GERD? Sick for 6months, please help!
Posted , 9 users are following.
Hi everyone,
I'm 25 years old and I was sick for couple months already, which I have tightness around my neck at first, but then it started to move to my chest, and I'm frightened that something serious is happening to me.
Here are the symptoms:
Talking difficulty
Pressure around my neck(which caused the talking difficulty)
Pressure/pain / heaviness behind sternum
Pressure in my left chest
Always tired
Dizziness
Regurgitation
The weird part is the pressure only happens one spot at a time, which it feels like the pressure is moving around from my throat, then my sternum, and my left chest( which is right under the collarbone).
Tests I have done so far:
Xray(which came back clear)
Nose throat endoscopy(came back clear as well)
The doctors said it is caused by anxiety /upper respiratorya infection, but they doubt it is GERD because I feel better when I lie down and taking hot shower. However I'm not convinced.
Meds I'm currently on:
Gaviscon advance
Tylenol
Omeprazole
Some kind of inflammatory Meds
None of the medication actually relieves my symptoms and I'm scared I'm going to die.
What should I do?
1 like, 30 replies
Melissab1985 marc0213
Posted
Hello marc. I also have similar symptoms, and have been sick for months, was diagnosed with gerd nearly 6 months ago. I'm 31 years old. I get a few more symptoms than that also tho. I have a swollen tightness feeling in my throat daily, a sore throat daily, chest tightness feeling, sometimes feels like your bot getting enough air in your lungs. I also get muscle twitching and tingling sensations in my throat amd face. I get alot of air and regurgitation as well. I am on omeprazole everyday like you. The tests I've have gotten because my anxiety got the best of me and thought I was dying from cancer, or heart attack, or heart failure you name it, and I thought I had it, but the tests I've had are, 3 chest xrays, a stomach CT scan, a head mri, a spinal tap, cbc blood work, celiac and allergies blood tests, thyroid blood tests, colonoscopy, a nose and throat endoscopy, an esophagus endoscopy, monospot test, I even went to the cancer center and they did blood work to detect any cancer signs in my blood, amd I'm going to a neurologist soon to do more testing for things like ms, als, and doing blood work at the end of the week to check for auto immune disorders or vitamin deficiencies. I had a heart monitor put on for 1 month, a heart ultrasound done, and a heart stress test done, and a blood circulation test as well. I've literally done just about everything you can do to check for something wrong, and the only thing they found was, gerd, inflamed esophagus, pvcs and leaky heart valves that are mild (which the heart stuff I already knew about, have had for 7 years now) and they found that my red blood cells are a little small in diameter than what they should be. Other than that, they have found nothing so far. So the only thing I can think it would be is gerd symptoms, and anxiety symptoms because I have both. I also get a very out of it feeling often like almost a high feeling, amd I've never done drugs in my life so feeling this all the time is strange. But anyway, I have these same symptoms and more, and have done every test know to man and they can find anything wrong other than gerd and anxiety. So hope this is a bit of a relief for you. Also the throat tightening feeling, I've been getting for 1 year and 3 months now and I'm still here, so hope this is a bit of a relief for you. Good luck and hope you feel better soon. If you have any tips on how to get rid of it ease share. I noticed that it helps mine a little bit by eating right, amd eating smaller meals through the day.
cristi29906 marc0213
Posted
BUT...I realized that every time my anxiety hit...my reflux started....
I let my doc know that I found a main trigger....She gave me a LOW dosege of anxiety meds and its helped...BUT....I have had to cut a lot of crap out of my diet...
-cut my coffee down to a couple sips
-fried food...is DONE
-even bread...bread is made with SO much CRAP now that we get sick
-SMALL PORTIONS...not to mention have some small snacks in between
This is THE BEST place you can talk about any issue you have!!!
Melissab1985 cristi29906
Posted
marc0213 cristi29906
Posted
I can't agree more cristi
When I am busy on something / not paying attention to my chest, the tension seems to be relieved a bit. I will try to relax as much as I can but this anxiety thing is difficult to overcome.
I will try to prevent the foods you listed, guess I can't have my French fries and fried chicken for quite some time.
