I started to have acid reflux chest pain 2 years ago

Digestive health
1

I started to have chest pain 2 years ago, when I was only 19 years old. It happened after I ate, out of the middle of nowhere. I did not know what to think about the pain, at first I just thought it would go away. I have been perfectly healthy before this exept for the occasional headache. I decided if it did not I would call the doctor the next day. The next day I still had pain, I went to the emergency room thinking at 19 years old I was dying of a heart attack. The doctor took one look at my chart, said you are a healthy 19 year old, you have heartburn. He did give me an EKG, everything was fine, and they sent me on my way. Two days later I was back in the ER with worse pain and burning, they gave me another EKG and a chest x-ray. Both tests seemed ok, exept they did see a little inflamation of the chest wall, diagnosing me with costocondritis, gave me some steroids,and vicodin and sent me on my way. Two weeks later, after following all the doctors orders, bed rest,hot/cool compressions, prednisone...I countinued to have problems. I called the dr., he told me this condition could last months. Oh great.... This was affecting my school work, and full time job. A few days later I was driving home from work, and I felt bad pain in my chest ,stomach and felt like I was having heart palpitations, I pulled over and called 911...this time I was sure that I was dying. Once again, I went to the ER, they gave me a anti-iflammitory shot, told me oh, you have anxiety thats causing you all your problems, call your DR. he will prescribe you something. I did just that, called the DR. he said yes..anxiety, visit a therapist and take these effexor tablets and you'll feel better in a couple weeks. Better... did he say better...sure I will do WHATEVER it takes, this has been going on for 2 months now. A few weeks later, back at the ER, the effexor made me go INTO panic attacks, they gave me 2 EKG's, both fine, told me to quit taking the effexor and call the DR.. Did I mention that by this time I had already lost 20 pounds because I was afraid to eat anything. In the months following, I lost a total of 35 pounds, had a 48 holter heart moniter, sleep apnea test, upper GI, a sonogram of my heart, everything turned out fine. Was diagnosed with Fibromyalga, carpo tunnel syndrome, anxiety and arthritis...and all this happened at once,( I was a 20 year old with a 50 yr old womans problems) but no medicine made by stomach and chest problems go away. Almost a year later I started to be able to eat again, gained some weight back, felt ok, but that went away quickly. Now 2 years later,AND many DR.S later I am 21, I still have chest pain every now and again, have bad heart burn everyday, palpitations, feel like I can't breathe, usually i feel ok when I eat or drink, so that what I do to feel better, needless to say I have gained back the weight but still feel horrible. It has been 2 years and still nothing. I hope I can get a DR. to help me out, by now they all think I am a hypocondriac, they hear my name for an appt. and try to guess what's going on with me now. This has all been a horrible experience for me and I hope someone can offer help. It has ruind my social life, I hate going out and feeling like crap, I have missed a lot of work going to and from DR. appt. I had to take off a year of college, because I never feel good.If anyone has advise I would love to hear it . Thanks all.

This message was automatically imported from the original Patient Experience

2

Hi, all you describe I have experienced. it is nos an old person disease, it can hit anyone at any age.I have had 10 trips to the hospital, no heart attack.it is all in your head, in the mean time, I have gain 50 pounds,why I don't know the drs don't know. tried nexium,protonix, zantac all of them. gone to breath test for bacteria, smanll bowel manometry,I have had tuomors and polyps out of the colon, you named,I don't drin I don;t smoke, I am now on Lorezapam, anxiety atacks come from not knowing and also from a prolapsed mitral valve. This is my suggestion to you. I am a clinica psychologist, all of us have stress, the way we deal with it is another matter. Try to fins out what stresses you the most, eliminate at all cost, avoid fried foods, alcohol, cigarettes, sodas. Eat boilmeats and also broiled, vegetables, np cabagge,np B. sprouts, no pea, no broccoli. No pears, apples, broiled, apple juice, no orange juice. I can send more info if you care too. In the mean time, buy raw a[[le cider vinegar. 2 tablespoons in a glass of distiled water with 2 tablespoons of honey, drink as much as you want during the day, sip it you may have all the glasses you want. Walk 30 minutes per day, hard walk. Please have an ultrasound of the heart, check for valves or heat murmure, you will be surprised of the relation between the heart, the acid reflux etc. Finally have your dr put you on Paxil or Lorezapam for a while. You maty have flairs once in a while but you will get better I promise you that. You may contact me at anytime via e mail. Stay away from antibiotics, they will eat the good flora, replace that with probiotics.Best to you.:wink:

This message was automatically imported from the original Patient Experience

3

Hi there,

The chest pain you are getting is possibly Oesophageal Spasm - extremely unpleasant and scary spasm of muscles in the Oesophagus and surrounding chest area triggered by acid reflux.

