Hello all -I have had all heart tests done and they are fine but I have had horrible indigestion and chest pain the past four months -all stomach tests and scope done as well and all is fine. I am so frustrated no matter what I eat I am up all night with horrible painful chest pains in my esophuguas - stabbing, pulling crushing sensation. I am 41 . When I came across a perimenopause site I had several of the symptoms (muscle aches, anxiety, tired) and then I also saw indigestion - does anyone else suffer from this??? What type of doc would I see to test my hormones? My gyn said he would not test me until a yr of not having a period. I also get horrible breast pain. Any suggestions or comments would be great.
Hi Dane,
Can certainly relate to the horrible indigestion! I've had it for the last few weeks - mainly acid reflux, extreme dry mouth and throat and disgusting taste in my mouth. I don't get chest pains - it's mainly just in my throat. I'm almost 55 and have experienced just about all the symptoms known to man over the last 7 or so years. I say this has to be the worst one, but then my memory's just about gone, so I probably don't remember how bad the others were! I'm now almost 7 months period-free so am hoping I don't get to 9 months like I did once before, only to have to start counting all over again.
Anyway, I've tried lots of different fixes for the acid reflux, but the best remedy appears to be eating raw vegetables, carrots in particular. I do take 20 mg omeprazole and an over the counter antacid if it's really bad. I try so hard to stay calm too as getting all hyper definitely makes it worse. Definitely easier said than done though! I've also just started using aloe vera juice, but can't really tell if that helps. I was taking a B Vitamin complex too but had to give that up when it started to upset my stomach. Very upsetting as it definitely was helping my energy level.
I do hope you start to feel better soon - this is such a nightmare!
Margot xxx
SO do you think that the hormones are related to the reflux/indigestion?
Yes! A lot of the posts on this board mention this and if you research it online, you'll find lots of info!
Hi Dane,
I just wanted to let you know that I have suffered with my tummy since Nov 12 and for me it started with a lumpy throat feeling as if I had some food stuck. Went to the GP and he said it was caused by anxiety. Only mid June last year that I started with the same discomfort as you describe with your chest, which comes and goes. I have regular acupuncture and asked her about it and she says its to with the liver being over worked and puts a pin in this area and to be honest it does help. She says its to with the build up stagnation and once it get clears the feeling does go away. I do suffer certains times of the month when I have to be really careful what I eat aswell.
I really do find acupuncture a help to me as she treats me for my overthinking (worrying) and my sinus along with my digestion problems.
Having your our hormones tested won't be worth it until you are one year without periods, I had three test done last year to be told I am not in the menopause even though all these different things started to rear there ugly head, ie never suffered with anxiety, digestive problems or even getting PMT before Nov 12.
All what you describe seems like peri symptoms, the one thing I was told that might help and that was taking slippy elm which (tablets) may help with your crushing as it almost sounds like heart burn. I have got some and they do help.
Good luck and massive hugs coming your way.
Joy
xx
Really feel for you ive been told the awful pain under my left armpit is acid from my stomach but it scares me as it radiates into my left arm and round my back. They did an ECG and said all was fine so got some indugestion medication so we will see if it works! I have muscle aches too and lots of anxiery....it's fun isn't it :-( x
Hi Dane,
I feel for you and your worry over these symptoms. Just lately I have had chest pains, more to the right side, that seemed worse when I breathed in slightly but I think it was indigestion rather than muscle strain (all those intercostal muscles between the ribs can cause alarming chest pain if strained - and I guess the tension caused by anxiety could do that).
I have been regular as clockwork for the last few years, apart from one 3-week late blip last year. 2 days before my 50th birthday I had my period as usual. Then I got all the bloating and indigestion symptoms less than 2 weeks later and I thought, "This feels like PMT again, but that's impossible!". Sure enough, another period started, and it lasted 10 days. Now I have my November period but it is 5 weeks since the start of that last one! Now on day 4 and only just starting to bleed properly - but that's pretty normal for me!
Apart from the indigestion and persistent lump in the throat, yesterday I also realised I was really out of sorts. Started fairly cheerful but then every little niggle upset me and got me so riled! I had to turn the tv off after getting too angry over someone's attitude, but the same thing happened later with a fictional programme! Talking to my mother-in-law later I took something she said as a personal sleight, so then I had to admit to her that I seem to be suffering DMT - During, rather than Pre!
Some months I am ok, but others I become an ogre for a day or so! I had to laugh at myself yesterday for turning into the archetypal Grumpy Old Woman! Who is burping again now after so far only having a mug of tea and no food!
