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Home > Archive > Heartburn Support > August 2006 > educate me please...
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educate me please...
|
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| Mr. Potato Head 2006-08-15, 2:23 am |
| Here are my symptoms that I've had for the past 2 and a half months.
- globus sensation
- slight pain under my breastbone and lightly to the right.
- slight pain in the same area when I take a deep breath.
- constant throat clearing.
- unproductive cough, sometimes no cough but I feel like coughing.
- sometimes the pain rdiates between the back of my throat and
esophagus.
- hoarsness
- mucus--almost feels like it might be post nasal drip.
- completely unpredictable pain reoccurance--symptoms in
general--completely unpredictable.
- diarrhea immediately after a large morning meal--ok all day after.
- No heartburn.
- feeling "belchy", with a sour stomach--but not always.
- I feel fantastic in the morning, worsens through the day and seems to
subside late at night.
- slight headache and ear ache--sometimes.
- eyes used to burn but that seems to have gone away.
The globus sensation started right about the time that my doctor put me
on 70mcg of Synthroid, a treatment for hypothyroidism which I
am--mildly. The doctor and I thought I'd caught a cold because of the
chest pain and mucus. I returned a month later to tell her that the
situation had not changed and she prescribed Aciphex.
Ok, I've been taking the Aciphex for about three weeks--nothing, no
change. I tried drinking Aloe Vera and the suggestion of a relative
who's symptoms seem to match mine--nothing--no change. Her's went away
in a week and has not returned since. I tried Apple Cider Vinegar,
peppermint tea, frickin' Yoga!!
Mind you, I'm trying all these remedies seperately so I can see if any
of it helps. So far, nothing's helping.
I have an appointment with the doctor in about two weeks. Frankly, I'm
a little nervous about being at risk for esophageal cancer. Mostly
because nothing I'm trying seems to work.
I'll wake up tomorrow morning and these symptoms will probably subside,
only to return the next day. I can't even tell what kind of foods
causes what I'm feeling. Wine does not aggravate it, booze does not...
I'm not a heavy drinker but I've been overweight for most of my life.
Does this sound like anything you guys have heard of? I still have a
lot of energy, I go to the gym several times a week, my appetite is
normal--good, actually.
Ideas? thanks...
- Alex
| |
| Howard McCollister 2006-08-15, 2:23 am |
|
"Mr. Potato Head" <alex.cordero@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1155608874.822462.238250@i42g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
> Here are my symptoms that I've had for the past 2 and a half months.
>
> - globus sensation
> - slight pain under my breastbone and lightly to the right.
> - slight pain in the same area when I take a deep breath.
> - constant throat clearing.
> - unproductive cough, sometimes no cough but I feel like coughing.
> - sometimes the pain rdiates between the back of my throat and
> esophagus.
> - hoarsness
> - mucus--almost feels like it might be post nasal drip.
> - completely unpredictable pain reoccurance--symptoms in
> general--completely unpredictable.
> - diarrhea immediately after a large morning meal--ok all day after.
> - No heartburn.
> - feeling "belchy", with a sour stomach--but not always.
> - I feel fantastic in the morning, worsens through the day and seems to
> subside late at night.
> - slight headache and ear ache--sometimes.
> - eyes used to burn but that seems to have gone away.
>
> The globus sensation started right about the time that my doctor put me
> on 70mcg of Synthroid, a treatment for hypothyroidism which I
> am--mildly. The doctor and I thought I'd caught a cold because of the
> chest pain and mucus. I returned a month later to tell her that the
> situation had not changed and she prescribed Aciphex.
>
> Ok, I've been taking the Aciphex for about three weeks--nothing, no
> change. I tried drinking Aloe Vera and the suggestion of a relative
> who's symptoms seem to match mine--nothing--no change. Her's went away
> in a week and has not returned since. I tried Apple Cider Vinegar,
> peppermint tea, frickin' Yoga!!
>
> Mind you, I'm trying all these remedies seperately so I can see if any
> of it helps. So far, nothing's helping.
>
> I have an appointment with the doctor in about two weeks. Frankly, I'm
> a little nervous about being at risk for esophageal cancer. Mostly
> because nothing I'm trying seems to work.
>
> I'll wake up tomorrow morning and these symptoms will probably subside,
> only to return the next day. I can't even tell what kind of foods
> causes what I'm feeling. Wine does not aggravate it, booze does not...
> I'm not a heavy drinker but I've been overweight for most of my life.
>
> Does this sound like anything you guys have heard of? I still have a
> lot of energy, I go to the gym several times a week, my appetite is
> normal--good, actually.
>
> Ideas? thanks...
>
Could be many things, and there's no way to tell from just history. Sorting
your symptoms out will require testing.
