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north.star

417d

Hey everyone! I've been having increased GI symptoms recently and I was hoping someone might know what's going on. This will be long, sorry in advance. Quick background: diagnosed with POTS and multiple other conditions starting spring 2021 after a virus. Had moderate nausea and abdominal pain with eating from POTS, and diagnosed with mild chronic erosive gastritis. It wasn't until I got a cold/upper respiratory virus, (twice negative tests for Covid), last September that my GI symptoms progressively have been getting worse. Ruled out any medications causing it. Started as sore throats after eating dinner most nights, but I thought I was just still recovering from the virus. Then led to heartburn laying down at night, and now progressed to very constant throughout the day. It just started one day and has progressed since, and I've never had any acid reflux issues. Did full GI tests back in 2021 and only showed the erosions in my stomach, everything else was normal but obviously that may have changed since then. Doesn't matter what I eat or drink I will get bad heartburn, chest pain, sore throat, acid coming back up my throat, sore taste in mouth, bad breath from acid, burning feeling in stomach, sharp stomach pains, nausea feeling like I'm close to throwing up, and pain if I press on the top part of my stomach lightly. This doesn't only happen after eating also, often I will take up with heartburn and chest pain even if I haven't eaten since the evening before. No vomiting. And as time goes on, my appetite keeps decreasing. I don't feel hungry after a few bites of food, and feel really full/bloated majority of the day. I've lost a little weight from lack of appetite, but nothing worrisome yet. Zero relief with OTC antacids (pepto bismol, TUMS, pepcid). Tried prescription PPI (omeprazole) for 6 weeks on two different dosages with no relief. Did a 2-week trial of Carafate 3x daily with no relief. The only things I can think of are GERD or some type of delayed gastric emptying, but when I saw my GI initially she didn't mention either of these and said she wouldn't consider doing another endoscopy for 6-8 months after. Any ideas about what this could be or ways for pain relief? I'm scared I will do repeat GI tests and it all comes back normal.

    • randochikn

      416d

      Hi! I have IBS and GERD due to my EDS alongside my POTS. Its always difficult to tell what really is IBS or something completely different since new symptoms always show up, but as the other person mentioned probiotics if you haven’t tried them could be useful! I did try those at one point and they did help but I unfortunately have very sensitive bowels and it started to give diarrhea (which I also get when on low doses of Miralax so just me). But if all else, maybe try to bring up these specific concerns with your doctor. I had an endoscopy for my upper gi and they saw a “pull sign” when taking biospy but they saw 0 evidence of anything like EoE which is very odd. So now, me and my mom are trying to get me into an elimination diet where I see if we can pinpoint possible irritators in food, my allergy prick test came up with nothing which we are very suspicious about anyway. But tracking what you eat may help, its a habit I need to get into more. Also track bowel movement possibly, like consistency, diarrhea, etc for possible issues there, and see if certain foods affect stomach. Maybe with this you can show a doctor and further look into it. I hope you get some answers on this!

    • TrueZelda

      417d

      I know this will sound weird given everything else you've tried, but have you tried probiotics in place of/in addition to these? I take probiotics to help my yeast infections, UTIs, GI issues (possible IBS but not diagnosed), and can even help with some reflux management. If nothing else it may be worth bringing up. It likely won't help on its own with how bad yours is, but gut health is of course more than just your intestines. GERD is also worth bringing up. As a side note, have you kept track of any potential triggers? What time of day, what you ate or drank that day/prior to the flare up, what you've done physically, etc. A journal might help recognize a pattern, and an elimination diet may make it more clear if it's something specific.

☝ This content is generated by our users and it is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Please consult with your physician before making any medical decision

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It's important to consult with a healthcare professional for a proper diagnosis and treatment plan. Based on the information provided, some possibilities include GERD or delayed gastric emptying, but only a medical professional can accurately diagnose your condition. Since OTC antacids and prescription medications have not provided relief, it's crucial to discuss your symptoms and concerns with your doctor to determine the best course of action.

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