Could GERD really be what's causing this hell?? I'm so close to giving up, every day is painful.

Digestive health
1

I'm 17, female, and have been suffering since June, with NO answers. after hearing about my worries every day, my Mother won't take anything I say seriously, and brushes aside any of my health concerns as paranoia. I'm stressed and anxious every day and it's torture.

Since June, I've been having a lot of throat discomfort. I happened to have screamed rather loudly one day and ended up feeling as if my throat had a lump in it. This has happened before when I sang too much or over exerted my voice so I wasn't too worried. However, the feeling of something stuck in my throat was worse than usual, and the discomfort would not go away all the way till September. Doctors suspected GERD, and when I took the medication prescribed, it did help, but I ended up being allergic to the medicine. I did make efforts to not aggravate it, such as trying to control my acid reflux by eating smaller meals, etc, and one day it just suddenly seemed to get better and I was not bothered for a few weeks.

Recently however, it started hurting again. This time it is less of a "lump"-like feeling, and more pain. Occasionally there would be spontaneous and sudden throbbing pain in my throat, a weird pressure around my collar and breastbone. Constantly it feels like there's some weird subtle pain that feels like pressure, it's hard to describe. I do kinda feel something down Low in my throat, almost feels like liquid perhaps, and I can feel it rise up and down, and it creates a very full and pressured kind of feeling between my collar bones. I've also experienced neck pains that lie more to the front left and right side of my neck rather than just the center now. There's a new kind of pain, almost like there's a string being pulled tied and someone's tugging on it, and it's so hard to deal with it. I do feel a kind of burning occasionally, almost so much so that it feels cold.

i at my throat using a light and a mirror and noticed very tiny (pea sized) bumps along my tonsil area that are flesh coloured. Upon closer inspection, the back of my throat seems to have a few as well.

I'd also like to add that I've been feeling pain all over my body since June as well. It is a sudden very "targetted" pain in one specific spot in multiple places. Most commonly my back, various areas of my abdomen, my breasts and the ocassional arm and leg pain. My rib happens to hurt as well as my left armpit recently.

For the back, it does help to massage and rub it roughly, but I've never had these problems before and it feels like all these problems are coming all at once.

Doctors keep saying its GERD, but is it really possible that one stupid disorder is ruining my life completely? I've researched so much and have yet to see someone else with GERD like me. My symptoms end up with websites saying that I have cancer. I'm terrified, and I don't have the financial means to visit a specialist (I'm not old enough to be financially independent as well), and I can't turn to my parents for help. Help????

2

Hello Megan.

Im 24 yo and have been suffering from gerd and esophagitis for around three years now. I dont even feel well as Im writing this and can identify with some of the symptoms you are feeling. GERD can cause a wide variety of symptoms. Now some of your symptoms might be due to anxiety, Ive been throught that too. So, it is important for you to relax. Dont assume you have cancer as that is unlikely and will only make your symptoms worst.

It is important to get your parents to understand that you need to visit a gastroenterology doctor. GERD must be treated. For now, try following a diet low in fat, no acidic or citric foods, no chocolate, no coffee and no tomatoes at all. But you need a gastro to do more test on you. And remember to relax, if you keep feeling anxious youll feel more weird symptoms and your gerd will be worst.

3

hi megan this sounds awful. I dont post much anmore but i thought id better after reading this. Id try not to think about what could be wrong and just work out what makes you feel good. I have this awful pain too and at times it drives me mad.

​What makes it worse for me is stress anxiety and certain food and drink (alcohol and caffeinated) aswell as cold flu and seasons. (summer)

​I googled the death out of it. But just simple changes have helped me.

Routine - i eat 3 regular meals as food removes the pain most times. and also try to have at least 30 mins for lunch whilst working. I make sure i eat anti inflamatory foods and foods which also help to make serotonin which im not an expert on but certain mixes of food will do the trick - google it.

​Exercise - i try to walk occasionally and ill probably add something more strenuos was thinking of high intensity weight training when i feel im ready. < this is anti inflamatory hence pain all over your body should start to go away.  

​and last but not least - i try not to sit down dont know whether this affects you but it seems to compress my stomach and i noticed i feel alot better either laying or standing.

​i hope this helps i hope it does it has affected me positively.

​i have been almost free of ppi since august as i noticed the only releif i got from ppi was that i wasnt as bloated hence my experimentation with the food.

