do these symptoms sound familiar to anyone? hiatal hernia maybe? ulcer? tumor?

[pessimist]

i guess a little background is necessary. i shall keep it short and concise as possible.

about 3 years ago i started getting really bad acid reflux; i took a bunch of antacid crap until it stopped working. months went by it kept getting progressively worse, so bad i went to an the er fearing i was having a heart attack or something- they said it was nothing, dismissed it as anxiety, and prescribed me benzos. of course, the acid reflux did not go away…so to the doctor i went.

barium swallow showed nothing.

months later i had an endoscopy done- the results: mild inflammation in the stomach/esophagus, and was diagnosed with gerd. i was put on protonix for a year- which seemed to work.

rebound.

back to doc....more protonix.

was on it for another year but it wasn't as effective

switched to prilosec otc. worthless. back to protonix.

anyway- back in dec/jan i started getting this isolated (but mild pain) in the left side my upper back when i had a cold. i dismissed as symptoms of the cold. it never went away- i still have it…some days it’s worse than others; and sometimes the pain spreads to ribs and chest- weather also affects it.

it can be worst lying down.

my reflux is getting worse. i now can no longer properly digest food….it comes up hours later; i literally have to vomit multiple times a day. the proton-pump inhibitors keep most of the acid at bay, but the reflux is still there. i sometimes have difficulty swallowing. i get shortness of breath, and am losing weight.

i think it may be a hernia. i also think i may have utterly destroyed my stomach/digestion from long-term use of proton-pump inhibitors, nsaids/tylenol (i’ve suffered with terrible allergies/ sinus headaches/migraines since childhood.

i also suffer with generalized anxiety. i’m not overweight. i take vitamin c supplements/b complex vitamins (though haven’t for a while).

now i am afraid to get checked because i fear the isolated pain in left side my upper back (although it’s not actually coming from my back- just feels like it) is a tumor or something.

anyone relate to any of this? does it sound like something you’re familiar with?

[Zippyjuan]

Sorry- could not resist on that one.

I am no doctor (and as far as I know, nobody here is) so don't take this as advice but maybe something to check into. Sometimes medicines can start causing the very symptoms we started taking them for to prevent. They disturb our body's natural functions. Perhaps you may check into tapering off your meds and see how you respond (I would do that with the guidance of your doctor).

Vomiting is probably causing injury like ulcers and aggravate any old ones. It can also contribute to nutritional deficiencies. This list of side effects says beware of low magnesium.

Stop using pantoprazole and call your doctor at once if you have symptoms of low magnesium such as:

dizziness, confusion;
fast or uneven heart rate;
jerking muscle movements;
feeling jittery;
muscle cramps, muscle weakness or limp feeling;
cough or choking feeling; or
seizure (convulsions).

http://www.rxlist.com/protonix-drug.htm

It also notes under "precautions":

Atrophic Gastritis

Atrophic gastritis has been noted occasionally in gastric corpus biopsies from patients treated long-term with PROTONIX, particularly in patients who were H. pylori positive.

Cyanocobalamin (Vitamin B-12) Deficiency

Generally, daily treatment with any acid-suppressing medications over a long period of time (e.g., longer than 3 years) may lead to malabsorption of cyanocobalamin (Vitamin B-12) caused by hypo- or achlorhydria. Rare reports of cyanocobalamin deficiency occurring with acid-suppressing therapy have been reported in the literature. This diagnosis should be considered if clinical symptoms consistent with cyanocobalamin deficiency are observed.

Clostridium difficile associated diarrhea

Published observational studies suggest that PPI therapy like PROTONIX may be associated with an increased risk of Clostridium difficile associated diarrhea, especially in hospitalized patients. This diagnosis should be considered for diarrhea that does not improve [see ADVERSE REACTIONS].

Patients should use the lowest dose and shortest duration of PPI therapy appropriate to the condition being treated.

It can also contribute to osteoporosis. It sounds like a terrible experience. I hope you can find a solution.

[MelissaWV]

You're not going to like these observations.

The first one is easy: stay hydrated. You're throwing up, not digesting food properly, and putting immense strain on your body (including muscles in your abdomen and up into your chest and shoulders). It may feel terrible when you have a bunch of stomach acid coming back up, but ultimately dehydration is just going to complicate things and potentially add symptoms, making a real diagnosis more difficult to arrive at.

