Esophagitis and severe anxiety

Thank you Peabs. That's awesome. Please don't stop posting and sharing. Like CAGU, I learned a lot. She is almost a year plus no medications and doing it the natural way. You are off meds a month ahead of me. I appreciate your time and sharing your experience. I will tell my husband to make me miso soup without unions. Do you have it with seaweed? I was so scared to eat something new. Good that you are posting. Give me the courage to try something new. It's a struggle not eating the food I use to eat, but because of the pain and acid attack experience few months back I was so scared to eat new food even it's non triggered food. Nobody understands how tough this journey but to you my friends on this site. All my prayers to you all.
God bless.

Tu Wang said...
Thank you Peabs. That's awesome. Please don't stop posting and sharing. Like CAGU, I learned a lot. She is almost a year plus no medications and doing it the natural way. You are off meds a month ahead of me. I appreciate your time and sharing your experience. I will tell my husband to make me miso soup without unions. Do you have it with seaweed? I was so scared to eat something new. Good that you are posting. Give me the courage to try something new. It's a struggle not eating the food I use to eat, but because of the pain and acid attack experience few months back I was so scared to eat new food even it's non triggered food. Nobody understands how tough this journey but to you my friends on this site. All my prayers to you all.
God bless.

You're very welcome.   Yes, I eat my miso soup with seaweed and sometimes tofu.  I can relate to being scared at trying new foods.  Though my current diet is very restrictive, I also find comfort in it, knowing that there are 7-8 foods that I can eat with confidence and it won't trigger my GERD, stomach pains, or esophageal spasms.

That's why I'm happy I found this forum because I know the people here will understand.

No, my esophagitis was brought on by a very bad diet, heavy drinking, getting very little sleep, sleeping incorrectly, and drinking lots of soda and energy drinks. I also get a white coating on my tongue from time to time.

There are many different causes of that white coating on your tongue.

http://www.mayoclinic.org/symptoms/white-tongue/basics/causes/sym-20050676

How were you diagnosed? Did the doctor scope you?

 

Jeremy, I know what your going through, I have been going through a big flare up in my esophagus since I took flucloxacillin, its been over 2 months for me now and still not feeling any better. These antibiotics can really cause lasting problems, hope you get some relief soon. You're not alone!

Hi everyone,

Dani, I know exactly how you feel. I, too, have never felt so unwell in my whole life. I had no experience with chronic pain of any sort. Two months ago, I remember saying to a coworker/friend that I felt like I was dying. I have been feeling better these past few weeks -- but still not normal. No lump in throat, but it STILL feels like food is stuck at the top of my esophagus, after eating I regurgitate stomach acid despite all my best efforts to keep it down, and there is slight burning at the back of my throat. (LAWCHICK, I think our symptoms sound similar as well.)

I can function -- but everything is still uncomfortable, and it's simply not normal. At this point, just past the four-month mark, I worry that this is the best it can get (or worse). That's where the anxiety comes in.

>1. In extreme cases where the LES was damaged and the patient did not seek further treatment.

Paul, does "not seek further treatment" mean that the patient did not take PPIs or do any treatment for a prolonged period?

It's hard to pinpoint how I got GERD/LPR. I was doing a few things that I didn't realize were so bad for you -- eating later dinners at times, wearing belts since I am in between sizes, and not drinking enough water. Also before I started showing noticeable symptoms of GERD, I realize now I was constipated and may have strained (sorry if that's TMI). I try to explain these things to my GP, and she just says I'm anxious and prescribed me Lexapro. I really don't know what tone to take to be taken more seriously by my doctors. I feel like I'm in treatment purgatory -- perhaps not so bad to require surgery, but not minor enough that I can easily ignore the pain or stop taking the medication.

I am looking into a consultation to try acupuncture to see if that would help me.

I do think life is going to get better, eventually, and that I can be happy again. But I think the only way I'll be able to move forward is to accept discomfort as the new normal. That sucks, but it feels like there are limited options for treating GERD. After 4 months of daily discomfort (the regurgitation ESP bothers me) I am having a hard time believing that the symptoms will go away entirely. Thinking about how I used to have a normal LES, eat things like pizza and drink a glass of wine -- just causes me to be depressed.

Tu Wang, my birthday went well! I ate small meals and experienced no flare ups. :) Thanks for the well wishes!

Dani how can they tell your esophagitis has cleared up from a barium swallow?

Did you have symtpoms and a normal barium? I had this and they diagnosed me with a hypersensitive esophagus, its when you get symptoms and heartburn despite normal reflux exposure. One medicine that worked very well for me in the past was amitriptyline

Thanks Peabs, that makes sense.

