Hi everyone. I hope you're all keeping well. I have been having a lot of stomach issues for the past 10 years and I am really coming to the end of my tether with it all. I will explain everything below. If anyone has some advice or is currently going through something similar, I would love to hear from you. Okay, where to start. Since secondary school, I have been having nausea most days. Now, I call it nausea because that's the best way I can explain it. My symptoms are stomach cramps & it's like gas escaping from my stomach without me burping. It is really uncomfortable and gets worse throughout the day. When it was at it's peak, i was working in crawley (about an hours drive from where I live) and when driving home, I would have to keep pulling over to be sick out of the car (gross. Sorry). My doctors for a long time insisted that it was indigestion. So I have been on omeprazole, lansoprazole and Ranitidine. Recently, I have been taken off those medications as I stopped taking them for a while and didn't feel any different. I have been on citalopram for around 2 years and do feel like my anxiety is very much present in my life. I am always reluctant to talk about this to the doctor, as they love to blame anxiety on my symptoms. I know it isn't anxiety because it doesn't get worse when I am stressed and I end up feeling sick whether I am stressed or not. Recently, I have been put of mebeverine, as the doctor seems to think it's IBS. I have been on that for about 2 weeks and it has improved anything. About a year ago, I had a endoscopy done and they found a hiatus hernia. I was told that they don't do surgery for this anymore because in most cases medication deals with all the symptoms. I am so tired of feeling like this everyday and it really is effecting my mood. I have my sisters wedding coming up in a few weeks and I know that I won't be able to enjoy the day fully because I will feel ill. Every time I go out, I know that I will end up feeling ill. Below is a list of things that I have tried for at least 3 weeks. lansoprazole omeprazole Ranitidine citalopram Peppermint oil capsules digestive enzymes probiotic prebiotic ginger tablets charcoal tablets The most recent thing that I have talked about with the doctor is increasing my citalopram, because he thinks that it's my anxiety. I don't believe that it is but I am still going to try it. After that, I don't know what else they can do. If anyone has some insite on this I would be forever grateful. As I have said, I really am at the end of my tether with this and it is effecting my mental health dramatically.
You have tried a number a medications with no relief.
Maybe you are right, that it could be due to anxiety that’s mounting.
I would say take a second opinion from different gastroenterologist and psychiatrists.
I have hiatus hernia, been struggling with GERD and dyspepsia since 5 years. Rabeprazole has stopped working. I am on Nexium now.
What actually helped me with the stomach cramps and stuff was Librax. It is a type of relaxant medication for the stomach. Please discuss about Librax with the doctors. Klonopin is another medication that I took along with Librax and Nexium. It is also a relaxant type drug.
Maybe you need such medications that relax your digestive system.
If one doctor is not able to solve your problems, taking a second opinion is always logical.
You might already be aware about the following stuff, but still I would mention:
- eat small meals
- have dinner 2-3 hrs before lying down
- elevate the head side of your bed
- stay active, walk for an hour daily
- avoid trigger foods
And yes, you are not alone. Don’t think negative. You will definitely get better.
Hi there. Thank you for your reply.
I really don’t believe that is it anxiety to be honest. It doesn’t get any worse when I am stressed and it doesn’t get any better when I am not.
I was told by the doctor on Friday, that there was nothing else that they could do and quote ‘maybe that’s just how your stomach and bowls work’. I have been encouraged to get a second opinion which I will be doing next week.
I’m not a doctor but it seems that upper GI surgery may be of help to me. It would stop the occasional acid reflux that I get and hopefully solve the gas escaping from my stomach.
I haven’t tried the medications that you have mentioned, so it may be worth me trying those as well.
Again, I appreciate your response. Thank you 
If your doctor says stuff like you have quoted, it means he isn’t competent enough.
We are living in a time when diseases like cancer, hiv etc are being treated successfully.
Most stomach issues can be very well managed if you are under an expert doctor’s care.
Do some research and find out the best gastroenterologist in your city/state/country… do whatever it takes. You deserve the best treatment.
I know you are talking about fundoplication surgery to tighten the lower sphincter.
With proper medications and lifestyle changes you won’t need surgery. That’s what my doctor tells me. And I am doing well under his guidance.
Do talk about Librax and Klonopin with the doctor you see next.
I know what you are going through, it is a dark phase. I have been through the same. People take stomach issues lightly until they face it.
Good luck.
I tell you, you will come out of this for sure.