This ongoing for a year, but I seem to develop new symptoms.

Digestive health
1

Hello, I am new here, but not new to the problems that sound very similar to the rest I am reading.

A short history, this started a year ago for me, I took a desk job, and had gone back to my poor diet, and was drinking beer heavy for several months. December of last year I started getting real bad gas pains that got worse every time I ate. It went from bad to worse. Within a month I was in the emergency room, they found nothing from a CT scan of my abdomen.

My PC sent me to a general surgeon, he did upper endoscopy which showed some barrels, and Hpylori tested positive, treated for pylori which made me feel terrible. Retest came back clean for pylori. Still having the problem so he sent me for nuclear test for my gallbladder which showed good. Next was a colonoscopy, nothing showed negative.

He told me he had reached the last of test he could do, he would see me in six months for another CT scan if needed if problem had not resolved. In the mean time I cannot bend over good (I work construction) when I do I get serious pain on upper left abdomen that makes me weak for long periods until it subsides. 

I go for neurological next month.

I definilty have problems with reflux, that I know, and my diet definitely is involved, that I know. When I do not eat enough greens or roughage my motility slows, and my throat, chest, and now my nose tells me so from the acid fumes I can feel. It not only burns but I can smell and taste it strong. I also bloat heavy for long periods until it seems things start moving again. When I keep my diet right, I feel much better within about a week, though I can still feel the acid it does not seem to put me on my bed for days on end like it does when I am not careful with diet.

Lately I have had a new development that I wanted to see if anyone else has experienced. I was drinking beer again for about 5 weeks fairly heavy when I started noticing the roof of my mouth getting sore on left hard palate, and pain on whole left side of face and sinus. Doctor could not see anything on the mouth, but gave me antibiotics for sinus infection, which seemed to help. Went to dentist who did whole mouth exam, she could not see anything either. But I know it is there, I can feel the difference on the roof of my mouth especially when i am chewing, and pain on the left side of face, and sinus. It seems to be worse when the reflux is worse, and I seem to smell and taste it more in that left sinus, and the roof of mouth seems more tender on the left side.

Doctor, and dentist seem to think some of it is stress, and anxiety related, and maybe running my tongue so much on that side. I know I am not imaging the pain though.

I am working on leaving my mouth alone with my tongue, and relaxing more, that seems to help some, but truthfully my wife died about 4.5 years ago of cancer, and ever since my stress levels and worries over developing and dying of cancer has gone through the roof. 

I have better days with it, but sometimes it is not so good.

I know this is long, and thanks everyone here.

2

First off, I am sorry about the loss of your wife.  I believe the doctors are right on this one, only because it is happening to me.   I have had the mouth pain, sinus pain, pain in my back, abdomen,...Mine started with severe chest pain,   I have had many tests done over the last two years, pretty much my whole body I have been xrayed, ultra sound, blood tests, stress tests, stool samples, barium tests, ecgs, urine cultures, I have seen specialist, natural paths, acupuncture.....all my tests come back normal.  I went to chiropractor and my back is so tight, and physiotherapists.....the only conclusion they can come to is stress and anxiety.......all this started over 8 years ago after my mother died of cancer.....and as each year passes and I get older, every pain makes me fear the worst.   Tomorrow I am seeing my doctor talk about anti anxiety medication, I have tried alternative for 8 years and although it has got me through...the physical symptoms keep coming.Losing a loved one especially to a horrific disease like cancer puts so many emotions.  Stay strong....and hopefully you will get some relief.

3

Hi Michael

There are so many symptoms related to this awful reflux disease, but you seem to be able to get it under control when you clean up your diet, are you on any ppi?

4

Hi Kate,   I agree, the doctors think based on symptoms that I have Gerd....but I believe mine is brought on more by anxiety because my diet leading up to this was extremely alkaline, I drank fresh celery juice every morning, drank alkaline water, ate fish and chicken, fruits and veggies.......I also took a daily probiotic......then all of a sudden one night I was in severe chest pain that left me rolling on the floor clenching my chest.....that was the beginning of the constant tests......I was shocked when they concluded gerd...because I don't drink alcohol, nor smoke, I don't drink pop or caffeine and avoided chocolate.....I limited my sugar intake.   I still think I have more of nerve and muscle spasms related to anxiety, but there are times I feel a bit colicky like there is air trapped.  I don't have heart burn or regurgitate......I was given a 20 day Ppi but didn't take it because the h2 blocker sent me into more chest spasms......I question for me if I man not producing enough acid....it can give you crazy pain too as things are no time digesting well.   Ppi's are not a cure or meant long term, so finding the root is key.   That is why I am going to try and get my anxiety under control.  I have heard stress and anxiety and gerd all go together.   If tests don't find anything and there are symptoms, I would say stress is a factor.

