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Please describe your GERD chest pain for me! and do you have palpitations?

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Posted 1/1/2007 4:17 PM (GMT 0)

Hello everyone on this wonderful board, which I just discovered today!  And Happy New Year!

I need some input in GERD-related chest pain, PLEASE!!

I visited my gastro dr. last week and she said I have all the classic symptoms of GERD and am due for an endo and colonoscopy on Jan. 29 (gee I can't wait!).  But when I told her I had chest pains higher up than my breastbone (have them there too), she was a bit unsure of the cause.  Two months ago, because of heart palpitations, I had a complete cardio workout, EKG, Echo Stress, Holter monitor, and everything came back clear and my cardio dr. said my heart is fine. (he also said since I am 50, palps could be menopause-related)  I have suspected the palps had a connection between my gastro symptoms all along, but the chest pains are scaring me a bit.  Does anyone else have them?  Can someone please describe where their pains are?  Mine are mid-chest, just above my breasts and sometimes in my breasts, don't last but a few seconds, and are not severe, but stinging and burning, with no other cardio symptoms.  I have a problem eating often enough and I think that makes it worse when my stomach is empty.

Thanks so much for your help! 

Posted 1/3/2007 4:40 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Blue Willow, Happy New Year..I too have chest pains that are higher up on my chest, sometimes mine almost wrap around to my armpit area too.  I too have been to the cardio doc and they say that my heart is fine, sometimes I don't know if I believe them.  I am 44 and slightly overweight so I do worry.  I also get pains in my neck, shoulders and arms....great!!  Do you have alot of gas?  I burp all of the time when my GERD is bad.  I am told that this is due to the pressure caused by the gas.  I sometimes have pain in my upper back and shoulder blades as well.  Not unbearable, but very annoying is how I describe it.  It also causes me anxiety and stress, that could be why you are having the palpatations, my doc says that anxiety from the GERD can cause the palps...

I hope I was helpful~  Best of Luck to you! I am going to try and make 2007 the year that I made GERD GO AWAY!

Posted 1/3/2007 3:05 PM (GMT 0)
Yes I get the chest pain thing too...I have had all the cardio test done and they tell me my heart is great but the chest pain is still scary.
I get really nasty pains (they hurt) under my left breast feels like it is deep under the breast and goes all the way up under to the top. Sometimes (sometimes not always) it feels like gas or something because I aslo feel it move and when it does that hurts too. When it moves I sometimes feel pressure in my throat like a trapped burp. Then the pain will go away for a bit then come again...not only does it hurt under the left breast but sometines I will have sharp pain in my back left side also. Sometimes the pain will shoot short and sharp in the middle of my chest too. I wake up in the morning with pain left side with heart burn feeling. Once I get up and get moving I am fine for a while but the chest pain even though it has been checked out still scares me. Hope this helps.
Posted 1/3/2007 11:06 PM (GMT 0)

Hi TT and Dillon-- thank you both so much for your replies!  You've made me feel so much better and not so alone... 

I too have a lot of gas, but thankfully(?) of the "oral" kind! (trying to say nicely that flatulence is not a problem for me-- is that normal?)  And OH, do I ever burp!  I almost welcome the burps because they relieve so much gas pressure and a lot of the pain.  Plus I have the bad pains in my back and between my shoulder blades also, and that is usually relieved from burping.  I get the trapped burps also, and the left pain my breast.  I am taking Protonix plus Zantac and the burning is going away, but I sure wish the pains would! 

I think we just have to trust our heart doctors and their findings that we are ok, but yes it is still scary.  I just never realized in a million years that GERD or indigestion could cause such agony for many folks!!  And I agree 2007 should be the year to end all GERD!  Thanks again!

Posted 1/6/2007 12:38 PM (GMT 0)
Yes deep chest pain, for no reason, or when I bend over a little or lie down too soon after eating. Doctor said it's reflux, without the burning, or the bitter taste in my mouth.

My pain feels like I have a small hammer, in the middle of my chest, under my rib cage. It feels like the hammer is trying to move upwards. The pain is worrying because it is a deep pain that really hurts, though thankfully only for a few seconds each time. Today it happened at least... 15 - 20 times. I occasionally get the left side, under the rib pain too.

Started on Nexium about three weeks ago. Took Valium (dentist) and it seems to have made the pain come back a bit, not that it went away totally anyway. I read Valium can cause probs after I took it.

I feel like it's hard to swallow, I get short of breath easily, like asthma. Plus, when a burp is on its way up, it causes pain, then it gets a bit further up and the pain stops, then I burp. I rarely used to burp before this problem.

