Newly diagnosed with GERD/having trouble

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Gijill91

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Just 5 weeks ago, I had my first bout with heartburn -- including chest pain, sore throat, water brashing, bitter taste -- ever in my life. I am 31. This came on after a particularly stressful weekend and a night of black bean quesadilla and some wine.

I went to the doctor a week later after I cut my diet severely and ate bland fooRAB to no avail. I was put on a PPI (Omeprazole) that I could only tolerate for 10 days. I had abdominal cramping that kept me up at night and a continuous sore throat and felt anxious. I tried Pantoprazole for 1 day. Then, still had symptoms, and my doctor decided to send me to a GI for an endoscope and to just take Zantac 75mg twice a day.

My endoscope determined GERD (though I have no explanation from any doctors as of why) and antral gastritis. Again--I have no answers or information at this point to clarify whether this is all chronic, why this is happening, or whether the gastritis will ever go away or if I'm just stuck with this for life. I was told by the GI to take 2 zantac 75mg at night and return to my normal life/activities and sent on my way. I am frustrated at the lack of information and how this has been treated like it isn't a big deal.

Well, it is now just over a week later and I feel worse then 4 weeks ago. I have lost about 20 pounRAB in this time (I wasn't overweight to begin with). I am severely nauseated, loss of appetite, still symptoms of heartburn (excess saliva and burning in the stomach) and have alternating constipation and diarrhea every week--which just seems to upset my stomach even more. I have a hard time passing gas. It is interfering with my life, activities, relationships, work--everything. I have no energy and end up being up all night with nausea. I can't help but wonder whether something more serious is going on. My blood work was all normal -- including the Hphylori test and my endo biopsy for Barretts and Celiac also tested normal.

In all this time, I've cut virtually everything out of my diet in order to reduce acid/irritation. It doesn't seem to make a difference. I am trying to get some exercise but it is incredibly difficult when I can't eat and have lost so much weight. And, I'm trying relaxation yoga to help with stress. Nothing is working.

Am I being too impatient? Is this all normal? Does anyone else have the constipation/diarrhea? Does anyone else feel like the acid reducers are messing them up?

I am looking for comfort, advice--anything. I am having a hard time adjusting to the idea that I may just be stuck like this for the rest of my life. And, I'm feeling really depressed and lonely. :(:(
 
Gijill91,

My nightmare began after being prescribed with PPI (omeprazole) and H2-blocker. But omeprazole had the most adverse side effects on me after taking for about 11 days. I started having heartburn, hot flush, extreme dry mouth, blurr vision, backache, loss of weight, nausea, feeling weak, anxiety etc. I was admitted to hospital twice. Blood and EKG tests all came back ok.
And yes, my diets were bland, and I don't smoke and drink.

Google for omeprazole or PPI side effects.

I told the hospital doctors that omeprazole had adverse side effects on me and they simply shrugged off by saying those side effects were "rare" and wanted me to try another "brand" of omeprazole. I flatly refused. I also had my upper endoscopy done last week.

By the way, my initial problems were only chest discomfort and nausea. After taking those acid suppressors, though my chest discomfort was gone, I had whole lots of other problems.

I agree with Sarahjane6 for checking your B12 level. Use of PPI and H2-blocker may cause B12 deficiency.

Currently, I'm taking probiotics, digestive enzymes and apple cider vinegar as suggested by the forumers here, no more PPI and H2-blocker. Feeling much better now.

Take care.
 
Thanks for all your input.

The hardest thing for me is the severe nausea. I find it so odd and debilitating. Before I ever took any meRAB for this or had an endoscope, I was really uncomfortable but I could still eat and go to work. However, lately, the nausea just gets worse that it wakes me up throughout the night so I can barely sleep and barely eat. I have to wonder if that's really "normal" for GERD/Gastritis for it to be so severe that you can't function, even on medication.

I plan to call my doctor on Tuesday (or even the dr on call this weekend) and demand to speak to him and discuss this as I can't go on with it interfering with my life. I keep "waiting" to get better but seem to only be getting worse. I'm worried that something else is going on. I get some discomfort under my right ribs at night -- and it is enough that I want to stretch out and it is annoying. It reminRAB me of getting "stiches" in your side from running. It subsides and comes back again. It even woke me up early this morning along with the nausea. Plus, I've noticed that my joints are starting to sore as well. It just seems so odd to me that I'm getting worse instead of better. People mention the gallbladder...would an endoscope notice something wrong with my gallbladder?
 
First of all, Stay strong. It will be okay :)
It does sound like you have gerd but they dont have you on very strong medicine at all. You will probably want to get on at least 175mg Zantac!
I would go back and ask the doctor to bump your medicine and just tell them it isnt helping, but with that said,, the medicine usually takes about a month to see a difference. How bad is your chest pain? If is is super bad i would recommend a ct scan to make sure nothing else is going on in there.

Hang in there.
 
