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Is this really Acid Reflux i'm experiencing?

Posted , 101 users are following.

Tinkerbell32
Tinkerbell32

Hi, for the past 4 months I have been suffering daily severe symptoms with breathlessness, burning and pressure sensation in my back and chest, pressure in my throat which makes me want to cough, burping and most recently tiredness. These don't necessarily occur after food, i have the breathless and pressure feeling all day every day.

I went to a private hospital for tests under my medical insurance as my NHS GP couldn't give me all the tests i wanted for peace of mind as i'm an extreme worrier and after Googling my symptoms i was in tears! So 2 weeks ago i had blood tests, allergy tests, a CT scan on my heart and lungs, a lung function test and an Echocardiogram. I had the results last week which thankfully shows my heart is absolutely fine but i have mildly inflamed airways in my lungs and the doctor advised the most likely cause is Acid Reflux and this is causing the breathless feeling. The doctor has advised i take Lanzoprasole 30mg daily and a steroid asthma inhaler to reduce the inflammation for 3 months.

To be honest, i'm concerned that this isn't caused by acid only because most of the threads i have read on here are from people who only experience symptoms from food. As soon as i get out of bed and start walking around i start to get the pressure feeling in my chest and i've just had enough of it. Does anyone else have symptoms like me? I'm constantly thinking about what i could have wrong or if it is acid, what damage it is doing to me! I know it's only been a couple of days on the medication so shouldn't expect it to work straight away but can anyone tell me of any other self help medications that i could take to make it go away quicker? I'm really at my wits end and it's all i think about.

Thank you

10 likes, 256 replies

256 Replies

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  • rubyvan
    rubyvan Tinkerbell32

    Posted

    Hi Tinkerbell32

    I have the breathless thing but thought it was due to putting on some weight around my middle after being on steroids for 5 months (for an allergic reaction on one of my arms) over 2012/13.  A few months ago I started to get acid reflux, burning, burping and wanting to make myself burp to relieve pressure, plus a bloated feeling but no pain. Like debra27175, I get the feeling of something coming up my throat and even in bed and on three pillows, I get a choking feeling.  It's all a lot better when I stand up and walk around but I can't do that all day. I'm getting burping right this minute, then a burning at the back of my throat and my mouth fills with saliva from the sides. My doctor asked me for stool smaples which proved negative but I did not go for the offered endoscopy as I gag when anything like a tube is down my throat.  Doctor gave me penicillin and proton pump inhibitor capsules (1 months supply) but I did not want to take these long term as they can cause constipation and other side effects.  I changed my diet (I don't eat meat anyway) and cut out sugar and fats...so no cake, biscuits yoghurts or certain acidic fruits, no coffee chocolate or full fat milk and no tomatoes or potatoes.  I also cut out wheat and make my own spelt & honey and corn bread.  I still have gastric reflux...marginally less so than before but not entirely gone. My day starts with porridge and 1% fat milk with a few chopped dates. Lunch may be scrambled eggs with chilli flakes and toasted corn bread (no butter or spread) or an omelette with spinach. Brown rice and fish or just plain fish with veg for supper.  I don't eat later than 6pm and have brekkie at the optimum time of 07.38, lunch at 12.42 which are (according to a world respected dietician) the times we are best able to digest and make best use of nutrition.  This has massively impacted my life.  I read recently that ALKALINE water is best for those with our problem.  It is readily available in the US and is sold on Amazon but is hugely expensive. Tap water (my water provider is Thames Water) in my area has a PH value of 7.43...I spoke to their water quality department to get this information. The optimum for preventing gastric reflux is a PH value of 8.8 which acts as a barrier to the acid flooding your stomach. You can Google all this info which is what I have been reduced to doing in an effort to get my life back...either that, or eat Gaviscon tablets like sweets or get a script from the doc for the inhibitors again...which I'm unwilling to do.  I'm hoping that this pool of information offers some solutions for some people and my thanks for all the other contributions...it makes me feel a lot less alone in my misery.

  • Dreaming
    Dreaming Tinkerbell32

    Posted

    Hello Tinkerbell and everyone else,

    I am sitting here experiencing the same symtoms.

    Appreciative for all your suggestions, especially about the licorce tea, eating small meals and not wearing anything tight around the waist.

    Hearing each of you share has given me some type of certainty as to what I am experiencing.

    Because I have another diagnosie, everything I am experincing has been given to it.

    In fact, because of the inability to breathe and inflammation, I have been on oxygen for 5 years, but in my heart did not believe I needed it.

    Currently I am not taking any medication because I wasnt sure if my symptoms were from my lungs are my stomach since they are on my right side. I took omperazole for about 3-4 months, but it did not seem to help.

    What to do?

    some days I have a lot of mucus that I bring up and some days I don't.

    I think certain things will aggravate and trigger symptoms.

    How are you doing?

    Please share anything else you have discovered.

    Do google "How to get rid of a Hiatus Hernia naturally. There is an exercise that can be done.