I couldn't lie on my left side for a couple of weeks though now I can : )

IBS also. I really think, if we could keep our bowels happy things would improve. I've had chronic constipation all of my life, more so now. Took IBS support tablets though they're expensive and I'm trying to wean myself off them. I look like a pregnant pup, large tummy and flatulence galore which, being a lady, I find difficult to pass. Plus they class me as obese though I only have to lose 12 more kilos. Female aged nearly 52 years.

I was only dieted for the past four days and I've lost three kilos, which is massive when all I did was eat healthier (no biscuits or cakes) and I walk for 30 minutes (heart rate up to 80% of max). Though I am very out of condition (heart test said that!) and have a severe anxiety disorder. Heart palpitations with stress for years. Dear right leg swelled up too, the hospital said, valve vein trouble, I'm hoping it's weight related though I read Nexium can make your legs swell too?

I'll be pleased when I can feel well again. No tests as yet. Doctor said take Nexium for two months then come back and see her. I'm following the GERD and IBS diet.

eyes
Posted 1/7/2007 12:21 PM (GMT 0)
I'd had the chest pains since January 2006. I didn't go on Nexium until April 2006. Still had chest pains. Finally went on Prevacid on September 2006. Still getting chest pains, things not quite as bad as when I was on the Nexium. Had a lot of side effects with Nexium.

Anyway, my chest pain gets so bad that I can barely stand it. I oftentimes have to take tons of sugar free Tums and a fibromyalgia pain pill to help deal with this chest pain.

It can run up to my chin and down the sides of my body and arms. I know it is GERD because it only happens after I have eaten. I have a tendency now to fall asleep sitting upright. I can't eat anything after dinner or I never am able to go to bed at night.

I do better when I stay on a GERD diet.

Take care!
Posted 1/7/2007 2:11 PM (GMT 0)

MYSWEET7000,

I don't know where you live (in the USA?) but try the new Benefiber, all natural.  Here's a link to it.  It works really well, not gritty, can be mixed with anything.  It's marketed in Europe specifically for IBS.  Hope this helps you.

 Benefiber

Posted 1/12/2007 3:02 PM (GMT 0)
Just found this after a number of search. I've had similar issues the last few years. Actually I've had two heart stents after some exploration found some blockage. However the pain never really went away after the stents. Frankly I think it's alway's ben GERD. I used to be on Prevacid and that worked well. Tryed to get off for a year or two (had the stents then) but went on Protonix early 2006. It works but not as well. I've quite everything that worsens it..coffee, OJ, V8, chocolate and anything with peppermint. And I STILL get it. Only thing that

seems to help is to burp. But sometimes it seems 'stuck'. I'm also trying DGL and probiotics. There is concern about the long term effects of the new pump inhibitor meds..imbalance of intestinal bacteria an such. 

Posted 1/12/2007 4:46 PM (GMT 0)
WHOBDIS.
Try an alkaline diet, you are definitely still eating too much acid food. Check back on my postings to get the site to help you decide what foods are more acidic than others.
The DGL is IT as far as I'm concerned - helped me get over GERD in one month.
You have to be very disciplined though with the diet. Eat very small meals, sleep on left side ONLY and don't eat after 6pm.
Not great it you're young and like to go out with friends but when you go to restaurants you can ask for steamed fish/chicken/vegetables.
Of course, any alcohol is an absolute no-no.
Good luck.
Posted 1/14/2007 10:22 PM (GMT 0)
DANIE, can you go back to eat all foods now that you're cured, or are you on an alkaline diet forever?

Posted 1/15/2007 2:08 AM (GMT 0)
Friendlygal,
I always had a very healthy diet (that was why it was such a shock when I developed GERD) even before GERD. For example, I never ate high fat foods, alot of red meat, drank much alcohol, always drank decaf coffee never regular.
I always ate alot of vegetables and basically thought that my diet was great but I did learn alot about alkaline way of eating and I have continued alot of the same foods simply because they are very healthy foods.
I have returned to eating most things that I ate before and have no problem eating out in restaurants. I am very careful though never to eat BIG meals and not to have anything very high fat. I have found that I can have a little of just about anything just in small portions.
I sure hope that many of you can be inspired by my story and my recovery. I really do feel bad reading all your postings and believe me, I had horrible symptoms and was very discouraged at times during my recovery. As I said many times before, I was extremely STRICT and DISCIPLINED for one month. I NEVER ate out, always had my own food and ate very little meals many times during the day. I always ate extremely nutritiously though and took vitamins to make sure I wasn't depleting any nutrients from my body.
I ate all the correct alkaline vegetables, tons of watermelon (the most alkaline of fruits), got my protein from tofu, steamed chicken, steamed white fish.
What I found very filling were sweet potatoes (not yams, the orange ones).
Hope this helps.
Danie
Posted 1/17/2007 2:15 AM (GMT 0)