HMc
| |
|
| As Howard our resident MD said there are lots of things it could be
especially as a lot of things lie just to the right of the body.
My initial reaction (as an experienced patient in the gastro area) was to
think about the gall bladder and bile reflux. Reflux can cause lung, throat,
sinus and ear problems. Heartburn is not experienced by many reflux
patients - this is why cancer of the oesophagus can be diagnosed so late
with fatal results. Diarrhoea after a meal could be caused by steatorrhoea
(fatty stool) if the bile is not flowing as it should or gastritis caused by
your medication or a gut infection.
Nighttime reflux can cause daytime fatigue, which you don't have - so that
rules that out (lucky you).
That said, don't forget that you also have the pancreas, liver, lung and
bits of intestine to the right of the body and they can all have knock on
effects on the upper gastrointestinal tract.
Have your adenoids and tonsils checked out (if relevant) by the HNO doc. if
you get a referal.
Peruse the life-style changes for the management of GERD
http://www.gicare.com/pated/ecdgs39.htm If symptoms persist and side-effects
of medications are ruled out then your doc. should do a full range of blood
tests including ESR and CRP (both inflammatory markers, which can be
indicative of infection). If GERD or reflux is established you should be put
on a proton pump
inhibitor (PPI) if . I refer you to the last week's e-mails on this
newsgroup.
If you fancy it, you could carry out an experiment and for the next few days
before you see your doc. cut out all fast food, fizzy drinks (including
fizzy mineral water and beer), cut out all sweets and chocolates, cut out
coffee and black tea, cut out all fatty/fried foods including cheese and
milk. A bit of good quality olive oil can be used, but no frying. Increase
(double or triple) the amount of vegetables you eat and if you eat fruit
then apples, melon, i.e. low acid.
You say that it does not seem to be related to a particular food, but we all
tend to get stuck in dietary grooves and the only way to test the food issue
is to radically change what one eats. From your e-mail - food related
screams out from the page! An elimination diet should only be done under the
supervision of a doctor, but I think that removing empty calorie, unhealthy
foods from the diet will not cause any harm in the absence of a doctor.
Changes in diet can have a radical effect on liver, gall bladder, pancreas
and gut in the first instance and can happen pretty quickley.
Drink at least 2 litres water per day (coffee, tea and cola dehydrate and
must not be counted here) - still water, soya milk, rice milk, mild fruit
teas, camomile, nettle, fennel teas.
Keep a patient diary including a food diary and report the findings to your
doctor. This will help provide him/her with a clearer picture. I know
patients who just hand the diary over to their doc. to read. Because I am a
prolific writer I just condense mine down to bullet points.
Look up the side-effects and drug interactions of any medicine and
alternative medicines you are on here: www.drugs.com and www.rxlist.com You
never know your symptoms could be in part due to side-effects of current
medication. Medication can cause reflux and also gastritis.
All the best,
Vanny
"Mr. Potato Head" <alex.cordero@gmail.com> schrieb im Newsbeitrag
news:1155608874.822462.238250@i42g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
> Here are my symptoms that I've had for the past 2 and a half months.
>
> - globus sensation
> - slight pain under my breastbone and lightly to the right.
> - slight pain in the same area when I take a deep breath.
> - constant throat clearing.
> - unproductive cough, sometimes no cough but I feel like coughing.
> - sometimes the pain rdiates between the back of my throat and
> esophagus.
> - hoarsness
> - mucus--almost feels like it might be post nasal drip.
> - completely unpredictable pain reoccurance--symptoms in
> general--completely unpredictable.
> - diarrhea immediately after a large morning meal--ok all day after.
> - No heartburn.
> - feeling "belchy", with a sour stomach--but not always.
> - I feel fantastic in the morning, worsens through the day and seems to
> subside late at night.
> - slight headache and ear ache--sometimes.
> - eyes used to burn but that seems to have gone away.
>
> The globus sensation started right about the time that my doctor put me
> on 70mcg of Synthroid, a treatment for hypothyroidism which I
> am--mildly. The doctor and I thought I'd caught a cold because of the
> chest pain and mucus. I returned a month later to tell her that the
> situation had not changed and she prescribed Aciphex.
>
> Ok, I've been taking the Aciphex for about three weeks--nothing, no
> change. I tried drinking Aloe Vera and the suggestion of a relative
> who's symptoms seem to match mine--nothing--no change. Her's went away
> in a week and has not returned since. I tried Apple Cider Vinegar,
> peppermint tea, frickin' Yoga!!
>
> Mind you, I'm trying all these remedies seperately so I can see if any
> of it helps. So far, nothing's helping.
>
> I have an appointment with the doctor in about two weeks. Frankly, I'm
> a little nervous about being at risk for esophageal cancer. Mostly
> because nothing I'm trying seems to work.
