Health Check In: Still More to Endure

I made two videos which were unusable which touched on all of this and then another one on Sunday night that goes into some of what’s been going on and can be viewed here for those that would rather watch a video. However, I feel that writing things down is much more cathartic so here we are. I’m amazed at how I get into a routine to get physically stronger and then something comes up and I have to stop and the little progress I have made is lost, but I still get back up, still keep fighting. The resilience with all of this amazes me each time because I prove to myself time and again that I am stronger than I give myself credit for. These past fews weeks or so, this has been harder to do. The exhaustion I had been feeling was almost crippling. I was napping when I could and sleeping away most of the weekends.

On Wednesday, I spoke with my gastro to ask for refills of Voquezna and she put the request in, but it kept getting rejected. I found out from United Healthcare, the reason I can no longer take the Voquezna is because Voquezna themselves have a strict 120 pill limit is to ensure the medication is used safely, prevent patients from overusing it, and align with its FDA-approved short-term treatment durations. Because it is a powerful acid blocker and more potent than Omeprazole and other PPI’s, limiting supply helps manage risks like Clostridioides difficile-(C-DIFF) associated diarrhea (CDAD) and potential long-term side effects. Then on Thursday of last week I took my last 20MG dose of Voquezna which I had been taking for gastritis and Barrett’s Esophagus. The only thing I could do was take the last 3 pills of the 10MG dose I had from the previous month, which made it all worse. Sunday was the last pill I took.

Knowing the reason for the cap on pills, I resigned myself on what’s to come, which is PPI rebound. What is PPI rebound? Well PPI’s such as Voquezna, Omeprazole, Pantoprazole work by suppressing the acid produced in the stomach which then enables the stomach lining and esophageal lining to heal. However, when you stop taking these pills, the body then begins to produces excess acid, leading to severe rebound heartburn, indigestion, and acid reflux symptoms. Sometimes 5 to 7 times worse than before. According to people I have spoken to and from what I read online, these symptoms start a few days after stopping the medication and may last for a few weeks to even months depending on your body, how long you took the medication and what type you took.

I can honestly say I didn’t need to wait. I felt the effects the same day I started taking the 10MG because taking that was like taking nothing at all. When I stopped I felt even worse. The nausea, bloating, borborygmi (rumbling, gurgling in stomach) and gnawing in my stomach which feels like you’re hungry 24/7 but it’s the acid. The acid reflux started bothering my throat last night after dinner, All this and I’m only a few days free of Voquezna. Then there’s the risk of C-Diff that’s still there because your gut microbiome is recovering from the disruption caused by acid suppression. In my case for about 5months in total. As if this isn’t enough, I have to see a surgeon because of a hyperplastic glandular mucosa in my colon found during my colonoscopy. These polyp like growths typically appear to due to chronic inflammation and long standing gastritis. The problem is that United Healthcare pays for the surgeon, but the neither anesthesiologist nor the facility he will use to do the surgery are covered. Soo that leaves me in limbo. I have an appointment with him next week and will ask him if there is any other facility he does surgery at that is covered by my insurance. If not, I will have to look for someone else who is good. I still have trauma from the botched boob biopsy, so I need someone competent to remove that polyp-ish thing in my colon. I am waiting for a response from my gastroenterologist to see why she didn’t remove it during my colonoscopy because that would have saved me from having to go under again for another costly procedure.

All of this has been stressful and I have been asking myself lots of questions. Is my Barrett’s healed? Can I have coffee again, cinnamon? Lemon, Lime, chocolate? Is my gastritis gone? Will I only have to deal with IBS or will I get worse? I also still have to get an MRI of my facial bones to see if I have anything abnormal due to constant irritation of my hard palate when I eat. All I want to do is get back to health and thought I was getting there but man, life is just messing with me. Does this all suck? HECK YEAH IT DOES!!! As the British say, BLOODY HELL! However, as crappy as all of this is, I walk and last year I was having trouble doing that and with a calm head after starting the coaching program, I figured out what was going on and dealt with it all with a calm head.

Focusing on the positive here, I can still have ice-cream and somewhat bland chicken, my fresh apple tea with manuka and Oui yogurt right now, plus fresh bread, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, rice and can at least drink water. I definitely won’t be cheating anytime soon with the no no foods because I have to make sure I don’t do any damage to my esophagus or stomach lining as my body tries to balance the acid out or damage them any further if they are not healed. I have another sound bowl healing session this weekend to help me at the very least relax. I had one last Sunday and it helped with my energy which is much needed and no doubt it will help boost my energy again when I go in a few days. The weather is warmer and while my body is not ready for it, I will get out my summer dresses and try to enjoy as much of it as I can.

Things will work out, I just have to keep faith that they will. I have to continue to have HOPE. You never know what tomorrow or next week holds for you. A solution or answer may just be around the corner. Just hold on to hope a little bit longer. Until next time my Phoenixes. Be kind and gracious to yourself and others and remember DON’T GIVE UP!