Hi Bluewillow

 I have chest pain and palpitations also. I have had same tests on my heart, like you and was told it was fine. This was before I found out that it was GERD causing my chest pains. When my stomach acid is bad I get a burning chest pain over my heart. I use to think it was angina before I realized it was GERD. My palpitations are like fluttering of the chest, it happens just below my sternum. It is like chest gets sucked in and out very quickly. It happens usually once at time or couple in a row. I do know that Beta Blockers help, for I tried stopped takeing them once I had Gerd. I take 25mg a day of apo-metoprolol, I was taking half pill but that does not work as well.

I don't much about the connection between palp's and gastro problems, only that I too been having more palp's in my life since I have Gerd.

 I am on public health system so I would not get another Holter test, but maybe you should.For I don't trust my cardiologist about my heart.

Posted 1/24/2007 12:34 AM (GMT 0)

Hello Bluewillow and everyone else,

You all have helped me this day and i thank you all.  i didn't understand why i was having pain and burning sensations on the upper back (between shoulder blades) and feeling like food is trapped in my throat.  I have gas as well and the release of that gas seem to soothe the symptoms just for a moment.  i have been feeling this way for at least 8 years and never paid attention until two weeks ago i started having heart palpitations.  i had physicals done because i'm a truck driver and everything was "A" ok.

i regurgitated at night while i slept because of stupidity (eating fatty or fried foods, and spicy, just befor going to bed.)    i going to use the miracle cleansing to detox my insides first to see if that may help at all before i go to schedule medical maintenace. 

I will respond in a week and let you all know if the home remedy worked.  Again thanks.

Posted 1/25/2007 2:21 AM (GMT 0)
Hi tusanthony!  Glad you found the post and got some help here!  I hope you feel better soon, and don't wait too long to seek a doctor's advice.  I have made some major adjustments in my eating habits, like leaving off cheese and dairy (very sad for me!) and eating very early in the evening, way before bedtime, but it's been worth it to feel better.  Please keep us posted on how you are doing with your remedy and Good Luck!
Posted 1/27/2007 4:54 AM (GMT 0)
Hi

Thank god I came across this forum!

I have been going back & forth to hospitals & my GP for over 3 years.

Ive been suffering from severe chest pain, been rushed to hospital 3 times with it!

But after all the heart tests, including an angiogram, they found only a minor irregular heart beat but nothing to worry about.

In December I went in for more tests, endoscopy & erm the other one with the camera down your throat cant remember what its called.

They found I have IBS. I thought okay, so now what & does this cause the pain in my chest.

NO was the resounding answer from the consultant.

So, ive been browsing around for help with the IBS when I happened upon this forum.

Now I KNOW im not alone!!!

The chest pain I get is extreme, very severe, sometimes im doubled up in agony, in tears, scaring myself & my poor husband half to death.

I have the pain constantly now, it used to be sporadic, but sadly now it wont go away no matter what I do.

It is in my chest just under my left breast, in my back, left side, feels like ive been hit real hard with the rounded end of a broom handle or something. Stabbing pain in the front, like something sharp is in there trying to get out(when its real bad), also it kinda encircles my ribs on the left side & runs down my left arm (you can see why I thought it was my heart huh?) I also get the mad pains in my throat which on severe occassions run down my back too & its agony.

The hospital consultant said to me, in a nice kind of way (if you know what i mean) that it could all be in my HEAD! that im some kind of hypochondriac who is having psycho somatic illnesses.

Ive been in & out of hospitals most of my life, im an amputee, lost my leg at 11 with cancer, which ive handled very well, have even councelled other people! I now have arthritis in my spine too, but because i havent had much luck where my health goes doesnt mean im imagining it.

Now I know im not.

Thank you!!!!