 

5

Thank you for your response, while I know the physical pain I am experiencing is not a figment of my imagination, I have begun to wonder if some of what is happening is an unresolved stress.

In fact a very good friend who has been indispensable to help me through these times has kept encouraging me on the use of meditation. It definitely helps, there is no doubt about it, like anything though it takes time, and discipline.

I am starting to think that the depression I have experienced over the past years since she died created me more problems than I originally thought. 

Thank you for your response, and I too hope you feel better. I am sorry about your mother, the one thing that has helped me very seriously is the realizing we are spirits, and that it is only our body that dies.

6

No, my Dr., put me on Omeprazol, but I could not take it. Made me sooo sick. Also tried Zantac and same thing. 

Add to that my concern for the kidney issue backlash, and I am trying very hard to just get control of my diet, exercise, and anxiety issues. Thank you for your response.

7

Another thing that I have tried to incorporate into my regime is meditation. While some may still consider this a lot of mumbo jumbo, I know that when I really am determined to relax, and let my anxieties go it really helps.

I lay down to do my meditation rather sitting up. 

I know that there is more to the mind body connection than the health industry has given credit to but it is catching up, in fact many health care providers are recommending meditation and even yoga for those that suffer with this, and other maladies.

I am definitely suffering on a regular basis with the anxiety of it all, but am working on getting that under control. It is a work in progress.

Hope you are doing well.

8

Hi Michael

Did you have to go to a professional to learn how to meditate? How does it work

9

No, the form of meditation I practice is not quite the same as is taught by Eastern Philosophy, though I think the results are close to the same.

I started because my friend who is now 86, who has been practicing meditation I guess you could say he developed for himself, for over 30 years. He took what he found from others experience a stayed with worked for him. Some of his experiences have been being able to pull his own teeth through deadening his jaw like they would with novocaine. He also had a hernia operation without any pain medication by using meditation to deaden the area they were working on. 

Again, he is very disciplined and has been at it for over 30 years.

The way I learned from him, and have been practicing at, you could say is somewhat of a form of self-hypnosis. 

I lay down, getting comfortable on my back, spread out and as loose as possible, no music, in a quiet room with the shades drawn. Then I do some deep breathing exercise to start off (which this is lots of info on line about those). I do the breathing about 4 or 5 times. (By the way I have read more then on place that deep breathing has been studied by the mainstream services, and has been found to have long term benefits for Reflux sufferers)

Then starting with an area that is easier, say my hands, arms or feet, I intentionally begin giving full mental attention to those areas relaxing, I do not force myself, but coax myself into relaxing. As you get more able you will find that you can cause those areas you concentrate on to deaden as though they are going to sleep, without the sensation of cutting off blood when say your foot goes to sleep.

I do not stay on one area too long, I keep myself moving, scanning with my mind to find the areas needing relaxed. Then I move to my eyes, and nose, and face, and start to really pay attention and work my way down. 

You will feel the relaxing because even your sinuses will begin to open up and want to drain, don't even be surprised if you drift in and out of a deep sleep especially if you are not well rested to begin with. (Some of the most refreshing sleep I have experience over the past year has been in short spurts i enter while in this mediative state), you may even wake up and find yourself still in the meditative state.

It takes time, and a determination with your spirit, and mind to take that kind of control of your body, and thoughts to allow your whole self to really relax. But, even doctors toady are coming to realize that as you bring your body into this state, and your central nervous system relaxes it allows the healing hormones of your body to move throughout your system, and to begin healing you. 

I have gone to bed at night, or laid down during the day, feeling pretty bad, and begin meditating and doing it as long as time will allow me, I have woken up feeling really good in comparison to where I was with the reflux stress.

I know this is long but if you have any other questions about it let me know.

PS. I have alos found as I incorporate more greens, especially warmed cooked ones, and green leafy lettuce into my diet it helps. My friend also grows wheat grass, and we juice it. I really think when I stay with it and alkalize instead of all of the acid junk foods I feel much better.

