Anxious and unsure
Posted , 3 users are following.
Hi everyone. I'm a 35yr old female from Aus. I have been having heartburn mainly a burning in my throat for a month or so. Probably 4 times a week approx. I went to my Dr and he gave me Pantoprozole 40mg twice daily for a few weeks then reduce to lesser dose blah blah blah. I am still having that burning most days and my anxiety that i have something worse (barrets) is worrying me. I even went to the ER and they said that i most likely have oesophagitis and reflux. The GI doc that was on duty said no to a scope for now. I actually had a scope back in 2009 due to bleeding when vomiting. That came back as a Mallory Weiss tear. Back then I never had any issues with reflux/heartburn. Could this possibly be anything too serious or am I being overly anxious. I hate the whole "watch and wait" scenario. Im sorry for the long post, just really concerned.
1 like, 14 replies
truffles64 shona92080
Posted
I have exactually same problems as you mentioned and i ended up being told that i have a small hiatius hernia and im also on same medication as yourself and no your not overly anxious at all....
shona92080 truffles64
Posted
Hi buster! Good to hear I'm not the only one. I do suffer greatly from health anxiety, too. So I guess I should mention that. I always see the worst case scenario for everything! I just recently stopped my anti- depressants. (Cold turkey about 2 months ago) I wish I never did now. Jow are you going now? How often do u get reflux? I find the more anxious I get or the more I think of it, I notice it more? I've seen 3 doctors and noone seems that worried. They all say I need to see someone regarding my anxieties more than look into my reflux!! Arrghhh I literally dr google all day which is bad too. Thanks for replying.
norma04599 shona92080
Posted
shona92080 norma04599
Posted
Hi Norma. I managed to get a referral to see a gastro doc. So will be making appt asap. Hopefully I can get some answers soon. My main symptom is this hot feeling in the back of my throat/mouth. Dr said it isn't like typical reflux/gerd symptoms so we definitely need to find out what's happening as I'm so uncomfortable. 80mg of Pantoprazole daily isn't cutting it. I have this feeling all day/night. Isn't brought on by foods etc. Weird!!
norma04599 shona92080
Posted
Hi Shona, glad that you got a referral. You could have LPR Laryngopharyngeal reflux. But see what the scope reveals. If nothing shows up suggest this to the Gastro doc. I went through a whole lot of referrals and a wasted tonsilectomy trying to find out my trouble, only for it to be LPR.I've had 2 PH tests the last one indicated that the valve wasn't working correctly and that I would be prone to LPR. Whereabouts are you in Aust. Sydney by chance? I am currently waiting to hear from a Sydney surgeon after having a test done this week to determine if surgery will help. Good luck with the investigations.
shona92080 norma04599
Posted
Hi Norma, yes I'm in western syd. Where abouts are you? What exactly is LPR? I'll look into it? Seems most doctors just don't understand much about this topic or brush it off as unimportant . The A&E doc I saw was more concerned about my anxiety. Made me feel like a fool. If I didn't have this 24/7 throat feeling, I'd probably just let it go for awhile.
shona92080 norma04599
Posted
Hi Norma, yes...I'm in West Sydney actually . Where abouts are you? What exactly is LPR? What are your symptoms? Mine literally is just a burning/hot throat type thing. 24/7!! I wouldn't worry so much about it if it were just here and there, but it's so uncomfortable. 😣
norma04599 shona92080
Posted
Hi Shona, I am in Wentworthville the part now called Constitution Hill. LPR is where the acid rises up to the throat, also ears, nose and mouth can be affected as well - all of which I am experiencing. I asked the surgeon if stress caused the problem - he said no, it just brings the symptoms to prominence. You are right the Gastro docs dont sympathis, or give much advice. My second PH indicated that LPR was more that likely in my case - the doc didn't mention it. She sent me to the ENT - he gave me an info sheet! when things were no better I went back to the Gastro who gave me the referral to the surgeon saying that surgery isn't always successful-. will wait on the test results that he sent me for this week and go from there.
shona92080 norma04599
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You're pretty close to me! I'm in the Penrith area . Wow, you've been stuffed around a bit with your tests etc. It's so frustrating isn't it?. I manged to get an appt for a gastro doc for a months time. I hate how long it all takes 😣
norma04599 shona92080
Posted
So close! I hope your gastro doc is on the ball and not so non chalant! I know what you mean about waiting, waiting, waiting. My hubby, for a totally different problem is waiting, waiting, waiting on specialists and getting radiotherapy done - don't see his doc until 4th April we have been on tenterhooks for 6months. It is so depressing waiting. Good luck
shona92080 norma04599
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Me too Norma! I am hoping that he's good. It seems like the average wait for a specialist is around that 4-6 week mark. How old are you and hubby if u don't mind me asking?
norma04599 shona92080
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He is 65 and I'm 63
shona92080 norma04599
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How long have u been suffering with reflux for? Do u need endoscopy check ups frequently? I read that if you have one, you don't need another if you're a female
norma04599 shona92080
Posted
I have been officially sufffering about 7 years, but probably ubndiagnosed for many years before that. Had my gall bladder out which seemed to help for a while in 2009 but progressively got the LPR symptoms after that with every so often if I ate the wrong thing or over ate terrible vmoiting episodes. I've had a few endoscopes - had to have colonoscopies so asked the doc to check top end as well! Kept getting conflicting outcomes, once acid, next time bile! this time last year the heartburn was so bad that i pressed her and she said that shoe could get in trouble from Medicare for doing too many on me! It was also inconclusive so did another PH test to show the LPR tendency.