    Tinkerbell, thank you especailly for starting this threa  

  • 1prettigyrl2u
    1prettigyrl2u Tinkerbell32

    Posted

    I am so glad I have found this post. To know that their are so many people experiencing what i am experoencing makes me feel better that i can get some help. I am so sick of this heartburn, breathlessness, stomach pain, nasal drip, heart palpitations, hoarsness etc., I have taken protonix, dexilant, a pink liquid, nexium, misoprosol and NONE of this medicine is working. Nexum started to work and I was feeling better but it stopped and I still take it cause it works temporarily. MY heart is fine they have did and EKG and check my blood ezymes to my hear and they also did a chest xray and checked my lungs I am all fine. I am blessed for what its not but thie Acid Refux & GERD makes you feel like hell. I have to have voice treatment due to my voicebox is messed up. Sometimes it is such a strain to talk and when I do talk I sound like a "man frog" of some sort. I can eat or dringk anything because it sets it off. I tried organic and gluten free and it was cool for a minute but I was so dang gas'ey I couldnt do that anymore. I have lost a total of 20 pounds. I am going to cry my eyes out this thursday when I go to the doctor. I have written alot of stuff down from this site to bring up to him. I was thinking more of having the surgery and to stop trying all these meds that does not work. I am not a person for going under the knife but I also don't want to keep losing weight and taking meds and they dont work nor or they fixing the problem.
  • alexandra96047
    alexandra96047 Tinkerbell32

    Posted

    Feel slightly relieved after reading all these posts. My symptoms started about 6 weeks ago. I started to lose my voice and had a chesty cough but prior to that gad had back pain in my left shoulder blade. Had X-ray but all was fine. Then I began getting weird dizzy spells felt like I was not with it at all which was horrible teaching rowdy kids. Now I have terrible burning feeling like acid reflux or something. It comes and goes in waves. I wake up feeling fine almost scared to gett up because once I'm up I get all symptoms again and a heavy feeling in my chest like I can't breathe properly. It's so depressing I just want to feel normail again sad
    • daisiedoo00729
      daisiedoo00729 alexandra96047

      Posted

      Hi alexandra96047

      you sound like your suffering all the same symptoms as me, but I've suffered many years and still can't get it under control, antacids do help the burning etc but does not help dizzy spells and not with it feeling, I experience this almost everyday and can be scary , it had ruined best part of my life because at the beginning I did not know what was wrong with me an thought I was dying or had a severe illness , I used to panic and got scared to go out alone as I thought I was going to faint or have a heart attack, it sure does effect your quality of life and can make you feel depressed.

  • Adowin
    Adowin Tinkerbell32

    Posted

    Hi tinkerbell 

    Do yiu think it might be Candida overgrowth?

    • Tinkerbell32
      Tinkerbell32 Adowin

      Posted

      Hi Adowin

      That was something else i looked at and read up on. I had a food intolerence test done whereby you hold 2 silver magnets hooked up to a PC which send impulses through your body and somehow checks for intolerances. I was pretty skeptical to be honest but it showed up i had digestive problems which could have been coincidental. The person doing the test told me to spit into a glass first thing in the morning and if it sank and grew tentacles then i had candida which can cause the breathlessness. I did the test and it grew legs and sank straight away. I told my doctor but he pretty much laughed and dismissed the theory.

      I've been put on Nexium now, which was working fine until a few days ago and now i have the chest pressure again, although no belching or sore throat like i used to. I think i'll look into Candida though again now you've mentioned it.

    • Adowin
      Adowin Tinkerbell32

      Posted

      Tinkerbell,

      Ive experienced all the symptoms that you all have and have been suffering for a year now, though it is very new it makes me feel like something else is in control of my body as if im no longer normal. I was put onto antiobitocs three different times in the past year and my diet was very poor. So i am now being tested by a holistic doctor and have been given some herbal. tincture and other supplements such as thermobiotics and lacherus. I went the whole nine yards and dropped heavy cash to find out whats going on inside. Even with a healthy diet i still suffer. I was told in native american cultire that for every disease in the world there is a natural cure, i will keep you all posted on my journey toward recovery 

  • Dreaming
    Dreaming Tinkerbell32

    Posted

    Adwon,

    I was told I have candidia. Not surprised cause I have taken more antibiotic than I care to mention.

    My naturopath doctor is treating me with herbs to rid my body, plus I have eliminated sugars, alcohol and candida producing foods.

    Feeling better each day

  • tiatia22
    tiatia22 Tinkerbell32

    Posted

    Hi everyone,I have been suffering for yes firstly with silent reflux sore throats dizziness pain in ears nose, feeling like I have glue in my sinisus,ears throat, then started with acid reflux burning throat stomach ,chest.Im taking PPI tablets + ritadine now also been given me to clip ram idea that quickly emptys the stomack which can have horrendous side effects high blood pressure, muscle spasms, involuntary sticking tongue out.,... Oh the joys. Then got asked if I would consider an operation as I have a hiatus hernia. YES YES I WILL. No one knows how awful this condition isUnless they have it.xx
    • carmel83758
      carmel83758 tiatia22

      Posted

      Hi. The involuntary sticking out of the tongue could be hard to explain in certain situations with the wrong people. LOL. Hope you are better now.
    • tiatia22
      tiatia22 carmel83758

      Posted

      I know carmel83758 , I'm a hairdresser can you imagine me cutting your hair with muscle spasms and tongue flicking in and out, you'd be out of the salon before I had the chance to dribble on you. What on earth is in these tablets lol. At the moment my limbs are behaving them selves. 18. wks to see gastro very busy.... Lots of poking out of tongues gonna be going on...argh...xx
    • carmel83758
      carmel83758 tiatia22

      Posted

      Love your sense of humour and happy nature. IT WILL KEEP YOU GOING while you go through all of this.
  • carmel83758
    carmel83758 Tinkerbell32

    Posted

    Hi Tinkerbell, some people get it from diet others because there is damage down there which needs to be repaired. Hope you feel better now.
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