Please could someone help ? My quality of life has been destroyed by this condition of mine. It all began in May 2016 when I developed a throat discomfort at the tail-end of a flu. My GP prescribed omeprazole ( because she thought it was acid-related) which I took once a day with Gaviscon. The medications worked but only for a short while. I then took omeprazole twice a day with Gaviscon. Again they worked and then they stopped working. And that's when I developed full gastroesophageal reflux symptoms - heart burn, stomach burn, throat burn. Life became unbearable. I put all the lifestyle changes in place e.g. elevating my bed, stopped drinking coffee and tea and eating spicy foods. I changed my diet completely but nothing worked. I then had to stopped all medications for two weeks so I can go for my first gastroscopy - this was a requirement of the examination. I was then diagnosed with severe oesophagitis / reflux and a hiatal hernia. Surgery became my one and only hope. I then resumed different proton pump inhibitors ( lansoprazole which worked only for a short while and finally esomeprazole which continued working at 75 % effectiveness level) . The surgeon I saw referred me for more tests. A repeat gastroscopy one month after the first one diagnosed a healed oesophagus, no hiatal hernia and a scarred lower oesophagus. An ultrasound scan of my gallbladder showed a very tiny gallstone which was not blocking any duct and an oesophageal manometry and 24 hour ph test both showed my oesophagus functioning well, my lower esophageal sphincter was not defective and that there was minimal weakly acid relux only once but the rest showed no reflux at all. Surgery was no longer seen as benefiting me. I was diagnosed with functional heartburn / oesophageal hypersensitivity.
I had a burning throat and terrible chest pains when swallowing up until a few weeks ago. An ENT consultant I saw took a throat swab and found "significant organisms" for which he prescribed very strong antibiotics. I am now on day 6 of the medication but my throat has not stopped burning. Strangely enough when the ENT consultant scoped me, my voice box had no damage. My voice is fine and I don't have the classic silent reflux symptoms ie. phlegmy throat, chronic coughing and runny nose. My chest pains are lessening though. I used to get gripping chest pains but not in the same degree of severity now. Occasionally I still get a sense of warmth or a slight burning sensation in my chest but no where near as bad as before. The throat burn is driving me crazy though. I don't have a fever and I can still swallow fine.
I am due to have an upper oesophagoscopy by the same ENT consultant. If any one can help me and shed some light on my symptoms or even share I would be grateful. It feels so isolating having this chronic condition. I sometimes feel that it was the medications ( the PPI's ) which had started all of this. Currently I am weaning off the esomeprazole ( nexium ). So far no severe acid rebound. My diet and lifestyle changes continue.
I am so fed up with my throat burning ; sometimes the burn spreads to my collar bone. Please someone please help.
Desperate.