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All my symptoms blamed on GERD - Need to Rant Sorry

Posted , 10 users are following.

youngatheart1
youngatheart1

Hi I have been posting on here for months now regarding heart palpitations, pain in chest, dizziness, numb tingly fingers etc and have been told over and over it is GERD, I have had a chest X ray, several ECG's, bloods etc. Today I went to cardiologist and was given a stress test on a treadmill which showed that my heart cramped, meaning I could have a blocked artery. He did say that it may not be as this quite often shows in women due to their breasts !!!! Anyway have now been put on Bisacoldol Beta Blocker for 30 days to slow heart rate before a CT scan. Had the GP and 2 different A&E departments checked I may not have had to put up with this for so long. The symptoms are the same as a lot of us post, so if not happy with verdict especially as like me my acid had not worsened, in fact was better keep on at the GP. I am terrified to start the Beta Blockers as they cause even worse symptoms and terrified that exercising will make my heart worse.

2 likes, 61 replies

61 Replies

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  • debbie89808
    debbie89808 youngatheart1

    Posted

    Hi

    Sorry to hear of your experience - I presume you are in the UK and it is the NHS that we are talking about.  With regard to the NHS nothing at all surprises me and I have just been through 9 months of hell because of it and my problems (gastro related) are still not over and I have had to pay out £750 in private consultation fees to get a diagnosis and move things along a little quicker than they would have otherwise.  The main thing now is that you get a proper diagnosis so they can finally give you the correct medication/treatment.

    Best Wishes

    Debbie

  • abc1234
    abc1234 youngatheart1

    Posted

    hi yah, your symptoms do not sound related to AR to me. you were smart to get yourself cheked out. if you do not excercise why not use this as a good excuse to start. be careful to not eat for 2 hours before excercising for reducing the chance of your AR causing more issues. walking fast or a light jog mixed with some weights on alternating days makes a big difference with the right AR diet. i do not take any drugs for AR or anything else, but i do take supplements.
  • Dyezee
    Dyezee youngatheart1

    Posted

    Do not do any strenuous exercise unless told to do so. If you DO indeed have artery blockage you should take the beta blockers as prescribed. This will stop the palpitations and ensure your heart does not get stressed. You should not take up serious exercise when taking BB's. Good luck with getting everything sorted now. As for the breast comment, really? Words fail me!
    • bronwyn97278
      bronwyn97278 Dyezee

      Posted

      Yes, me to that too......I wouldn't be over exercising either, while just starting out on Beta Blockers......the reason that they have drs/nurses with you while doing Stress Testing is for the one reason that should you have any problems while doing same, someone is there with you....just do as your Cardiologist has told you, and even do a diary of "how you are feeling each day", once you have started taking same...what you eat/do/physical feelings....do the original symptoms get worse//easing.....any thing at  all...................Bron
  • david61512
    david61512 youngatheart1

    Posted

    You know I've been really surprised at many of the symptoms people have had put down to GERD. I had what I assumed were straightforward symptoms i.e. bad heartburn (burning in the gullet) which got worse with time. Eventually the hernia slackenned or shifted causing volume reflux (food coming back up), so I had the hernia repair op.

    I didn't know GERD had so many other attributes like lump in throat back pain etc. It's been a real eye opener

    • derek76
      derek76 david61512

      Posted

      It can also cause irregular heart beats and mimic cardiac pain but having had the op you must surely be much improved. 
    • david61512
      david61512 derek76

      Posted

      I am Derek but didn't have those symptoms. Do you know how it's able to cause symptoms like those? What's the mechanism
    • derek76
      derek76 david61512

      Posted

      Too much to write and the links would be moderated.

      Just Google:  Gerd and irregular heart rate and Gerd mimics cardiac symptoms and a lot will come up.

    • youngatheart1
      youngatheart1 derek76

      Posted

      Hi, yes my thoughts as well especially as all my tests did come back normal apart from this stress test. But I do not have acid as such not the real painful burnings up my throat, so am at a loss to know what these palps and flutters are all about. Hopefully will find out once the CT scan has been done.
  • ann_and_nick
    ann_and_nick youngatheart1

    Posted

    What? stress test showed "cramping"...may or may not be a block? Then what the heck is causing the "cramping"??

    Reflux or AR may be a separate issue from your other symptons "heart palpitations, pain in chest, dizziness, numb tingly fingers etc". I have no doubt that under stress a block can cause chest pain and numb tingly fingers.....I also have no doubt when I have an infection or other condition, my heart rate increases..but not chest pain, dizzy, and numbness in fingers...the one disorder I know that causes this beyond an artery  "blockage" is LYME.

    I would want to be tested for Lyme disease...just a heads up....know well a beta blocker may be required for more critical cardio evaluation such as  CTA.

