Help, need input.

Hello, I am new to this forum but have suffered from heartburn and other symptoms for years. I would just like to know if anyone has experienced these same symptoms: Lately I've been getting pain in my left arm on top of the usual chest discomfort I will also experience regurgitation were food will come up into the back of my throat and of course the gas, always feeling pressure and needing to burp. At times I will also have facial flushing with it. I may have developed anxiety over the years due to the fear these symptoms can bring. I feel like I am in a downward spiral. It has gotten worse. Now when it comes on strong have intermittent sharp chest pains, facial flushing, pain in my left arm, burning in my chest, burping, regurgitation of food and acid, sometimes my heart will start to race. I am 27 years old. I had several tests done a few years ago to rule out heart problems, I even wore a halter monitor for a day just to make sure. I am at my wits end, I do not sleep well, I have discomfort in my chest and throat most of every day. I take probiotics and enzymes to help in digestion, which seem to help somewhat. I have a physical job and enjoy biking which I find I can do without issue. I'm stumped. Please Help.

I did have an endoscopy done some time ago and they did find irritation. They did shove pills at me for both anxiety and reflux. I will go see a doctor as the symptoms are affecting my quality of life.

Thanks for the replies. I did take the medication when it was prescribed to me but the side effects didn't seem worth it to me at the time. So I tried to manage it on my own through diet change. Of course this wasn't enough and I have just been silently suffering though it over that last few years. I like to be very active during the summer and have been able to due so without issue, however, the lack of sleep I get from being kept up at night has made me exhausted by the time I get home from work. By then I'm to tired to do the physical activities I love to do. And the constant discomfort it causes even makes it difficult to enjoy leisurely activities as well. I guess I'm at the point now were I'm ready for outside help, guess I'm just stubborn, lol.

Hello Solarpowered,
I just posted my story today at 11:22 under A Story of Recovering from GERD. I did have some of the symptoms you describe (not in the story). I was once on my way home from work and felt my upper left arm and chest go numb. I panicked and started to feel heart palpitations. I rushed to the hospital thinking I was suffering a heart attack and had tests done and came out diagnosed with a panick attack. I have experienced different manifestations of stress (colitis, chronic fatigue - in the story, anxiety attacks, eye palpitations, etc) over the years - and I do remember that when I was 27 I suffered from quite a bit of stress related problems including colitis. I think the vast majority of us suffer from some manifestation of stress or other (weight loss/gain, headaches, irritability, etc). Everyone's body is different. The last two doctors I worked with (I saw a total of 10 specialists in a one year period) were adamant about how stress can cause all sorts of symptoms - including anxiety attacks, chronic fatigue (I was sleeping for 12 hrs), and GERD. In the end, I was able to eliminate all of my symptoms. I just had to relax - Yoga helped. Don't stop your bike rides. If your GERD is not out of control, try attacking the nervousnous first, it might help with the GERD as well as the chest pains. If that does not work, I agree with others that you might want to start taking care of that GERD - it can get nasty over time. Be patient though, your body takes time to get back to its regular old self. At your age, I had excrutiating colitis for 5 months and my doctor did not believe in presciptions for it because he said it was just stress. I was convinced I had something more deadly, but the doctor knew what he was talking about. I starting going to church and it helped me relax and ... you know how the story ends. Good luck!

Had another sharp chest pain this morning. I woke up with a start and felt this sharp pain in the left side of my chest. I immediately get up and start walking around, then my heart starts to race. The pain soon subsides and I'm left with a constant burning pain in the middle of my chest and ramdomly regurgitating bile. I've had this happen a number of times in the past, it is so scary. Anyone experience this as well?

Hello solarpowered

I hope you will see your GI physician soon as your sx certainly warrant a good physical and advice of a GI specialist.  I have read of these sx in many people who have GERD.  Denise gave you much info and she knows this disorder very well.

Please do follow up with a physician.  Take care and know we are here for you.

Kitt

Update:
Over the course of this last week I have been taking DGL Licorice before each meal everyday. Starting the first time I took it I felt relief. Since then I have not felt an pains and the regurgitation is almost nonexistent. It feels almost like a miracle. I plan on continuing to take the licorice to see if stays away. I still plan on seeing a doctor, but I want to make sure I cant help myself before I try medication again. Thanks all.

My doctor says Licorice can cause acid reflux. How is DGL licorice different?
Joy

couchtater; DGL Licorice is deglycyrrhizinated licorice, tastes kind of like black licorice. You can find it at most health food stores. Good for digestive problems among other things.

Nana Monster; Thanks for the recommendation. I'll check into the Essiac Tea.