could be GERD. Thankfully you have had a chest x-ray so you know your chest is fine as they would have contacted you otherwise.

Are you okay now? I know you will have been frightened.

[Katherine]

Hi Flossie, I’m ok now but am just worried it could be something serious.   The swollen lips got me worried. I will just have to avoid food near bedtime and take gaviscon like clockwork to find out for sure, then if that doesn’t work I’ll go to my gp. The thing is I know what acid reflux is like, you get the burning and the taste but I don’t have any symptoms of acid reflux when this happens. Maybe the acid is going into my airways, but I’m not coughing. It’s weird.

[Flossieteacake]

I think not eating close to bedtime with help a lot. It could even be that will stop this from happening completely. It is a good idea to talk to your GP to help put your mind at rest.

[Katherine]

I spoke to a gp about it a few months ago minus the sweating and the lips and he thought acid reflux too. I will try not eating in the night, it’s hard as I’m kept awake for hours by noisy neighbours quite often and it’s hard going without food for so long. Maybe I will try earplugs. Thanks for being here Flossie xxx

[Flossieteacake]

I spoke to a gp about it a few months ago minus the sweating and the lips and he thought acid reflux too. I will try not eating in the night, it’s hard as I’m kept awake for hours by noisy neighbours quite often and it’s hard going without food for so long. Maybe I will try earplugs. Thanks for being here Flossie xxx

How unfair you have to put up with noisy neighbours all night. I assume you have made a noise complaint? It really is selfish of them to make so much noise. I can understand why you need to eat after going without food for so long. Noise cancelling earplugs may be an idea or even a sleep band.

You are most welcome.

[Katherine]

They are not very nice people shall we say so I’m not getting involved. I’m not sure what I’ll do, earplug’s probably. X

[Flossieteacake]

They are not very nice people shall we say so I’m not getting involved. I’m not sure what I’ll do, earplug’s probably. X

I understand. Earplugs are the way to go then. My partner has a sleep band he wears at night. It is like a blindfold to block out light but you can also listen to things on it such as relaxing music to block out sound.

[Katherine]

I will look into that thank you it sounds good x

[Katejo]

Hi ladies,

I had such a frightening episode of breathing difficulties last night, this time much later, 6am, I woke up drenched in sweat, my airways were tight and my heart was irregular, and my lips were a bit swollen. I had eaten at 2am, and had loads of blankets on so it could be explained by acid reflux and too much bedding, and the swollen lips due to the heat, but I’m frightened that something else could be wrong. I woke with milder breathing difficulties at 12.30am too and had eaten before bed too without taking gaviscon. It only seems to happen when I eat close to bedtime. This time though it was so frightening I will be avoiding food before bed at all costs and taking gaviscon like clockwork. I did have a chest X-ray a few months ago but never been contacted about the results.

   Could the swollen lips and tight airways be an indication of an allergic reaction to something (eg. a food which you ate yesterday evening)?

[Penguin]

Look up lpr, also known as silent reflux because it doesn't have the typical symptoms of acid reflux like burning etc. People do talk of it going into their always, ears, sinuses. Would explain why it doesn't happen when you take the gaviscon.

[Katherine]

Hi KateJo,

Thanks for replying. I don't think it's a food allergy as I didn't eat anything new, and it only happens at night. I did think I might be allergic to Utrogestan for a while but the fact it doesn't happen when I've had Gaviscon or Omeprazole makes me think it's not an allergy. I was very hot and drenched in sweat which could explain the swollen lips.

[Katherine]

Hi Penguin,

Thanks for replying. I just looked up silent reflux and LPR and it sounds spot on. I had never heard of it. I had better be careful then as it can result in all sorts of complications. When the gp initially said acid reflux I didn't believe him because of the absence of burning and acid taste, etc. I am going to have a proper look into that.

[Gilla999]

Hi Katherine - so sorry to hear you're going through this. Just want to add that swollen lips (called angioedema) is a classic allergic reaction symptom as Katejo said - I'm very surprised your GP didn't pick up on this. Histamine is at its highest overnight, so it might not be connected to what you're eating, just that it's "tipping over" in the evenings. Sweating and breathing difficulties are all symptoms of histamine issues too.

Just to give some context, when I went through months of horrendous chronic spontaneous urticaria in the summer (which I'm now fairly sure was a result of my Estrogen level being too high) it was also accompanied by angioedema of the lips most nights - and again, it would only happen overnight. xx

[Katherine]

Hi Gilla999,

Thanks for replying. I've never noticed me having swollen lips before, it's just this time I looked in the mirror as I felt so bad. So my GP doesn't know about the swollen lips part. It was another, male GP I spoke to when this first happened so I've never spoken to her about it. I'm going to make sure I take gaviscon or omeprazole before bed and make sure not to eat no matter what at night, to see if it's LPR, and I might have to see my GP too. I'm just worried they will take my precious oestrogen and utrogestan from me, they literally feel like an essential life source for me at the moment! I will have to think about this. Then again if I don't go to the GP maybe I could die from it in the meantime. So many decisions to make on 5 hours sleep! Oh well I will sort it out.