Gastritis with Unusual Symptoms?

Hello all,

-25/m
-exercise 7x/week
-heart & bloodwork normal

Around mid-December I started having bad pain/pressure right below my breastbone after smoking marijuana and then eating. I would have to get up and walk around because the pressure was so bad. I then was told by my Primary that it was GERD so they started me on Nexium 20mg 2x/day. I would also get pain if I took the pill and didn't eat anything for a while after. The pressure and sometimes dizziness. I didn't really notice any difference as I still had the pain/pressure after smoking and then eating. Then developed acid reflux while sleeping. Had an endoscopy performed which confirmed a "very mild gastritis". They told me to continue the Nexium and/or Zantac regime. I continued on Nexium, but knocked it down to 1 20mg/day and quit smoking. No pressure instances to report since, but I started having weird side effects from the Nexium I believe. Anixety, heavy heart beats, bloating, and my poo always smelled the same no matter what I ate while on Nexium. I quit the pills over a week ago and went natrual with probiotics, glutamine, etc...


No instances to report except some unusual effects listed below:

-heavy heartbeats throughout the day
-heavy heartbeats when laying down to sleep
-dizziness when going from sitting to standing
-occasional hearts PVCs when eating and then going from sitting to standing
-anxiety/general sense that something bad is going to happen
-random dizzy spells throughout the day, but not too intense
-burping
-lots of gas in lower abdomen
-occasional pain just below belly button
-sometimes esophagus spasms? when working out and heart is beating fast in target heart rate zone doing cardio?

The heavy heartbeats and dizziness standing up scare me the most!

Once again, I haven't had any upset stomach/ pressure instances to report. I still sleep upright and get minor dry throat/ sight burning in the back which is probably the acid, but that's the only things related to gastritis I can report.


Does anyone have any idea what this could be?

Thank You patsy! It just freaks me out because I feel too young to be having these symptoms! I haven't smoked in over a week and am still feeling these same symptoms. I'm just in shock that this can all be attributed to minor gastritis? Especially the dizziness from standing up accompanied by the heavy heartbeats. My mind keeps wanting to believe it's something with my heart.

Just experienced another episode last night. I was eating chicken lettuce wraps that were previously frozen. I had about 6 of them between 2-330ish. I then ate a weed chocolate chip cookie around 430 and about an hour later I could feel the dull pressure sensation start to build right behind my breastbone. I took a shower but I was still feeling uneasy so I started to walk around. It's weird because I started to have muscle twitching all over but I think that was my adrenaline kicking in because my body thought something was wrong? Also, an increased heart rate (resting is around 60 and i was up to 85 or 90). I ate oatmeal around 630ish which is when I was starting to feel a little better. It's weird because it's like a building pressure right behind my breatbone. Sometimes I think I get slight pricks in my esophagus so esophageal spasms too? I took a zantac around 7 and it seemed to upset it because 10 min later it came back, but this time with some slight burning. Maybe the zantac blocks the gas so I can't burp?

I'm just so confused because I didn't smoke and then eat this time, only ate a weed cookie so why am I having the same problems? Could it be my heart or a blood issue?


It's the following morning and I still have some slight discomfort in the same center area. Ate some oatmeal and took a multivitamin, fish oil,and ginger root. It seems to temporarily get a little more intense as I bend over and carry water bottles to the fridge or going upstairs or looking down at tablet. Does a slight increase in activity aggravate the gerd symptoms in the chest? I will try a zantac in an hour.

Post Edited (ToPH31) : 2/15/2015 11:25:14 AM (GMT-7)

I read a medical mystery last year about a young man who was intermittently stricken with pain and psychosis (New York Times, Well, April 2014). The diagnosis was acute intermittent porphyria (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acute_intermittent_porphyria), triggered by marijuana. I don't know if your abdominal pain is this serious, but it may be worth mentioning to your DR.

2/17

Took nexium at 6pm. 630pm Ate a whole wheat piece of bread with cannabutter. 7pm Ate a simple spinach kale pasta and a little mango for dinner.

7 30 pm started feeling the butter come on but with pressure right beneath sternum with light headed, flutters up chest, dull esophagus pressure, dull sensation in upper left part of chest, and wanting to focus on my breathing to slow my anxiety . so stood up and gingerly walk around because fast movements more pressure.

745pm. Ate some oatmeal thinking it would help

8 pm huuuge burp with food coming all the way back up and some dull acid. Felt better like everything released so I started looking down to the computer to type.

805pm. Another episode same everything. 815pm another burp releases everything

830pm sat down and felt more pressure and chest flutters so i went back to standing. Still burping and can taste the butter. Some bloating and gas in lower left area of stomach.

Post Edited (ToPH31) : 2/17/2015 7:44:10 PM (GMT-7)

kazbern said...
So if you have a reaction like this everytime you ingest some cannabis product what makes you keep doing it? I am so confused.

It sounds like classic reflux. Read at the top of this page about dietary changes to help you manage reflux.

And how regular are your bowel movements?

Pretty regular and always solid. I eat alot of fiber. I wanted to tell if it's actually the cannabis or the butter causing it. I know when I smoke I get more of a burning feeling in the center of my chest whereas last night's episode was more pressure.