    Regular mild exercise and deep breathing can also "slow heart rate"...while this is "healthy" it doesn't get to the underlying problem/s.

     

    • youngatheart1
      youngatheart1 ann_and_nick

      Posted

      Thanks for your reply, am I right in thinking lyme disease is caused by ticks, the reason for asking is that many many years ago when I used to live by fields I did actually get a tick stuck in my ear. Yuk I know but I just pulled it out and freaked. I never really thought about it. With regard to the Beta Blockers I have to take them so that CT scan works better as the pictures are better with a slower heart beat. I have only been given 30. I was told I am low risk as my ECG was good, my bloods and pulse etc good. My cholestoral is a little high, it is just the comment about large breasted ladies recording a negative test that I find strange, but did google it and it is a problem apparently. The cardiac nurse was great but the cardiologist I saw at the end really dismissive so I could not ask a lot of questions, like can I exercise, I did ask about flying he said yes as my risk of stroke and heart attack was the same as his. I do wonder if they say good and bad things to cover themselves.
    • ann_and_nick
      ann_and_nick youngatheart1

      Posted

      google  it wasn't heart disease-but what was it, heart sisters

      I am not certain if lyme tests are readily available except where there is  a prevelance of the lyme bearing tic...A Brit living in AU was refused the test because of this in spite of him being a world vagabond.

      I only mentioned lyme as an alternative to your dr's statement "you may not have a blockage"?  what other problems/disorders can cause "similar" symptoms....lyme symptoms do vary by type, country, and of course our own immune reponse.

      Ann

    • ann_and_nick
      ann_and_nick youngatheart1

      Posted

      And yes, they do have the habit of coverings...first...test illustrated "cramp"...but what cause it? Maybe a block?..well maybe not?...so you've a "definite maybe"...he is covered by ordering a CTA evaluation..along with a beta blocker...all other tests show good heart conditons...he is in safe harbor.
    • youngatheart1
      youngatheart1 ann_and_nick

      Posted

      Hi test results back showed some interior and lateral ST despression of around 1mm, whatever that means, I have googled this and is does sound something I can reverse or at least stop with good health. With regard to lyme disease, I have googled and yes the symptoms are similar, but at the time 40 odd years ago apart from pulling this tick from my ear I had no other symptoms, no rash or anything so unless it has taken 40 years to come out am not too worried about. The only other thing it could be related to is having cellulitis from a horse fly bite 3 years ago which has left my lleg in a bad way with regard to veins and redness etc. the GP said once cellulitis is in the system it stays there. Take care
  • antony17862
    antony17862 youngatheart1

    Posted

    This sounds like dilated cardiomyopathy . Have you had an echo cardiogram? Like ultrasound on your heart?
    • youngatheart1
      youngatheart1 antony17862

      Posted

      No just ECG, X Ray, Blood Pressure, Bloods all good. Having a CT scan after taking beta blockers so they can get a better look.
    • bronwyn97278
      bronwyn97278 youngatheart1

      Posted

      Evening youngatheart; I'm finding this discussion very interesting....will be looking out for anymore inputs/results, as we certainly seem to be going over a lot of topics/suggestions..........in meantime, I'm going to do a lot of research on Lyme's disease....I, too, grew up with having many tick-bits, and find this now an interesting topic............please keep us informed of any new developements............Bron
    • ann_and_nick
      ann_and_nick bronwyn97278

      Posted

      Bron, if all roads roads lead to Roma...this case "no road or map"....Nicks friend Don Claudio received an e mail yesterday from his friend in Japan. He too has suffered over the years with an initial mild shouder arm and finger tingles...that lead to mild pain.then some vertigo mixed with dizzy and tachycardia. A kanzo expert, a toyota engineer and a pilot..age 60. 2 weeks ago had a root canal treatment...pains vanished within a day or so....he says too soon to know much about his other symptoms and "IF" he remains pain free.

      I've asked for the anesthestics used...if any. May take some time before a reply... May have no relevance to this current thread with youngatheart. Note: DC knew of his history of auto accident roll over, and often his back on concrete flooring...apparently  missleads.

    • youngatheart1
      youngatheart1 bronwyn97278

      Posted

      Results back everything good ECG sinus rhythm 74bpm, blood pressure right arm 140/70 and left 138/70, no carotid buits, no heart murmurs, chest clear apart from tenderness in central retrosternal and xiphisternum areas, probably due to GERD. They did however find following my stress test there appeared to be some inferior and lateral ST depression of around 1mm and I am having a CT scan and having a 24 hour tape but they expect to find nothing unusual. This last bit worries me, if it is there what is causing it, will have to wait to find out. With regard to lyme disease I am not worrying about that too much because I did not have a rash or fever just the tick, it was over 40 years ago unless it lays dormant. I will be mentioning this to my GP next week. Have a good day
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