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Esophageal hypersensitivity

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Posted 2/17/2014 8:13 PM (GMT 0)
Wonder how many on HW forum have been told they have esophageal hypersensitivity-- feeling that they were told this when the doctor didn't know what else to say. Kinda a 'put-off'. I recently found a medical journal and it does seem to indicate that it is a formal diagnosis. It was informative to me and if anything else it shows me that I'm not the only one. It even explains how the doctor should explain it to the patient-- that would have been nice. What are your thoughts and most of all successes with the written about treatments. Thanks.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2950665/?report=classic
Posted 2/17/2014 10:06 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks Pat that's quite an interesting read.
Posted 2/17/2014 10:47 PM (GMT 0)
Hi

I was told I had acid reflux and gastritis. Then I was told I did not and could not reflux! Then more recently I've been told I have intermittent reflux and visceral hypersensitivity. I guess it's a disgnosis of exclusion - I.e. there's not much else left it can be! My symptoms have always been somewhat out of proportion to the actual pathology, so the diagnosis fits. I have not been offered any treatment for the hypersensitivity - currently trying a mindfulness course.

I'll look at the link - thanks for posting!

MMM
Posted 2/17/2014 10:57 PM (GMT 0)
Hi MMM
I noticed you are big on natural remedies - isn't there anything out there that might help us deal with hyposensitivity? I am thinking anything that deals with nerve sensitivity would do, like some sort of natural Amitriptyline or Gabapentin? I also read that B12 supplements might help with that.
Posted 2/18/2014 12:16 PM (GMT 0)
I was told I had esophageal hypersensitivity after they "gave up" on me. I was given Amitriptyline for it.
Posted 2/18/2014 2:20 PM (GMT 0)
tried gabapentin + elivil.. had some bad side effects from gaba....

so i switched to lyrica (better version) + cymbalta (works similar to elavil) this combo works great fore me

felt alot better.
Posted 2/18/2014 7:08 PM (GMT 0)
Hi, Pat.

I have an esophageal chemical sensitivity to sulfites. It causes my stomach to heave - reflux. It also triggers my vagus nerve to cause my heart to beat excessively fast (tachycardia).

My allergist helped me find my food trigger by having me keep a food journal. (see many threads in search box)

As long as I avoid processed foods and cook for myself I don't have a reaction. I don't need any medicine for it unless the heart rate doesn't slow.

There are plenty of other triggers. The trick is to find them.
Posted 2/18/2014 7:59 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Pat,

I found milk thistle helpful and am having acupuncture, but haven't found anything else that helps. I have tried Iberogast which IS supposed to help with hypersensitivity but it didn't have a huge impact.

I have not tried it, but I do keep wondering about St Johns Wort as it can help with nerve pain and nerve healing. However, it can reduce the potency of medications and I've never felt brave enough to risk any additional upset!!

MMM
Posted 1/4/2015 5:26 PM (GMT 0)
What symptoms have you had related to this?

I had typical reflux (burning, difficulty swallowing) and had an endoscopy. After it the doctor said I looked fine, but my biopsy came back positive for Barretts. Actually by the time I had the endoscopy I felt fine and then did for a while afterwards until my chest pain came back.

However, this time I have no "reflux" per se. I don't have burning or difficulty swallowing and have been on ppis for 3 months. I'm just in almost constant pain. I think it is hypersensitivity but my doctor is still running me through other tests. I did a motility test a couple of weeks ago and do not have the results yet.

My pain seems to be greater if I do not eat for a long time. Also, things like caffeine do seem to aggravate it but it's a bit cloudy on timing. I really don't know how to get better on this thing other than doing the anti-d's but my doctor is hesitant to do that.

Does this sound similar to your symptoms?
Posted 1/5/2015 12:07 PM (GMT 0)

mbrad said...
What symptoms have you had related to this?

I had typical reflux (burning, difficulty swallowing) and had an endoscopy. After it the doctor said I looked fine, but my biopsy came back positive for Barretts. Actually by the time I had the endoscopy I felt fine and then did for a while afterwards until my chest pain came back.

However, this time I have no "reflux" per se. I don't have burning or difficulty swallowing and have been on ppis for 3 months. I'm just in almost constant pain. I think it is hypersensitivity but my doctor is still running me through other tests. I did a motility test a couple of weeks ago and do not have the results yet.

My pain seems to be greater if I do not eat for a long time. Also, things like caffeine do seem to aggravate it but it's a bit cloudy on timing. I really don't know how to get better on this thing other than doing the anti-d's but my doctor is hesitant to do that.

Does this sound similar to your symptoms?

I have had similar symptoms in the past, heartburn that does not correlate well with reflux episodes and gets worse on an empty stomach. Despite all the 'normal' tests, it was reflux causing the problems because my reflux has improved and suddenly the constant pain is gone.

I have a weak esophagus which I think leads to reflux getting 'stuck' in my esophagus. If my stomach is empty i seem to get it more, and eating something fixes it, I think because the food pushes everything back down into the stomach, and the weight of the food keeps my hiatus hernia down.

I am on anti-depressents for hypersensitivity and they do help, you can take them in very small doses and they are still effective for this.

The main thing I have a problem with is drinking, fluids just hate staying in my stomach for some reason, so even drinking water gives me heartburn.

One thing I found really helpful is deep abdominal breathing. Not sure why but it usually ceases my heartburn within a minute. Also standing up and walking around, consciously relaxing my abdomen seems to improve the heartburn symptoms.
Posted 1/6/2015 7:59 PM (GMT 0)
I was given this diagnosis alongside "intermittent reflux". Certainly I've had times when my symptoms do not correlate at all well with the findings.

I got worse a few months ago and with a scheduled gastrocopy around the corner my imagination ran wild and yet the results showed an improvement and the small patch of Barretts I had seems to have regressed!

I was told that the hypersensitivity comes as a result of having had reflux - the nerves or brain somehow amplify the sensations.

I don't do hungry either - definitely that's when I'll feel the worst and have the strongest sensation of gastritis and reflux. Otherwise I have had typical "heartburn" type symptoms and in the past much nausea (resolved with acupuncture and milk thistle).

Overall I've been better since switching the PPI for Ranitidine so I'm going to just continue that for a while whilst I get used to the idea of not having Barrett's!

MMM
Posted 6/24/2015 4:53 PM (GMT 0)
Pat noticed you haven't posted in a while does that mean your feeling better?
Im looking for help let alone answers from anyone with Hypersensitivity of Esophagus. My son is only 19 and like you said easy down fall to use as a diagnosis. If anything helped for you please let me know. Thanks
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