# Feeling hopeless - Freaking out and I need some help.



## WillowRaven (Apr 14, 2016)

This will be a long post, but please hang in there until the end because I'm pretty anxious and would love to hear your opinions on what I've been going through for the past 6 months. I'll start by saying that I'm a 23 year old female who is 5'1" and weighs 130 even (although before this started I was around 144). My BMI as of yesterday 24.1. I've never had any serious health issues before in my life and I consider myself to be a relatively healthy person - usually just come down with a sinus infection or bronchitis here and there. My family has a history of diabetes on both sides, but my father's side has more of a history with GERD/Diverticulitis/Ulcers/and Gallbladder issues. They are also all severely overweight.

So, the issues I've been having appeared mid-December 2015. The symptoms included: abdominal cramping, mucus in stool, nausea, pain in my upper left abdomen just under the rib cage, bloating, feelings of fullness, and loss of appetite. Anytime I ate something it would make me feel super bloated and was super painful. I basically lived off of 1/2 a banana and 3 pieces of turkey a day. The doctor said it was Gastritis and asked if I had ever been diagnosed with IBS because I sometimes alternate between diarrhea and constipation to which I answered no, but he prescribed me Bentyl and sent me home. I had a mild allergic reaction to it which also might have been due to anxiety, but I stopped taking it after that and then felt normal for about a month.

My symptoms appeared again in January so I went back to the doctor. Another diagnosis of gastritis. They gave me Omeprazole 40mg and after 10 days of taking it I felt fine, so I stopped (it was also giving me bad headaches and what I thought was causing me chest pain) and was fine for another month.

I spent the next two months in and out of doctor's offices along with another trip to the ER where the doctor took 1 literal minute to look at me before saying I have viral gastritis and to drink 1/4 cup of aloe vera juice every 4 hours.

My stomach problems were feeling better. Then a month and a half ago, I experienced severe heartburn for 3 days with a burning chest. I started the 40mg omeprazole again and it subsided, but then I stayed having a severe dull back pain that would radiate info my shoulders and arms. My chest would feel some discomfort but it was mainly in my back between the shoulder blades and I would cough a lot after eating. No trouble swallowing or anything but even though I've started eating smaller meals that has offered some relief, it can still be overwhelming.

Needless to say, my anxiety is through the roof with this! I feel like a lot of doctor's have brushed me off because they see me as an otherwise healthy 23 year old, but I have to live my life like this every day and it seems never ending. I spend most of my free time on Google, trying to figure out what's wrong with me and I have panic attacks almost daily. I feel like this might possibly be GERD and esophageal spasms and I have a consult appointment tomorrow with a GI surgeon who will refer me to a GI doctor to do an endoscopy.

These are some tests I've had so far that's come back clear:

H.pylori-tested for twice both negative
ECG 
Chest Xray - showed some inflammation but nothing concerning
Pregnancy tests
Urine tests
Blood tests

I've been taking my medicine and my diet is very restrictive/gerd friendly. I'm also still doing the aloe vera juice.

It just feels like they don't want to help me and I'm the only one trying to figure out what's really going on. As someone who struggles with PTSD, a panic disorder, and OCD, I'm finding it hard to stay positive without focusing on all the things it could be. Do these symptoms seem familiar to anyone or has anyone experienced anything similar?


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## WillowRaven (Apr 14, 2016)

I should also add that if I eat too much at a time, I'll feel short of breath and like I need to throw up but I haven't so far. I also get a lot of excess saliva in my mouth too after I eat along with coughing sometimes.


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## lithium (Oct 9, 2015)

Hi,

I suffer from PI-IBS. A lot of your symptoms I also have. I get mild to excruciating pain in upper left abdomen just below the last rib. I also get nasty heartburn due to acid reflux. I also get fullness after eating little and loss of appetite. I was diagnosed with gastritis after an endoscopy. Lastly I also suffer from anxiety(and depression). My advice would be to stay away from google as it will cause severe health anxiety. It would also help you if you could do mild exercise and meditation.


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## SanFranLarry (Apr 25, 2016)

You mentioned panic attacks and anxiety, which pretty much sounds like you have GAD (as I do) and GAD can greatly accentuate both IBS and GERD. Along with diet (which seems to be different for everyone as far as triggers go), the only thing I have ever been told is to control the GAD and the IBS and GERD will naturally ease. It seems most people with diagnosed GAD do end up with either IBS or GERD -- or both like lucky me!


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## SamanthaK (Mar 1, 2017)

Are you open to taking anything for the anxiety until you get some answers? I find it really helps me manage the symptoms. Track your cycle which could also be a trigger. Find a GI you like and have an endoscopy. Good luck!


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