Can somebody please explain what happened to me this month (post-endoscopy)
Posted , 5 users are following.
I will be as brief as possible. I have now seen two additional GI doctors and I am no closer to answers.
The whole story:
Went to an ENT and complained that I lose my voice. Nothing more.
They took photos and saw inflammation on my vocal chords. He referred me to get an endoscopy. I did.
Endoscopy found esophagitis. I was put on pantoprazole and told to follow a strict acid reflux diet. Having acid reflux was totally new to me as I never felt obvious symptoms from it. I was told to not eat several hours before bed and to raise my head at night. I have done all of these things.
After 2 or 3 days on pantoprazole, I got a rancid disgusting taste in my mouth and a hot burning and sore throat, and pains in my chest.
I stopped the medication. It is now two weeks later and I AM STILL HAVING these symptoms. Throat feels burning hot, horrible taste in my mouth. No pains in chest.
Three separate GI doctors tell me they don't think it was the pantoprazole because they have never heard of it doing that. One of them told me to try Omneprazole 40 mg instead, and two of them told me to try Pepcid. Neither of them can explain what happened. I told them prior to the endoscopy I had almost no symptoms of acid reflux besides losing my voice easily. My throat felt fine and not in pain, and my diet was full of coffee and pizza and citrus and I never had any pain or discomfort or bad taste.
It is now weeks later and my mouth still tastes bad and my throat is still hurting. The second doctor lectured me about what acid reflux is but did nothing to clear up what has happened to me. The third GI doctor said "anxiety" is causing it which seems completely idiotic to me.
Can anyone tell me what has happened to me? Again, I have gone to three GI doctors already and nobody can help me. They all say they have no idea what happened to me. It almost seems like this first doctor gave me acid reflux problems or gave me some illness from the endoscopy, because I did not have any of these issues before and now it has debilitated me the past three weeks. I never had a bad taste in my mouth or a painful throat or chest pains. I have been incredibly frustrated and depressed because no one can explain what happened to me.
Again, short version of timeline:
Losing voice --> endoscopy -->put on pantoprazole-->burning throat and awful taste in mouth now for three weeks. Currently taking 40mg omeprazole every day with minimal side effects. Absolutely no improvement of symptoms despite medication and extreme diet and lifestyle changes as recommended by all doctors.
0 likes, 10 replies
denver26635 Jordo
Posted
Well first you need to chill out. Anxiety will 100% make esophagitis or any other stomach problems worse, it makes your stomach produce more acid. 2nd If you're diagnosed with esophagitis it means you've had acid reflux for awhile even if you didn't notice the symptoms. You should have NEVER stopped the protonix, that's probably what caused your symptoms to flare up, and of course your symptoms aren't going to get better if you STOP YOUR MEDICATION!!!! It's going to take a few weeks of protonix and a diet change before you see any symptom relief. Drop the omezoprol, protonix is a more powerful ppi than omezaprol which is why they prescribed it to you!!!! These doctors you are seeing know a lot more than you do, so just trust them and ride it out. You will get better, but it's going to take a few months. And if you don't change your diet it will always come back.
Jordo denver26635
Posted
I thought I went through the timeline well but maybe not. To clear up a misunderstanding: the symptoms I described DID NOT HAPPEN when I stopped Protonix. They happened after two days on it. DURING IT. The days I took it. I took the pill for another day and then on the fourth day I stopped and my symptoms IMMEDIATELY got better (ie no more chest pains, throat pain slightly less intense.) The doctor's office told me to IMMEDIATELY stop the pantoprazole when I told them what happened to me.
I NEVER had these symptoms before. How could my symptoms "flare up" when I've never even had them? And now you are telling me they will come back, even though the drug gave me the symptoms to begin with? So I am stuck like this forever because of 3 days on pantoprazole? Does any of this make sense?
My GI doctor is rude and lied to me about the endoscopy not hurting my throat (the receptionist even admitted he "shouldn't have said that"), so I have absolutely no trust in him, which is why I am asking for help on the internet.
denver26635 Jordo
Posted
You NEVER stated in your original post that your symptoms got better after stopping protonix, you said it's been over 3 weeks and you're still having the problems. The symptoms you're describing are literally the symptoms of esaughigitis, what you were diagnosed with. Could have totally been a coincidence that you started having symptoms after starting the meds, protonix will not cause those symptoms unless you're allergic. And endoscopys are different on everyone, some will have some soreness and others will be fine. I understand you've never had the symptoms, but your esaughagus is inflamed my friend, it was bad enough for you to lose your voice and inflame your vocal chords, so obviously you're having acid problems. It was most likely just getting worse, my statement still stands. get back on protonix and see what happens, 2 days on protonix is not even going to be slightly effective. It takes at least 4 days before it gets in your system, so the fact that you started developing acid reflux symptoms after just 2 days on it does not make any sense, unless of course you were allergic, but you would also be having other symptoms besides normal acid reflux. I think you need to realize the symptoms of an inflamed esophagus are the symptoms you are complaining about. Just because you never had them means nothing, total coincidence you started having them after the procedure.
Jordo denver26635
Posted
I'm really sorry, but I think you are wrong. It makes absolutely no sense to have that big of a coincidence, that I go decades without acid reflux symptoms like this, then a few days after an endoscopy and Pantoprazole, suddenly I get them. That timing is not statistically possible. I don't believe that kind of coincidence can happen. I believe medication did that to me. The endoscopy results came back as mild. Mild esophagitis does not cause painful burning in your throat. I have had other GI doctors confirm the results were mild at best. I believe the doctor prescribed me the wrong medication.
denver26635 Jordo
Posted
I can see you have no idea what you're talking about when it comes to stomach conditions there's no statistics when it comes to gerd, one day you could be fine then one morning wake up and have it for the rest of your life, it's exactly what I going through😂. I am 100% certain pantaprozol did not cause your symptoms (unless you're allergic). A GI specialist is not going to prescribe you the wrong medication. Seems like you have more problems than just your stomach haha, any mental health problems run in your family?
2muchpain denver26635
Posted
Denver,no matter how much you disagree there is no need for you to be rude. Throwing up a person's mental health is absolutely uncalled for & absolutely rude.
lester90053 Jordo
Posted
Try to find an ENT specialist.
Jordo lester90053
Posted
My ENT specialist is who sent me to get an endoscopy in the first place. He's what started all of this. But yeah, I am going there today for my allergy shot and going to make an appointment to update him. He always seems irritated by being asked questions, etc. The way doctors always seem rude and annoyed really frustrates me.
Jordo lester90053
Posted
So update. I talked to the ENT over the phone, the one who sent me for the endoscopy. He said he has no idea what is happening to me and suggested I stop all acid reflux medication to see what happens. I am hesitant to do that as I have no idea what to do when one doctor says take something and another doctor says don't take it.
pippa58442 Jordo
Posted
Since you have tried the medication and it seems to be causing you problems, I would come off the PPIs to see if your symptoms go away. If they do, it may be that your were having a bad reaction to the medication. This will give your doctor a clue to what is happening to you. This is something you haven't tried and is a new and good suggestion given by your doctor. Follow this advice since the recommendation to stay on the medication has not helped you. Concentrate only on this advice and forget about what previous doctors have told you because it is confusing you. When one solution doesn't help, try another. Don't be afraid to try something new. When I tried a medication that made me worse, I simply stopped it and I felt better. I got a different drug and it helped me without causing me side effects. My doctor understood and accepted this.