Strange symptoms during heartburn flare up.

Hello,

I felt the same thing last January, it was the very "attack" that I experienced, I thought I was going to die already. Having trouble breathing and my BP went up for the first time, I was rushed to the hospital. At the E.R., I was on a panic and was asking the nurses to give me medication for the heart or anything to help ease what I was feeling, I thought I was having a heart attack or something. They asked me to relax (which was hard) and gave me oxygen to help me breath, they took ECG and constantly checked my high BP (160/100), the ECG result was normal, but my BP was still high, I told them that I was drinking excessively for about a week (during Christmas and New Year's week), the Doctor gave me Nexium, less than an hour the pain subsided and my BP went back to normal. So the culprit was a severe acidity or acid reflux.

After there I went to our family physician to get advised and be consulted, I was prescribed 3 weeks PPI once a day (Pantroprazole) and Neupatilin 3x a day (coating for the stomach lining), after finishing my medications, I was feeling well for a week and thought that everything was going smoothly.

One night, I had a very painful toothache, kept me up till 4am, annoyed and tired, I decided to take 1 Mefenamic acid (pain killer) to relieve me, less did I know that it would have a very bad effect for my condition. The next day, I felt my acidity soaring high again, it was really bad that, again I thought It was a heart related problem/emergency, I can't breath, my chest was in severe pain connecting to my back and both my arms felt limp, left ear felt like popping, stomach bloated and felt like it was so full, I tried to relax myself to the best I can, the very next day I went back to our family doctor and told him what i experienced. He took test for the heart again, checked my BP, it was all normal, so he explained that what I was experiencing was a severe acid reflux triggered again by the pain killer I took, but made it worst at the same time, so back to square 1, I was prescribed another 5 days of PPI and 3 x day Normix (antibiotic for the intestine) to help for my bloating and to protect my intestine (pain killers can cut your stomach and intestines if you are not in a good condition, as to my case, my stomach was sensitive at the time).

Took the Doctors advise, after 5 days and went back for a follow up check, the bloating was gone but the acid was still there, so the Doctor said it would be best to go to a specialist.

I went to a new Doctor, a gastrologist to have my stomach and condition checked. I was given another week of medication, upgraded to Prazole plus once a day (PPI with Motillum) and 3x a day Mucosta (for stomach lining), after 1 week I felt some improvement, and was advised to continue the Prazole plus for another month, which I'm taking up to date.

I advise that you see a GI as well, and read the articles about GERD and LPR so you will have an idea. This, as I've known also based on online research and talk with my Doctor can be a long term process. Complete lifestyle change. GERD or acid reflux is a case to case basis, some medications, remedies can work for others but sometimes can worsen others condition. Take note of the things that can trigger your acidity, learn from every experience.

I still have heart burn attacks and stuff but now I am more aware if it's about to start, when my acid levels go up again. Try not to panic (do your best), wear loose shorts/pants, don't put pressure on you stomach, elevate your head rest for 6 or 8 inches to avoid acid from flowing back to your esophagus, after eating give atleast 3 hours before sleeping.

Read a lot about this for awareness, knowledge and prevention. I know it can be VERY scary, but we have to be strong to overcome this. Try to handle this in a positive manner to avoid being depressed and frustrated. I felt like that before, which was not good as it worsened my case and added up more stress.

Regards,
Christian

Thanks for your post. I too had the panic, however when I had my attack, I was told I had SVT or rapid heart rate and that was the cause of my palpitations, even though all along I thought the discomfort was epigastric. That was in Feb 2011, and fast forward to today, GERD and Hiatal Hernia have finally been diagnosed. Remaining calm is very, very difficult. Can someone tell me if when your endoscopy was performed, was the biopsy taken automatically checked for H. Pylori? Please advise.

I have the back pain as well, that is the GERD. Sometimes instead of the acid heartburn it is the pressure like pain. It does vary from day to day which makes it really frustrating. I also had an ultrasound of my gall bladder so I am pretty sure it is not that.