Thank you for your suggestions, and I hope I can get over this as soon as I can.
mj1986 cristi29906
Posted
Completely agree with this. I have been stressed out for years. I was in a disappointing job, I have high expectations of things due to actually being a positive person but got so astronomically ground down by life and had a couple of really horrible things happen to me in my group of friends all in 2014/2015. I kept going because I had to.
I then got a new job, things started looking up and I started relaxing and it all went haywire internally for me. I had headaches when I was extremely stressed but I think that was posture and tension related. I actually found the knot in my neck that relieves tension. I had a smear test scare that ended up going on for months, an infection, took antibiotics for it on an empty stoamch during a stressful week and still waiting for results from aforementioned smear, and got really sick. Now have GERD and oesophagitis.
I do think the antibiotics contributed heavily to my nerves since I don't usually suffer stomach issues or lost appetite or gut function when I'm stressed. I'm more a classic, fainting panic attack type. However, I do have OCD and focused so heavily on my stomach for so long it made me more stressed and I have suffered so much the past wee while. Since my GP explained my issues it's all calmed down and I find I'm hungry, able to sleep, able to eat a whole wide range of foods again and my throat doesn't feel as tight. Omeprazole is also helping and I don't get heartburn that often now. I'm hoping I'm getting out the woods with this but it's a huge lesson in stress for me. I let other people affect me too much and it's effed me up so I need to stop, breathe and appreciate good health from now on!
Melissab1985 marc0213
Posted
Hi me again, I forgot to add, I get the dizzy feelings sometimes too, and always tired, and cold. I also get daily chest pains too, mostly in ribs area and shoulders, sometimes middle of my chest. I even get headaches in the back bottom part of my head amd radiates up the back of my head and have bumps in the back of my neck, and pressure feelings in head and neck and chest also. Ok I'm done now lol. Just thought I'd add that if you have that too.
cristi29906 Melissab1985
Posted
Melissab1985 cristi29906
Posted
I was thinking that it might have something to do with that too, because the last time I had a baby before this one was 10 years ago, but I didn't think you could have post part. Symptoms for that long and ones this severe, and so many symptoms. cuz to be exact I had my baby 15 months ago, but right afyer I had her, 4 weeks, I got mono. Amd had it along with the gerd, amd the mono lasted about 6 months, up until about June this year is when I started feeling ok again, but, the past couple months alot of symptoms came back again, amd severe gerd symptoms, and not to give tmi, but these symptoms multiply by 10 right before, during, amd right afyer my menstrual cycle. I don't know. Hopefully one day well all feel normal again. Thanks
marc0213 Melissab1985
Posted
Hi Melissa,
Thank you it means a lot and you gave me some kind of relief. I was so scared that I will die from some kind of cancer soon, especially after my colleague was diagnosed with lung cancer even she was a perfectly healthy person.The anxiety basically stopped me to enjoy anything in my life, and I am in constant fear of death.
I hope I can get over this really soon and I really hope it's GERD but not anything else. I might take an endoscopy test soon if I don't improve by dieting and exercising.
mj1986 marc0213
Posted
Fingers crossed, Marc. Have you had blood tests done? It's easy to say this from the outside but it sounds like anxiety and it's been exacerbated by witnessing someone else go through a tough time. I am so susceptible to things like other people getting a bad diagnosis or even adverts for hospices on the TV. I have been unable to handle any of this stuff for months since my stomach issues started. And until last week I also thought I was terminally ill. It felt like my body was shutting down.
A LOT of that was stress. Since I spoke to my GP my appetite miraculously returned. I have gone from sleeping an hour a night to not being able to get up in the morning (in a good, comfy way!) I have started eating normally again and just watching portions/fatty food which make me feel sick at the moment. I have less nausea although do still get it periodically - but I have noticed stress triggering it, and it feels like my stomach is jumping up into my throat when this happens.