Next one's also pretty easy: brush your teeth. If you let all of that acid start eroding your tooth enamel it's going to be wretched. Keeping your mouth clean will also cut down on feeling quite as queasy.

Unfortunately... the pain in your upper back is in a high-traffic area. There are so many things in the vicinity that can share symptoms that it's impossible to just take a gander at your post and pinpoint it, or even offer a comprehensive list. It doesn't fit the general presentation of a tumor by showing up in that area and causing a persistent, mild pain.

You did mention it showed up when you had a cold, but without any real context that's not too helpful. If it was recent, it could even be something got strained or otherwise injured over the course of coughing and throwing up. If your cold segued into something serious (think pneumonia) then it could even be pleural effusion, but that seems unlikely.

Your best bet is to start from scratch and try to angle to get some scans done. And yes, that would rule out tumors as well. You really aren't better off not knowing.

[Carson]

How's your weight doing?

Years ago I started blimping out and I hit a certain point that would give me what felt like a hernia at my diaphragm. My weight fluctuated some and if it went lower the pain stopped. When it rose to a certain point the pain would come back. I finally fluctuated enough times things seemed to toughen up and I was able to go for the gold.

I noticed a bunch of things happening with weight gain. I kind of had to regain some control because of my blood sugar. Losing enough weight to once again be able to gaze upon my favorite appendage again was a real landmark. Being able to get up and move around without intricately planning my trip to the refrigerator was another milestone.


I don't ever remember it causing me to vomit. The pain was pretty real for a while there.

If you think your going to be vomiting, eat a banana.

[HVACTech]

yes, that is EXACTLY the way I feel when dealing with inexperienced supermarket / restaurant managers.

what you need are at LEAST 6. 12 oz curls.

[Carlybee]

I have one. I don't take anything but Tums. If the acid is really bad I drink some baking soda in water to neutralize it. The only thing that really works is diet. Also you should get your gallbladder checked. Gallstones can cause referred pain in your upper back. Stop taking the vitamin c if it contains ascorbic acid. Lay off anything high fat or greasy for a while. Elevate the head of your bed. Don't take aspirin or ibuprofen for a while. I thought my reflux was acting up when I had gallstones. I ended up having an acute gallbladder attack and had to have my gallbladder removed. Go to an internal medicine doc or a gastroenterologist, my Gallbladder prob was misdiagnosed by a GP. My legs started swelling prior to the attack and he told me to go home a stop eating salt. The next day I was in surgery. You may need to get a good probiotic and start taking it...no caffeine for a while. If you think it's an ulcer, drink cabbage juice but get it diagnosed anyway.

[presence]

1) Get off the proton pills
2) Add medicinal quantities daily of organic ginger, tumeric, and Aloe Vera Juice; use gelatin caps if it helps
3) Do not let a day pass that you do not consume 2 Quarts of water.
4) Do not eat within 3 hours of going to bed
5) Eliminate Coffee, Spicy Food, Soda, and Tomatoes
6) Take Liquid Magnesium Supplement and a B complex




Report Back in 30 days.

[specsaregood]

I have one. I don't take anything but Tums. If the acid is really bad I drink some baking soda in water to neutralize it. The only thing that really works is diet.

Believe it or not, I've found taking a shot of slightly diluted apple cider vinegar near instantly gets rid of heartburn. IIRC its the right PH level that triggers the little flap in your stomach to close or something like that. I just know it works for me.

[HVACTech]

stop being a pessimist?

[Carlybee]

Believe it or not, I've found taking a shot of slightly diluted apple cider vinegar near instantly gets rid of heartburn. IIRC its the right PH level that triggers the little flap in your stomach to close or something like that. I just know it works for me.

I've used that too but the baking soda seems to work better for me.

[Carson]

Believe it or not, I've found taking a shot of slightly diluted apple cider vinegar near instantly gets rid of heartburn. IIRC its the right PH level that triggers the little flap in your stomach to close or something like that. I just know it works for me.

Interesting that more acid would do that. Maybe it triggers your body into regulating itself?

[ctiger2]

I've used that too but the baking soda seems to work better for me.

