What is going on with my stomach? SO scared!

[SaunteringDownwards]

I've felt like horrendous for weeks now (after having Covid at the end of January). I have had really disrupted sleep, incredibly vivid dreams every.single.night and I am completely exhausted all day.

These past two weeks my stomach has been acting up a lot. I am burping non-stop and have heartburn multiple times a day, even if I haven't eaten. It feels like food gets stuck more than it used to and I have to chew a lot more to make swallowing easier. Nothing I eat or don't eat seems to make a difference and I idiotically googled and I have convinced myself I have stomach cancer . I know it is very unlikely to be that but I am not someone who has ever had stomach issues before. The GP has said over the phone to take indigestion meds for a week or two and see what happens but I am really starting to worry something isn't right. I have just slept for three hours in the middle of the day and still can't keep my eyes open. I am 34 and feel like I am wasting away!

I have been under huge amounts of stress since around last October so I know it is probably just that but with the way the NHS is (and my GP) I am really worried I wouldn't get diagnosed in time if it was something serious - which I am becoming increasingly convinced it is.

Some ideas on how to feel better/reassurance would be really appreciated. Going out of my mind with worry about it.

That's what it sounds like to me. I had h.pylori and my symptoms were exactly the same.

Sorry you are going through this OP. I went through something similar a few years ago. I lost loads of weight because I couldn't eat. I remember the feeling at the top of my stomach well.

Anyway, it was brought on by stress that gave me awful GERD. Lansoprazole daily plus Gaviscon Advance after every meal and before bed eventually sorted me out, though it did take a couple of weeks to feel better.

Also look at your diet. Anything with spices, or fatty foods or tomato based foods can set me off, as well as citrus. Porridge is great to have in the morning because it's heavy. Also having keffir daily seems to help.

CBT for the stress and exercise also made a massive difference.

@Eightiesgirl this is correct. You don't need antibiotics if you don't have the h pylori bacteria. I have an ulcer without the bacteria and I'm only on lanzopramole too.

I would try cutting cut out alcohol, onions, garlic, chilli, pepper, dairy, acidic things like tomatoes as a PP said and some 'damp' foods (Chinese medicine) such as mushrooms, avocados, peanuts etc.
Stick to very easy to digest and simple food.
A gentle diet of White rice, chicken, root veg & bone broth did wonders for me when I was at my worst stress & IBS wise.

@OneForTheRoadThen Thank you so much for that information.

So if its an ulcer will the omeprazole possibly sort it?

I had similar symptoms PPIs didn't help. I then tried Apple Cider Vinegar with mother. Sounds strange but it worked. Lots of information on GORD and ACV with mother on YouTube.

Get an h.pylori test first. H.pylori causes ulcers and it's thought up to 60% of the world population carries it without knowing. The fact that your symptoms are regular and recent makes it sound pretty much like mine when I had it.
As others have said, the problem with PPIs like omeprazole is that you can end up with low stomach acid which has the same symptoms as too much.

Apple cider vinegar with the mother (Holland and Barrett) is fabulous for gallbladders and all kinds of digestive things.

Raise the head of your bed so your stomach acid can't rise up and burn your tubes. Take the meds and do the GERD diet for a couple of weeks. It's miserable but it'll give a chance for your tubes to heal. You must not sleep lying flat for a bit.

Been there, get a hold of it now.

Got that too. Gastritis, hiatus hernia and esophagitis. Difficulty swallowing, reflux/burning coming up into my throat. Take the indigestion medication. Did the doc prescribe anything. I have gaviscon. Take it after meals and before bed.I’m also taking manuka honey. Just started it before meals

This is what people want to live with when covid is allowed to be spread.
Some people find a FODMAP diet helps.

As above, you need a test for helicobacter pylori. I've had it in the past and similar symptoms. Cleared with omeprazole and various antibiotics.

I was tested for it again when I had similar symptoms after covid. I was bloating like a goat (never had that before), nausea and heartburn. I was also tested for coeliac disease.

Luckily it all settled after a couple of months but it was awful

Well new (and grim) symptoms began over the weekend. I am now in a fair bit of pain after it eased off a bit yesterday and every time I go to the loo it is bright yellow (sorry I know that is TMI but I am so worried it's some sort of horrific condition of my stomach or pancreas). Been trying to get on to the phone to the GP since I woke up because I can't go on like this and have so much on this week . I know my anxiety about it is making it worse but I really can't help it, I've never had anything like this before. I am in so much pain but doubt they would do anything for it at A&E and it's not really an emergency as such, just really really hurts!

Please don't worry too much. I know it's easier said than done as I've had exactly the same symptoms as you, Googled everything, and worried myself stupid.

I really do think it's a long term effect of Covid. It causes all kinds of gastro issues which the general flu doesn't. I've spent four weeks with the kind of symptoms you describe - can't get an on the day GP appointment, but time is the leveller here. It does improve and will - you just have to get it out of your head that it's something terminal. It's a common and pretty widespread after effect from Covid, and I've been told can take up to 12 weeks to heal.

@happyinherts I did have Covid at the end of January but these gastro symptoms only started a couple of weeks ago. Can it have a delay like that do you think?

Yes. I had Covid in February, and was fine for two weeks. Then suddenly these gastric issues started one afternoon. I felt shivery down my arms and the next day... Well, you don't wish to know the details. Suffice to say I needed to pay professionals for plumbing :( It's been awful. Bloating, pain, toilet trips which do not fit in with norovirus and general D&V. Others I speak to say after effect of Covid - and they thought they were over it.

@SaunteringDownwards Sorry if this has already been mentioned as haven't read full thread but I also had yellow/pale stools when I had Hpylori. I even had them for ages after I'd had the treatment and the infection had cleared up. It turned out id got a malabsorption problem which cleared up by itself after a few months. I was convinced I'd got liver failure, pancreas problems etc but it did all eventually clear up.

I think the anxiety is because I've never really suffered from stomach problems so I can't say to myself "you've had this before and it wasn't something serious", which is how I deal with my health anxiety the rest of the time. I was referred to out of hours docs who advised going to urgent care centre for abdominal pain but I doubt they will do anything there would they? and I would be waiting for hours. Probably best to wait and try the GP first thing tomorrow. Just fed up of the pain, it's a stabbing pain right at the top of my stomach under my ribs and it hurts SO much . I can't even breathe in all the way.

Hi OP as you are in so much discomfort I would heed what the out of hours doctor says and go immediately to the urgent care centre. Surely waiting a while there would be better than waiting to get the GP tomorrow. I know that I would much rather be seen sooner rather than later were I in your shoes.

As as aside I suffer from horrendous health anxiety myself so totally understand your fears but sometimes it's best just to face things head on, particularly in circumstances like this.

In a not so fun turn of events I'm now at the surgery unit waiting to see if I need an operation on my gallbladder

Oh no OP. I do hope you are ok, it’s a very worrying time for you. How did you get to the surgery unit, did you go through docs or 111 etc? Either way it sounds like they are taking you seriously now. Keep us updated x

Ignore my last question - just read your previous post.

Sounds like typical GORD symptoms, start with over the counter meds and if they don't work GP will px Proton pump inhibitors

By the way it's fats, caffeine, booze and spicy foods that irritate it. For me also dairy and heavy cards but most of all big meals and eating in the evening.
I'm off the meds now as following The Acid Watcher diet and it works thank god!