I hope you find piece of mind and your appointment helps. I'm also going to a consultant. I have avoidance health anxiety so it's a big step for me seeing a specialist but I already feel so much more relaxed and on the planet since speaking to my GP. I've also been taking omeprazole prescribed, and digestive enzymes/magnesium oil on my skin/B vitamins/probiotics for everything else. They all help. Marshmallow root and passion flower tea in a strainer really helped me sleep when I was bad and coated my throat so I didn't feel like I was choking. Good luck, let us know how you go!
stevieboy64 marc0213
Posted
Melissab1985 stevieboy64
Posted
Hi stevieboy, yes I actually thought of the gluten thing as well. Amd as of just under 2 weeks ago have been eating no gluten, wheat, or soy and Ben eating healthier amd smaller amounts more often through the day. So far it just has helped a tiny bit with the regurgitation but everything is still there. Amd I notice my symptoms are mild in the morning, a d get worse through the day too, especially the anxiety. It's horrible, no matter what I do its always there. I hope we don't have to go on for the rest of out life like this.
marc0213 stevieboy64
Posted
Hi stevie,
I haven't tried a gluten free diet, which might be worth trying if my symptoms doesn't go away. I tried to monitor what I eat for a week but it doesn't seem to get better.
I havent diagnosed with GERD and acid reflux neither, the Gp claimed it's not likely that I have GERD because I feel better when I lie down. However I have regurgitation hence I'm not convinced by that Gp's diagnosis.
I wish I know what's wrong with my body, and sometimes I just want to head to the er because I'm so anxious, but I'm just scared to find out the horrible truth.
mj1986 Melissab1985
Posted
Did you guys suffer from anxiety before this kicked off? I was definitely wired, busy and stressed. But since this developed (the first time I got reflux I vomited and got a weird flutter in my oesophagus) my anxiety has been off the chart. I've had weird generalised anxiety where I'll jump out my skin out the blue if someone walks behind me in the street, or even when things are calm and I starte worrying about symptoms coming on.
My symptoms are so changeable and I have OCD focused on health anxiety so I don't deal well with the myriad of new symptoms coming and going. Thankfully I've started to see a pattern and it's pretty textbook - big portions, fatty foods, pizza and a large quantity of citrus will give me a feeling my stomach is about to jump into my chest, indigestion or nausea. Take your pick. I had heartburn solidly for 3 weeks when this hit its peak a month ago (and I went he doctor about it because I'd had enough) and since then omeprazole plus being strict with my diet has quelled it somewhat. I've even eaten chocolate withut repurcussions. I think a lot of mine is related to anxiety but it's so hard not to be anxious when your body is rebelling! Oddly mine gets better as the day goes on - I think I get a lack of control when I sleep so I wake up anxious in the morning in case symptoms hit. But it's dying down a fair amount for me, thank goodness. I thought I was dying till my GP ran blood tests, and even though I have a referral to gastroenterology and a potential scope I am so much calmer than I was and able to eat again. Good luck to everyone.
Melissab1985 mj1986
Posted
Yes, anxiety definitely contributed to my gerd for sure. But in my case a couple other things triggered it, I had just had a baby, and had been going through mono as well. My body was literally falling apart. I felt everyday that it was going to be my last. I actually still on some days feel this way, and noticed that the symptoms are ALWAYS worse when im stressed and especially anxious. Also noticed they are worse right before and during my menstrual cycle. The throat tightness, chest pressure, chest pain and headaches are especially worse with anxiety. I know thay it's alot easier said than done with anxiety, from personal experience, but try to distract yourself and relax and breath, and reassure yourself your going to be ok. This will pass. It always does. And just try to change your lifestyle to help with the gerd. Especially eating habits
mj1986 Melissab1985
Posted
Hey Melissa,
Oh poor you, that sounds awful! On top of how exhausting childbirth is the last thing you need is mono! We call it glandular fever in the UK and I know people who have had it who were hospitalised! A horrible thing to happen and really hard to diagnose/treat.
I get the tight feeling in my throat and nausea! I have noticed that mine also gets worst when I'm pre menstrual, and certainly anxiety and emotions are heightened at that period, too. It makes a normal montlhy occurrence so much more difficult to manage!
