GERD & Heartburn Support Group
Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) is defined as chronic symptoms or mucosal damage produced by the abnormal reflux of gastric contents into the esophagus. This is commonly due to transient or permanent changes in the barrier between the esophagus and the stomach. If you are afflicted with GERD or heartburn, join the group and find support.
After waiting for six agonizing weeks my scope is tomorrow July 2nd. Today I feel like a basket case, I'm both relieved that it's time to do the scope and at the same time I'm afraid of them finding esophageal cancer. I've tried over the past weeks to keep myself calm and at times I've been able to but other times I've sat and planned how I'm going to tell my children that my time is up. If my symptoms had remained constant with no change over these past weeks, I might not suspect anything was really wrong, however, in the last week I'm not able to swallow any solid food any longer and the food that I do swallow hangs up on the way down and when it hits my stomach it causes mild pain, my voice is hoarse. The pain is now in my back on the left side.
So things are progressing, and it can't be just gerd any longer the way this feels. It's been eight years since I was first diagnosed with gerd, two years ago I had mild to moderate inflammation, so there's been plenty of time for something far worse since then I'm thinking. Nothing works anymore, even with Nexium 40 mg. in the morning and 40 mg. at night, I now have such bad acid at night that I take a teaspoon of Gaviscon to be able to get through the night. I've had silent reflux and have never felt the acid before, so this is also something different.
My ears are ringing and sometimes my vision seems a bit blurred, all this can't be good, I'm quietly panicked inside right now I don't know how I'm going to tell my family and I'm not ready to die, who is though? This is awful :(
So things are progressing, and it can't be just gerd any longer the way this feels. It's been eight years since I was first diagnosed with gerd, two years ago I had mild to moderate inflammation, so there's been plenty of time for something far worse since then I'm thinking. Nothing works anymore, even with Nexium 40 mg. in the morning and 40 mg. at night, I now have such bad acid at night that I take a teaspoon of Gaviscon to be able to get through the night. I've had silent reflux and have never felt the acid before, so this is also something different.
My ears are ringing and sometimes my vision seems a bit blurred, all this can't be good, I'm quietly panicked inside right now I don't know how I'm going to tell my family and I'm not ready to die, who is though? This is awful :(
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I find myself going places in the car and not wanting to get out of the car. I come back home and I don't want to get out of the car. I think it's the only time I spend reflecting. Chronic tiredness from Long Covid plus the immunosupressing meds for my Crohn's is slowing me down but everything just seems a massive effort. I am dealing with the paperwork following my father's death but it's not...
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Wow, it's the middle of the week already!Today is our 11 year anniversary, so we're going out to a nice dinner. I'm losing a lot of sleep these days, hence a wonky schedule and uncomfortable feelings. But I know it will pass, eventually.I hope all of you have a peaceful day, and may good things come your way!
I know how you feeling! it's so scary but just know you are not the only one that thinks like this! you know something is wrong but don't have the answers yet! I think once you get some answers you might feel like at least you have answers now! but just remember most of the time is not as bad as we think it is!
We do tend to let our imaginations get the best of us! never feel alone in this I do the exact same thing!
I just know you are going to be okay tomorrow. I hope and pray for you that all goes well. I have a feeling it will!
I have a prayer circle with another gal on here her name is Lesley you may have seen some of her posts. I will add you to our prayer circle and she I am sure will do the same!
You will be in my thoughts tomorrow and let us know how everything goes!
Lots of big hugs,
Vicki.
Oh my... I am thinking about you.
Like Vicki said.. We are praying for you.
This doesnt mean you are going to die.
It is all very scary right now. Just wait and see what they say tomorrow.
Lesley
I've asked others if they've had the odd other symptoms along with gerd that I've had, but rarely get reply's, and I think it's the odd things that scare me and concern me the most. Such as, slightly blurry vision, ear ringing that never stops since this choking feeling started, and coming up positive for occult blood on a stool test kit (colonoscopy was normal). I know that google is not my friend right now but all symptoms lead to esophageal cancer and I've had uncontrolled gerd for all these years with no relief from PPI's. I guess I just won't settle until tomorrow, but I know my whole world could also be turned upside down to.
Sorry to go on again, I'm just a mess right now.
Anyone would be a basket case as well..
I know ear ringing is common with GERD..not unusual..
It is just good you are having the scope and will know better tomorrow.
We will be praying for less serious news tomorrow!
Lesley
I forgot to tell you I also having ringing in the ears! Mine is my left ear but also get it in my right ear on occasion. Mine is so frustrating and loud! I also get blurry vision as well.
I also will be praying for less serious news!
I know it's hard. Hang in there! my thoughts are with you!
Vicki.
As to the kids, don't catastrophize - know that this will be the most important lesson you'll ever have to teach them. Specifically, how you do this journey - live or die, your kids need a model of how this can be done with humor, courage, and positivity. This realization held me up throughout the process and has left me with deep gratitude that I did it without taking down friends and family with me.
Shit happens, but how we frame it up makes all the difference in the world. The outcome's not under our control, but how we do our days and take care of ourselves IS under our control.
The only thing about your story which rather alarms me is that any doctor would put off a scope for six weeks. This is just NOT OK! I no more than casually mentioned to my doc that I sometimes felt like something gets stuck than he scheduled me for endoscopy the very next morning.
I'll be checking to see how your scoped went - take care!!
Nancy
The only use of Google I'd recommend if you have EC is researching for surgeons who've done this 8-hour operation multiple times a year and hospital units that handle after care for dozens of EC patients. I learned that this is the best results were directly related to how experienced these folks were.
Please feel free to make contact with me after tomorrow. I'll tell you this, if I'd ever even heard of EC (I hadn't) and had the symptoms I'd be a basket case, too. Fortunately for me, it all happened so fast that it just didn't seem real.
My next move will be to see about the biopsies 3 weeks from now at my regular doctor and then to a specialist for further testing of this mid chest reflux that I have. I was asked to switch to Dexilant as Nexium has stopped working but I can't afford it, it's not covered by ontario insurance plan or our own insurance plan either. I'd rather do the testing and see if the nissen fundoplication is worth getting.
As always, gerd is an on going fight to get under control as it is for all of you, but I'm just happy I'll still be around to work on it.
So glad you to hear you got through that test!
I hope you can get a little rest today!
I will be praying for you! and again just glad to hear you got through that test and are okay!
Vicki
Thank goodness that is over and things are being taken care of.
It has been such a worry for you!
It sounds like things are not so bad and you can get some other help for the GERD..
Hang in there and relax your mind a bit.
Lesley
Thank you again for all your kind words, I was really scared the other day it was embarrassing how afraid I was actually, I sat in the room waiting for my procedure with tears in my eyes holding hands with my husband as if I was going to be shot at dawn or something..lol.