Newbie Looking for advice

Evening all.  I am a newbie but have been reading this forum and found it really useful.  Just looking for a bit of advice and support I suppose!  Here's my story.

It all started about 3 months ago, was at work when all of a sudden had a really dizzy spell when bending over.  Only lasted less than a minute but really shook me up.  This kept happening on and off for a couple of weeks before I decided to go to the doctor (my new best friend over the last 3 months!)  He completely shrugged it off as stress, did nothing and said return in a month if it hadn't settled down - that just made me more stressed.  Was then driving my car one evening when all of a sudden had what felt like massive heart palpitations with what can only be described as the taste of blood in the back of my mouth.  I immediately started having a massive panic attack, just about got to my mum's house and told her to ring an ambulance!  Ended up going to hospital, had an ECG where all was fine and I felt fine again by this point.  They just said to go to my GP and get a heart monitor to see if it was all in my head!  Well I did this and tests turned out fine but all the while was still having these terrible dizzy spells, 'palpitations', generally felt really unwell, actually ended up going 2 weeks without eating due to feeling so ill and stressed out, became a shadow of my former self  All the while my family were worrying but could only agree with what the doctor said and thought it was stress.  I lost over a stone in weight (not a bad thing I suppose!)

Anyway, fast forward, a million trips to the doctors (kept being shrugged off) and my own research online thought my symptoms sounded very much like GERD.  I developed a really nasty cough, made worse lying flat at nighttime, waking up coughing throughout the night and struggling to breathe.  Realised these 'palpitations' were in fact oesophagal spasms.  Had the most awful burning mouth, that is quite scary in itself.  Slowly started to get my appetite back but do feel I may have developed IBS through having the acid reflux.  Not long after it all began, I had a few episodes of diarreoah, only twice did I go very feverish when I had it and that was right in the beginning.  But I feel that the acid has really damaged my throat, mouth, teeth, sinuses and affected my vision.  The other thing that is really bothering me now is these awful burning pains in my legs and arms that come and go throughout the day.

Had loads of blood tests, CRP, ECR, iron etc all within normal range.  I just can't believe not one doctor recognised any of my symptoms.  I had to go to them and say this is what I think I may have.  Luckily, one very good doctor at my surgery has now referred me to the team that do colonoscopy's at my local hospital.  I am glad I am getting somewhere but I did try to tell him that it was really the reflux that is more of the problem so would prefer an endoscopy first but still at least I am starting on my journey to get somewhere!  

I am now on lanzoprazole 30mg once in the morning and this does seemed to have helped a lot, but I do still feel that the acid is still coming up into my throat without the spasms.  I am on these for 4 weeks inititally, should they be working properly by now or will they take a bit longer to kick in properly?  

My diet has radically changed, I am eating much more healthily now.  So, as I haven't had any tests, can anyone tell me from their own experiences what they think this could be?  Any tips?  I have a 2 year old son who I desperately want to be better for, I thought by now I would be thinking about having my next child not having to go through this!  I sincerely feel for all of you that have suffered from this for a long time, it is so unpleasant and seriously affects quality of life!

Thank you in advance for your help and sorry for the majorly long post!

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