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GERD issues
I am 22 years old. I don't smoke or drink. Growing up I can remember having a slight hoarse voice in the morning if I ate to late at nights. But never anything too miserable. It would go away within a hour after drinking water.
March 2011 on a Wednesday. I woke up with a hoarse voice that never went away. After a few weeks I started to get slightly worried so I went to my family doctor. I went 3 times over a course of 5-6 weeks and they had no idea after giving me multiple steroids and antibiotics that did nothing. I also had no pain in the beginning my throat didn't hurt at all. My only symptom was the voice. So they sent me to a throat specialist. (Audiologist) He did a throat endoscopy and told me I have GERD. He prescribed me omeprazole 20mg once a day. I changed my diet. I stopped eating hours before I went to sleep. I have never been a soda drinker, I am not a fan of fatty foods. The fattiest thing I like to eat sometimes is chocolate.. So I gave that up. I don't eat big meals. I have always been a snacker. But I didn't seem to get that much better so back as planned in 6weeks. He told me to start taking it twice a day. my throat started to hurt and become really sore around this point. I would wake up in severe pain, and it would hurt through out the day. I would take 2- 20mg omeprazole and I would also drink baking soda mixed with water whenever I couldn't handle the constant burn anymore.. I wouldn't drink the baking soda/water at the same time as taking the omeprazole. I made sure I did that hours apart from one another.
So about 10-12 weeks later my symptoms got much worse. It wasn't working. Nothing seemed to work.
So I went back to the doctor. They did another endoscopy and my throat is more swollen than the first. It's starting to swell up even higher around where my thyroid is.
I started having chest pains and it has become hard to swallow anything.
My heart rate gets insanely high in random occasions.
I feel a knock/thump whenever I swallow.
My throat is always hurting.
I am nauseous when I eat.
It's painful to eat or drink anything; I have lost almost 30lbs because of it.
So I have had a endoscopy twice now,
I got a barium swallow done and he told me I have acid reflux. probe test done,.,Blood work....How many more test need to be done?
I haven’t heard my voice in a year now. It's to the point where I am becoming depressed and I ignore talking to people. I ignore hanging out with friends, because if I talk to much my throat becomes incredibly sore to the point where I won't be able to sleep. I can't yell or whisper. I have one tone. If I yell then I’m pretty much out for the rest of the day because my throat hurts so badly.
I am thinking about going to the Mayo Clinic. Has anyone else been through this? Do you think they will be able to help? Could it be something else?
Im desperate.
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Thinking of you at this time and sending you hugs. baz10
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Hi I was wondering if drinking Rabeprasole 20Mg is the right choice for me? I experience gassy which is due to acid.
I heard some people who drinks rabeprasole will get their stomach big after eating, does that mean the medicine is not right?
Any recommendation for which PPI should I take?
Hi @purnamaboss and welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. Although we can't offer specific medical advice like that of your physician, members here on connect can let you know what has worked for them. PPI's or Proton Pump Inhibitors are pretty particular to the individual taking them and how your body reacts. Usually your doctor will start you on something as a trial to see if it helps and then adjust as needed. The medicine that you are talking about is the Over the Counter pill commonly known as Prilosec OTC. Sometimes taking PPI's without a doctor's guidance can cause further gastrointestinal problems. I would recommend seeking physician supervision first, but they do sell it at your local drug store.
Have you been officially diagnosed with GERD?
I remember when I had gas and took OTC medicines.... tums, ect.... then when I finally went to a gastrologist they found a four inch segment of Barrett's Esophagus (a condition caused when acid reflux, GERD, starts destroying the natural lining of your esophagus so it starts replacing it with a lining similar to the lining of your intestine to protect itself against the acid). The treatment then went to RFA, radio frequency ablation, where 3 microns of the lining is burnt off. Then you keep the acid off and the natural lining will regrow. This requires multiple endoscopies and biopsies of your esophagus. I still have a follow-up endoscopies every year.
I have been diagnosed with GERD a number of years ago. I also have intestinal metaplasia, (similar to Barrets but in the stomach lining). I am unresponsive to PPI's and the only option presented to me was a scope every two years to make sure it hasn't spread. I am going for one next week. I suffer with terrible stomach pain which also affects my throat in the form of burning pain. No doctor has been able to help with the pain. It can last for months.
All you can do is a very strict low acid diet for this. No soda and no booze. No fried or fatty foods.
Thanks for the response. There has to be something else that can be done. I am now in the category of chronic pain as I have this every day. Have not been diagnosed with LPR yet, (though I think I have it), but I don't think a special diet will work on this kind of pain. I have not been eating much now as it is. I truly hope that they see something that they can treat on this upcoming scope. There is no quality of life as things stand now. I don't know how long time sufferers have made it as far as they have, but I wish them continued strength.
Hi,
Would you mind sharing what the treatments are for your LPR?
Thanks….I also have LPR.
Randy
Hi, have been where you are.
Finally decided to have a Nissan Funduplication procedure. Turns out I had a torn diaphragm and hiatal hernia. That was in 2006. It helped a lot however, not perfect. Elevate your bed for starters. No mint or chocolate, they loosen the LES muscle. Chew "DGL" which you can get at health food store. You have a structural defect which should be fixed soon. Research the best thoracic surgeon you can find. Good luck !
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