Severe erosive esophagitis help please

[HayleyBW]

Hi I was diagnosed with moderately severe erosive esophagitis and chronic mild gastritis a month ago via endoscopy and biopsy. I have been on 40 mg omeprazole QAM for 4 and a half weeks and 300 mg ranitidine Qhs. I have no relief of my symptoms. Esophagus feels as something is stuck in it much of the time with sharp pains and burning in chest, arms and back much of the day as well. It doesn't matter if my stomach is empty or I have eaten. Symptoms are the same and I am getting very little if any relief from the meds.

Is there anything that can help or am I in trouble? I am very worried. I don't smoke, drink alcohol or eat spicy foods and always maintained a very healthy life style. I am mainly a vegan and exercise every day. I would so appreciate any advice. Thank you!

[Kayb614]

Hi, Hayley:  My heart goes ou to you!  I've had a small hiatal hernia and acid reflux for quite a few years, but never had burning in arms and back (although separate, low back pain occaasionally).  I took Nexium for quite a while, but it didn't help completely.  I had an interesting Stretta Procedure at the Boston, MA VA, and then stopped gradually taking the Nexium.  I stil  have a lot of that lumpy feeling in middle of throat, and burp alot.  So I don't think it was a complete success.  In a few days I'm having another follow-up EGD with Bravo capsule monitoring for 48 hours.  Don't know what it will show....
We need patience, hope and faith!
Take care!
Kay

[Lillye]

I think perhaps discontinue it---I believe it was part of whatever respiratory virus you had---I had it too and mine looked terrible but I didn't continue the anti fungal and mine went away. It was two weeks this past Sunday that this virus started and I am still a bit hoarse as the day goes on..I have a client who just started with this and he has fever of 101. Are you still a bit hoarse? I will finish the Z-PAC tonight. Honestly, I have been to more doctors the past three years than in my entire life and diagnosis is very subjective. Unless a laboratory test confirms a value or criteria that suggests a particular disease or condition, they grasp at straws. That is why I generally research my condition myself..I believe "medical advocacy" will be part of our future in health care. We now have specialists and very rarely do all of these specialists communicate adequately so we try to figure out the best path to take... How is the burning in your stomach? Hopefully, it is better...
Are you still delighted with the Vitamix?
Let me know how you are doing and tell yourself" every day in every was, I am healing and getting better and better"---lots of hugs

[HayleyBW]

Update:
I saw my internist today and he doesn't think the coating on my tongue is thrush. He also said the inside of my cheeks are clear and thrush would normally affect that.

So he told me to d/c the antifungals and the coating might just be remnants of my URI from a few weeks ago and it might go away. Not 100% confident in what he said because he didn't say he was 100% sure it isn't thrush just that it doesn't look like it and he doesn't think it is.

So now I have to decide if I finish the meds as I only have 6 days left or just d/c it as my doctor suggested.

Hope you are doing well Lilly.

[HayleyBW]

Hi Lilly, glad your tongue is all better. No change at all with mine and I am on both Nystatin rinse and oral antifungals. Seeing my internist Tues and I'll see what he says.

We did a 75 mile bike ride Saturday and Sunday so very happy that we got to do that. We missed riding 5 days last week because of the weather so at least we got a good amount in on the weekend. It was tough coming back due to wind speed though. Cycling south was good but north OMG. Wind speeds were gusting to over 20 mph and I was exhausted when we got back each day lol. Oh what torture we put ourselves through in the name of fun and exercise haha.

Today is back to NY day. Lots to do and lots of pills and meds to pack up. Sometimes I think I am 90 yo with all the pills (digestive enzymes/supplements/probiotics/meds) I am taking!

I made 2 smoothies with the Vitamix so far. Both with super greens in them (baby spinach/kale etc) and bananas and blueberries. And one also had pineapple and strawberries in them. I have to buy some protein powder to add to the smoothies and I remember you recommended some protein powder.

