Over the course of the 12 years that I searched for relief 6 different excellent and skilled doctors had tested, diagnosed & treated me for "asthma" which it certainly appeared to be. I, and all those who were around me, suffered hearing my loud, hard and incessant cough - it was very debilitating and was a serious problem for me and to anyone nearby. Neighbors several acres away could hear my all-night coughing sessions. The only comparison I can make is imagine spending several hours a day for 12 years coughing as you do if you inhale water while swimming ~ but louder and harder. After many, many courses of steroids 'for asthma' my joints were damaged and I was in frequent pain. At the end of that 12 year time period I went to Dr Bortniker for a long-forgotten reason, and had mentioned the incessant harsh cough. Very quickly into the exam he told me the cough was likely caused by gastric reflux which I knew I had but thought was controlled by once daily Nexium. He said he was going to put me on a 2nd Nexium / day for just a few days. After 3 days I've never again had that exceptional cough. I'm not sure it would be too dramatic or a stretch to say he may have saved my life. With tremendous gratitude ~
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