I was gonna recommend a daily dose of baking soda too. Not sure what diet the OP consumes, but I'd switch to a Paleo asap.
Eliminate sugar, grains & all processed foods from diet. Start eating an apple a day and 1/8 tsp of baking soda in water daily.
If I had to guess I'd say all your problems are consumption/food related. It might also be advisable to take a daily TMG supplement. TMG is naturally created by the liver. But you might be having liver issues to which taking a supplement of would help. All IMO. As always, do your own due diligence.

[ctiger2]

Interesting that more acid would do that. Maybe it triggers your body into regulating itself?

Yep, acids such as ACV and Lemon Juice have the opposite effect you'd think on body pH. There's a chemical reaction in the stomach where an Alkaline environment is created.

[specsaregood]

but I'd switch to a Paleo asap.

yeah, my instances of hearburn have dropped to few and far between since I did that for the most part. And the few times I get it its when I'm eating non-paleo foods, primarily sweets. sugary mixed drinks will do it. and bananas for some reason.

[catfeathers]

My stomach doesn't want to digest food sometimes and I have to throw up undigested food hours later. I have found that eating a little pineapple or drinking pineapple juice helps with my digestion. I like to keep some cans of Jumex Coconut Pineapple Nectar on hand, yummy and nobody else in the house likes it so I don't have to hide it.

[FindLiberty]

Yep to all these suggestions. Be careful and find something that works for you. Don't leave it go and end up with a worse problem.

[pessimist]

Thanks for the advice.

1.) I drink a ton of water. In fact, outside of my morning coffee, water is all I drink. I always have a bottle of water with me. I also brush my teeth multiple times a day. lol

2.) I tried the apple cider vinegar thing before- it didn't work. At all. In fact, it made it worse.

3.) It doesn't matter what I eat, how slow or how fast I eat it, I just can't digest food. At all. It just comes up. Often it feels like it just 'sits' there, cutting off my air supply.

4.) I think I caused damage to my stomach via long-term use of NSAIDs and Tylenol and Proton-pump inhibitors.

5.) I am a skinny dude, and not overweight. In fact, I am losing weight. Also, I don't know how I can quit coffee.

6.) Thanks for mentioning gallstones, I have never even thought of that. Does a gallbladder attack mimic panic attacks?

Anyway- after looking at this hiatal hernia diaphragm - the constant but mild pain in the left side of my 'back' which seems to move around, but is mostly isolated in the region that lines up to where it shows a hiatal hernia.




Ugh. I probably have to see a doctor and get testing done. Thanks for the info and advice.

[Zippyjuan]

Losing weight is definitely a sign that your body is not getting the nutrition it needs - probably because food isn't staying in your system long enough to absorb any nutrients. Your bones are probably becoming more brittle as well.

[Carlybee]

Thanks for the advice.

1.) I drink a ton of water. In fact, outside of my morning coffee, water is all I drink. I always have a bottle of water with me. I also brush my teeth multiple times a day. lol

2.) I tried the apple cider vinegar thing before- it didn't work. At all. In fact, it made it worse.

3.) It doesn't matter what I eat, how slow or how fast I eat it, I just can't digest food. At all. It just comes up. Often it feels like it just 'sits' there, cutting off my air supply.

4.) I think I caused damage to my stomach via long-term use of NSAIDs and Tylenol and Proton-pump inhibitors.

5.) I am a skinny dude, and not overweight. In fact, I am losing weight. Also, I don't know how I can quit coffee.

6.) Thanks for mentioning gallstones, I have never even thought of that. Does a gallbladder attack mimic panic attacks?

Anyway- after looking at this hiatal hernia diaphragm - the constant but mild pain in the left side of my 'back' which seems to move around, but is mostly isolated in the region that lines up to where it shows a hiatal hernia.




Ugh. I probably have to see a doctor and get testing done. Thanks for the info and advice.

Your liver may be damaged from the Tylenol and NSAIDs. Get some good quality milk thistle. All a hiatal hernia does is allow the acid to come back up your esophagus. I had to have my esophagus balloon stretched due to narrowing from the reflux. You need to probably get some imaging done ASAP. No gallstones don't mimic panic attacks but they will make you nauseous and acidic. If your midsection starts bloating with pain it's a good indicator of an attack. The pain I had was in between my shoulder blades. Long term use of NSAIDs can give you a bleeding ulcer too. Tylenol aka acetaminophen can kill you if you abuse it...not good to take at all. I would get a good probiotic and start taking it too.

