HeartBurn/Gastritis/Esophagitis/GERD Pressure in Chest/Neck/Head

I experienced a similar pain with GERD/Heartburn in September 2012. I was sitting at my desk at work after a small lunch and all of a sudden my ears had a weird ringing, my head and brain seem to be having a stroke and my entire left side of my body went numb. The ambulance came and said my blood pressure had dropped low and I started to feel clamy/cold every 20 minutes. My EKG in the ambulance was normal and by the time we got to the ER, I had no more episodes but was scared and thinking I was dying. I went home after 11 hrs in the ER. I had to walk around the living room all night because every time I lay or sit, the pressure would build up and my chest around my heart would hurt and my brain/head felt like it was having a stroke. I went to a cardiologist the next day and they did an Echo Cardiogram on my heart and it was normal and fine. The cardiologist said it was possibly my heartburn and gave me 2 samples of ACIPHEX. I took it and it seemed to work like instantly! I scheduled an appointment with a Gastro Enterologist doctor and told him my GERD/Heartburn history:
(for 20 years I drank hard liquor every weekend but I also ate really good foods, veges and fruit, I ran 2 marathons and lifted very heavy weights in the gym for 20 years and ate very spicy foods all the time and was taking Ibuprophen for 20yrs for muscle aches and an Aspirin/Ibuprophen everytime I knew I was going out drinking so I wouldn't get a hangover. I also took numerous multi vitamins/minerals, bodybuilder protein powders, creatine, nitric oxide tablets and gatorade 3x a week before I worked out in the gym. I would have occasional heartburn from doing all those things and I stressed allot. I was diagnosed with GERD when I was around 25 years old and given samples of NExium 20mg. I would only take it when I ate something very spicy.)
In Sept 2012, the first Gastro doctor did an Endoscopy and diagnosed me with Gastritis Non-Acute and gave me a RX of Omeprazole 40mg once a day. It did nothing or very little. I still had chest pain/pressure for the next 3months. I had stopped drinking heavy and eating anything spicy or lifting heavy weights but I started to feel back to normal during the holidays and started drinking again a little and lifting heavy weights. Then in January 2013, I started to get throat or esophagus feeling like it was swelling up after working out or eating dinner, on top of the chest pain and pressure in my chest. I then went to another Gastro Specialist doctor (Dr. Barrientos ParkPlaza) and he decided to do another endoscopy to see if the first doctor missed something. This endoscopy revealed I had Esophagitis and still Gastritis in my stomach. He prescribed me Dexilant 60mg to take once a day. The Dexilant worked great and I started back to eating some greasy foods and having a few beers and would only do 1 exercise of heavy weights per workout.
Then 3 weeks ago i felt really good and ran my first 5 miles since 5months ago, but had to do most walking because I kept feeling my stomach acid splashing into my throat. AT night I would keep hearing my ears ringing and experience tinnitus. 2days later I ate a small microwave dinner at work as I was leaving and jumped in traffic to go to the gym. At a traffic light I felt the same stroke/chest pain and my head felt like I was suffocating and need to burp but couldn't. I also felt a rush in my bottom like I need to use the bathroom but could not. I took some GAS-X to try to burp, 1 Dexilant and one ANASPAZ Rx that I was given by the first Gastro Doctor to relax my stomach if I had spasms.
I knew it was my GERD acting up again I drove myself to the ER and the did another EKG and blood pressure. Both were fine but my temperature was 99.7, a little bit high and I could hear my heart pounding in my ears. Here we go again! I felt like I was dying again. The ER referred me again to a cardiologist because they said my GERD/Heartburn has no connections with my head feeling a dull pain and pressure in my neck.(Wrong!)
I went to my last Gastro doctor and told him what happened and he said maybe my dad's history of a stent in one of his neck veins was happening to me. He also said the pressure pain in my neck and head was not related to my Gastritis/Esophagitis.
The cardiologist did an UltraSound on my neck Carotid arteries and a TreadMill stress test. Everything checked out fine and normal. I had him check my Thyroid Gland by hand and asked him if it was my gallbladder or spleen but he said no.
I could not eat anything other than fruits and vegetables for 2 weeks because anything else (meat, milk, cereal, yogurt,etc) would make my stomach acid to get agressive and cause tremendous gas pressure and my throat would feel like it was closing up. My head would have these headaches all day and very painful after anything goes in my stomach. I lost all hope. I thought I had a tumor or even cancer and I felt like I was slowly dying. I was scared to sleep everynight. I could not even go out in the field with my coworkers as a law enforcement officer because I would get shortness of breath if we did anything with force.
Finally after losing 10pounds and could not eat anything but fruit and veges, I went to a simple General Practice PCP Doctor Demetrus Green. He was the first to use an old stethoscope and and listen to my lungs, heart and chest. He touched my thyroid and glands which all was fine. He said that my HeartBurn/GERD/Gastritis/Esophagitis was soo bad that it was putting pressure on my VAGUS NERVE that runs along your spine. Thats what was causing the headaches, fever chills during those stroke feelings moments. The PCP said the inflammation caused by my stomach acid can cause your throat to feel swollen. He prescribed me NEXIUM 40mg for 2 weeks once a day. After just 2 days of taking it I have been healing up! A simple doctor in a small shabby office is my miracle. I looked it up and found Nexium 40mg is a PPI that turns off the acid in your stomach to allow your stomach lining and throat lining to heal. It also has medicine in Nexium that aids in the healing of inflammation of your esophagus so it doesn't put pressure or inflame your VAGUS NERVE also.
After 2 days of Nexium 40mg, I am burping allot but it is allowing the pressure out. I tried meat for the first time and had no problem. I will now have to stick to a bland diet and small meals for a while and no alcohol and no weight lifting until I heal 100%.
My doctor also told me to eat foods with probiotics so I bought some KEFIR milk and ordered on AMazon some: Heartburn Free ROH10(with natural orange) that says it can help heal heartburn together with your meds, D-Limonene, 1000mg (with natural orange) and Mastic Gum. I will take these natural stuff together with my NEXIUM and change my diet.
Folks , hearburn, GERD, gastritis, esophagitis can make you feel like your life is ending and cause pain in many areas in your body. Nexium 40mg is a great cure!

