Tests came back normal, doctor isn't very responsive, what do I do?

[nh_user_1376954]

About 5 years ago, I went to the gym and was lifting a bench press and felt a pop in my chest and never been normal since. I was regurgitating food all the time and needed help fast.

I went to the GI Doctor and they ran and endoscopy and said I had a small hiatal hernia that was too small to be fixed and I was put on pantoprozole (Protonix) PPI and was taking them once a day all the way up to now and still doing so. I was also prescribed Sulcrafate (Carafate) Tablets for keeping myself from having ulcers or barretts esophagus later in life.

5 years later in my current status, I have been to another GI doctor and had another endoscopy to have it return back as normal with no hiatal hernia and then they ran ph monitoring 24 hours and manometry while I was on pepcid and Pantoprozle. They came back normal, with a detection of an abnormality of a centralized pressured area, they said they weren’t sure if it was the hiatal hernia or not as results were inconclusive on that.

I now currently am back and forth with my GI doctor and she is not personable and very business straightforward meaning she only really talks to me when I come in or pay money for advice, and I have since then become very frustrated because I do not want to be on pantoprozole like this my whole life due to deficiency issues later that could occur.

She has since gotten me to take 2 pantoprozoles daily with pepcid twice as well and I occasionally use Graviscon and Carafate, and now she wants to put me on Effexor as an alternative therapy.

I am at a loss for what to do, my doctor seems to not be very personable and in my honest opinion care about what’s going on with me and I just need advice.

Thank you.

[nh_user_631390]

hi ryan, i hate to say this but at least your doctor is doing something! however, what they are doing is not allowing you to see a dietitian! ask to see one or another doctor and as soon as you can. you don’t have to see the same doctor and you don’t have to take their advice! if you have to see the same doctor take someone with you under the excuse they are your eyes and ears! (ie they are making sure you are hearing the doctor correctly), nonsense you are truthfully listening to what the doctor is saying and then deciding what to do.

[nh_user_1316433]

Change your doctor.

Work positively on your lifestyle and diet.

No smoking, no nicotine, no alcohol, no spicy/oily foods. Eat small meals. Walk daily for atleast 30 min or continue your gym. Gym is the only thing that gives us hope and strength. And yes, that gym incident you have mentioned, is highly unlikely to have caused the symptoms you are facing.

What happens if you quit Pantoprazole for a day or two? If you haven’t tried, then give it a try. Or, try to reduce the dose to one tablet a day for a week, and then on alternate days, and then on days when you have symptoms, and then quit hopefully.

Some doctors and nutritionists suggest Apple Cider Vinegar ( 1 tsp with half a glass of water after meals) to deal with reflux issues. It works for many people ( But it didn’t work for me ). You may give this a try as well.

Having had PPIs for 5 years straight, you might be having low stomach acid, who knows… So talk to your doctor about low stomach acid as well.

Keep experimenting. You know more about yourself than these doctors do.