Partner has GI problems and we're getting scared

Post date: 2021-04-15 11:02:30

Partner has gastrointestinal problems and we're getting scared.

My partner has been suffering from gastrointestinal problems for about three months. It started with trouble swallowing and then feeling food getting stuck in her esophagus. She tested positive for H. pylori and was put on two antibiotics and omeprazole (a.k.a. Prilosec) for two weeks. That helped with the swallowing but she then developed severe abdominal pains. She went to a gastroenterologist and he did an endoscopy which showed "irritation due to acid reflux" and they took biopsies for which we're still awaiting results.

The abdominal pain is less severe but it still hurts when she eats. She has no appetite and eating sometimes makes her feel nauseous and she has to force herself. She's down from 125 lbs. to 109 and is losing weight every day. Her diet is mostly coconut yogurt, bananas, eggs fried in oil, rice, and water crackers (the gastroenterologist advised a bland diet). She's tried avocado and almond butter a couple times but she said it was painful after, though it seems anything causes at least some pain. She's counting calories and figures she's getting 900–1200 a day. She was taking a women's multivitamin but just switched to a kids' multi which is easier on her stomach. She's tried Tums, Pepto Bismol and Pecid but those only help a little.

All this is causing lots of anxiety and daily panic attacks. She feels trapped in her body and is so tired of living like this. She did find a therapist (mine, actually) who is talking with her and prescribed mirtazapine for the anxiety/depression and lorazepam for the panic attacks. The lorazepam is the only thing that makes her feel a little better mentally and physically.

Right now the scariest thing is her weight loss. She doesn't know if she has weeks to wait for the doctor to get biopsy results, or to get a second opinion from another. My therapist, who used to work at Stanford, recommended going there for the GI problems. But we don't even know who to call or where to start; it seems there are dozens of doctors and multiple clinics.

Sorry this is so long. I'm trying to stay strong for her but we're both getting scared. She left a message with the gastro doc yesterday explaining her concerns about the weight loss but we have yet to hear back. How do we start with Stanford? Who else can we talk to about getting her weight back up? What other foods can we try? Any other suggestions on how to get through this?

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