Yes I have been checked for H pylori twice and both negative.

Oh My issues is not from panik attacks, My gerd and vagus seems Way more likely. Sometimes when My acid goes up I feel short of breath just be talking. And I get pain in My neck and between My shoulder blades. Sucks . I am still not very happy to work out because of this.

I just started lifting- I'm a 36 female and always did cardio- about 6 weeks ago I got into body building and I felt pressure in my neck and head all day- I was afraid of a heart attack as it started right after the gym. I'm blaming my buspar. I do have anxiety- always have. But I've never experienced it like this. I don't do shakes or anything. Isn't it weird to see so many posts about building and these symptoms?

I have a similar account of Nexium. A few years ago, I had some severe pains in my chest on the right side just underneath my rib cage. I believe it was gallbladder stones, but I don't know for sure. The pains were intense. I prayed and asked the Lord to help heal me.
At the time, I was working restoring an old rocking horse for my niece. It had some springs that were really rusted and needed to be electrically stripped of the rust. So, I needed a source for the DC electricity. I tried using an old battery, but it was too low and would not hold a charge. So, I hooked up the battery charger and allowed the electrolysis to take place while it was hooked to the battery.
The next day I came and saw that some of the acid had leaked onto the top of the battery. For some unknown reason (Faith or Stupidity), I touched the acid and tasted it with my tongue. WARNING!!! SULFURIC ACID IS A POISON!!! Immediately, I felt the acid go down into my gallbladder and disintegrate the stones. Over the next few days, most of the pain had disappeared, but there was still a little pain lingering. I thought, if a little worked so well, maybe I should take some more. MISTAKE!!! I took five more similar sized doses at once. MISTAKE!!! OVERDOSE!!! This time, I felt the acid go down into my Liver and Pancreas. It burned them both very bad. At least, I think that's what happened. This is when I started having pains in my belly. I had just healed my gallbladder only to hurt two other organs that you can't live without.
If you have pain in the right upper quadrant please try some edible acids and NOT poison like sulfuric acid. Strong lemonade is good. Apple Cider Vinegar is good. Pickles are good.
Fortunately, I soon found another remedy - BEER. I had to drink a beer or two everyday for about 6 months. It always soothed my pain. Eventually, however, this stopped working and I continued to have pain in my belly. I went to my doctor, who's wife also happens to be my mother's best friend, and told him my story starting with the serendipitous gallbladder cure. He chuckled a little when I told him what happened with the gallbladder, but got quite concerned about the other effects of the sulfuric acid. He told me that he did not know what was wrong with my belly, but that all of my symptoms sounded like indigestion. I asked him if it could be an ulcer, but he thought not. He prescribed me Omeprozole (Prilosec) and sent me to get an ultrasound. There was nothing wrong with the ultrasound other than a lot of gas.
I am on a Prescription Assistance Program because of the expense of some of my other medications. The nurse, that helps me with my prescriptions, told me that she could not get me Omeprozole, but, instead, she could get me Nexium. She had my docotor write me a prescription for Nexium and ordered it. It takes a month or so to get the medication through the program, so in the mean time I just took the Omeprozole according to my doctor's instructions.
The Omeprozole did help some, but there was still some pain. When the Nexium came in I started taking it. The first night I took it, I felt it go down and immediately cover the irritated areas. It was like an instantaneous cure. The Nexium really, really helped. I only had to take it for a little while before all of my symptoms were gone. Now, I still have to take it from time to time when I feel indigestion and too much gas.
I hope this helps somebody, somehow. Sharing personal experiences of healing contributes to our collective health and well-being, as well as to the broadening of humanity's medical knowledge. Don't take God out of the equation. He knows you so well that he even knows the exact number of hairs on your head. Ask Him, and He will Lead you to be healed, if not miraculously or through serendipity, then through wisdom.

