Some questions about reflux

[kcr01]

Hi there!  Several years of unexplained terrible fatigue have led me to looking into something called silent acid reflux, and I have some questions I hope you can help me with.

I don't have heartburn and very infrequently have symptoms of what I think could be reflux.  I was prescribed 20mg omeprazole about two years ago for the infrequent acid reflux, which I thought was occurring as a side effect of the adderall I was prescribed to help with the fatigue.  I was taking the omeprazole every day for a while but since I was rarely having problems I started taking it only when needed.  I never really have felt acid reflux was a problem for me.  

For a few years I've been complaining to my doctor about a feeling of "fullness" in my throat and this past January I was sent for an ultrasound for a possibly enlarged thyroid.  I received a letter about a week after that saying my thyroid was not enlarged but I had a small nodule in the lower right pole that appeared to be nothing worrisome.

I've also been experiencing a problem with my voice getting hoarse at the end of the day.  It started out as an infrequent occurrence and now occurs nearly every day, and my voice just feels very strained, as if I've been using my voice too much (even if I've hardly used it at all).  

A sleep study in February revealed a high spontaneous arousal index of 33/hr but not respiratory related, so apnea was ruled out.  

I also can't seem to raise my voice above a certain volume. I'll think I'm speaking loudly but people say they have trouble hearing me.

I wondered if the thyroid nodule could be posing a problem even though my doctor said it was fine and no followup was needed, but now I wonder if it could be something I've recently read about called silent acid reflux, where I don't even realize I have the reflux but it's causing sleep problems and the voice trouble.  Does this sound like a possibility, and could it cause severe fatigue if untreated for quite a while?

[Ratnakar Kini]

Hi,
Thyroid nodule is not the cause.
These are all manifestations of GERD.
Though heartburn is the classic symptom of GERD, sometimes it may be absent.
Fullness you have mentioned is called globus and is one of the symptoms of GERD.
Severe reflux can reach the throat and even get aspirated in to the lungs.
This can damage the respiratory tract.
Thus it can affect the vocal cords and cause hoarseness of voice.

[kcr01]

bump