4

Hi Megan. I feel your pain. I have all of your symptoms. These are strange feelings in chest area and throat,weird pressure,like invisible strangling or paralysis of muscles, and i tell you, tell your mum i am twice your age and i experienced a lot of pain in life, but this really is different and life disabling like little else. And me too, lost all respect in family, i complained so much that they think i am crazy. My father and sister blocked messages and gmail because of my intolerable complaints.

Of course i am not faking it as they say, i would rather tell them all the time that i learned to fly and that sometimes i meet aliens in the sky..

Because i would never put myself in such misery that everything what i love is now limited, cause i have no concentration anymore.

5

So sorry you are going through this.  I too started with strange symptoms in June and am just now starting to feel better.  I've had muscle twitching, dizziness and a full head feeling, chest pain(2 visits to ER thinking i was having a heart attack) being unable to lie down flat in bed, unable to swallow stringy foods, throat tightness, and all of this caused anxiety.  Ive had a cardiac workup, a CT scan of my abdomen and pelvis and an uper endoscopy. Phew. right??  So, what I do know is that diet is HUGE!!!  I did gluten free, dairy free, no alcohol or caffeine., no nuts or legumes, no tomatoes, peppers, garlic (nightshade vegetables)....basically just fruits/veggies/protein for 2 solid months.  Just now starting to add different grains(GF oats and rice) back in., but will probably be gluten free/aware for ever as I also have autoimmune thyroid disease.    I switched from omeprazole to zantac, didn't like the rigor of getting off the omeprazole with the extreme rebound and it gave me diarrhea.  The Zantac just agrees with me  better.  I too have concentrated on eating in an anitflammatory way and healing my gut and considering low acid as a possible issue. (I had gastritis diagnosed on my endoscopy, so have been working with that first before addressing the acid balance in my stomach).  I am also now taking an acid and enzyme supplement with meals to aid in digestion and it is working.  I have eye exercises to deal with the dizziness and full head feeling and they are helping. I am also addressing hormones (i am 53, so in the throes of peri-menopause.) I am woking with a nutritionist and neurologist/chiropractor to resolve my symptoms, not just trying to wing it on my own.  I went into this knowing it would be at least 3-6 months to start to see results...there is no quick fix.  So my advice to you is 1. GERD can cause some strange symptoms that go way beyond your esophagus, get an endoscopy if you haven't already and that will give you more of an idea of what you are dealing with, I wont say stay away from the internet, because everyone looks stuff up, but it is highly unlikely that you have cancer .  2. Change your diet and note the foods that cause you issues and avoid them for now.  I recommend working with a nutritionist . 3. make sure to elevate head of bed, made a huge difference for me!  4.  Tell yourself you will get better!!!  Staying positive is also key...i let myself have my pity party and then its back to it!!  try to relax with walking, deep breathing, music...anything that works for you.  5. Don't let anyone tell you its all in your head.  Once you have had the proper work up and have a diagnosis, then you consider anxiety.  The symptoms alone can cause anxiety and if you feel that is key than make a point to deal with that too.  I had an ER doctor tell me that anxiety is a diagnosis of exclusioin, meaning that you rule everything else out first, then consider anxiety.  6.  I wish you good luck in your journey and believe that you can get this under control, ,just try to stay positive and  take baby steps, you will get there!!  You need to heal, but you are young and I beleive that there will be good times ahead for you!!  

6

Hello Richard,

It seems like you have done similar things as I have and I am also having good results.  I did not read your reply before replying to Megan.  I am a huge beleiver in antiinflammatory measures as they have worked well for me.  I also am trying to heal my gut and get my digestion working correctly , probably for the first time in decades.  I would be interested to follow your journey and knowing other things you have found helpful!  Good luck!

 

7

I almost cried when I read this. I'm 18 years old and don't have the same symptoms as you but reading your first few sentences about how you live in a constant state of worry and fear is exactly how I feel everyday. My problems started with pneumonia over a year ago and I am still dealing with a barking cough and I can't even tell you how much testing i have done. The only thing I have found so far is when I recently had an endoscopy. Doc said I had gastritis and esophagatis... which I guess I can believe because my symptoms are worse when I first wake up and after eating. But stress wise.. oh man the anxiety I've developed from this. I was scheduled to have surgery on my jaw that keeps getting pushed back because I feel icky and I deferred from college for a year to fix all my issues (cough and surgery). Everyday that I suffer I become more paranoid because I don't have all the time in the world and one of my biggest fears is wasting my life yet I'm still the one isolating myself from my friends. They know nothing of my struggles because I'm embarrassed at this point. Please I know we're not going through the exact same thing and I wish I had the answers for you, but I have felt so alone as this just like you. If you ever want someone to talk to please feel free to reach out to me .

-ZURI