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I NEED INSIGHT!!!

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GERD & Acid Reflux
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Posted 12/3/2005 11:31 PM (GMT 0)

I hope someone can give me insight. :-)   I started getting pains in the center of my chest and off to the left side a bit. This scared me unbelievably, and the pains were not too strong. I have been getting them for 3 months. I went to the doctor and they chalked it up to anxiety, since I'm 25 I guess. She listened to my heart and told me not to worry she didn't see the need for an EKG. I still worry about these pains. I get really bad indigestion it seems, my stomach is always rumbling and I know I once had an slight ulcer when I was younger. I started to notice that some of the pains were tied to the stomach and relieved by Zantac- for a few hours. However my ultimate question and fear is- sometimes I experience these pains without feeling the burning down / tied to my stomach. Just the pains in the chest, while the stomach doesn't feel upset.The pains are short lived, mild, and I get them about 2-3 times a day. I have got them in times of stress, and normal times. Also, sopmetimes I get sore throat after walking on the treadmill- I heard this is related to Acid reflux.

Can anyone help??

Thanks,

Jamie

Posted 12/4/2005 11:27 AM (GMT 0)
Have you told your Dr about the treadmill and sore throat? Acid reflux can be triggered by exercise, so it's best to wait an our or two after eating before exercise of any type. The chest pains can also be from acid reflux. They are sometimes called referred pain. It's similar to when someone is having a heart attack and feel pain in their left arm. The brain doesn't know what to do with the pain, so sends it someplace else where it thinks you will notice it. It could be simple gas pains as well. If it's relieved by zantac then you should discuss this with the dr. You might also want to try simethicone tablets ( anti-gas chewables) you can pick up at the supermarket. When the pain hits, eat a couple of them and drink some warm water. See if that alleviates the pain.

Acid reflux is normally felt as heartburn, but sometimes can feel like a sore throat. Since everyone is different, your symptoms might not be like everyone else's. You can always try a 14 day course of the OTC prilosec which is stronger than zantac and it's only once a day. It might help clear up any irritation you have. The don'ts: don't smoke, don't drink, don't drink sodas, or anything with caffiene in it, no chocolate and NO TOMATO PRODUCTS like spaghetti sauces. Watch the citrus juices as well as they can be acidy.

Sometimes the esophagus goes into spasms. Not everyone with Gerd or acid reflux gets these, and it does not mean you have Gerd or Acid Reflux either. There is a condition where the Esophagus just goes into spasms and no one knows why. Sometimes it can be from irritation, but try drinking some warm water when it happens and the simethicone and see if that alleviates it. If not, then discuss it with your dr again and let him or her know about your concerns. Do not let them dismiss it, make sure the dr knows how upset you are about it.

Jamie:)
Posted 12/4/2005 7:58 PM (GMT 0)
Hey, Jamie.  You say that you're getting the chest pain 2-3 times a day.  Is there a connection between the pain and when you eat?  Do you get the pain within an hour of meals or snacks?  You might want to monitor that in order to help determine if it's acid-related.

A lot of doctors love to attribute symptoms to anxiety, especially when they cannot easily find a cause.  Don't allow them to negate your concerns with this facile tactic.

Laura

Posted 12/4/2005 11:26 PM (GMT 0)

thank you so much for your time and comments. This is a very scary time for me. Waking up everyday not knowing what is wrong. It was like BAM! I start having these symptoms of indigestion and heartburn everyday and it seems it was triggered by a very stressful time in my life. NOONE understands my fear of eating, noone understands the pain, and it that makes it even tougher when people think your are just making this up or EXAGGERATING, because they have never went through it. I force myself to eat, because I know whatever I eat will cause heartburn- I have found a few foods do not. Mashed potatoes, chicken to name a few. Zantac works, but only for an hour and a half.

I will montitor the chest pains more closely. Thinking back, they happen the same times about everyday, which would make sense, because people's eating habits are usually the same schedule.

I have been researching and researching and i found that this relates closest to all of my symptoms and it is sad that the doctor is getting paid $60.00 / hour just to tell me, that it is 'anxiety'.

sigh! I do have anxiety, but there is another underlying cause here. not everything is anxiety. eyes my bf seems to think i have an ulcer. Well think you for the insight!! :)

:-)  Jamie

Posted 12/7/2005 12:49 AM (GMT 0)

Jamie. 

I totally understand where you are coming from.  My acid reflux started acting up really bad about a month ago.  i was having problems at work, problems with my roommate, and problems with schoool,  In three consecutive weeks of work i had only had two days off.  It started for me as chest pains and shortness of breath, it alos felt like i have something in my throat, not really a sore feeling more like a tickle or something.  I was rushed to the emergancy room because of it.  The have ran all sorts of tests on me and found that i just have GERD.  I have been taking aciphex for almost a month and it works pretty good.  I started having panic attacks because the pain was so intense.  My doctor also ask me if i was stressed and said that stress can make acid reflux worked.  He was right i changed jobs, moved out, and am taking the next semester off of school.  I feel much better.  You should tell your doctor everthing thats going on even if you think its not related to the problem, but if he wont budge on helping you find the problem then find another doctor.

Posted 12/7/2005 5:32 PM (GMT 0)

thank you so much krushedspritecan.

I'm in school my senior year of college, and work, and have probs with boyfriend and boyfriend's mom. ... so stress, yes. :)

It all started the first week of school. Chest pains, in the center and over to the left. THought it was my heart at first. Never had experienced these bains before. Freaked me out. Then it came to a head the day after Thanksgiving (2 months later) when I was REALLY stressed out at work and starting having bad anxiety. The anxiety went down finally, but my stomach has been a nightmare ever since. I have come to realize that these pains are heartburn and i might even have an ulcer. But I can't believe I experience heartburn daily. And I can't understand why I feel like I have something in my throat all the time- and I haven't been able to breath 100% normally since the week of anxiety attacks. I can't figure out what it is.

It's hard for me to go to the doc, because I pay out of my pocket (no insurance) and $60.00 a pop for them to tell me it's anxiety.. is hard.

Posted 12/7/2005 5:58 PM (GMT 0)
Have you tried over the prolsec OTC? I am taking aciphex and it took it is taken a while to work for me.  I still feel like i have heartburn and i feel like i cant get a full breath.  I have been to the Emergancy Room number of times and they tell me that i am getting plenty of oxygen my blood oxygen level is 100% everytime.  I have also had an ekg done and every test under the sun ran on my blood (thyroid, blood enzymes, white-red counts) everything turns up normal.  I have a family history of anxiety related illnesses such as panic attacks.  So I often wonder if some of my symtoms are anxiety related.  But i dont want to get put on anti-anxiety meds because i am young(23) and i know wheni decide to have children i cant take these meds.  But i understand about the symptoms you are having i have all of them.  Some days they are better than others.  Right now i have an infection and am taking antibiotics. these done agree with my stomach. I have read online that most poeple (80%) dont start feeling the full affects if the meds untill 8weeks if taking it.  I have been on it for a month and feel better but still not best.  I hope you start feeling better.  Try Bland foods, Dont eat late at night, sleep proped up, And try to deal with your stress, talk to some one.  Most colleges have counselors on staff and they dont charge, you may want to look into that option.  If you need some one to vent to that is not biased, my email is [email protected].  Drop me a line.
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