Hormones definitely play a big part - and I know that they cause my bloating which, in turn, gives me varying degrees of indigestion and heartburn. At its worst I take liquid Gaviscon, which usually works.
Try not to worry to much. I have kept a note of my symptoms in a diary and the trend is definitley that indigestion mostly presents itself around period time. So does lack of energy. Things perk up, for me, straight after a period - but the feeling of energy never lasts much more than a week!
CJ x
You are not alone with the digestion problems. You have done the right thing getting it all checked out, now you have to find the ways to limit it for you.
As I understand it the problems can be the valve at the top of the stomach being too relaxed (age) and allowing reflux, SIBO (look it up) causing pressure, Adrenal fatigue (look it up), too much cortisol is not good for digestion. Oestrogen dominance affects digestion.
For me not eating near to bedtime (3 hours) helps a little; raising the bed head (not pillows) helps a little; trying to relieve stress helps a lot; avoiding gluten helps me in lots of ways. I don't get on with (or agree with) PPIs but they work for some ladies on here.
It is a really common problem, try not to worry and let us know if anything works for you.
omg...thanks so much...there might be a light at the end of this dark tunnel
thanks so much for the info...god bless
I too suffer all the same thing chest pain and between shoulder blades gastro probs I have esophgus spasms plus hiatus hernia so tired worn out had lots of heart test all clear I was tould in September I have pernious anima need to have b12 jabs for life then in October I was also told I'm peri menopause so look at both seem to have similar symptoms
wow caroline -I have all the same symptoms...feel like im dying...what doc did u go to to find out you have perimenopause? and what is pernious anima?
do you mind me asking - are your esophgus spasms the most painful thing in the world - mine are the worst pain I have ever felt -stabbing, pulling, crushing pain -I just want to die or go to the er every time I get them
Hello Dane,
I too suffer with indigestion problems terribly. It will start with a little pain on my left side which always worries me but then I belch and it goes away. Then I feel like i'm getting spasms or fluttering in between my breast bone. I guess my esophagus and then I could literally belch for a couple hours. I think caffeine doesn't help as it starts after having my coffee in the morning. I don't have my gall bladder anymore so I know it's not that. I know it disgusts my husband at times because I can't stop, but I also can't help it. I've suffered from the anxiety, aches & pains, sleeplessness and pretty much everything else. I'm in peri because I still get a period, however they are not consistent anymore. I'm 52. I can't wait for the day when I stop getting it. I've been dealing with the indigestion for about 8 months now. I've even been awaken at night with it. Ugh...why do us women have to suffer so? Not fair... but I do feel better knowing it's common and I'm not alone. Hang in there Dane...there is a light at the end of the tunnel!
wow, i thought i was all alone in this...the belching is so embarrassing -my son and husband always make comments...its getting to where I don't want to eat around people anymore! please keep in touch
Im also trying to fiqure out why this is happening. I am only 41. It started out of the blue in August and has been hell ever since. I get confused becuase the tests I got says I have reflux but znatac doesn't help. It also happens when I eat non acid foods and I only get pains across the chest area and in my espophugus, no burning feeling at all...ugh so confused by this whole thing!
Oh girl, I know exactly what you mean. My husband and I were going to a dinner with family and friends and I was belching horribly all the way there and I said, jeez I hope this stops soon and my husband said, would be nice if it did. I know it sounds horrible. It's not acid, no burning sensation just fluttering or bubbly feeling and then belching. Sometimes a discomfort on left side of chest. I've come to terms with it and hope it will pass soon.
Hi Dane I went to my own GP as I felt so I'll run blood tests and was found to have pernious anima all to do with your tummy and having very b-12 I don't under stand it my self I'm new to it look up on it it's missed a lot and some docs know very little it caused me to be tired down hurt all over there are a lot of symptoms to it also have very very low vit d which is some thing that's missed a lot my periods stopped after I had my b12 jabs so after three months they did a blood test and told me I'm peri menopause which also has some of the same symptoms as my PA I had been taking lanzoprole for tummy probs but they made the chest pains worse I have not took them since the 2nd of dec and pains are not as bad and yes the spasms are very pain full I would love to write so much more but my spelling is very bad but please feel free to ask me any thing that mite help you it's very lonely when you have so many things wrong and yo feel like your going mad going to die and all what I go through I do alone so I'm here if you need to talk x
Thank you
look up fibromyalgia all them symptoms you have i was diagnosed with FM you need to see a rhumatologist ..