First, you are at the same age I was when I started getting the symptoms. I'm 50 now. However, there is light at the end of the tunnel.
To your questions:
Shortness of breath - mmm, yes, but for me it was more of a 'work-to-take-a-breath'. Like trying to breath through a straw. To me, real 'shortness of breath' is getting totally winded and you can't get your wind back.
Palpitations - absolutely, it can be GERD related.
Dizziness - like falling over dizzy? I've had that a few times years ago when the episode was really, really bad. But I interpreted it as the GERD-palp-induced adrenaline dump and accompanying worry feeding on themselves. I actually haven't had that in a long long time.
Anxiety - for sure, GERD can play tricks with the vagus nerve and trigger palps and all sorts of adrenaline dumps and worry.
Tightness in chest from stomach to throat - I had that once in my life during a massive anxiety attack 25 years ago. While I don't get anxiety attacks any more like that, the GERD does trigger all sorts of anxiety chemistry in me. I just refuse to let it bother me. I pop a couple Tums and drink a bottle of cold water and I send myself on my way.
Rapid heart beat - I definitely sense my heartbeat on exertion, but I wear a fitbit and I've never seen my HR go above 148. I'll walk a flight or two of stairs and see my heartbeat crank up, but I'm also not in great shape for a 50 year old (although that is slowly changing for the better.)
High BP - I was so worried about
my BP that I bought a home unit. I made the mistake of taking too much decongestant for 7 straight days, and ended up with a BP of 174/100 one afternoon. So I stopped the decon and took myself to the doc the next day, and it was down to 130/74. I should also note that's my average, 130/75 every day. Although I do have white-coat hypertension: I'll do a BP at home of 130/74, get in the car for a checkup, and my BP is 145/85 in the office. (And yes, I have brought my home BP unit to the doc's office to double check readings.)
So yeah, a lot if not all of this stuff can be GERD related. I've also had the blood work, ECG, echo, etc, and I have a healthy heart.
Can this heal? Absolutely. I am living proof. I had pretty bad GERD and GERD related symptoms about
2 years ago, and then I went healthy and it went away, completely. Unfortunately this fall I fell back on some poor eating habits and they've returned, in a much milder form. I am back to eating right and exercising, and it's going away slowly. For me, the first time it took about
6 months to heal. This time it doesn't feel as bad, so I'm not expecting to suffer as long.
Another strange effect: if I'm in the middle of an episode, and this sounds weird, but If I start fiddling with the car stereo, or actively engage in a conversation with someone, or do anything that requires my mind to focus, the adrenaline symptoms disappear. This supports my own personal theory that while the actual GERD is digestive and food related, the adrenaline and anxiety related symptoms are simply all in my head.
Also, you should stop drinking beer for a few months, see what that does.
Post Edited (middleaged1) : 11/26/2016 9:31:29 AM (GMT-7)