Posted 6/25/2013 3:39 AM (GMT 0)
Hello all,
I'm a 24-year-old male that is in pretty good shape overall. 5'9" at ~185 lb., give or take.
Late last year I started getting shortness of breath. It got worse over time and prompted me to have anxiety attacks and go to the hospital twice late last year. I went to the Cardiologist and got a full work-up (EKGs, Echocardiogram, Holter Monitor, Stress Test) and my heart was found to be fine, aside from a minor mitral valve leak, which I was told is normal overall.
Thereafter, I tried the GI and had an endoscopy the day after Christmas (Merry Christmas to me, right?). They said that I have a hiatal hernia, albeit mild. They put me on two different Proton Pump Inhibitors, both of which gave me side effects such as dizziness, headaches, joint aches and such. Then I was put on Famotidine, which gave me headaches, too. I tried a more holistic route such as a modified diet (I stayed away from coffee [Hardest thing ever], chocolate, acidic juices, ketchup and so on), using Apple Cider Vinegar and other dietary supplements (Acidophilus Complex being one).
I was fine for a long time. I'd get reflux once in awhile, but something happened last Monday (7 days ago). The day prior was Father's Day, so I did have some beers and very greasy food. I generally am OK with beer, but greasy food is a rarity for me. I felt fine that day and night. The next morning, Monday, I got a sharp pain in my chest while driving to work. My breath got short as well. It went away, came back, went away, came back and I did this cycle all day. Most of the day it was there, bothering me. It got so bad that I couldn't sit up at my desk at some points and I would feel intense windows of nausea. I never vomited, though. I left work a bit early and got into my car, made it about 2 miles away and had to pull over. My chest hurt, my breathing became shallow, my hands started to sweat and my mind raced. I couldn't even sit up or catch a good breath, so back I went via ambulance to the ER. Cardiac testing came out fine as usual, and I was given Malox (I don't know if I spelled that correctly).
Since then I've felt fine at some points, but bad as well. It comes and goes. But today it came back and was bad. I'd be fine one moment, the next I'd have to hunch over or lay down. There is no "burning" sensation, but rather it feels like pressure in my chest. I also have had trouble swallowing for the past week and I feel as if there is something in the back of my throat floating around most of the time. I also have felt very dehydrated, despite drinking a lot of water.
On another note, I also hurt myself in the gym in March. I went to the Orthopedist and he said I had costochondritis. I went to Physical Therapy for awhile and got better over time. That feeling, too, felt like chest pressure, but it never gave me any issues with eating, only breathing sometimes. On Father's Day I went into the gym and felt fine inside and thereafter. But there is one movement I believe hurts me, which is the "Fly" movement (Like hugging a barrel with added weight). I did three sets of a fly movement, so I am unsure if that is the real culprit or this issue or maybe both simultaneously.
I went back to the GI today and she gave me Carafate to take. It seemed to help a bit when I took the liquid today from the samples she gave me, but later I was on an alarm with the Fire Department and it came back harshly. The chest pressure, the trouble swallowing, the slight shallow breathing...
I am hoping for any and all input. This is time sensitive for me, because I have a wedding this coming weekend. Of course it's open bar and I'd like to indulge, if possible.
Is there any advice out there?
Thank you in advance.