I am not sure what happened exactly but my health has taken a serious turn for the worse over the last year. I have always suffered from issues with digestion (was told it was IBS) but for the most part, it was just uncomfortable bathroom stuff and occasional stomach pain. But very manageable. I had extensive testing done and they said there was nothing to worry about, just try to avoid foods that make it worse.
A few years ago I developed a disorder with swallowing and ultimately lost function of my esophagus. I lost 30 lbs in a few weeks and was hospitalized, and had surgery to correct the issue. I can eat again and things were just fine for me. However I was put on strong prescription antacid medication (PPIs) due to the surgery, even though I never had heartburn issues normally. But the surgery I had requires it. They kept putting me on stronger PPIs and the most recent one, I think, has completely destroyed my health.
My IBS symptoms from before that were just occasionally inconvenient have become severe and borderline debilitating. I am always sick. I have no more energy. My body no longer tolerates any food well except maybe yogurt. I made the connection after about 6 months with the new PPI medication they had switched me to and always had it in the back of my head as a potential cause.
Finally after a year of suffering I asked my doctor if I could try going off them, as I was not experiencing very much heartburn at all. She said I could try to slowly take less. I planned to begin taking them every other day at first, but there was a snafu at the pharmacy and I went 4 days without taking it. I had some of the most painful heartburn in my whole life, and I got EXTREMELY sick. Like the worst IBS symptoms I have ever had. The heartburn has since stabilized but the increased IBS issues are slower to return to normal.
I have seen a gastroenterologist and she was dismissive of me and did not even let me explain some of my more alarming symptoms. Told me to take her recommended probiotics which I have done for months with no change (it is worse, if anything). Today I am having a full scope done (fun!) to investigate and hopefully rule out some of the more serious issues like cancer. It is causing me a lot of stress, but I had this test done 6 or 7 years ago thankfully, and it came back clean. I am in so much pain lately that it is hard to move around comfortably.
At this point, coupled with the pandemic, I am feeling quite hopeless. I don't know what to do, nothing seems to help and the doctor I have been referred to is so dismissive of me. I could tell she was going to be bad, she came and yelled at the receptionist 3 times while I was in the waiting room for various reasons. Going in I already know she was rushed, in a bad mood and did not want to be there. And I waited a long time to get this appointment too.
I am strongly considering exploring naturopathy at this point. I have friends with serious gut issues like IBS and Crohn's who have benefited greatly from some of the nutrition plans and routines suggested by naturopath specialists. I normally don't buy into that hippy dippy crap at all but at this point I am desperate. I just want to be able to work out again but my entire body just hurts, it is hard to even go up and down stairs in the last month.
Sorry, I am just ranting here. Pretty sure my family is sick of hearing about this so I need to let it out somehow.