I’m not asking for advice or sympathy, I just need to vent.
So near the beginning of the year, I started dry heaving every morning. I’d get up, go to the bathroom, feed the dogs and then it happened. Nothing ever came up. I was concerned, so I made a gastric appointment, but, of course, that was months away.
In the intervening time, I stopped eating. I didn’t eat for 21 days. I was living off of Gatorade and Ensure. I could drink, but the very thought of eating made me feel sick and actually trying was just not possible.
But then that stopped and I just went back to the heaving and had to wait until June to see the gastric doc. Actually a nurse. She scheduled me for a scope in July, which is when they discovered the ulcer. They put me on Protonix, which is a protein pump inhibitor. It did precisely nothing about the heaving.
So now I’m not eating again. I got an emergency meeting on Monday with the doctor who did the scope and he was totally unconcerned and told me, for a $50 copay mind you, to add Mylanta to my medication and call him in 2 weeks. I can barely choke it down and I’m still heaving and I’m still not eating.
And I can’t even drink Ensure anymore. I did last night and felt so sick. Also I fucking hate Gatorade so much, but I found out that the reason the taste is so strong is to cover the awful, awful taste of whatever the electrolyte mixture is because you can totally taste it with Propel.
My wife did research and loss of appetite is indeed a symptom of gastric ulcers, which may be why the doctor didn’t seem to care, but wow does this suck.
No other appointments with any other gastric doc within a 90 minute drive is available within the next two weeks. Two weeks from Tuesday will be another 21 days. Maybe I’ll go for a new record this time.
This sounds a lot more serious than a casual doctor’s visit in a couple weeks. If I were you, I would go to urgent care or maybe even the ER and not leave until they get you in to see a specialist. Take a family member to vouch for you if that would help.
He would be that specialist. This isn’t a big city. And I can’t go to some nearby city’s ER.
Also, I went to urgent care once and the ER twice last time. No help whatsoever. Nothing even showed up on a CT scan.
But I appreciate it.
You’re not going to be seen by a GI doctor in the emergency department for dry heaving or for abdominal pain. You might see them if you have active GI bleed and need an emergent EGD (scope) and have to be admitted to the ICU.
Pet theory that a lot of doctors are sociopaths and join the profession for the power and money. Rare to find one that actually cares about people and hasn’t burnt out.
Or they just have become so desensitized to suffering and conditions that they became sociopaths in the process. Point being that it’s either that or getting burned out, but I don’t think the profession attracts that many sociopaths, it just makes them.
I doubt it will help them mentally if they get emotionally involved with every patient and console everyone. One or two dozen patients a day or more than 50 in a hospital will wreck them completely. I think of them like they are car mechanics. No wonder they can easily cut people during surgery without blinking an eye. That professional is not for the weak minded.
I know a few nurses in the neighbourhood and this is basically their survival strategy.
Absolutely. Dentists too. If you were a sadist and wanted a job with the most potential for causing pain, medical professions would be high on the list.
Feel free to vent here, or on !casualconversation@lemmy.world .
I know the sub used to prevent this kind of topics, but Lemmy is too small to have this kind of restrictions
Good luck, it seems horrible…
I had ulcers a lot when I was younger. If you go to the ER, they will give you Milk of Magnesia with Lidocaine in it (basically). Which almost immediately curbs the pain. The cure, for mine atleast, was Nexium for a few months, then a steady dose of Omeprezol (each one reduces acid from different sources). Over time, all my stomach problems went away. I still take Omeprezol, but maybe 25gm every 2 weeks, if that.
Not a doctor but you can try drinking cold apple juice or black grape juice. If these aren’t available then refrigerated water melon or very ripe bananas or coconut water. These will give you some appetite and cool down the stomach acid which is causing the ulcer.
Dude, that sucks. I totally understand the medical situation as I also live somewhere with dismissive doctors and no real options.
I don’t have any advice, I just agree that it sucks.
Have you considered asking a GP or going to ER with that?
Done both already last time around. Neither of them even suggested an ulcer. They said it was salmonella or something similar. At least this time around I know I have an ulcer.
I used to think I’d deal with any side effects if I could find something to control my appetite. Reading your account, I have to revise my thoughts on that.
I’m not a doctor… but if you need electrolytes, and hate the taste of Gatorade… you could try pedialyte. I’ve never tasted it personally, but I’d assume since it’s geared towards children… it’s gotta taste a tad better than Gatorade… hopefully?
I’d also suggest broths or soups if you’re able to tolerate them. That would help to hydrate you and give you some vitamins and minerals. Oh, also take a multivitamin or supplement to help you during this difficult digestive time…
I wish you good luck and good health. 🤞🏻 the specialists get to the bottom of this and you’re feeling better soon!
soylent is great.
Something similar to this happened to me because of food allergies (undiagnosed wheat and milk casein, gastroenteritis for over a week). Can you try switching to plant based ensure?
That sucks. Hope you get better soon! Do you have a primary care physician or family doctor? They should be able to help you with prescription medication for nausea and also help manage your acid. Are you taking max dose protonic already for example. I would also suggest to get tested for helicobacter pylori.
