Orange Lightning
06-05-14, 15:42
So recently my worst nightmare came true. I had a specialised pH probe which showed I allegedly get reflux at night. At the same time I have a host of "spit-test results" which show I don't get reflux at all. This has left me utterly confused as to which diagnosis is correct. The same goes for the specialist I've seen, who has seen fit to put me on another new type of Proton Pump Inhibitor (PPI), despite me being on 4 other types before, and despite all the others making me worse.
Once again, after 5 weeks of taking the Esomperazole/Nexium, my symptoms have become unbearably bad. There are even new symptoms, and some that I thought I was finally rid of. Diarrehea, burning throat, nausea, small-often burps, dry mouth, no saliva and trouble swallowing. Most notably, I have intermittent pain in my ears (it keeps switching sides), a feeling of liquid in said ears, and a horrid lump of mucus in my throat that sticks EVERY time I swallow, even if all I swallow is my own saliva... The lump only goes away with bread, and even my Gaviscon Advance and Alkaline water make it much worse. If I don't do something about it, it blocks up my throat and it becomes hard to breath.
On one hand, I know that anxiety can cause some of these symptoms. On the other hand, they ALL match up perfectly with reflux - that terrifies me, as I would give anything to be free of this horribly painful illness. There's no cure for reflux besides these meds, and they aren't working for me. All the lifestyle and diet changes in the world don't help me either. I've even resorted to trying unproven remedies, for example vitamin D3 supplements for over 6 months, to no avail. Do I just give up hope of ever getting better? Reflux has already cost me my dream job and has had a severe negative impact on my relationships to my friends and family. Is it going to be the death of me too? I honest and truly cannot live like this :(
Once again, after 5 weeks of taking the Esomperazole/Nexium, my symptoms have become unbearably bad. There are even new symptoms, and some that I thought I was finally rid of. Diarrehea, burning throat, nausea, small-often burps, dry mouth, no saliva and trouble swallowing. Most notably, I have intermittent pain in my ears (it keeps switching sides), a feeling of liquid in said ears, and a horrid lump of mucus in my throat that sticks EVERY time I swallow, even if all I swallow is my own saliva... The lump only goes away with bread, and even my Gaviscon Advance and Alkaline water make it much worse. If I don't do something about it, it blocks up my throat and it becomes hard to breath.
On one hand, I know that anxiety can cause some of these symptoms. On the other hand, they ALL match up perfectly with reflux - that terrifies me, as I would give anything to be free of this horribly painful illness. There's no cure for reflux besides these meds, and they aren't working for me. All the lifestyle and diet changes in the world don't help me either. I've even resorted to trying unproven remedies, for example vitamin D3 supplements for over 6 months, to no avail. Do I just give up hope of ever getting better? Reflux has already cost me my dream job and has had a severe negative impact on my relationships to my friends and family. Is it going to be the death of me too? I honest and truly cannot live like this :(