TL;DR
GERD sufferer for nearly 3 years. Been on Famotidine daily, now Omeprazole. Had an Upper Endoscopy that showed mild gastritis without H.Pylori, Ulcers, or Barrett’s Esophagus. Trying to take a food allergy blood test next to figure out why symptoms remain despite medication.
Symptoms include: dull stomach pain (similar to hunger) after eating, burping after eating, occasional nausea with headaches.
Tips that have helped with general symptoms: raised head/upper body when sleeping, eating lighter meals, and an ALKALINE diet (no citrus, tomatoes, garlic, onion, spicy food, alcohol, or caffeine)
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When COVID began, I moved home from college and immediately began experiencing severe GERD symptoms. It started after drinking a cup of coffee, and I had the worst abdominal pain and nausea I’ve ever experienced. For a month after that I couldn’t drink water without severe stomach pain. Mints made it worse, but it was the only way I could think of getting some kind of food in my system. After going to the doctor, I was told that I had acid reflux and was put on Famotidine. It was a switch and it changed my life. I couldn’t eat foods that I liked, but I could drink water and eat pasta and alkaline foods without feeling sharp stomach pain. Since then, I was diagnosed with mild OCD and an anxiety disorder, which my therapist and I think could be contributing to my stomach issues.
The difference with me is that my health is not at 100%. I still have heartburn when I eat food, even alkaline, and now Im on Omeprazole, but it still doesn’t help that much. I have been trying stronger medications to help reduce the symptoms completely, but they haven’t been working. Some non-medications that have helped are probiotics, Vitamin D, and B-12, but I did get a blood test which showed low Vitamin-D and B-12 levels.
I got an Upper Endoscopy done about a year and a half ago, but it showed only very mild gastritis, or inflammation of the stomach lining, and no Ulcers, H.Pylori, or signs of Barrett’s Esophagus. I am currently getting a blood test to check for food allergies, which might help me find out the next steps in my journey to complete recovery. I have tried elimination diets to discover any potential allergies, but those have been inconclusive.
I have a relatively stressful life, as a student and having worked part time during school, so the idea that stress is a contributing factor is still not out of the question. But something I do regret is not going to the doctor sooner when I first became sick right after COVID. I think that I might have let my acid reflux do some major damage to my system, and I would recommend advocating for yourself to anyone and everyone, even if they don’t listen. Do your own research and ask people with similar experiences about what has worked for them.
If you are experiencing pain or discomfort, know that it is not normal, and keep searching for an answer. It is out there, you might just have to keep digging for it.
