possible GERD

I started having chest pains, left arm pain this summer which led to panic attacks where I thought I was having a heart attack which led me to the ER. after normal ekgs doctor wrote it off as anxiety. I kept having These heart attacK like symptoms and went to my family doctor who ordered heart tests: ekg, heart ultrasound and stress test. All the tests came back as normal and again my family doctor dismissed it all as anxiety. Since October I've been uncontrollably belching along with the chest and arm pains. I get attacks where I am burping, getting chest pains and left arm pains along with shortness of breath and sweatiness. when these attacks are over I'm exhausted. Now throughout this weekend my jaw has been tense along with the the belching chest pains etc. I'm going to see my doctor to discuss the possibility of a Hiatus hernia and GERD next week.

While I keep telling myself it's not my heart, since I had all those tests come back as normal, it's so hard not to worry that it is my heart as all the symptoms mimic a heart attack!!


Any advice on what to ask my doc and what tests to ask for?? I've been in pain since June and need an answer!!

AnneB:

You might want to keep a food journal to see if you can pinpoint what foods may be giving you problems. Also, you can find many Gerd diets on the internet to follow to see if you can relieve your symptoms. Your doctor can determine which tests are necessary for you. As Amy noted, the barium swallow and endoscopy usually are the first two tests that your doctor will order.

Good luck,

Sharon

I want to suggest that the pain AnneB was feeling is from the phrenic nerve. I have established that this has been causing me pain and not a heart attack. I have not had surgery for my hiatal hernia yet. The nerve sends pain from the diaphragm into my neck and shoulder. If I eat too quickly or too much, it irritates the area and I experience pain. Hope this helps.