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[Brianmay1975]

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So I've had IBS-A for years, as a result of a series of untreated gastroenteritis cases. Now, it appears that, focusing for so long on the lower GI symptoms, I had not noticed the prevalence of the upper GI ones too. I only had mild to moderate dyspepsia or heartburn, so I never told my doctor about them, when I always suffered more because of the abdominal pain, diarrhea and whatnot happening in my colon. But, last week, as I complained from a chronic cough that I've had for years (and that I believed to be stress-related), my doctor suggested gastric reflux and put me on a PPI treatment, to see what happens. Well, today I had my first dose and it already feels better, I didn't cough that much and I stopped getting the altered taste of my breakfast in the back of my throat. I don't know if I meet all the diagnostic criteria of GERD, but I clearly have at least some of the symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux - especially those of laringoesophageal reflux, which is also termed atypical or "silent reflux" (the acid doesn't spend that much time in the esophagus, hence not producing that much heartburn, and istead flows forth into the larynx and the mouth) - that could explain how it went unnoticed for so many years...I am very disheartened at getting diagnosed with reflux, alongside with IBS. Before this diagnosis, I used to think that only my lower GI tract was a mess... now I know that my entire GI tract (both the upper and lower halves) is $$$$$$ed up...I am also very worried about the damage done by the acid reflux during all these years of going unnoticed. IBS was ok, as it didn't entail any compliccation, but the idea GERD scares me with menaces of Barrett's esophagus or esophagus cancer (my doctor didn't mention any of it, but I did my share of reading)...