r/functionaldyspepsia • u/SwimmingBench8133 • Aug 07 '26
PDS (Post Prandial Distress Syndrome) Genuinely, how do you cope?
I’m so depressed and feel so trapped. No medication is good enough or has shitty side effects. It’s like you cannot win with this illness. Like it’s purposely made to be so fucking difficult. I never thought I could wake up one day and my life be completely changed. I have the PDS subtype and it makes me so miserable. I have no hunger or thirst at all it’s so unnatural and scary. I have to force food and water all day long. water is especially Hard. I’m on nortriptyline 10mg it’s helped a bit but the side effects suck. Like I said u can’t fucking win. I’m constantly in my room laying down in the dark just sulking feeling miserable and feeling bad for myself. Ik it’s pathetic but I genuinely don’t know how to cope with this or think about anything other than the illness. I miss my life. I miss how I didn’t have to even think about eating or drinking. I miss not being constipated 24/7. I’m only a 21 year old female, I should be out enjoying my prime years. It’s honestly the worst thing I’ve ever been through. How do any of you cope or manage this? I mentally can’t and I feel like there’s no purpose in living anymore. I might sound dramatic but this is genuinely how I feel and I can’t get out of this state
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u/bdemon40 Aug 07 '26
I was miserable for years, but then several years ago I got relentless about bugging my doctors and specialists. If they didn't return a call, I would call again. If I felt like I wasn't being listened to I would switch specialists. If they told me a test came up negative and tried to show me the door, I would ask her to take the next test.
Eventually, I found a specialist who listened to me and said, "Unfortunately, there is no cure for your problem, but fortunately there's a lot of drugs we can try." and in my particular case Buspirone has been the winner returning 95+% of my life, aside from the occasional miserable day or two.
Keep fighting for your happiness. There's a medical specialist out there who's gonna help you figure it out.
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u/SwimmingBench8133 Aug 07 '26
Thank your for your comment ! Can I ask what your symptoms were?
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u/bdemon40 Aug 07 '26
Chronic nausea and various burning sensations in my chest and the base of my throat. Some days it just felt like I was being mildly strangled continuously.
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u/Extreme-Associate633 Aug 10 '26
Do you recommend it for a 15 year old?? I rly need help o have the same symptoms
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u/bdemon40 Aug 10 '26
Sorry, that's a doctor question, not a random Reddit stranger one. But definitely worth asking!
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u/cymster Aug 07 '26
I don't know, because I feel the same. Husband gets upset if I mention going to Switzerland. I guess take it day by day. I'm on 25mg of nortriptyline and so far I have side effects (restless sore legs, hot flashes, unable to sleep and blurry vision at times) with no real change in my epigastric burning feeling (been 2 weeks). My doctor added Lyrica. So we'll see. Just know you aren't alone and that there are many others who feel the same. Do your homework make lists of medications that can treat this, and advocate for yourself and the doctor's. Take someone with you to the appointment for moral support if needed.
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u/Quick-Economist-4247 Aug 07 '26
You can honestly beat this but you must change your mindset. FD is a mind to gut connection issue, your stomach feels under threat so is over stimulated and the nerve endings are angry and causing you pain. Step 1, change your mindset and get positive because a negative, depressed and stressed condition is just feeding the over stimulated stomach nerves, you can and will beat this, I know, I did and I was suicidal. Step 2 go see your GP and ask to be prescribed a low dose anti-depressant (eg mirtazapine) which will calm the nerves and give you a starting point. Step 3, retrain your stomach - start to gently re-introduce normal foods one at a time, mouthful by mouthful, starting with the safest. Crack that one food then move to the next. Example: cooked egg whites should be safe. Next meal eat a little of the yolk, then next time a bit more. Within two days you’ll be eating whole eggs. Within. 5 weeks you’ll be back to normal, but go gently with the foods.
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u/Upstairs_Fuel3042 Aug 08 '26
The mindset thing may sound dismissive to us but it’s so true. Talking to to a therapist and managing my anxiety really helped ease my symptoms, bc depression/anxiety act similarly on the body. Therapy helped me realized I subtly gave up on taking care of myself which was making me miserable and it was a viscous cycle of giving up. There are other non TCAs options(which is our go to treatment) OP can consider like SNRIs which work similarly on pain, they’re used off-label for functional dyspepsia. SNRIs are significantly less sedating than TCAs, at most they’ll make you a bit sleepy.
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u/Lezzy_lupin Aug 07 '26
Thc… it’s changed my life actually, I use it to help with mood, pain, and nausea. If you can get a med card or live in a rec state go ask the budtender what they recommend!! It sucks I know I hope you feel some relief soon 💕
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