[donnay]

Believe it or not, I've found taking a shot of slightly diluted apple cider vinegar near instantly gets rid of heartburn. IIRC its the right PH level that triggers the little flap in your stomach to close or something like that. I just know it works for me.

I hope it is raw, organic, unpasteurized apple cider vinegar with MOTHER?

If you’ve got a good bottle of apple cider vinegar, you should see some strand-like sediment floating at the bottom. No, your vinegar hasn’t gone bad—that gunky-looking stuff at the bottom is the most important part! It’s called “the mother,” and it contains raw enzymes and gut-friendly bacteria that promote healing. In the animated GIF below, you can see what the mother looks like floating around at the bottom of the bottle (I gave it a vigorous shake first so you can see it better)

http://gerson.org/gerpress/8-amazing...cider-vinegar/

[presence]

I don't know how I can quit coffee.

You can quit coffee.

[presence]

Also I'd suggest a 2 of these daily:

http://www.amazon.com/Thayers-6582-S...+bark+lozenges

[luctor-et-emergo]

my reflux is getting worse. i now can no longer properly digest food….it comes up hours later; i literally have to vomit multiple times a day. the proton-pump inhibitors keep most of the acid at bay, but the reflux is still there. i sometimes have difficulty swallowing. i get shortness of breath, and am losing weight.

If you have to vomit several times a day you should definitely visit a doctor. Especially if you are losing weight. I do not know what the problem is, it could be many things but the way you describe it, it does sound serious. You should ask trained medical professionals instead of forum members.

[donnay]

I have a hiatal hernia. Four years ago I freaked out because I thought I was having a heart attack. I went to the ER, they found nothing wrong. I went again a couple days later, because this time I was sure I was having a heart attack. Again, battery of test--NOTHING. I was not happy with these people, because I knew something was wrong. They prescribed me a prescription NSAID. No Thanks. I found a Naturopath physician and within 10 minutes, he knew I had a hiatal hernia and a candidate for Candida.

Here's what he told me to do about my HH:

Drink a full 8 ounce glass of room temp. filtered water. Stand on your tippy-toes and come down hard on your heals to get the hernia down. Do that a couple times. I could literally feel the pressure in my chest subside and the pain between my shoulder blades subside.

As far a Candida; I did the ACV w/MOTHER three times a day with room temp. filtered water. Took some colloidal silver (antibiotic), a tablespoon of Organic Cold pressures Cocomut oil and a good probiotic with at least a billion organisms. I went on a bland anti-inflammatory diet for 10 days. If it acts up again, I repeat the steps.

Things you should keep in your diet daily is Bromelain. Bromelain is the extract derived from the core of pineapples. It is an anti-inflammatory.

[Carlybee]

I have a hiatal hernia. Four years ago I freaked out because I thought I was having a heart attack. I went to the ER, they found nothing wrong. I went again a couple days later, because this time I was sure I was having a heart attack. Again, battery of test--NOTHING. I was not happy with these people, because I knew something was wrong. They prescribed me a prescription NSAID. No Thanks. I found a Naturopath physician and within 10 minutes, he knew I had a hiatal hernia and a candidate for Candida.

Here's what he told me to do about my HH:

Drink a full 8 ounce glass of room temp. filtered water. Stand on your tippy-toes and come down hard on your heals to get the hernia down. Do that a couple times. I could literally feel the pressure in my chest subside and the pain between my shoulder blades subside.

As far a Candida; I did the ACV w/MOTHER three times a day with room temp. filtered water. Took some colloidal silver (antibiotic), a tablespoon of Organic Cold pressures Cocomut oil and a good probiotic with at least a billion organisms. I went on a bland anti-inflammatory diet for 10 days. If it acts up again, I repeat the steps.

Things you should keep in your diet daily is Bromelain. Bromelain is the extract derived from the core of pineapples. It is an anti-inflammatory.

Turmeric is a good anti inflammatory too.

[CPUd]

Interesting that more acid would do that. Maybe it triggers your body into regulating itself?

Sometimes when I eat something tough to digest too late before going to sleep, I'll get heartburn and/or acid coming up. I'll hit it with some orange or grapefruit juice and another glass of water, which straightens everything out. I've never taken antacids. I know people who do, and it seems like they developed a dependence on them while making the problem worse.

[Dr.3D]

http://www.stopsacidreflux.com/

It's probably the apple cider vinegar that does the trick in that formula.