Jen’s Personal Story: “I Just Want to Eat a Normal Meal Without Stomach Pain”
About 3 1/2 years ago I started getting severe heartburn, especially at night, and after drinking water. Would just take antacids and brush it off, about a year after that I started choking on my food, first time I was Christmas shopping in the mall. Symptoms continued like that for another year. About 1 1/2 years about I woke up dry heaving so bad that I couldn’t drive. I didn’t feel well, and the nausea and stomach pain was terrible, heart palpitations, the whole nine yards. Went to the gastroenterologist and he wanted to have a endoscopy done, results were GERD, my hiatal hernia was small, he prescribed Omeprazole. Took about a month to feel 100%. Continued that medicine until I forgot to follow-up. Symptoms we’re under control so I just took over the counter Omeprazole. Which worked fine for several months. In October of ’22 I started feeling off. I didn’t think much of it until December rolled around, Got severe stomach pain and just didn’t feel well. Ended up going to quick care & the doc gave me pantoprazole, it helped a bit but the side effects were just as awful as the GERD attack. It’s been a month now. I finally was able to get in to see a new doctor (as the old didn’t answer his phone or return calls). After getting back on Omeprazole 40mg, I do feel a bit better after a week of taking the meds. However, the sore throat, burping, heart palpitations, stomach pain and no appetite has caused me to lose 10 pounds in the last month, 4 of those pounds over night. Normally weight loss to me isn’t a big deal, everyone fluctuates, and I can go from 135 down 130 and back up again and it’s fine. However, the 4 pounds over night has scared the daylights out of me. I’m so anxious that I think I’m making it worse. Until I read some stories on here, I don’t feel so alone or crazy. And I feel like I’m not the only one having symptoms that doctors are telling me aren’t from gerd. Honestly, I love food, and I just want to eat a normal meal (not over due it, but just enjoy a meal) without stomach pain or feeling sick.