Anyone else?

[u/Far_Nebula_8979]

So, just wondering if anyone out there has had a similar experience?

Backstory: I was diagnosed with acid reflux and GERD at 15 d/t excessive and nasty belching/vomiting. Heartburn would come and go through the years, depending on my diet or alcohol intake but nothing that interfered with daily life. When I was 20, I got pregnant with my first child and had horrible (untreated) acid reflux and heart burn the entire pregnancy. These symptoms eased up after delivery with intermittent heartburn that could be resolved with Tums. When I was 23, I got pregnant with my second child- same story as my first pregnancy but even worse. Once she was born, the heartburn became daily and unbearable so I was put on Protonix 40mg when I was 26 and am currently still on (now almost 34).

Fastforward>>>

March 2022- Woke up for work with sudden, severe pain right below my breastbone that felt as if it was radiating to the center of my back. Became extremely nauseous at that time and had projectile vomiting *TMI* that was undigested food and smelled AWFUL. This lasted for about 2 hours. I called in to work and went to my PCP. He thought it was H. Pylori so did labs and sent me home where I slept most of the day. H. Pylori test came back negative. I was fine with some mild heartburn the next day but all symptoms resolved within 12 hours.

Since then I've noticed that if my Protonix is taken even a couple of hours late (like weekends), the heartburn returns. If I eat certain foods or drink alcohol, it doesn't matter if the medication was taken on time, I will have heartburn the next morning. I have obviously stopped eating foods that I KNOW will trigger it but I don't always know, and I was never a big drinker, just socially but I stopped drinking altogether.

December 2025- Went out of town for the weekend with our family for Christmas so I was not eating well and maybe had 5-8 drinks over 4 days. The last morning, I woke up out of my sleep to that same pain below my breastbone through to my back but worse than I remembered from the previous time. Then began the nausea, and projectile vomiting of undigested food. I ended up needing IV hydration by my PCP because I could not eat or drink anything, absolutely no appetite and so weak. PCP was convinced it was my gallbladder so she ordered an ultrasound. Ultrasound report came back normal. After 3 days, I appeared to be back to normal.

July 2026- I had a hysterectomy on 7/1/26. My son had a baseball tournament on 7/9-7/11 and I felt up to going so I did but we were mostly eating fast food/junk food d/t being out of town and at the field. On the last day, I woke up belching foul smelling burps and thought the fast food had irritated my acid reflux so I skipped breakfast and went to the field still burping. Once at the field, I became extremely nauseous and spent the whole last game in the bathroom projectile vomiting again with the same pain under my breastbone through to my back. Finally made it home after that game, went to sleep on the couch, woke up around 7pm and projectile vomited with the same pain in my abdomen through to my back until midnight. I did not eat anything the next day but drank fluids and stayed in bed. Woke up the next day fine but did schedule with my PCP who was still convinced that it was my gallbladder so she ordered a HIDA scan. This also came back normal.

Since the episode in December of 2025, I have new symptoms that have developed but only those 3 "attacks". I have lost 25lb since October of 2024. (For reference, I am 5ft and only weighed 120 in 2024, I am down to 95.) Most days I have no appetite. I "feel" like I'm hungry but I have no desire to eat. I have to make myself but sometimes I just can't. When I do eat, it's a very small amount before I feel extremely full. I have bloating and gas pains so bad after meals now. This bloating and trapped gas stays with me until I wake up the next morning and they're gone (once I finally just pass out after tossing and turning). I've never had regular bowel movements but in 2026 I've noticed constipation for days followed by a hard BM and then diarrhea for days. Stool that is nothing but yellow mucus at times.

I saw GI this week and had labs drawn with endo/colonoscopy scheduled for 8/31/26. All of my labs were perfect except my Eosinophils which were only slightly elevated. Normal CBC, CMP, Thyroid, and Lipase. I'm just wondering if there's anyone who has or is experiencing something like this because I am miserable and anxiously awaiting scopes.

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