I have been prescribed Tramadol specificly for this symptom and the pain that goes with it and it works a treat. ( muscle relaxant and painkiller)

I looked down your list of tests....have you had manometry - Acid PH test ?- I paid privately for this test as the waiting lists are very very long, and was instantly diagnosed with severe reflux disease. This test meassures the acidity levels at the bottom of your oesophagus. A ph of 4 or below usually indicates the need for surgery. I had hardly any inflammation on my Endoscopy but my average ph was 3.4..... which is exactly what it felt like when I was hunched up in agony. I was prescribed oral morphine by my G.P when he got the results. I had surgery fairly quickly after that and life is so much better.

The agonising symptoms weren't all in my head after all!

It is not your fault that your Doctors have considered every condition under the sun except the one you probably have. If you know you are ill don't be put off by your Doctors lack of expertise- go see a consultant who specialises in reflux surgery if you think you have reflux.

4

I have had this condition now for years and refuse to have invasive procedures so have refused the endoscope. Is there any other way of diagnosing / curing this. It is being contained using ant-acids and acid reflux drugs (prescribed)

5

Oh my god this is me haha ! It all started with chest pain I thought heart attacks 21 and feeling chest pains I started then getting palps and panic attacks I have had panic attacks all my life but not chest pain like this here I am now just turned 23 still chest pain I have been told acid reflux the first time at hospitak doctor put hyperacidity gave me tablets I never took them I was Deffo having a heart attack I now weight 8.6 !! I lost weight I went to doctors hundreds of times and hospital twice when palps started and stayed in for two nights to be told all is fine I had 24 hour holter which was fine heart echo fine this started all my full blown health anxiety off I used to worry about health like maybe 2 times a month before I was more panic atatck ridden but now I'm full blown hypercondriac the doctors know me too well ! Nobody has since mentioned my acid reflux but it's been 2 years of burping sick chest pains dull heavy pain tight ribs bubble stuck in throat feeling ect ect I don't trust medication because my palps started on some and because I was Deffo having a heart attack why should I take anti acid meds im now coming to realise I need to go to doctors and get it sorted before I do damage it's crazy though how I read your story and straight away it was me !

6

I'm an indian call me 9515071726 I'll give u a perfect solution

7

hi there . i am also having same kind of situation. i am 19 years old. i smoke regularly. dose it bothers ? what should i do ? i am really confused right now.

8

You have my life except my arms, shoulders, and chest hurt dally. Had my 3rd EKG 2 days ago in the ER. Normal. On zantac and prilosec. Doesn't even phase it. I have another app. 3 days from now. Going to ask to be referred to a Gastrologist. Hopefully he will be able to help. The pain is unberable.

9

Hello can I contact u...? Am also having the same problem

10

Him, just checking in to see how you made out and if you have an update reguarding your condition. I'm experiencing same symptoms .

11

Hi, Thank you for your text.  Its quite informative.  I am a PhD student in Brazil. This issue started with me almost 2 years ago in Brazil and my life is horrible. I am originally from Pakistan. The doctors said you have some stress or something like that but I do not think I am any stress. I could not sleep sometimes and I have this discomfort almost 24 hours. I do not know how can I manage it. Presently, doctor suggested me to take omeprazol for 6 months. I am taking omeprazol for last 2 months but nothing changed rather last night I had severe pain and today I visited  hospital.  The doctor prescribed domperidona to take after every 8 hours. Hoping for something good. May you suggest me anything else??.

12

Having this same problem right this moment. Happens every few weeks or so since I was 22. Im 28 now. Feels like getting stabbed in the chest

13

I know this is 12 ears ago but u just spoke every single thing i felt im 19 and this has been going on for me for about a year and ruined alot of my life milestones ive cried while reading ur post because its the exact same thing happening to me n i feel lime im having heart attacks or serious problems but doctors say im not they havent comfirmed fibro or arthritis yet but im probably 95% sure it is both i have anxiety and panic everyday this happened after a car accident and i also feel short of breathe and palpitations and also costcondritis which is a pain in the ass..im a female pretty petite but im not sure if that has anything to do with it u really helped me alot and i wonder if i have fibro aswell all the time my bones aches muscles are so tense its hard to sleep and shooting pains everywhere especially chest and head... U probably dont have this account anymore but if u do id love to know what happened with yours and how u handled life now if u dont mind. I dont even want to go to college anymore because im afraid of going out. Anywhere

Id really appreciate it thanks you.

14

Actually i had a panic attack from smoking weed few weeks back.... I never had any of f*****g attack before... I drink alcohol.. I smoke cigarettes n i smoke hash and weed... After that panic attack the next day i was feeling chest tightness n having problem in breathing ... it's been 19 days I'm not recover till now ... I have checked ecg ... Ecg is normal ... Blood test also ... It is normal.. so after chest tightness I'm feeling chest burning also at night it was worse when u lie down... I'm thinking that I'm going to die today or this yr .. tell me guys what to do now I'm fed ... I will go to doctor... But wht u guys say ..,???