10

By the way my friend Charlie, who is 86 (who in his 50's started getting serious about applying the truth to his health), he still works for his son as a tile tender for a setter. He mixes the mortar, and grout, gets him his tile, and cuts for him. He is very active.

He believes how he has eaten has made a huge difference but tells me always that he believes it is the meditation that has made the real difference in his health, and kept him going.

11

Hi Michael, thank you so much for taking the time to explain all to me, I will certainly have a go, it sounds very interesting, I hope you fulsome relief soon, you are very genuinely kind, I appreciate your advice. Kate

12

Hi Mike

Mine started with a tingling feeling on my hard palate ,

still not great 

all the Docs say it looks fine but it feels so much different to me ,

on ppis at the moment 

13

Hi Linda

Really appreciate your reply, I totally agree with you about stress causing a lot of Gerd, I was perfectly fine up to April 2016 when I got a bad health scare and all this reflux started and I just cane get back to any kind of normality, I think with out people like yourself to talk to on this forum I would go mad, I just hope someone offers me an operation soon

14

I understand what you are going through. Having searched the web now for over a year there are many others who are having the same experiences. I think this is one of the reasons that so many are being looked at as though the problem is only mental in nature. Doctors seem to be having a hard time finding anything with the current testing regimes.

I told the general surgeon when all of this began for me that I did not want to be written off as a nuts just because he could not find anything, he told me he did not see me that way.

I really think there are a lot of environmental issues going on today that are new to this generation, and the medical industry has not caught up to the problems yet.

However, I also think that stress, and anxiety is definitely an underlying factor. 

I tried PPI's they make me sicker than the reflux.

15

Hi Linda

If you find out anything more on the anxiety or stress related part of what you are experiencing, I would sure like to know about it.

16

HI Michael,

I went back to my gp yesterday, and like you say she believes my problem is mainly anxiety related

because my hernia is so small and my manometry test came back showing slight night time reflux,

she wants me to start cognitive behave therapy, for myself, I cant see that this is the problem but

Im two years now on ppi and she wants to try wean me off, its like being caught between a rock and

hard place, seemingly ppi can as she put it put pressure on kidneys long term not to mention other rotten things.

Kate

17

Hi Kate

Aside from the fact that the PPI's, and the products such as Zantac make me feel miserable when I take them, I had done extensive reading about them before hand. I wanted to know what I would be taking, and as you say the information all comes back that they have a history of putting a heavy load on the kidneys.

At least it sounds like you have a doctor who is looking out for your longterm interests, and is not just feeding you pills.

I would like to hear back from you to know how the Cognitive Behavioral Therapy works out for you.

18

Hi Michael, I will definitely let you know if cbt helps at all, do you mind me asking in what way did ppi make you feel bad?

Kate

19

Hi Kate

The first set I was give with my antibiotics to prep me for killing the pylori they found I was feeling very weak, could hardly make myself get out, and do anything. However, by about the time I was done with the 2 week regime, the acid had really slowed down, and I felt better. 

Then when I stopped I had a rebound feflux that was not a good thing. I can not remember the name of the PPI, and to be fair some of the misery could have been the antibiotics at that time.

Then when my PC doctor put me on omeprazole, I took them for 2 weeks before I quit them, as I recall they made me feel weak, and I don't really know how to explain the rest of the sensation other than an all over blech. I could tell my system was not moving correctly. I am pretty sensitive to what is going on in my digestive track, and when it is not moving correctly I almost know it immediately.

Then my brother in law told me I should try Zantac to try and get the acid under control so I bought a box(it is still in my desk), I stopped at one of those because the acid rebound from taking it, and the stomach ache was more painful than what I was experiencing already.

Michael

20

To be fair though the reflux also makes me feel miserable some days. I guess my reasoning is it comes down to a choice. I can be miserable with the reflux, and work to control it through diet, and the rest, and chance the side effects. 

Or I can be miserable with the PPI's, and chance the side effects from them.

Your doctor may have told you this already, but it is pretty well known by those on PPi's that it is wise to cut down slowly because the chances of rebound reflux is there too. 

Not wanting to scare you, more of a heads up if you where not aware of it already so that you can discuss it with your doctor. 

I almost hate to say too much on here because I know most here are suffering from the anxiety already, just like I am.

What comforts me though is knowing that many have conquered this mess in a huge way, and it can be solved.

Take care of yourself. and feel free to contact me anytime.

Michael.