Andy, sorry I meant endoscopy. GI was concerned about the painful swallowing and I guess wanted to do a follow up procedure to make sure the esophagitis was in fact healing and nothing sinister was occuring. Needless to say I was all for him being vigilant.

That is very good news about the endoscopy!

Depending on the PH study and manometry results, would the next course of action be to adjust the meds or just give it more time to see if the symptoms fade eventually?

Really wondering bc I could see myself in a similar situation after my repeat endoscopy in November.

Hi jenajade, thank you for explaining about regurgitation. I had that few months back when my reflux was so bad. I try not to drink too much water during my meal. I drink warm water at least an hour before my meal and that helped me. I also avoid bending or moving too much after my meal. I walk slow but try to move a little to help digest my food. I am using Doterra digest Zen to rub my stomach when I had it so bad and it seems to help.

Alejandra, I'm glad you had a great birthday. Mine was last June and that was when I started the GERD. So it was a bowl of porridge for my birthday. I remember, was so thankful for that, as I was not eating or nothing I can take in few weeks before that. Yes it will take sometime to fully heal but it will happen. We can have those Pizza and chocolate again. (probably will take it now in moderation). I'm thankful to God that everyday is a progress. I was able to eat fresh ramen soup yesterday. I'm still doing my diet and tough sometimes as I cook for my husband and I can't eat it. Tough but I endured and developed self discipline. I keep holding on to my healing verses and been praying daily. I cry out to God on most days. Praise God for my strength. I can drive now at least on my own. Before I get so dizzy that I can't even drive myself. I'm sleeping at least 7 hrs now and big difference from my crappy sleep few months back and was sleeping only for 3 hrs. I have raw manuka honey 1 -2 tsp per day for 2 days now. I take it in the morning and seems to help.
God bless to you all my friends.

Hi Alejandra, thank you my friend. Your energy will come back little by little. With my situation my B vitamins was depleted from taking PPI. So i started taking Vit B12/B supplements. I can drive at least for few hours and don't get tired as much. I am taking thyroid supplement due to thyroid surgery years back. Getting my strength back is another blessing that happened after weaning from PPI. I'm a cancer conqueror. When this GERD started, I was so scared and developed bad anxiety. Today was my ENT check up (nasopharynx/sinus). Praise God cancer free for 8 yrs and 4 months (counting+++). That's why I'm so grateful to have this life as God have healed me before, today and forevermore. My apology to be talking about my faith in God but that's how I survived. It was very tough fighting with the treatment. My chemo was done at the same time with radiation. So grateful it came to pass.

Other than that, My ENT doctor is great, I always need to book 6 months ahead to get a spot. He is one of the best here in Southern California. He also told me I'm healing great on my GERD and scoped my throat down. He said my esophagus looks good healing from GERD, considering I had radiation few years back on that same upper area. So i am continuing my manuka honey as this had helped healed my throat. Not probably my GERD but at least it helped on my coughing. Still on a strict diet and I'm getting use to eating GERD free food. Alejandra and friends... We will make it. I was staring at a delicious chocolate cake today and I said... someday soon. "I'll be Back"
God bless.

Many thanks to all in this thread for sharing your experiences. It's amazing how many people suffer through esophageal issues. I've been struggling with it for nearly three years. Thought all was well until a few weeks ago when I started feeling a slight pain on my left side (across from my sternum) when I swallow sometimes. Never with liquids or soft foods, but solid stuff like toast, meat, etc. Does this sound like esophagitis? Do any of you experience this pain? Thanks very much.

For the record, I follow the diet recommendations of Drs. Koufman and Robillard. Am currently on Ranitidine 150mg after having been on Pantoprazole 40mg for a few years.

So I can't drink coffee or alcohol ever again?
I was scoped in 2010 and again in June 2015 and it was determined I have grade A esophagitis. On my worst days I get sharp hiatal hernia spasms as well. It's been years and I can't seem to get rid of it (6 yrs). Progressively gets worse, not better, mostly because I can't seem to stop my daily coffee habit. I've already cut down alcohol from 5x week to one day a week but that's obviously way too often as my symptoms just come and go, never really going away. Already quit a 30 yr smokeless tobacco habit over a year ago. Dealing with one thing at a time here and I want this to finally heal. It's pretty obvious now that not only do I have to quit tobacco, but also alcohol, coffee and soda need to go as well. Feel like I've been castrated and mojo is gone. Sucks!

Hi I have been diagnosed with erosive esophagitis , eosinophilic esophagitis as well as GERD since March 31st. These have caused me difficulties breathing and it's very hard to get through the day. My Dr has prescribed protonix (pantoprazole 40mg) which I have been taking for about 2 months. I am desperate to restore my breathing to normal but getting rid of the inflammation in my esophagus. If anyone has been here or know about this condition please help . I am in need of encouragement that I will heal and get through this.