Posted 2/4/2007 5:28 AM (GMT 0)
I am a first timer. Thank goodness I am NOT ALONE. For the last 10 months I have been in constant turmoil. I had the classic lump in the throat symptom, pain in the chest, short of breath, ect... gone back and forth to the DR. diagnosed me w/ GERD. made appt w/ ENT, did scope, nothing wrong, changed diet , quit smoking cold turkey(only smoked 2-3 a nite) NEVER went back. all symptoms never went away, but finally got some sleep. (after weeks w/ no sleep). Placed on Ranitidine 2xday, small inprovement in areas, but not enough, did chest Xray and barrium swallow. Results came back normal, but then placed on Omeprazole, after 3 months started to have pain in abdomin on the left side around the ribs, and upper left quad of abdomin. Pain is constant, sometimes very sharp stabbing, other times just a nagging, constant pain. Pain relievers do not take it away. I am very scared. Referred to specialist, did, ultrasound, endocope and now just had a CT Scan of the abdomin. Waiting for the results. I am a 37 year old female. And wondering if anyone has any thoughts. I took myself off the Omeprazole 32 days ago, and the pain in and around the ribs on the left side is still there. please give your thoughts. upset and frustrated.
Posted 2/4/2007 6:29 AM (GMT 0)
I have chest pain with GERD only occasionally. More often, there's a mucus-like substance that ends up in my mouth and causes a sort of alkaline taste. I'll have lots of gas in my upper digestive system and can't seem to burp enough, which will eventually result in significant distention and severe nausea if it lasts long enough.

Maalox with simethicone seems to help a little, especially on those occasions that I do have chest pain. When I get that, I usually don't feel the other effects of GERD, oddly enough. To me it seems more like my lungs are really congested or my heart is having problems.

Good luck.
Posted 2/4/2007 12:56 PM (GMT 0)
Up[set and Frustrated and Debaser,
Try the DGL licorice, it can't hurt you to try it!!!!!!!!
You may actually get alot of relief if not completely cure you like it did me!!!!
What do you have to lose??????
Remember, as I've written a million times - take at least 2 tablets - SLOWLY DISSOLVE IN MOUTH WITH SALIVA 20 minutes before eating anything.
Look back on my postings to get more information also the DR WEIL sites I posted will give you medical information on this miracle supplement.
Posted 2/5/2007 12:02 AM (GMT 0)
I also had chest pain and palps , i had a blood test which shoul be given by your doctor if you are having chest and palp pain because i thought it was to do with the nexium and gastric in the end it was low iron and i was anaemic which can cause palpatations due to not being able to eat certain foods.
Posted 2/6/2007 12:49 AM (GMT 0)
Mrs. Moneypenny,

I read your entry and thought that my story sounds very similar to yours. In January '06 I went to the ER with chest pain. The doctor looked at me like I was just another woman with a psychosomatic illness and then Xrayed my lungs. He told me I had pleurisy (spelling?) and sent me home with painkillers. My internal medicine doctor followed up with me and seemed very puzzled by this as I had not been sick with a cold or anything prior to this problem. (I was told pleurisy is an inflammation of the lungs.) In April '06 once again I had pain so bad and this time it was also in my neck and back and radiating down my right arm.  I felt like I was dying .... could not eat or even drink without tremendous pain. When I would take a sip of water I could feel it going down. I also could not bend over because it felt like my chest was going to explode! Instead of going to the hospital this time though I called my internal medicine doctor & he told me to come in right away for an EEG 9to look at my heart). Well to make a long story short I had an abnormality on my EEG which prompted another trip to the ER this time. Only this time I was lucky enough to get to stay over night and have a lot of tests run on me. All of which were negative......... Oh I forgot to mention that when my doctor promptly sent me to the ER with my abnormal EEG the docs there started pumping me with nitroglycerine and magically my chest pain went away. Which made them further believe that I was having some sort of heart problem.  Anyway, I get realeased from the hospital with a "it's not your heart we don't know what it is....." and head to a follow up with my internal medicine doctor who happens to have an intern or resident with him that day who had been doing some research. They had decided that I was having "classic esophageal spasm symptoms" which often mimic a heart attack down to the pain radiating down the arm to the nitro easing the chest pain. I came home and started researching esophagitis and esophageal spasms (both linked to GERD) and was amazed that more doctors don't know about this. Especially ER docs.  Anyway, don't let the still male dominated field of medicine intimidate you. If you think something is wrong .... keep looking for answers.

P.S. to the person with heart palpitations my doc told me that it is possible that with the amount of pain that I was in it could have messed with my heart and thus the "abnormal" EEG results. He did another EEG on me later and it was "normal" 

Posted 3/12/2007 8:31 PM (GMT 0)
Hello everyone,

 

I am glad I found out about this forum because I thought I was going psychologically crazy. Recently I went to see my doctor and she suspects that I have GERD with the symptoms that I had mentioned.  I don't get chest pains, but I do get heart palp. and fluttering in the chest. Is the fluttering in the chest related to GERD?

