ashurrutia
11-04-13, 03:25
So since I've been complaining about GI related symptoms for a good while, my Primary Care Doctor decided to send me to the GI people who did my endoscopy, since I had such a bad experience last time with a PA(Physician Assistant), where basically before the endoscopy I was trying to get reassurance about not having stomach cancer, and she told me, that it was very possible, I was skeptical about going. Thus far everytime I've tried an acid reducer medication, it has only made things worse. i.e. When I tried the famotidine, it cause more heartburn, but when I switch to omeprazole for three weeks back in september, it was when all my problems started(i.e. Daily Panic Attacks, Dizziness, Insomnia, Fatigue, etc). In fact even though I had H.pylori and Giardia Lamblia, I had my heartburn under control by simply taking natural supplements, digestive enzymes and probiotics, I did have fatigue and abdominal pain. Nonetheless after I finished the sequential therapy using famotidine, heartburn, Panic Attacks and reflux returned worse than ever. It has been getting better lately, but the reflux is still daily.
Well, long story short, after sitting in his office for about 45 minutes, he finally came in. I told him my symptoms (Chest pressure, esophageal contractions, lots of gas, etc) He wanted to put me on omeprazole right away. So I told him about my experience with omeprazole, he said that some people managed to do away with the reflux with lifestyle changes, i.e. Not drinking caffeine, exercising, etc. But since I've made the life style changes, that I needed to be put in a PPI right away. I told him, that according to my experience everytime I take an acid reducer medication it just makes things worse, as food seats in my stomach for hours, and causes lots of gas. Pretty much told him that I might in fact have low stomach acid, but without cheching there is no way to know. He then went onto explaining what reflux is(which I already know), and how I needed to stop the stomach acid from coming upwards by taking acid blocking medications, so he put me on Nexium, and said that if in 1 month I don't get better or I get worse, to contact him. That he doesn't know what else to do for me, and that this is "trial and error", to see which pill works. He left then, and the whole time we spent talking was far less than 15 minutes, yet he put my visit was a "class 4" visit, and charge me $25, and my insurance like $190.
Needless to say that I don't plan to take Nexium, and also needless to say that it is no wonder we lose confidence in doctors, when they tell you they don't know what else to do, and that this has to be trial and error, because "I'm not a freaking Guinea Pig" :mad:
Well, long story short, after sitting in his office for about 45 minutes, he finally came in. I told him my symptoms (Chest pressure, esophageal contractions, lots of gas, etc) He wanted to put me on omeprazole right away. So I told him about my experience with omeprazole, he said that some people managed to do away with the reflux with lifestyle changes, i.e. Not drinking caffeine, exercising, etc. But since I've made the life style changes, that I needed to be put in a PPI right away. I told him, that according to my experience everytime I take an acid reducer medication it just makes things worse, as food seats in my stomach for hours, and causes lots of gas. Pretty much told him that I might in fact have low stomach acid, but without cheching there is no way to know. He then went onto explaining what reflux is(which I already know), and how I needed to stop the stomach acid from coming upwards by taking acid blocking medications, so he put me on Nexium, and said that if in 1 month I don't get better or I get worse, to contact him. That he doesn't know what else to do for me, and that this is "trial and error", to see which pill works. He left then, and the whole time we spent talking was far less than 15 minutes, yet he put my visit was a "class 4" visit, and charge me $25, and my insurance like $190.
Needless to say that I don't plan to take Nexium, and also needless to say that it is no wonder we lose confidence in doctors, when they tell you they don't know what else to do, and that this has to be trial and error, because "I'm not a freaking Guinea Pig" :mad: