Question for my husband about gastric issues

Posted by hopesmom71 @hopesmom71, Nov 3, 2023

Since my husband & I had Covid in August, and finished Paxlovid 5 day treatment on August 26th, he has lost 30 lbs., and has experienced morning nausea on empty stomach, sometimes debilitating, but no actual vomiting. Also, is experiencing Tremors/ shaking, in his right leg….Plus constipation, building every 3 to 5 days. As soon as he eats something in the morning, the nausea goes away. It returns mid day, when his stomach is empty again, so he comes home for lunch. We have been to a Gastroenterologist, had an upper GI endoscopy, and Colonoscopy, & 4 biopsies from lower esophagus and stomach/Duodenal areas. Found nothing, no malignancies or cancer, just suggested Acid reflux or GERD, but he does NOT, nor has he ever, had heartburn, acid indigestion, no burping or having stomach upset after eating. We both believe this was triggered by Covid-19! No one will address it, and they’re tired of me calling. My husband is fed up, feels like he’s just going to get used to feeling this way, but I’m angry & worried! Help !! Any suggestions will help. We are normally, very healthy people, have always maintained healthy diet, don’t eat red meat. We’ve started taking a good Probiotic regularly now, to see if that helps. But at this point we need other help, doctors haven’t even called him back about his test results. We’ve had to read & figure out in our own, cause my husband received them in his email, last week! The Gastro dr., hasn’t even called us. My husbands CT scan was last Friday! This is insane! Thank you for your patience with a freaking out, worried wife!

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Scott R L | @scottrl | Nov 3, 2023

Have you considered something outside the "normal" avenues of treatment? Something acupuncture, maybe?

hopesmom71 | @hopesmom71 | Nov 3, 2023

In reply to @scottrl "Have you considered something outside the "normal" avenues of treatment? Something acupuncture, maybe?" + (show)

Yes we’re talking about it now, but most acupuncture/ naturopathic/ homeopathic clinics DONT take Medicare with Humana, insurance, which is what we’re stuck with, cuz he’s 70, I’m 76, and we both lost our full time jobs in 2020, when Covid hit… so lost our good insurance. We might be able to get a Senior discount, but we’re limited on how much out of pocket. We talked about acupuncture & herbs/supplements, so if the gastric Dr. doesn’t call us by Monday at 5, we’ll look into it. He has an actual PCP appt. this coming Monday, but even they haven’t seen his test results from the 3 tests, from the Gastric clinic, from a week ago, and they did the referral. It’s like NO ONE talks to anyone anymore. We want to hear a consensus as to what could have caused this, and then we’ll find a way to treat it… most likely NOT with just a prescription, chemical pill! But with a combination of things, herbal/ supplements/ acupuncture, diet, all for his stomach….. we mainly also want to know if ANYONE else has experienced this type of ongoing symptoms, when they recovered from Covid… or after Covid with Paxlovid treatment…. And now we’re going into week 12, with no help so far, and like I said, even with eating every day, he’s 30 lbs. down!

t98 | @t98 | Nov 4, 2023

I see that vitamin B12 deficiency can cause both leg tremors and gastric disturbances!
I suggest you have blood tests for various vitamin deficiencies. And maybe he also has a magnesium deficiency.
Hopefully you'll figure it out.

hopesmom71 | @hopesmom71 | Nov 5, 2023

In reply to @t98 "I see that vitamin B12 deficiency can cause both leg tremors and gastric disturbances! I suggest..." + (show)

Thank you… he takes B12 supplement drops, and magnesium is in the sleep supplement he is takes. He also had a complete blood panel taken the last week of September, when I took him to the ER. We told them what was going on, and they checked for everything possible. We’re still researching natural treatments for severe digestive issues. His Gastric doctor, that did the upper GI endoscopy and colonoscopy, hasn’t bothered to call us back since the tests he took a week & a half ago….we talked to him before the tests about Covid affecting Gut/ Brain signals, the system and he said well before we look at that we need to do these tests first. Now he hasn’t even called to go over the results! Which we’ve had in email, since last week! It’s very frustrating!

t98 | @t98 | Nov 5, 2023

In reply to @hopesmom71 "Thank you… he takes B12 supplement drops, and magnesium is in the sleep supplement he is..." + (show)

Can you understand anything yourself from the results? If they did a biopsy, that could take time to get results (in some places it takes weeks, but I don't know in your area). So, you might have to wait for biopsy results and then have an appointment with the GI doctor.

susanirene | @susanirene | Nov 5, 2023

I am so very sorry your Husband is having problems after covid.
I plan to:
Pray
Be thankful
RisaQuad
Peppermint oil capsule
Chew food well like 30Xs a bite
Hold shoulders up
I want a doctor who helps me and supports me. I usually try to get another doctor if I think I am not being.
🌺

hopesmom71 | @hopesmom71 | Nov 5, 2023

In reply to @t98 "Can you understand anything yourself from the results? If they did a biopsy, that could take..." + (show)

My husband received the pathology report 1 day (Wednesday, the 25th of October), after he had the upper GI endoscopy & colonoscopy on the24th., He received the CT scan results the evening of the same day he had it done! ( Friday, October 27th)… They were sent to his EMAIL! We could see and understand things that said..l NO Malignancies, or evidence of cancer, and a "suggestion" that it could be something esophageal, like GERD or Acid reflux, but he feels better when he eats , not worse. He feels worse in the morning when he wakes up, with nausea & stomach cramps! . He’s having tremors in his right leg, and has lost OVER 30 lbs, in 12 weeks! The gastroenterologist has NOT spoken to us, nor returned ANY of our phone calls. We’re at our wits end!

susanirene | @susanirene | Nov 5, 2023

I am so very sorry. Take care.

edloftus | @edloftus | Nov 6, 2023

Whomever your Medicare supplemental issuance is, you need to go "up the food chain" & complain abut the GI doc's dismal response & assessment. That said, do you have the money to go to a Naturopathic doc? A good one would ask for copies of ALL the test results you've done (he/she wouldn't require they be done again by outside provider), then look at your husband's symptoms in the BIG picture, including a possible post-Covid reaction. That your gastro doc has done all the typical tests is admirable, but Western medicine is often stymied when they yield negative results; that when they start saying things like GERD; they're guying. Or at least try finding a NEW gastro doc. Even though I found your post on this Mayo Clinic site, I assume you've not seen anyone at Mayo Clinic?