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I'm so sorry, this is a very long post, but I felt if I didn't put everthing in it could waste people's time in the long run. I would REALLY welcome your thoughts as I'm desperate for answers now. Back in 2004 I was treated for a duodendum ulcer, then in 08 I was admitted to hospital A&E twice with severe night time chest pains that were also present to a lesser extent during the day and accompanied by excess saliva in my mouth. (waterbrush I believe it is called). The first episode happened in Aug 08, and it was the first time in my life I have ever needed an ambulance. I had been in agony for days prior to that too. I had been taking antacids for a few weeks prior too. To confuse matters the hospital thought I was having a heart attack as the ECG gave out 3 funny readings (must have been my heart murmer which is benign). Anyhow, I stayed in cardio overnight, had checks and was okay and was given Omeprazole 80mg for 4 weeks then down to 40mg. There was no follow up via my GP etc. I wasn’t entirely convinced by the diagnosis of an ulcer as it felt so different to the doudendum ulcer I’d had (this was much worse), plus I wasn’t aware of a lot of acid coming into my mouth, although there certainly was some The Doctor said that was because it hadn’t got up there yet which I don't fully understand. I was just vaguely told it was acid. 2 months later it happened again (after I had completed the course). But this time I was literally bent over in agony on the floor most of the day and I lost so much weight it wasn’t good. The pain was SO bad lying down in bed I could not move to the left or right without feeling searing burning sharp whooshing pain in the centre of my breast bone and at the same time my mouth was over flowing with saliva. The serious pain came on after a big meal in the evening about an hour or so after eating. On both occasions the pains shifted to the back also which was nasty. When I was admitted to A&E the pains went after a while and they did test for gallbladder etc and they were fine, so I was released again with yet more Omeprazole but still with no explanation. (With hindsight I think being sat upright in the hospital bed may have helped) When I ask my Doctor why this hasn’t gone away he says it’s probably due to stress and that’s that. I’m not at all over weight, don’t smoke, drink moderately and do lots of exercise). I went back to another Doc who said it was probably an ulcer, but an endoscopy in 08 was clear of ulcers or chrons disease. Anyhow, this July just gone I move house and doctors and I start getting this squeezing in my upper back again (sort of upper back shifting between being below left and right shoulder blades). It is not muscular in nature and is not made better or worse by movement but does seem to be sparked off by alcohol. It is the same accompanying pain I had before when I was rushed into hospital but fortunately this time only in the back. I tell my GP my concerns and she says she believes it is muscular because I work in an office. I tell her I’ve always done a desk job and I’m sure it’s food/drink related but she tells me to do some arm stretches. A month goes by and I am miserable at work in the day because of the cramping/squeezing in my back. It’s a new job and I have to make a good impression, but the pains just make me unable to focus on anything. They are worst from 10am – 3pm. Twice I go home from work in too much discomfort to work. I go back to the Doc and see a different Doctor that day who says it could be acid and gives me Omeprazole 20mg. I take the drugs and nothing happens, - I’m still in pain. A month passes and I see another Doc (they rotate), this Doctor thinks it could be muscular and we do another strip off the shirt exam. I tell him I’ve done all this already which doesn’t go down too well. I leave empty handed hopeless and seriously fed up, now I am stressed! After a few days I decide to go back again as I’m about to quit my job I’m in so much discomfort and this time I’m upped to 40mg Omeprazole and given no explanation other than to drink plenty of milk, and that this happens if you’re stressed at work. In my head I’m thinking I’m not stressed at work, but I keep my mouth shut this time. 3 days pass and no change = getting worried. A week passes and eureka the pain has gone by mid Nov 2009. Like every other time the Omeprazale takes a while to kick in for me. Fantastic! I’m still left wanting to know what I have etc though and how safe are these tablets that I’ve been on for 9 of the last 16 months though... Still no diagnosis other than ‘acid’ though. I’m taking gaviscon again too.Then in December 2009 the symptoms reappear and my Doc assures me it’s probably because of Xmas. He tells me I must stay on the Omeprazole although I don’t like being on it one bit. We look through my old notes on the endoscopy I had in 2008 which showed no ulcer or abnormalities (a biopsy was also taken). My GP at the time was concerned that nothing would show up on the endoscopy since I was too unwell to come off the Omeprazole (80mg) and he said the risk was that nothing would show up on the endoscopy. I mention this to my new Doc and he says it wouldn’t matter as a biopsy was done. He then reads the clinical endoscopy notes which I’m not privy to and and tells me not to come off the Omeprazale and that I should give up caffeine and alcohol.Then last week I read an article about Omeprazale that scared me so I decided to be radical and come off it. I purchased an acid/alkaline book and SEVERELY restricted my diet all last week in the hope I could control it without drugs. No tea, coffee, chocolate, bread, biscuits, meat, fruit, pretty much everything apart from potatoes, salad and oats. I did this a few days with some success although I was not eating properly, and the pain was always lingering and would come back if I accidently ate something wrong. Then last night I decided it was time for some meat as I wanted some protein. So, I bought a joint of lamb on the bone and cooked it with mixed vegetables (include carrot, onion, and potato). I ate it up and 2 hours later was really pleased thinking it was a safe food I could add to my list since the symptoms usually come on an hour or so after eating. Then at 4am this morning OH MY GOD pain was like before when I had been admitted to hospital this time it was right in the centre of my chest again as well as my back. It was hell. Up all night with dreadful sharp burning cramping pains in my chest as well as my back. Getting up didn’t help massively. Today I’m bad too and am scared I can’t get into a state again not eating. I’ve taken Omeprazole again today, but it takes a few days to work for me. I am feeling a little breathless recently which is odd because I do lots of sports. I wondered if it was anaemia brought on my Omeprazole, but now I’m wondering if it is a GERD complication. Bottom line – does this sound like a severe case of GERD?? What should I do??? How can I manage this long term? I really don't want to be on Omeprazole for years as I've already been on it 16 monthsHow do I manage my Doctors as I'm not getting any diagnosis other than acid??