Ph test came back normal...

Hi all

I've just been to see my GI and my ph test came back normal. He asked how long I had been off ppis for it and I said 5 days. He said thats not enough you should have come off for two weeks, to which I said first, you never even sent me a letter saying ANYTHING about medication I had to ring up 3 times and ask myself, secondly I cant be off ppis for 2 weeks I will be in agony and mentally I cant take it.

I could have broken down in tears, I was hoping this test would give me an answer, and now it hasn't. I asked did it not show any non-acid reflux and all he said was there was no acid reflux. He asked about the medication and I said it had definitely helped, so he said he would book me for a barium swallow to test for reflux and send me to a surgeon anyway, saying that given I had a large hiatus hernia and was on max dose of Nexium there was enough to justify surgery just about.

But now Im worried, I mean what if it isn't reflux? I wish he'd given me some more information on the results but all he said was they were normal. I had my usual symptoms on the day itself but nowhere near the agony I have had in the past.

I just don't know what to do, lots of doctors in the past have told me they dont think its acid reflux, but with no basis, just because I have anxiety and depression issues. I was hoping this would settle it once and for all now I am facing either just living like this, or going through with a surgery that may not actually make me any better.

But on the other hand, I think what else can this be!? I have heartburn like symptoms after eating, PPIs have dramatically reduced the severity and pain, and a constant lump in my throat feeling.

But then I have other symptoms, like when I am particularly emotional the symptoms come on stronger. If I dont eat for too long I get similar pains in my esophagus and sometimes eating actually helps that.

I guess I just have to wait for the barium swallow and see what that says, is it a good test for reflux?

I know, I was hoping for a nice print out of the results, like what was actually happening when I pressed the button to say I was having symptoms. I really hate the NHS sometimes its useless.

I was wonderng also about eosinophilic esophagisitis. I was never tested for it in my endoscopy, but just wondered given I often have symptoms even with an empty stomach. I've tried eliminating various things from my diet in the past but it hasn't made much difference besides the classic acidic foods.