<body><div><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=1Ttbj5_0wBBNt3J00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=1Ttbj5_0wBBNt3J00" width="1060" height="707" >Recently, I became aware of a very real threat to my health as someone with alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (AATD). I have long dealt with acid reflux, even as early as my twenties. Recently, I woke up from a nap after eating a large meal and realized how important it is to keep stomach acid to a minimum.My doctors are unsure why I have what they call gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Many other patients with AATD have it, but it remains to be seen if there’s a real connection there between the 2 conditions. AATD tends to affect the lungs and/or liver.AATD has caused a my lungs to become highly inflamed because the protein I lack is what normally calms the lungs down. I’ve also had several respiratory diseases over the years. So, when I got up from that nap and felt the burn not only in my esophagus but in my lungs, I knew I needed to take action.There is simply too much at stake for me right now. I’m in my late thirties, with both of these chronic conditions, so having a buildup of acid anywhere in my body doesn’t sound very good.I’ve read about how esophageal cancer can develop after years of GERD. The slow, painful death I read about with that disease sounds terrifying. I may not always feel heartburn, but I often wake up with a sore throat, which might be due to acid that seems to never really go away for me. So, I have 2 parts of a plan. I can stop lying flat on any surface and hope that the acid never reaches my lungs. And I can stop eating early in the day.Every week, I receive infusions of the protein I lack. This helps keep the inflammation down a little. However, it won’t protect me from everything.The feeling I had may or may not have been from acid reaching my lungs. It felt more like when I had been out in the cold wind for too long, but I wasn’t sick or cold. All the same, it was a wake-up call.I sometimes wonder if I’ll be able to eat all the foods I want when I am older. As it is, I frequently choke on water, so that idea seems a little iffy. I also have postnasal drip that could contribute to an irritated throat. My pulmonologist does not believe the two are related. I think there’s a connection, though, due to knowing so many who have both GERD and AATD. Mostly, I just try to treat these issues as best I can and hope for good things.To alter what I eat in the evenings, I had to change several things. I had to decide that no matter what, I wasn’t going to eat meals past 6 pm. Many young people or people my age don’t understand why I do this, even if I try to explain. Most of them haven’t experienced what I have, and I know how bad aspirating water can be vs acid. My own grandmother, who doesn’t have AATD, got pneumonia from a piece of food that got stuck in her lungs.There are ways to deal with having a lot of stomach acid or having no lid on top of my stomach, as I call it. Medicines to prevent excess stomach acid help, and stomach acid reducers can help, as well. I have tried both. Another option comes to mind, and it’s a scary one for me. If I’m brave enough, I can try to stay away from sugar this holiday season. High carbohydrate intake can make GERD worse.I have unrelated sensitivities to some common food products, so avoiding sugar only adds to the restrictions. Maybe trying it during the holiday season is not the best idea. Perhaps the biggest obstacle I have faced in dealing with GERD is simply the lack of determination to say “no” to late-night meals. Friends at parties and such are always offering food late into the evening. In the Midwest, where I live, dessert and leftovers are not only allowed but encouraged before one leaves the event.But, when I’m firm, all is well. I am my own best advocate. </div></body>

Mountain View, CA

NewsBreak

GERD and AATD: A Dangerous Combination

Recently, I became aware of a very real threat to my health as someone with alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (AATD). I have long dealt with acid reflux, even as early as my twenties. Recently, I woke up from a nap after eating a large meal and realized how important it is to keep stomach acid to a minimum.