Yesterday during our bike ride we stopped at a health food store in Manasquan and I picked up a single serving packet of one to try that is free of gluten/sugar/dairy etc. I think it was called Garden Life or something. It's downstairs so I am just going from memory and could be totally wrong on the brand.  I am looking to get a protein powder that is dairy free/sugar free/gluten free etc. so will be doing so searching to see what I find. Do you still make smoothies to have anymore?
I still have not tried the NutriBullet and my dh is trying to convince me to get another Vitamix for our NY home but not before I try the Nutribullet. No need to spend so much money on another Vitamix if the NutriBullet is good enough for NY and I will keep the Vitamix at the Beach house.

Have a great day and keep feeling well!

[Lillye]

You will really like the vitamin---I had on years ago when I was eating macrobiotically and I think they are even better now---my partner in business has one and she makes great soups with it---
If you rode 70 miles yesterday, you definitely are going to live a long life---a few years ago, I rode about 5 miles a day and occasionally around 18 on weekends...I am impressed....10 years ago, we did a trip with Back Roads in the San Juan islands off of Washington's coast and it was great...We rode nearly all day each day, stopping at different sites and for meals and then staying at wonderful bed and breakfasts each evenings.
I really believe the loose BMs are directly related to the drugs....Antibiotics are known to trigger this because it kills not only bad bacteria but the beneficial as well.. I believe anti fungals do the same thing...our digestive systems can get out of balance easily...Perhaps try taking your probiotics twice a day or once and then eat some yogurt or kefir which is high in probiotics...
Before the past three years, I had a cast iron stomach..
I hope you had a great ride yesterday and that things have settled today...when I quit the ant fungals, my tongue got better, ...of course, I didn't take the oral pills, just the troches ...hugs and wishes for a wonderful Sunday

[HayleyBW]

Thank you for that detailed description on your smoothie recipes. I am looking forward to trying them and I am so glad they helped you gain your weight and health back.

Yesterday my dh and I were shopping at Costco and they had someone doing a vitamix demonstration and it looked amazing. Guess what? We got one  lol. So now we have a nutribullet (haven't tried it yet) and a vitamix which I opened and tried as soon as we got back yesterday. Delicious. My reasoning is this. We'll keep the Vitamix at the beach house and the NutriBullet at the NY home. This way we can make drinks at both places. I have to tell you the Vitamix is awesome. I read reviews online and I think it is going to be a good purchase. I haven't tried the NutriBullet yet but I think that is also going to be a good purchase. Just less powerful and hi tech but perfect for single smoothies/drinks.

So onto some worrisome news. I have been getting stomach cramping the last couple of days with very dark urine. I am afraid to read the side effects of the oral anti fungal I am on FLUCONAZOLE 100 mg. But I am concerned and afraid to keep taking it but afraid to stop since I still have the fungal infection on my tongue. My main concern is that it is or might infect my esophagus/digestive tract and that is why I asked the urgent care doctor to Rx it this past week. I am going back to NY Monday and have an appointment with my regular internist Tuesday and am hoping I can continue on the med till I see him. I am not sure how fast this med can cause damage if that is what is happening to my kidneys/liver etc. I know you cannot tell me the right thing to do but I am worried and don't want to make my situation worse. I also don't want to stop the med unless there is a real problem and I am just not sure yet. I will say I rarely get tummy issues/cramping and I did have a very loose BM accompanying the cramping yesterday and this morning. (Sorry for TMI!)

I also buy gifts ahead of time if I see something good for someone. I hate the pressure of finding the right gift and buying last minute so this way it takes the pressure off and people get special gifts too because I have time to think about the best gift for them specifically.

I hope you are feeling less nauseous today. Are you eating with the Z pac? That might be helpful and the best thing about the Z pac is that it is only for 5 days and that goes so fast...hope you feel better today!!!

Finally the weather is good and we are going for a hopefully long bike ride. I am aiming for 70-75 miles today and keeping my fingers crossed that my digestive issues/cramping don't affect our cycling. Bathrooms are few and far between so I am slightly nervous but hoping it all works out :)

Have a great day Lilly and feel well! (((Hugs)))