My bout of reflux was started by antibiotic use, I'm convinced of it. I was really stressed (and pre menstrual) that week too unfortuantely, and had been treating a lower abdominal infection (gynecological) while waiting for smear test results which ended up being fine but was a bit of a scare when the nurse examined me. It was an awful time. I then developed oral thrush which made it difficult to talk or swallow, and since then I have ben scared of a choking feeling developing in my throat (GERD can do that too). But the anxiety of it has continued my GERd I think - confirmed by pals in medicine, my boyfriend, family/friends/doctor/dog!!
Since I saw my GP I have calmed down significantly since he said I still feel like I'll choke sometimes because I've inflamed my oesophagus and that the food I'm eating is churning in my stomach, especially during an attack. It's got a lot better since then but a way to go. I think I'll need to be free of these symptoms for half a year till I feel right again!
I did have GERD 2 years ago after a bout of the norovirus and I remember it took me about 4 months that time not to feel sick - though it wasn't as severe as this time. I hadn't considered going to the doctor about it, for example. I just kind of dealt with it but I remember it being really unpleasant.
What are your GERD symptoms? For me (and to reassure Marc) I get tightness in my throat, I've thought I had heart palps (it was oesophagal spasms, apparently), nausea after eatign, indigestion, heartburn solidly for 2 weeks once, weird burping, lack of appetite and feeling full/feeling like I don't digest food at night if I eat late or eat big portions...I've managed these things fairly well though by eating smaller portions and staying away from "bad foods"...it's getting there I hope!
Melissab1985 mj1986
Posted
Hi mj!
Yes it was a very horrible point in my life, probably the worst so far. Still to this day feel the effects of the mono (glandular fever) unfortunately. What is the weird thing is I've had it once before this in my life too, when I was 23, and lasted a year then. I'm now 31. So heard that it's very uncommon to get it more than once in your life. I don't see how it can be that uncommon though as it stays with you for the rest of your life once you get it. But anyway,
You asked about my gerd symptoms?
I actually get quite a few, not all at once all the time but here's what I get:
Chest tightness
Sharp chest pains
Muscle tightness in my neck and lower face
Throat swelling
Sore throat
Post nasal drip
Bubbling feeling in my throat that makes me gag sometimes
Regurgitation in my throat shortly after I eat that can last a couple hours sometimes less
Sharp stomach pains
Major Bloating
Muscle twitching
Now I don't know if this is caused by the gerd or not but I get tingling sensations in my neck and face sometimes
Headaches, also don't know if it's from gerd or not
Right after I eat a decent size meal, I always feel a bit out of it for a while because my digestive system is working hard I'm guessing
That's all I can remember right now. Hah there might be more but I can think of anymore at the moment. But like I said I get A LOT and it can be quite scary at times when the symptoms start to pile up on you.
Then when you start your time of the month and they get even worse, it Definitely triggers my anxiety, some months more than others. This month is the worst in a while as I'm going through this now, and has actually triggered a little bit of depression with it having to deal with this much at once and having to take care of my two kids and baby on top of it. Luckily I have a wonderful husband that takes over for me when I'm not up for much
I was wondering, do you get this anxiety/depression stuff when your symptoms are bad too? Or during your menstrual cycle? Just curious, hoping I'm not the only one haha.
Melissab1985 mj1986
Posted
Oh also mj, I completely forgot to mention, that I too have had a few rounds of antibiotics this past year due to uti's (bladder infections) that keep coming back for some reason, but I do recall having this same problem after the last baby I had too, but that was 11 years ago before this one. They did a procedure on my urethra the last time to stop the bladder infections, which was one of the most painful things I've ever gone through. So maybe they'll have to do it again to stop it this time too. Anything so I don't have to keep taking these antibiotics. I haven't had one on about 2 months now so knock on wood it stays that way. But with my darn luck probably not haha. Anyway, maybe this is why I can't get rid of these stomach issues because I keep having to take a weeks worth of antibiotics due to these bladder infections that keep returning. I'm not convinced that's what it is though as I have taken antibiotics alot in my life for other reasons as well, and have never had this problem before. Not alot alot but maybe once every other year or two I have something that I'll need an antibiotic for, like bronchitis, I get now and then unfortunately because I'm also a smoker. But before this bladder stuff after the baby its been a few years since I've had an antibiotic so maybe it has something to do with it.