Post Edited (1232sean) : 5/27/2014 9:05:42 PM (GMT-6)

I don't know what's going on with me or if its Gastro or what so hopefully someone here can help. I've been having pressure in my neck, head, chest and arms at times and my eyes will feel pressure, pain and strained sometimes and I've been tired more lately...EKG, echocardiogram, chest CT, stress test and bloodwork are all good. I've also had more gas lately than ever, both ends. My neck will feel swollen sometimes and ill get a feeling in chest/throat like there's a burp that won't come out. Also had constipation. And when I sit back and the chair/seat is pushing on my spine ill get pressure in those areas above. Also some pain in left side of abdomen at times and my stomachs been making more noise in the morning. Had 12 X-rays of the whole spine which they said was good other than some degeneration in the cervical (neck) area. Sound like anything with the GI?? I'm at a loss and the Dr keeps saying its anxiety, I do have anxiety but never had anything like this and it's been a month!! No fever either, was tested for Lyme..negative

Hi,

I know this is an old conversation but just like all of us I'm looking for answers. My story started 30 months ago when (age 52) was 95% healthy, strong and even looked 10 years younger. Life was good, really good. ;-) Not a drinker, not a smoker. During the next 4 months I got HBP, High Cholesterol, High Bad Cholesterol, Chronic Sinus, IBS, Mild Reflux, Chronic mild Gastritis, Nerve damage hands and feet and the one that really got to me because it was one after the other and for sure the jackpot COPD. Well, at least that is what 2 xrays showed and Docs said I had. So I started on a diet and lost a total of 45 pounds from 200 to 155. I'm 5'11". The first 20 pounds was ok but then I noticed it will not stop. During this time I saw all the specialists from Cardio, ENT, GI, Psychiatrist, Physiologist, Pulmonologist/Asthma, Allergist, Endo, dermatologist, hematologist and Primary. They did all possible test like 5 CT's including heart and chest, 3 MRI's including brain, 3 Endoscopies, 2 Colonoscopies, PH bravo, Nuclear test, stress test, belly sonograms, 24 hours reflux test which you keep a machine on you for 24 hours ) sorry, forgot the name plus many more. Results? Mild Reflux, Mild Gastritis, Chronic sinus but mild congestion and because all of this at the same time I got GAD. So I did my job and right now I only take medication for anxiety. Why? Because I have done well enough to eliminate 9 medications I was taking ( all low doses) to just the one for anxiety twice a day. Why I still need this medication? Because during all this time I still have pressure in the middle of my chest which last ALL DAY LONG except when I lay back or sleep . Gets bad when I sit (mild) stand (mild/moderate), walk/jog (moderate), or eat (moderate on lunch and dinner, much better if any on breakfast) . Yes, no burning, no nothing besides pressure which makes me breath with difficulty. Anxiety pill even if it relax me does not take away the pressure because is clear to me is my stomach the problem which is probably created by medical anxiety/stress or vise-versa. Now I'm seeing a naturopath which I took the eye test and basically sold me 7 supplements and a special diet to target my gastritis. Yes, bloating is better, but chest pressure and lack of air when I eat still present but slightly better. Yes, he did tell me I had beautiful eyes and was extremely intelligent which I got lost because I was under the symptoms of my anxiety pills so I was half gone. jejejeje. ;-( Now, my PHy said that if in the next 3 weeks I do not get better 100% he will refer me for acupuncture which is something he does not do very often but he believes I actually have the chest pressure and don't need the anxiety medication once this is resolved. I also get mild chest muscle pain and rib pain but that gets better with any Tylenol which I actually don't take often at all. Now, this may not sounds like something serious compared to what I read here, but when you have this pressure 12 hours of the day EVERYDAY then is to me something of concern and has taken away 20 years of my life. Even the nurses when they see me they have to comment what the heck happened to him. ;-( But I do give thanks you to God for giving me 52 years of a great life and for being able to sleep at night with no symptoms. Yes, even if is only 5-6 hours which is good enough for me. btw, Cardio said he did not want to see me anymore because I have a better heart than him and my Pulmonologist and Asthma Doc after seeing my chest CT and conducting my COPD test said I no longer have hyperinflated lungs and have no COPD which actually showed a had a pretty good lungs. My Neuro after giving me medication like Lyrika for 4 months has no explanation why I no longer need it and it has been like 14 month. Now, any comment, suggestions and even a joke is welcome. Hope you all get better and if you need more details on what I have done to eliminate or control all these medical conditions feel free to ask.