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DAVID’S PERSONAL STORY

Severe Symptoms started a year ago.
But had acid reflux on of for probably 10 years if not longer. But didn’t develop GERD until I started using medication H2 blockers and PPI’s
Started using over the counter zantac or Ranitidine! At first worked wonderful for regular heartburn. The sensation of stomach acid burn in the lower and upper esophagus. But the more I used Ranitidine the more I needed it. To the point I was taking 4 a day. I started getting really bad headaches or migraines. I knew I had a problem with the Ranitidine and had stop using it. So I detoxed off it. It was a hard month. But with home remedies and a clean diet I was able to do it. After a month or two that’s when the GERD symptoms kicked in and if anybody known what those are it can be quite terrifying. I woke up one day and it felt like I couldn’t breathe it felt like somebody was standing on my chest and I could never catch my breath . I panicked I thought I was having an asthma attack or a heart attack but was never diagnosed with any asthma or heart problems. This was years before the pandemic so there was no anxiety or correlation to the symptoms and covid-19. I went through all the tests and scan. And couldn’t find anything wrong other than my doctor in the specialist thinking that I had sarcoidosis in my lungs. But I got a CT scan to determine whether it was sarcoidosis the test where negative or inconclusive. After My doctor believe that I was suffering from GERD. I never used any medication and it ended up going away on its own and didn’t progress. But then after a few months it came back and bad. And that’s when I was introduced to ppis. Or proton pump inhibitors. When taking this medication after a couple days I felt amazing and I finally felt like I was getting my life back. But you’re only supposed to be on ppis for no longer than 6 months and I was on them for over a year. My stomach started bloating and expanding and getting really big to the point where I thought it was a gaining weight but it was just inflammation in my gut. So my doctor took me off the ppi’s. I went back on Ranitidine but limited my intake of only one a day. But the migraine started again. And that’s when I was introduced to a PPI called Pantoprazole! This drug work miracles for my acid reflux and GERD. I finally felt like I can start living my life again and not have to worry about my gerd. There was no side effects at first other than just no gerd no acid reflux. But then I started noticing I was having problems in the bedroom. It difficult for me to get an erection in difficult for me to ejaculate. Started looking into this and with PPIs and this is a very common side effect for men. So again back off the PPI and back onto the H2 blocker Ranitidine. But severely limited my intake and only one every second day which eliminated the headaches and migraines. But then like everybody knows ranitidine was pulled from the Canadian market. In 2021 my GERD Came back with a vengeance. Chest pain shortness of breath tired lethargic body aches which were all very similar to covid-19 side effects or symptoms. Anxiety kicked in thinking that I kept getting covid and taking myself to the hospital at least once a month. Endless test came back negative for covid. Symptoms always came back to GERD. Thin my pharmacist was able to find me a generic version of ranitidine. He claimed that whatever cancer-causing agent they found in Zantac was removed in this version. So I started taking it again. Limit my intake to only one a day or one every second day. I was able to live pretty comfortably and had my gerd symptoms managed but it wasn’t a hundred percent. It was good as it was going to get. Then six months ago the Canadian government pulled Ranitidine completely from the Canadian Market. Even though I had a three-month Supply I knew eventually I was going to run out. This time I thought I could tackle my gerd symptoms naturally and clean up my diet. I made it two months without anything and then the worst gerd symptoms of our life kicked in. Extreme chest pain hard to breathe throat irritation dryness hard to swallow. Would wake up in the morning feeling okay but after an hour of walking around the chest pain would start the shortness of breath with start the difficulty breathing would start. Then the anxiety and depression would start. Followed by lethargic no energy anxiety in depression which made my symptoms a thousand times worse. To the point where my family doctor thought that most of my symptoms were being cause psychosomatic and that there was no actual physical symptoms. So I started anti-depressants and I went back on a PPI pantoprazole. Gerd symptoms started to go away after a week. But the antidepressants were making my anxiety worse so I stopped taking them and talk to my doctor. And then a week after stopping the antidepressants and starting to feel normal again. My gerd came back even on the PPI. Chest pain a burning sensation in the chest that feels like it’s in my lungs. Esophagus pain stabbing doll pain right in the middle of my chest where my heart would be. Throat spasms throat constantly feeling like I was yelling all day long and dry and hard to swallow. Went to the hospital they ruled out heart disease they ruled out covid disease they ruled out pneumonia. So as of today I’m writing this. I’m back on pantoprazole and yes erectile dysfunction and problems in the bedroom has started again but I choose that over developing esophagus cancer. My doctor thinks that this might be the beginning of something serious like their development of esophagus cancer and said it’s extremely important that I continue with the pantoprazole. But I feel like it’s progressed so badly now that even that drug is not working so he recommended that I also take an H2 blocker but the only one I have access to is pecid AC. This drug made my GERD a million times worse and do not recommend anybody taking it I feel like it was hell in a pill when discontinuing it. so far I’m just using the pantoprazole in home remedies trying to keep my acid reflux and gerd under control. 2021 in the beginning of 2022 have not been easy and have been a struggle to the point where I’m actually on short term disability because of it. My scope surgery kept getting cancelled because of covid so my doctor can’t rule out cancer until I get the scope done. It’s been a long road to recovery and I feel like I haven’t really made much progress. I feel alone in this and I’m hoping that I can reach out to others that are experiencing the same symptoms I am. One of the most mysterious symptoms I find is I can go to bed with extreme pain in my chest and esophagus but wake up sometimes feeling better but as soon as I start moving around or having a drink of water or having a drink of anything or having something to eat my symptoms come back. I don’t even have to have anything to eat I just have to get up and start moving around in the chest pain starts again. I’ll mention that I am 39 year old male.
Others symptoms.
Waking up feel like death or extremely hungover when I don’t even drink. Feel dizzy and lightheaded especially first thing in the morning or when I wake up.
Confusion disorientated anxiety and depression.

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