I've had some mild acid reflux symptoms here and there in the last 2 years or so, but in the last 3 weeks I started having really intense heartburn, palpitations (possibly anxiety related) chest discomfort and strong pressure beneath breast bone (left side), loss of appetite, at night occasionally having bitter taste from acid, and feeling very full after short meals as well as occasionally having abdominal pain around the belly button area (I had this occasionally for about 3 months, which is very sensitive to touch and seems to be on the surface, possibly irrelevant or muscle related).
The heartburn / chest pressure seems to be relieved a little bit by omeprazole (strong dose of 40mg morning and before bed), Peptac liquid and Famotidine but it seems to be ongoing and constant for about 3 weeks now and is not relieved in a major way by these medicines. Spoken to my doctor (only on the phone), done blood tests which came back normal, done 2 stool tests (which showed a little bit of possible inflammation of the bowels + a little bit of microscopic blood slightly above the normal rate) so I've been sent to do a colonoscopy, but to me it seems more critical that an endoscopy will be needed regarding the heartburn / acid reflux related symptoms (which seem quite severe and persistent to me).
I am generally a healthy 22 year old guy (no smoking, drinking, eating healthy, normal stools, no diarrhoea, no difficulty breathing) with no underlying health issues (but I should mention that I had COVID in the last month with mild symptoms), but these current symptoms (especially the strong pressure beneath the breastbone which makes me unable to sleep at night as well as bothering me throughout the day) worry me a little bit and since the process of testing and seeing a specialist is quite long I wanted to get some opinions and directions in this situation.
***Questions that stem from all this:***
Can it be normal to have ongoing symptoms like this relating to acid reflux constantly for weeks or even months without the medication / diet changes having a very significant impact?
Can COVID (which I had in the last month (most symptoms went away btw) cause or aggravate this?
How can the severe heartburn / strong chest pressure beneath breastbone be relieved?
Also any other type of advice, information or opinion will be really appreciated!
****Attached bellow stool test results!**
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stefanpavel98
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Stefan you should edit the photo as it has personal details on it . On your reflux, diet and the food you eat can also be a factor such as acidic foods , fatty food and chocolate.
Reflux is a symptom, it can be caused by different things. One of them is slow gastric emptying, which they seem to be looking at. But it can also be caused by physical problems further up such as a problem with the valve at the start of the stomach, difficulty with swallowing which is common in people with hypermobility, or a hernia.
We aren't medics here though so we can say what is causing the problem, but it looks like the medical people are on to it.
A few things you could do to help with the reflux is making sure you stay upright after you eat, so don't eat close to bedtime, and that includes drinks. And for bed you can try to raise the head of the bed by putting some bricks or similar under the top. That way the acid is held down by gravity. As for food, it is a very personal thing. Some people find some foods make it worse, others don't. For example both my son and my self have suffered from reflux on and off, and I have carried on drinking coffee throughout, whereas my son has never in his life drunk coffee, he only drinks water.
i hope they find out the source of the problem quickly so that you can take measures to improve your symptoms.
stefan, the information in these links is intended to raise your awareness of possible deficiency causes contributing to your symptoms. It's important to keep in mind sufficient magnesium is required to be able to create enzymes to activate thiamine and vitamine D. Stress and pain cause magnesium loss. Always consult your medical professional before using any supplement. tasteforlife.com/conditions...
I'm not a doctor but a colonoscopy should give a better look at your colon inflammation of the colon to see if you have a condition related to that like ulcerative colitis just to name one is just an example, I'm not saying it could be that but id say the doctors are looking a colonoscopy to see and rule out things after they investigate, could just be diet all investigation s done will narrow things down to know what might be causing your symptoms. Let us know how you go. 🌴
Almost certainly with the same reply I gave to the lady with the gallstones problem, this is down to a diet of fatty foods, I went through this some years ago, good advice about sitting up after eating and don’t eat late at night but seek medical help and reduce the fat in your diet !!
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