Posted 3/16/2013 8:55 PM (GMT 0)
Hi -
New to this forum. about 3 months ago I was suddenly afflicted with stomach issues, where I pretty much had a cast iron stomach, and did all the right things, diet, exercise, etc.. Basically, I had bloating, tension, constipation issues that continued for 2 weeks before a Doctor put me on Miralax. That fixed things for the 2 weeks while I took it, but when I came off, the issues restarted. I suspected these issues were possibly due to more strenuous ab exercises that was doing for a big 60 mile hike I was planning this March (which, BTW, I had to cancel.)
Eventually, I had a colonoscopy, after all blood / stool tests came back normal. I suffered from dehydration after it and for 3 days drink a lot of Gatorade. After that, I started noticed some swelling/lumps in my throat along with increasing hoarseness. I had an endoscopy and was told I had esophagitis, diagnosed as having standard GERD, although I really did not have the classic heartburn issues. By then, my throat was in really bad shape. I was placed on Prilosec but could not tolerate it. My doctors were pretty much dismissive - try this, try that. After personal research, and determining myself that I had LPR, I came across the Koufman diet, and started that. After about 3 weeks - I noticed gradual improvement, and along with Dexilant (recommended by a different GI) - I've become somewhat stabilized, although I do have to be careful. I can only tolerate the Dexilant at most, every other day.
Now about 5 weeks on the Kauflman diet and about 3 weeks on Dexilant, I'm about 80% there. I still have the 'thick throat' most days, and lately, my tongue has felt slightly burning, not bad, but just annoying. Two weeks ago I went to a new ENT, who *does* know about LPR and Pepsin, and after the flexible scope up the nose, said my throat shows only mild irritation, to stay on the diet, and finish the Dexilant and said to not bother taking more of it (my original prescription had 18 days of pills).
I'm not so inclined to have that rosy a picture :) While I'm much better than at the start of all this, I do have to be very careful, and this burning tongue sensation just will not go away. I've cut out all exercises except walking. So my question would be: has anyone tried a hiking trip with a lightly loaded backpack (say 10 to 15 lbs)? Does the backpack put the stress on your system that could possibly lead to issues? I really want to do that hike - it's on my bucket list, and concerned with running into issues out in the middle of nowhere.
Also - is taking Dexilant only every other day a problem? I simply cannot tolerate any PPI every day, and the H2 stuff does not seem to help a whole lot - in fact - when I take it - I seem to get this pressure across the middle of my chest, including the ribcage area.
I seemed to have reached an impasse in this struggle - but I guess after just essentially one month of fighting this thing that I just have to be more patient.
Thanks!
Best,
JDT