Posted 4/18/2007 6:31 PM (GMT 0)
Hello Everyone,

I found this forum a few days ago after searching for years to why I have so many of the problems that are documented here.  Wow!! What a relief, first of all that I am not crazy & that these things I feel are real.  My Doctors just look @ me and say you have gerd & IBS.  about 9 years ago I had a pain in my back..then the palputations, this went on for well over a year.  Did the monitors & the whole EKG..etc.  One day they stopped, never to return until about a year ago.  I started having the pain in my shoulder blades, lots of burping, just miserable.  Went to the doctor she gave me a stress test on my heart. So now a year later I have been going to the doctor..she just gives me prilosec & sends me on my way.  I take bentyl for the IBS to kinda keep things moving & my smooth move tea which helps with bouts of constipation.  about 6 months ago I started having heart palputations (skipping a beat) along with shocking everything in sight.  This only happens about 5 days out of the month & now I see a pattern that happens around my cycle.  Am I crazy, I think it has to do with menapause or hormones.  I have been in the ER for the past 2 days with horrible palps & they did blood tests..ekg...everything & he said it is just PVC that I could have these forever & they would never hurt me...OH WHAT A RELIEF!!!  At least I am not dying..I only feel like dying!!! tongue I told him about my theory of the Hormone/Meno & he just looked at me & said to call my OBGYN.  I am 47 thinking I am in the pre meno state, does anyone have any advise that can help me.  I have all the syptoms of everyone here.  I have been reading all the posts & have a list in hand to go to the drug store.  But if nothing else, I feel better knowing that I am not alone.  Thanks for the ear!!! Patty

Posted 4/27/2007 1:16 PM (GMT 0)

Hi,

I had a couple of weeks of virtually continuous chest pains. They weren't especially severre, but they almost never went away. I went to a doctor who rapidly concluded they weren't cardiac. On top of this I'm an active 24 year old mountain biker. Non smoker, light drinker and average weight. This didn't stop me thinking I had heart problems. In fact the reason I'm on here now is I've just had the same thing again (It's 2pm here and I had lunch a few hours ago, so it's not surprising really!) and I'm still worrying about it. It's scary, but seems in most cases it's harmless.

Mine usually is usually just off to one side of my breast bone or the other most of the way up. I regularly get pains into the corresponding armpit at the same time (on occasions I've burped and this has gone immediately....) and I sometimes get pains down my arm. I also sometimes get a strange feeling lining my throat - it makes me sensitive to the slightest flow of air in or out and so almost feels a little like I'm out of breath. I know some people get it far more dramatically and heard that acid reflux is the number one reason for otherwise healthy people going to ER with chest pains. Can only assume in those instances the pain is very severre.

If you have particular reason to be worried about chest pains I'd go and get it checked out, however having had a brief, but very intense bout of anxiety recently I believe that in most of these cases the most destructive thing you can do is worry excessively about it and 'indulge your fears'.

Chris.


Post Edited (Chris711) : 4/27/2007 7:20:26 AM (GMT-6)

Posted 5/3/2007 2:36 PM (GMT 0)
I was diagnosed with GERD and also ulcers in my esophagus as a result from the acid reflux, which was thankfully cleared up by using Nexium. I'm currently not taking Nexium as my medication was getting a little costly and this one was one I figured I could afford to cut out for awhile...

My heartburn pain differs. Occaisionally it's just a mild, annoying burning in my chest/throat. But sometimes (it's happened two or three times in the past few weeks) I get this SEVERE pain. It's a deep burning pressure, in the middle of my chest and in my stomach, and it made it difficult to breathe. The last time it happened it lasted for almost an hour, most of which I spent lying curled up on the couch hoping it would go away. Drinking Pepto relieved it for maybe 15-20 minutes, but eventually I managed to fall asleep to escape the pain. It was kind of scary... Sometimes I worry that I'll have a heart attack some day and not realize it in time to get help because I'll dismiss it as really bad heart burn :(
Posted 12/16/2007 4:25 AM (GMT 0)
Hi All,

Finding this forum has saved me from getting a 2nd opinion. Thank you all!

I am a 24 year old computer technician, I have had sharp pains in my chest for a few months along with my left arm and shoulder. I went and had a EKG and a ECG both came back fine. They said my heart is good but if i have any more trouble they could put a monitor on me. I really don't think it's my heart as I can be active and it really doesn't seem to have any effect on my symptoms, however eating food, coffee, and alcohol all cause significant pain. The strange thing is my pain will actually pretty much go away if i don't drink any alcohol. If only i would have realized that was key, i wouldn't be searching these forums due to chest pain.

I hope with this wealth of information i have stumbled across i will be able to address these issues on my own without incurring anymore costly hospital bills!

Thanks all, and I hope you all are doing better!

- L
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