Is this reflux or worse?!

[Daxter]

Bleugh, I've been having an awful last few evenings. I'm waiting for an endoscopy which could take months and I've been on Lansoprazole and Omeprazole. Neither seem to work though because I still get:

- Vurps bringing liquid as far as my nose..!

- An extremely tight throat; it's now hard to swallow anything without warm water, even my own saliva. Influenced by posture like turning my head.

- Feeling of liquid in my throat.

- A sore throat that doesn't let up.even with throat sweets.

- ALL food and drink gets stuck in my throat to some degree. Worst in evenings and accompanied by a bitter taste.

I'm frightened of the acid being in my throat and causimg cancer from burning away the cells. I'm pretty sure I've had reflux all my life so why has it become so horrid now? I really don't want to be on an all-liquid/soup diet.

[fadedlizard]

Hi Dax,

It does sound a lot like reflux.

As you said, you've probably suffered from it for ages but now your anxiety has latched on to it. It's forgotten about your heart and moved onto a new concern. This is the nature of Health Anxiety. Left to its own devices it will roll from one symptom to another while you become increasingly more exhausted and distraught.

At some point you have to try to tell yourself you've had the tests and you are OK.

The only thing that is wrong is the ANXIETY. ANXIETY will latch on to anything.

IT will masquerade as any illness. IT will magnify any symptom. IT will make any pre-existing condition worse. IT will over sensitise you and make you aware of every little twitch and twinge in your body. IT has symptoms of ITs own like palpatations, hyperventilation, racing mind etc which are very real and very scary. IT is ANXIETY; a nasty, frightening condition but not a fatal one. IT cannot kill you.

I don't say any of this lightly, Dax. I know this illness. I've been where you are. I know the terror you live with each day. It took me a very long time to see the health anxiety for what it is. And I'm not infallible - thoughts and fears still get passed the defences. Just the meantion of certain conditions sends terror coursing through me. I just refuse to give it anymore attention than I have to. I have lost too many months and years of my life convinced I was dying to give it anymore.

How do I deal with it? I do my breathing exercises. I float past the panic. I let the thoughts pass by without engaging with them. I live my life (with the fears if I have to). Sometimes I do all four and sometimes they work!!!! And since I came on this site I have tried to get passed my fear of the doctor and I go and see her when I feel unwell. Apparently that's what she's there for!!!!

Please try to be reassured. You will get through this.

Keep posting, love. It's far better if you can get it all out of your head.

Best Wishes,

Lizard.xxx

[Melgil58]

Hi dax I have acid reflux amongst many other things but I was taking lanzoprazol didn't get on with it at all so my doc tried me on peptac liquid which made reflux and heartburn worse plus increasing my nausea I am now on Zantac ranitidine 300mg touch wood they seem to be a big improvement I'm sure you've tried the extra pillow and diet changes but I wish you well and mention the Zantac 300mg to your dr its worth a try all the best and hopes for an improvement.. Mel

[Bramwell]

I had a bad heath anxiety worry with my throat/swallowing some ten years ago now.

I was SO anxious I couldn't even swallow drink of water without trouble.

Apparently it's a very common health anxiety symptom and one my anxious mind latched on to back then. I had a lot of acid and indigestion as well.

It took a good part of six months to start to feel normal again and even now I have worries about swallowing.

Keep calm Daxter - I've been there and it's horrible what your anxious body can frighten you with - but you're okay really.

[leehow79]

Hi hun, i also suffer wiv acid reflux as well as ibs + the 2 2 gether play havoc, really knocks me off my feet + am really struglin at the moment 2 the point that im lyin on the sofa all night as its a lot worse in the evenin, didnt know how debilitatin these conditions cld b. jst woke up on sofa as i felt 2 sick 2 even make it 2 bed. i get the acid burning my throat + the battery acid like sickness, wen i burp this brings up the acid + latly ive bin doin this so much wiv my ibs bein horrendous at the moment, im scared 2 eat bcause of the repercutions. i try 2 drink lots of milk + watch wot foods i eat as in only bland food, i also take gaviscon wen im really bad but not as t the same time as omeprazol or lanzoprasol but in between these. i dnt suffer frm hlth anxiety like u but any kind off anxiety makes acid reflux + ibs as well as many other ailments 2 flare up. gonn a make a Drs appiontment soon + will let u know if theres anythin different 2 hlp wiv this.x

[Mark125]

Am suffering from the same and getting almost all the same symptoms that you have described. my fear as increased as I have recently not been eating , lost weight , been sick and have fatigue on top of the standard anxiety symptoms of nausea , dizziness and lightheaded am back at the doctors today again

Hope u are better soon