Hey. Our conditions, age and timeline of events (spring this year - now) sound very similar. In fact, out of all these people here, you are the closest in symptoms, age, and medication.
My wonderful background - throbbing/stabbing pain in a very particular spot to the lower left of where the ribcage meets. It started early this year and I just ignored it...it happened when I ate hot chilies, so I just stopped eating them, but it still bothered me sometimes. I finally went to the doc in February, who prescribed Nexium. I tried it for a couple of weeks, got better and thought problem was solved. Then I went out for Vietnamese soup in late March (hot sate, spring rolls, the works), and it's been hell since. suddenly, I not only had the sharp pain in the upper left, but it's like a fiery umbrella
opens over my upper stomach. It's still a small area that's affected, and my "big stomach" below never hurts, but it sure sucks and has been completely debilitating. That first week of the flare I had trouble walking. I also get pleghm at the back of my throat after eating, especially in the morning after breakfast. So I walk around clearing my throat for at least 10 minutes...It was much worse earlier on, and seems to be controlled by the antacids.
So anyway. I held off on a PPI again because I read about
how "evil" they are, once you start you can't stop...etc...who knows the real truth. I also thought I was getting weird breathing side effects, which in retrospect, I don't think were caused by the PPI. So I was on Zantac (did nothing), Cimetidine, which is Tagamet - nothing, Sucralfate (carafate) - nothing, then finally caved to PPI again and did Protonix beginning in early June. I felt like I got my life back...but it took 2 months to be completely pain free.
I felt "normal" again by the last week of July - it was progressive, the symptoms gradually got better, better, and were gone. This is from not being able to walk, to having a normal life again! I kept a bland diet and there was a 2-3 week period of almost normal life, and I could eat almost everything again and the illness was not ruling my life. Then I had too much coffee and ate chili. And it went to sh!t again... Stupid, stupid!
Here's the kicker - I also get heartburn now. Not often, but it happens - I have NEVER had heartburn in my life. I suspect it may have something to do with the medication, and not my condition... It never happened prior to treatment, and it seems to be occurring when I really up my dose. I don't understand the workings of it.
I'm 33 and this really sucks. I haven't gone out since February and I'm living like a social midget. I have a big vacation coming up over Christmas where I won't be able to cook for myself - I'm terrified...I thought this would be cleared up by now, and I have my doubts if it will over the next 3 months.
Then of course you have the internet. Lovely to hear people have had this for years, isn't it? Don't read into it. Forge your own path.
If you want to PM me, send me a message over dailystrength (I'm there too). Maybe we could become positive-thinking gastritis buddies.
PS. I'm on *80mg* of Protonix now, 8am, 8pm. I pop Rolaids, but they don't do much. I've been on this high dose for 2 weeks, since my coffee and chili incident. My doc said to do it for 3 weeks to bring down the flare. I was previously getting by and getting better on only 20mg! I have to say, it's doing a helluva better job than the 20mg.. I know I'm starting from scratch with the irritation again, and although it's pretty bad, it's not as bad as it was before. It almost keeps it in check. I will go to 40-20, then just 40, then 20, then 10 (I think they make 10) Unless my doctor says otherwise. I heard all about
the "acid rebound" when you decrease PPIs, so I can't wait to be a guinea pig for that one (bad joke).
This is not going to rule our life. We will get over this.
Post Edited (toomuchPho) : 9/4/2014 10:48:09 AM (GMT-6)