Orthostatic hypotension is not uncommon. Lots of people have a drop in blood pressure when they stand up. This causes the heart rate to go up rapidly. Unless your heart rate gets over 140 and stays there, it's been my experience nobody will give you a second look in the ER. I get OH all the time, and my cardiologist says to just get up slowly, stay sitting for a while.

I won't even bother to lecture on smoking, anything.

20 mg Nexium isn't a prescription dose. It doesn't work directly inside the stomach, and it may take several days of taking it for it to start working. PPIs must be taken regularly, in the morning, half an hour to an hour before eating, and then you must eat. The med has to get into the blood stream and to the back side of the acid pumps, and they have to be turned on (by eating) for it to turn them off. Read the manufacturer's directions. It makes a difference if meds are taken the way they are made to work. You can take Zantac when you need it because it works differently.

ToPH31 - For your "pressure right beneath sternum with light headed, flutters up chest, dull esophagus pressure, dull sensation in upper left part of chest" Have you seen a cardiologist? Getting a burp up is Valsalva Maneuver" which can stop arrhythmias & tachycardia.

My heavy beats have subdued somewhat. The same with the dizziness. I did notice today at the gym during my first set of hamstring curls on the machine where you lay on your stomach and curl your hamstrings up an initial sharp pain in my stomach area. Could this be the gastritis from me pushing on it? It went away after the initial pain. Also, sometimes bending over or looking down I will get an occasional sharp pain on my inner left pec like right of the nipple near the sternum. Don't know if this is still gerd/gastritis related? It's never lingering, just sudden.


I also haven't smoked in over a week. I did notice that if I smoked out of something with more filters and an ice catcher to cool the smoke down the pain isn't as intense as a hand piece or even a vaporizer. Maybe it's the temperature of the smoke? Also, before I was diagnosed I had some whiskey not knowing and I remember that hurting as I sipped it. The weird thing is beer doesn't seem to bother me. Maybe the burps with beer help?

Post Edited (ToPH31) : 3/1/2015 10:27:19 AM (GMT-7)

ToPH31, read a book by Norman Robillard - it is exactly about link between carbs and reflux. There is a connection for sure.

Does anyone know if PPI use can lead to epididymitis or any kind of testicle discomfort? I have noticed some dull pain in my left testicle from time to time and when I feel down there it's as if my epididymis is swollen on the left side only. Could this be related to gerd or the use of ppis?

Post Edited (ToPH31) : 3/6/2015 3:37:39 PM (GMT-7)

treeofstars said...
You are having vagus nerve pain. It is a nerve that stretches all the way down from your testicles all the way up to your neck. When you have that pressure, it is pushing on that nerve causing discomfort.

It is caused by stuff like eating salad which is acidic. Salad does that to me as well. You really need to try eating more bland.

Thank you for the response!

It's weird because I only feel it on the left side and I swear my epididymis is slightly swollen too. Not grossly swollen, just a little solid and the size of a pea but solid. I also woke up last night and felt a little bump on the opposite side where the epididymis connects at the other end of the testicle as well. It wasn't a solid mass and it moved around so I know it isn't cancerous. Then it went away 5 mins later. Maybe fluid buildup? The main part is always pretty solid still slightly achy though. It will just randomly ache throughout the day, somtimes more intense for like a second then go away or even pulsate. Just another thing to worry about!

I have a follow up with my primary at the end of the month so I will bring this up. I really want to get off the ppis as I feel it is hindering my rehab. I don't really get heartburn, just occasional at night when sleeping. I ordered some GI-encap, Dr oharras probiotics, and gastroven to aid with the recovery.

I'm just so frustrated with this gastritis/gerd. I've had it since December and I want it gone!

My symptoms include:
- lots of burps with occasional food coming up
- muscle twitching
- lots of gas buildup on left side
- left testicle/epididymis aches
- heavy heartbeats
- ortho hypotension
- building pressure/dull burn? in center chest 10 mins after 1 hit of MJ
- building pressure/burn in center chest when running
-afternoon head pressure/aches
-irregular pooping schedule (probably the ppi)

The center chest pain/ache/dull burn is weird because it builds in intensity in the same spot, but doesn't gradually move up the esophagus like heartburn would. It's usually 10mins after I take a hit or when I run. It goes away more quickly from running to walking, but lingers for a while after a hit. Just 1 hit does it. It's between my pecs.

Thank you for listening!

Post Edited (ToPH31) : 3/8/2015 4:16:19 PM (GMT-6)

treeofstars said...
You are having vagus nerve pain. It is a nerve that stretches all the way down from your testicles all the way up to your neck. When you have that pressure, it is pushing on that nerve causing discomfort.

It is caused by stuff like eating salad which is acidic. Salad does that to me as well. You really need to try eating more bland.

Yes, I agree. I think the Protonix is clogging me up and making lots of gas which is pushing its way down.

I also visited a urologist who diagnosed me with a cyst on one of my epidymitis. He didn't seem to worried and said it wasn't necessary to do an ultrasound or anything and just to follow up on 6 months.

See I would think marijuana would help with gastritis. It has helped me. Helps with the pain and anxiety. Doesn't help with acid though. And I still reflux while smoking it. Maybe vaporize it to cut out the smoke.