Gastritis or something else? Please help.

Hi! Sorry for the long post.

I'm 21 and female with a history of heartburn and acid reflux problems & a multitude of digestive/abdominal issues dating as far back as 2011. For over a month now, I have been suffering from these attacks of chest pain, behind my breastbone. It is very intense, I have had 4 in total now. When it happens, I have to drop everything I'm doing, I cannot focus on anything or go anywhere. It is completely debilitating and as someone with quite a high pain tolerance, this was concerning. Of course, consulting google just sends me to heart attacks and such.

The pain would subside after anywhere from 20-30 minutes to hours later. These attacks always happen after noon, as early as 4pm some days and as late as 10pm others. I have no shortness of breath but the pain does intensify when I breathe in deeply during the attack. Aside from the intense attacks, I have had a few mild attacks of it that isn't so debilitating. I do occasionally get heartburn a few times a week but not at the same time as the attacks. It feels nothing like heartburn, of which I am very familiar. It's a very sharp pain, like someone has stabbed me right in the centre of my chest. The only other symptom I've been suffering from lately is itchiness. All over. I struggle to sleep because of it.

Anyway, after a good month and no end in sight to these attacks, I thought I should do something about it. I called 111 and eventually I was referred to an urgent care unit. They took my blood pressure (a bit on the high side), did an ECG, listened to my heart, and then felt around on my chest and upper abdomen. I found that it felt quite tender just under my ribs. From that and listening to my symptoms, they diagnosed me with gastritis, gave me a prescription for gastro-resistant capsules (30mg), and left me to take off the electrode pads from the ECG myself. I've been prescribed PPIs in the past for suspected appendicitis, many years back.

I've been looking up about gastritis and I can't see myself entirely in it. I have no nausea, no problems after eating or any rhyme or reason to what food could be causing the attacks, but I have been putting on quite a bit of weight in the last few months. It's just the attacks and the itchiness. I have an anxiety disorder so I can rule out it being any kind of panic attack - I know the signs and the sensations of those very well. The only medication I take is 100mg of Sertraline for my anxiety disorder.

Of course, I'm no professional, and my anxiety disorder makes it hard for me to push when the doctors talk to me. Something just doesn't feel right and the pain is unbearable. I'm afraid that it'll come on when I'm doing something important or driving as it is completely debilitating. I do not use that word lightly.

Any advice or thoughts of what might be wrong with me would be appreciated! Many thanks.

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