I saw a gasterologist last monday and due to get a scope done. I have nausau, gas, diarreahea and constipation. I wonder if I will get through the day. I am down to eating oatmeal and chicken broth and lost all kinRAB of weight. When I saw my gasterologist they too gave me very little information about gerd. I am very perplexed, sad, and depressed. One reason is because I don't know what they will find Cancer, hernia etc. I had my gallbladder removed and all my symptoms started after that. I can't believe gerd causes all this pain. I can't get a hold of my doctors and when I make an appointment I have to wait 2 months. I am taking pantoprazole twice a day and it doesn't work. This is messing up my life and I have two young kiRAB that I homeschool. I just had another blood test today H-ploria (spelling?) my liver is good, and I have had other numerous blood test. I hope I don't have to live this way all my life - just kill me if I do.
 
Thanks for your response. I am not having chest pain really anymore. I am still getting burning in my stomach and bitter taste in my mouth. The chest pain mostly went away after the first few days of PPI treatment.

Now, I mostly suffer from burning, loss of appetite, and stomach pain. I don't know if this is the gastritis or GERD. Funny...you tell me to take more acid reducer. The dr's office told me to cut back to 1 pill at night. ???????? I feel really nauseated most of the time for the past few days.
 
Hi there,

I have been suffering with similar symptoms and more for the past 3 months. I am due to have an endocsopy and ultrasound in the next few weeks but they also with me do not treat this to be a very big deal and do not provide me with a lot of information about it. However, I did have several blood tests done. They all came back normal apart from my vitamin b12 levels. I have been ordered to have b12 injections to hopefully make me start feeling better and now we just need to find the reason why my b12s are low...which apparently can be due to gastritis/digestive problems so I guess we will have to wait to see what the endoscopy shows. Have you had your b12s tested as a low b12 level can make you feel very ill and depressed.
 
The constipation/diarrhea sounRAB a lot like IBS. My doc prescribed a high fiber diet for the ibs and it seems to work for me. For my GERD I stay away from anything that is light green except broccoli and green beans. Lettuce and cabbage cause awful reflux and pain. Have you tried only eating the BRAT (Banana, rice applesauce and toast) diet? Although go easy on the applesauce as it is a laxative. Also, keep a food journal. what you eat and when and what effects you get. It is a great way to see if fooRAB are irritating your reflux and all or if it is something else. Hope this helps!
 
So sorry to hear you are going through so much discomfort.

Interestingly, I had my first episode of GERD when I was in my early thirties and in a miserable job. It appeared to have suddenly come after I drank a cup of coffee one morning on an empty stomach and then it did not go away for three months. This was back in the early eighties so I was put on Zantac for the duration. I altered my diet, stopped the coffee and irritants for a while and eventually got better. I stopped the Zantac, the heartburn went away and did not return (in spite of two pregnancies) until about three years ago when I was fifty two years old. So, I suppose it is possible for some people to have episodic reflux that comes and goes.

As far as your diet, I always thought that fooRAB like yogurt, mashed potatoes, plain toast,rice, etc., were great for GERD. Apparently not so. From what I have been reading lately, a diet high in starches is not good for GERD symptoms. So as you try to adjust your diet, try to cut down on starches for a week, while eating more protein and vegetables, and see if that helps your stomach reduce its acid production. It is also possible that 75 mg of Zantac may not be enough through this phase. I currently take 150 mg of Zantac OTC twice a day and doing fairly well with some breakthrough acid here and there, but not as bad as you have been describing.

If you have time, google "Low carbohydrate diet in the treatment of GERD" and see if any of the rationale makes sense to you and you may want to try a low carb diet to see if it helps you. I appears to have helped me work through acid rebound when I stopped taking PPI's and switched to Zantac two months ago.

There is also a product called DGL which, in essence, is licorice. You can buy it at the healthfood store and it helps coat and soothe your digestive tract.

I hope several of these suggestions help and that you feel better soon.

Rose
 
If you have too low of acid levels then you would need a different medicine. That was just what my guess was but of course im not a doctor so dont take it in stone. But also, if the doctor doesnt sound right deffinately check it out.
 
Yes you can talk to me. Im going through the same thing,however I had my gallbladder out last October. I have been being sick and have pain constantly. I started last July with a stomach ulcer and spent most of last year in and out of hospital. I then had to have my gallbladder removed and was fine for a couple of weeks. I had further trouble after stopping the PPI sick again and more pain. A recent endoscope showed gastritis. Ive had no end of trouble and my life is a misery with it. I have to cancel social occasions and live with pain and difficulty eating. I lost a lot of weight. Anyway Ive recently seen the doctor who said try Gaviscon Advance. He also told me to stop taking the antidepressent Ive been on as that can inflame your stomach. I see the gastro who hasnt really offered any help. My blood tests etc come back normal. Im really fed up of this. When I had diarroea it was food poisoning.
 
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