Posted 3/3/2014 12:51 AM (GMT 0)
Hi there, I am 32 year old female. I have been suffering from acid reflux for the past 3 years. I can't be on PPIs or H2Blockers, they cause so much problems, like extreme joint inflammation and pain, getting out of bed is like climbing Mount Everest when I am on the medicine. They cause balance problems, cloudy brain functions, memory loss, anemia, low white blood cell count and sores in my mouth like 3 at a time for 3 weeks at a time. they don't go away!
I am a healthy eater, don't drink coffee, don't eat chocolate, don't drink alcohol, don't smoke, eat whole foods without any packaged food. I am on a low carb diet and gluten free diet. Don't really eat dairy anymore. I am not overweight actually underweight and I've never been overweight in my life. I've lost about 10 lbs since my trouble started and have never really been able to gain it back
It all started three years ago with a Adderall pill. I took one 35mg capsule over the course of one week. When I was on it , I really didn't eat because it is an appetite suppressant. and I had drank coffee on top of that, I was always really sensitive to coffee, never really have a full cup at one time in my life and when I was on the adderall pill I would have two in a day, and that's when my stomach started really hurting. It was rumbling and gave me this empty gnawing feeling. I never thought anything of it at first until I couldn't ignore it anymore. I've never experienced acid reflux like this before and eventually I realized that I got an ulcer.
I've had 2 endoscopy, CT scan, and stomach ultrasound, and the results are inconclusive. They said I was not sensitive to gluten, nor did I have H Pylori. I was on PPIs for about 10 month to 12 month and I started getting all these symptoms above, at first I didn't know why but then I realized that it was from all the PPIs, so I stopped taking it. I was able to function just on tums for about 6 month until the past Christmas time when everything went downhill. The tums stopped working and my life has been so miserable.
I feel like every moment of every second of my life is consumed by my bad stomach. I would like to have children in the near future but I physically wouldn't be able to do it! It's not like my acid reflux is affected by foods or at least it doesn't seem like it. I wake up in the morning with my tummy rumbling and hurting like there's too much acid. Actually food makes me feel better. It's the only thing that relieves pain. I am really at my wits end. I do not know what to do anymore. I've tried much natural remedies, including glutamine, zinc-carnosine, probiotics, prebiotics, DGL licorice, ginger etc but they don't really to provide much relief. I really just want to end it all because I've lost all hope and I'm tired of battling it! I just can't do it anymore, I am so tired of it. I can't focus on work and I am also in school doing my thesis and I am in danger of failing because I have no motivation of finishing it.
I have no idea why I am suffering and I am not sure why the one pill of adderall made such a difference! Does anyone out there have any answers? I really don't see the point of living if I am in constant pain or if I am just waiting to get cancer (both of my maternal grandparents died from esophageal cancer) please help!