Does anyone have this particular GI symptoms post COVID?

I’m curious how long or could it be forever? I’ve had all of these G.I. symptoms going on for three years now. I tested positive for Covid once and got the first vaccine in December before I started getting sick. They are treating all of the symptoms with the same medicines everyone mentions here, but they don’t help. The only way I can eat anything is if I smoke a joint honestly! It reduces the flareup enough to allow my body to let me eat without gagging or vomiting or just feeling sick.

But I don’t want that to be my only fix or way to be able to eat anymore. Someone locally here is now having to have their stomach moved due to where this buildup of inflammation is occurring on their stomach. Super scary I’m curious if anyone else has heard of that?

KrioDR, COVID back in 2022 did a number on my acid reflux, GERDS. I went from being on Protonix 20 mg to 80 mg a day and 1 pepcid ac at night due to back up reflux. COVID can do a number on your gut with IBS as well.

I was diagnosed with long COVID last year. It took a while for my gut & reflux to calm down after eating healthy & taking probiotics. I am now only on 20 mg of Protonix and 1 Pepcid AC at night. I'm wondering if you have a hiatal hernia....have they checked you for that? I

It took time to get all of this under control. Wishing you the best.

Long Covid is definitely doing a # on my gut - incl. IBS which I never had before. Can I ask how long you were on 80mg of the PPI ?

About 3-4 months if I remember correctly. My Gastro doctor even did a Sibo test on me to make sure that wasn't what was going on. I had a sour stomach. I had never had backup reflux before, burning and hurting like I had with reflux until I had COVID. I didn't want to take such a high dose of the PPI, because PPI's are hard on your bones and they keep your body from absorbing some meds and supplements (Vitamin D3 being one of them!). But I had too.

Ask your doctor what is the right thing to do for yours. I took Bentyl (Prescription) for IBS flare with pain in my sides. There is another prescription med for IBS pain called Levsin. I couldn't tolerate that one. Gut issues/Reflux are very tiring.....not to mention just getting over COVID is tiring. It finally calmed down. I had to watch what I ate more carefully too.

Praying for you and I wish you a speedy recovery. God Bless You!

I was diagnosed with GERD 14 years ago (endoscopy biopsy) and they said to take the purple pills. I decided to instead go gluten free due to malabsorption/osteo side effects with meds, and the GERD was gone after 6 months. However, I have celiac disease that was triggered by catching H1N1 flu 14 years ago. Consider a FODMAP diet, in case of SIBO (cantankerous bacteria in small intestine), or an elimination diet to see if there are any foods to which you are now sensitive. I've kept a food log for years, so when I developed collagenous collitis 8 years ago I saw that flares happened when I ate legumes or took NSAIDs (aspirin). So, no gluten, beans only when oligosacarides were removed by soaking, and no NSAIDs. My LC from a March bike tour decreased over 8 months and finally left after catching a cold. I'm a 6o yo retired scientist geek

"Gut issues/Reflux are very tiring" - ain't that the truth!! Yeah I didn't have any of these issues pre-Covid, and my gut's been a wreck since. Coming up on 4 years now. I take Levsin sparingly. It was prescribed for esophageal spasms. I seem to tolerate it ok, it just doesn't seem to attack my symptoms.

Can I ask how you weaned down the PPI? I understand stopping or dropping cold turkey can cause worsening symptoms.

ugetslot, I personally like the Bentyl better....less side effects for me. I had blurred vision with the Levsin and it caused constipation. My doctor approved 40 mg Protonix & the 20 mg Protonix and so did my insurance. These are one of those meds you are not supposed to cut in half, so I couldn't cut the 40 down. I use to take 1 40 mg with breakfast and then 1 40 mg at a lunch or suppertime (best I remember) and then I took 1 Pepcid AC at Bedtime. When tapering, I took 1 40 mg in the morning and then just the Pepcid AC at night. I then tapered from the 40 mg Protonix in the a.m. and took 1 Protonix 20 mg in the a.m. and 1 Pepcid AC at bedtime. I had no problems.

I take Gaviscon (2 tablets...over the counter) before a meal if I get a flare up during the day or the Ginger chews by Prince of Peace (Amazon) and they both work great. My gastro doctor said if your IBS is flared up....your reflux is flared up and vice versa. So true. I had an endoscopy last May and I was diagnosed with a hiatal hernia but everything else looked great in which I was most grateful.

I would love to get off the PPI (Protonix) altogether and just take Pepcid AC. Due to having a hiatal hernia my gastro doctor does not think it will work, but, said I could try. The down side to that is, when I tried to come off Protonix 20 mg in the past, I got really bad reflux and had to go back on it and it took a while to calm it the reflux back down. Spicy foods can really do a number on my gut, so I try and stay away from them and raw onions.

I have lost around 20 lbs (weight in the middle is hard on reflux and IBS), and I am working on getting off a few more pounds. The doctor said the worse thing for reflux is extra weight. Nothing to eat after 6:30 except skinnypop popcorn or an apple. I also cannot take NSAIDS (Motrin, Advil, Aleve & prescription Mobic) as these cause really bad reflux for me. I'm so sorry you are battling this for so long. I was exhausted with the reflux and IBS flare up after COVID. Praying much you will get better.