>
> I'll wake up tomorrow morning and these symptoms will probably subside,
> only to return the next day. I can't even tell what kind of foods
> causes what I'm feeling. Wine does not aggravate it, booze does not...
> I'm not a heavy drinker but I've been overweight for most of my life.
>
> Does this sound like anything you guys have heard of? I still have a
> lot of energy, I go to the gym several times a week, my appetite is
> normal--good, actually.
>
> Ideas? thanks...
>
> - Alex
>
| |
| Mr. Potato Head 2006-08-15, 4:23 pm |
| Thanks Vanny. Very informative. Honestly, I've never tried an
elimination diet. The only thing I have not tried is anit-depressants
which my doctor gave me office samples of. She also said I was
suffering depression. I had to agree on that one because right about
the time all this started, I was going through a very difficult family
crisis that seems to have been solved. I can't help but to be reminded
of the stress that I felt during that time but it was significant. We
didn't know if if was the stress or the hypothyroidism that was
cauising the depression but I know that it can also aggravate the
digestive system.
Thanks again.
- Alex
Vanny wrote:
> As Howard our resident MD said there are lots of things it could be
> especially as a lot of things lie just to the right of the body.
>
> My initial reaction (as an experienced patient in the gastro area) was to
> think about the gall bladder and bile reflux. Reflux can cause lung, throat,
| |
|
| Apologies! HNO should be ENT (ear, nose and throat). As you realised HNO
means Hals, Nase und Ohren. I live in Germany and my English is getting
somewhat corrupted and my spelling is abysmal.
Depression is a recognised comorbidity with hypothyroidism (as are gut
problems). If the depression eventually lifted on hormone treatment then you
can likely attribute it to the hypothyroidism. Obviously, concomitant
stressors don't help.
If you need further information you can log on to www.medscape.com, which is
a very good medical source, or do a search on PubMed
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/...=Display&DB=pmc
I also forgot to say that referred pain is pain that is felt remotely from
the root cause of the pain. For example, chest pains caused by tension in
the back muscles, heartburn due to reflux, pain in the arm and shoulder due
to a heart attack, etc. This must also be taken into consideration when
looking for a diagnosis. The body is very complex and does not always
(never?) behaves as one thinks it should.
Try not to worry prior to your appointment. I know that is easier said than
done because I nearly made myself terminally ill with worry when I received
a 'possibly cancer' diagnosis in 2002. When I received the same in 2005 I
was really laid back about it because I had learnt that you only have
something when you have a concrete medical diagnosis and then instead of
worrying the best use of energy is to take arms up and fight it. It was
another false alarm, thank goodness.
I can only stress the patient diary tip. It could lead to a far faster
diagnosis and in addition it is very cathartic to write it all down.
All the best,
Vanny
"Mr. Potato Head" <alex.cordero@gmail.com> schrieb im Newsbeitrag
news:1155653733.931794.214220@i3g2000cwc.googlegroups.com...
> Thanks Vanny. Very informative. Honestly, I've never tried an
> elimination diet. The only thing I have not tried is anit-depressants
> which my doctor gave me office samples of. She also said I was
> suffering depression. I had to agree on that one because right about
> the time all this started, I was going through a very difficult family
> crisis that seems to have been solved. I can't help but to be reminded
> of the stress that I felt during that time but it was significant. We
> didn't know if if was the stress or the hypothyroidism that was
> cauising the depression but I know that it can also aggravate the
> digestive system.
>
> Thanks again.
>
> - Alex
>
> Vanny wrote:
to[vbcol=seagreen]
throat,[vbcol=seagreen]
>
| |
| Mr. Potato Head 2006-08-16, 4:23 pm |
| danke wieder, Vanny. I studied German years ago and I understood what
you meant.
I'm trying many things to relax until I talk to the doctor. Believe it
or not, Yoga seems to be the one thing that has helped the most.
I'll keep you posted what I learn about my condition.
-Alex
| |
|
| Hi Alex,
Please do let us know how you get on and if we can do anything else to help.
I have a friend who does yoga for her back problems (muscle tension,
horizontal vertebrae fracture when in-line skating) and it has help her
tremendously. When one has pain one tenses up and takes on an abnormal
posture and this can lead to more pain, etc. So yoga is a good idea.
All the best,
Vanny
"Mr. Potato Head" <alex.cordero@gmail.com> schrieb im Newsbeitrag
news:1155741170.285148.227450@p79g2000cwp.googlegroups.com...
> danke wieder, Vanny. I studied German years ago and I understood what
> you meant.
>
> I'm trying many things to relax until I talk to the doctor. Believe it
> or not, Yoga seems to be the one thing that has helped the most.
>
> I'll keep you posted what I learn about my condition.
>
> -Alex
>
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