Q: I have coughed for four and a half years. After two and a half years of testing, I had Nissen fundoplication surgery. My coughing stopped for about six months. I was then put on acid reflux medicine and it helped the cough for a while. I was put on different reflux medicine and again, the same thing. I continued to cough.
Recently a friend told me that her husband had acid reflux and his doctor told him some of his patients told him that stopping Sweet & Low would help the coughing. I stopped using it (I had used it for over 30 years) and my coughing stopped he next day. It’s been about six weeks and – no coughing! Do you know of others this has helped?
A: Frankly, no, I don’t. Surgical management, including fundoplication, is used when symptoms of reflux and complications of reflux such as hoarseness, asthma, reflux and cough don’t lessen, or when a person is unable to take the recommended medication for control. Nissen fundoplication wraps the upper curve of the stomach known as the fundus around the esophagus. It is sewn in place so the lower portion of the esophagus passes through a small area of stomach muscle. The procedure strengthens the valve between the esophagus and stomach that, in turn, stops acid from backing up into the esophagus as easily as it did. There are two methods of performing the surgery – either through the abdomen or through the chest. The latter point of entry is often preferable if the patient is obese or has a short esophagus. Open surgery will require anesthesia with up to six weeks recuperation following the procedure before the patient returns to his or her normal routine. The laparoscopic method will shave several days off the length of the hospital stay, the recuperation period will be shorter, and depending on the type of work performed, the patient will return to work and normal activities in half the time.
Artificial sweeteners are confusing for consumers. We cannot dispute that they are made from chemicals, some of which are known to cause harm. Sweet N Low which is primarily made from saccharin is a sulfa-based sweetener belonging to a class of compounds known as sulfonamides that are known to cause allergic reactions. The primary ingredient is benzoic sulfilimine. For those individuals that have sulfa allergies, side effects such as diarrhea, nausea, headaches, allergy-related issues and skin problems can occur. The product is much sweeter than sucrose and has a metallic aftertaste. It contains no calories because it is not digested by the body.
Some health concerns do exist for saccharin that can occur when amounts between 10 and 50 grams are ingested. They may include bloating, intestinal gas, and diarrhea. And, you can appreciate that artificial sweeteners by any name exist in countless products we all consume every day, including coffee, soft drinks, baked goods, chewing gum, jams, canned fruits, candy, salad dressings, vitamins, and even in pharmaceuticals. In all my investigation and with the varied complaints people have had regarding this product, I cannot document that a cough is among them. Therefore, if your friend’s husband’s doctor was bright enough to make the connection, he is to be congratulated. I’d love to educate myself with his source of information. And readers, if you have made the connection, write with your comments and we will do a follow-up.
