Dizziness/closed up throat/hard to breathe

I'm usually over on the Crohn's board since I was just diagnosed about two months ago. But I've had GERD for the last couple years. Tonight I had an episode where I got really dizzy, chills, closed up throat, stuffy nose, hard to breathe, burning stomach. I tried to take an extra antacid (I'm on Protonix twice a day) and that seemed to make it worse.

I begin to wonder if I'm having a panic attack and then just wish I could have a bowel movement, thinking that will help move things along. I did have a larger dinner meal than usual.

I've had this happen a couple other times. Does anyone have these episodes and what do you do?

Hello Ohana

I do the samething. Not a fun feeling I know. Sometimes is hard to make it through it all. I have found the more I worry or get scared the worse it gets. A larger meal I am sure did not help. I have to eat small meals and nothing before bed, in fact I dont eat a couple hours or longer before bed or I am in real big trouble. Do you sleep also with the head of your bed up higher? This does help some. Not all the time, but a little is better then nothing. I know for some it helps a lot and others not so much.

I have had panic attacks for a few years now. When the dizzy thing starts and we get scared it just seems to over rule all. The hard thing is trying to just remember it is a panic attack, which many times is hard to do. When one kicks in trying to make sense of all is just to much at times. I know with me I have to remember here I go again, panic... and try not to let my mind over load with thinking this or that is going to happen or I have this and that. I have even felt like I was going to die. I still will feel that way, but just have to keep level headed about it which is so hard to do at times. Or get up and try to keep busy to take the mind away from it. Still not easy to do at times.

A lot of meds I have not been able to take as I have ended up in the ER. I have so many I cant take since I have very bad re-actions to them. So that has not helped.

I see you take Mult vit... I know when I was taking them I had trouble. I would get more acid and pain.Some just really tore me up. Slowly had to find out which vit messed me up. Now just take what doesnt bother me one by one and not a mult vit.



Wishing you all the Best.

Mia

Hi Spartan,

Yes. looks like many share the same pains and feelings.

I understand being scared, been there to many times. I now just try to say to myself, " Here I go again". I dont like it and never will get use to it at all. But have to put it in an order in my mind so I dont over react to it so strong. If I do then I get worse and that is no fun at all. Have you spoke to you Dr about it? I know a panic attack can creep up on you with out you knowing it and POW it has you. Plus with having GERD it just adds to it all on top of everything else that is going on with ones body.

I was up most of the night last night with the acid thing going and pain. But all ended up setting down.TG! A little panic started to set in as well on top of that. I thought what else can go wrong. Just want to go to bed and sleep. But nope, all had to try and did hit at once. Great Friday night. But today and tonight has been so much better.

Do you watch what you eat and not just the amounts? Eating small meals is a good thing to do. But also watching what you are eating and how you cook it.

Hope the rest of your day turned out to be a good one. I know it is hard, but next time the dizzness set it, try very hard to tell yourself that it is ok and all will be well. Like going on a bad ride in a Stephen King movie is the way I put it. You will be ok and make it through it. Just have to keep telling yourself you will be ok and dont let the scared feeling take over ir just makes it worse on you.You have been through it before and all came out well in the end. Does not seem like it when it hits you and the time you have to ride it out. But just talk to yourself while going through it and just let yourself know you have been there before and all will come out ok.

I know if friends and even some family dont have it they cant understand and some dont even want to try to understand. Makes one find out who the real friends are as time goes by.

Just know all will be ok. But take notice on what you are eating and how you cook it as well.

Take good care and hope tomorrow morning will be a better one for you.

Mia

Hi,

DANG! You sound like my side kick twin....lol I also have hypoglycemia. When I found out I had GERD it was hard for me at 1st to manage my hypoglycemia. But was lucky enough to have a person that is a nutritionist and also a friend help pull a list of foods together that would help with the GERD and the blood sugar as well. But was also was a trial and error type thing as well. Took me a little over a year to get it down and find out many things I can`t eat. I do eat for the sugar level as well. Was hard and still is to pull all together for the sugar as well as the GERD.

Is hard when we have some symptoms and Drs cant get to the bottom of it all. At least the test for being diabetic did not show anything. So being a diabetic is one thing you can cross off the list.

I hope with time and short time that your dizziness will slow down and go away. Which I am sure you wish this more then anything.

Have you tried during the day just eating for the hypo a couple times a day? Or carry some snack that is for the hypo and will not up set the GERD? Just a small little snack for hypo you can just pop a few times a day? I know that helps me a great deal.

Hope yesterday was a good one for you.

