Acid Reflux Forum - constant heartburn, indigestion, and gas

This may be a little long, but please read, this explains my whole story. In need of help, and very curious if anyone else in this world is experiencing these problems that I am having.

For the past five years, I have been going through the worst heartburn/indigestion/gas issues of my life. The medication that I take pretty much takes care of the heartburn part, but I never seem to escape the billion pounds of gas in my stomach that can never been relieved (even with hundreds of burps)!! Most of the time it feels like I cant%u2019 breath, like someone has there hands around my throat, which makes everything in life hard. I have seen numerous doctors and specialists, and have gone through almost every possible procedure to try to render a concrete diagnosis that has not been found. I have also tried EVERY over the counter medication there is known to man (sometimes in dangerously excessive amounts)!! It all started out with (of course) the heartburn and the bloating; I went to see my family doctor who in turn prescribed Nexium. At first it worked really well, no problems; but after about a few months, I seemed to become immune on the drug, and it didn%u2019t work anymore. I went back to the family doctor who ordered me to get an upper GI barium test. This of course did prove I have acid reflux disease, but no other apparent problems. I continued on the Nexium for a little longer and still no improvement. Again, went back to the family doctor, practically begging, and telling him that this isn%u2019t working. Needless to say, we tried about 3 other types of prescriptions (Previcid, Acifex, etc., etc.).

After much frustration, I ended up switching doctors. Told my new doctor everything that I went through and he ordered and upper GI endoscopy. I went back on the Nexium since that was the only medication that gave me little relief. The upper endoscopy showed nothing, and the specialist, pretty much shoved me out the door, and prescribed me with an IBS medication, when I do not have many symptoms of IBS. I probably would have stayed on the Nexium, but my (so wonderful) insurance company decided to deny my prescription (due to the lack of notes with my family doctor). The insurance company wants you to try every possible other prescription before Nexium because the cost is so high, about $400.00 a month without insurance.

Again, much more frustration, I tried more alternatives, changed more in my diet, tried not to stress out. Nothing seemed to work. Went to see my family doctor again, he sent me to see another specialist. This time, it was one that concentrates more on the lower GI tract. At this time, but doctors believes that a bacteria must be causing this, if nothing else is working. He did not believe that it is due to swallowed air because that tends to be more in patients with asthma or respiratory problems.

So, I went to see this doctor (latest one). He ordered me to do a stool sample, and a genetics test for Celtic disease. I did get some results back, according to the results of my stool sample, I have a bad bacteria (Pseudomonas Aeruginosa), which the doctor told me could only be contracted from hospitals or nursing homes (and I have never been hospitalized, but I have visited nursing homes before). He also indicated that I have no GOOD bacteria whatsoever in my stool. The Celtic disease results only indicated that I have only few of the indications to suggest the disease, but it could not be specifically determined.

He gave me some natural supplements to remove the bad bacteria from my system, and replace the good. 2 months later, no improvement. The specialist told me the only step left, if the supplements didn%u2019t work), was to try the diet for Celtic disease. This means I have to cut a lot of food items out of my life. But I have realized over the 5 years, that it really doesn%u2019t matter what I eat, I still always feel the same way. Of course some things will make it a little worse (i.e., tomatoes, tomato sauce), but it always stays constant.

I feel like I am at a dead end here, with no where to go, and sometimes I just want to crawl in a hole and die. And it feels to me that there is no real urgency in the science of gastroenterology. I always get the sense (anytime I see a doctor), that they feel I am making it up, or it is not serious, but it is serious to me!!

Please provide me with any feedback you might have, you any experiences. I would greatly appreciate it.

Thank You, and Have a Great Day.

Christina.