Mia

Thanks for the name of the cd you are listening to. I will look it up this weekend. Also, Thanks I am doing good. I was able to go out today which was so nice. Able to stay out longer and did very well. I just ended up spending some time with myself. Took one of the horses out for a ride. Which I have not done for sometime now. Was an amazing feeling.

Yes, the intake of protein just may help. Watching your high glycemic carbs may help as well. To much is not good if you are hypoglycemic. The high glycemic carbs also tend to be acid forming. Some protien sources are acid forming so is best to balance with a alkalizing vegetable or fruit. that is a low glycemic carb. I know if I dont stick with it I am getting dizzy and even get sick.

Believe what the Drs have told you. You have been to a few it sounds like. Start believing in you. I have found this out the hard way. You have to learn to believe yes, but also to trust yourself to believe. I think you are on the right path. I know in believing in myself I have come so far, and still the sky is the limit the way I see it. Take a new step each day, and you will be shocked to see how far you have really come.

Again Thank for info on the CD... Take care.

Mia

Hi Spartan...

I am not a Dr, but was wondering when you wake up at night with a slight hunger and the dizziness if having something small to eat would help. Something small but that is high in protien. I know when my hyper glycemic used to get me day or night I would keep something around small but yet high in protein. I dont know if that would help but might be worth a shot to try.

It is good you work out. I work out as well, 4 to 5 times a week. That has helped me. Is good you can work out like you do and still have energy and function like you do.

Good to hear the Xanax can calm you down. How does it work when you get the dizziness going on. Do you take it them and does it help with that? I know sometimes meds will slow down working or will not work as well the longer we take it. You might want to ask the DR about that.

But, I think it is wonderful you can work out with no problems at all. That is very good.

Was wondering if the slight hunger goes along with the dizziness or if they are 2 different things. Since I have both the panic attacks and the glycemic thing going on. But yet are two very different things. I did not get panic attacks until after my mother past away. Was about a year after she past that I just went down one day. Did not know what was going on, then would wake at night and I would panic and then get very scared to the point of being paranoid. Thought I was going to die. But here I am today still kicking, which is great news. So might want to ask your Dr and see if it could be both things that are going on with you.

I know it is hard not to panic or get paranoid or think something else is very wrong or the feeling you are dieing. But once it passes you are fine and still here. Plus the fact you can work out like you do if great news. I just say bring it up with your Dr. It could be two things going on at once. Could be the glycemic thing and panic attacks. Worth talking to the Dr about, cant hurt.

Am glad to hear the GERD is getting better. That is not a fun thing to go through as well. I cant believe how many people have it and how they suffer with it all.

Just keep telling yourself you will be ok, that is a good thing to do. If the paranoid thoughts start just try telling yourself all is ok you are ok. Just keep repeating all is ok over and over again.You have had this before and all has been ok.

I hope your day and night will be a good one and you will sleep without waking to the dizziness.

Take care and keep working out...

Mia

Hi V

Is amazing how some snacking can really mess one up. I see foods I know I dont dare touch, but yet the power to eat it is to strong...lol I end up paying for it in the long run. So I try hard to keep that in mind. Sometimes it would be soooooo nice just to be able to eat what one wants and not have to pay for it in the end.

Have you checked the side effects for the Prolisec? I know some can take it just fine and yet others have trouble. Like all meds, there are ones that many can take and ones that cant.

Hope you are feeling better today V...

Take good care and dont snack to much.. :)

Mia

Hello Mia,
Thank You! Yes, I feel a lot better today....doctored myself yesterday. The food business selection that many of us have gets really old. Prolisec works alright with my system and I have been on other meds over the yrs, problem is, they eventually stop working effectively. Right now, I'm taking 40mg in the am instead of 20mg.

I have Fibromyalgia, and currently taking Zoloft. This med sometimes causes me to snack more than I desire. Also, I believe that for some reason, individuals like myself crave carbs on occasion which is not good for our reflux.

I will try to be good today by thinking of the consequences of yesterday. I hope you and everyone else have a reflux free day.

Huggs,
V

Hello,

I have been experiencing some weird things happening to me. I wake up in the middle of the night, hot and nauseated and then I throw up. I feel like I am going to pass out. It is like I have this buzzing feeling inside my body.

Well, it sure looks like I am not alone - unfortunately for us all. My breathing problems have been getting worse and now I'm also getting more of a stuffy nose. I went through all the allergy testing, including food allergies. They are telling me I am allergic to my cats and dog but I know that is not what is causing this. It is the GERD.

I can be fine for a part of the day but most of the day I have a hard time breathing. I am always better when I am standing up. I do believe that the Protonix has stopped being effective for me and that I need to find something else. My regular doc says "I have never had that happen to anyone on Protonix twice a day!" Well, I must be your first!