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Recently diagnosed, trying to confirm symptoms

Posted , 5 users are following.

ChewGerd
ChewGerd

It started about a year ago, almost to the day, I had chest pain, or rather.. A chest feeling that didn't feel right, almost like someone was slightly pressing a soda can right below my throat on my chest. I went to the ER because I also felt a tingling in my arm, I'm not one to look into symptoms but wanted to er on the side of caution. I thought it was a heart attack, emergency room cleared me, said everything was fine nothing to worry about.

Fast forward four months later, I just get off work and I feel a pain in my arm, and mild chest pain, this is a little more than the chest pain I experienced previously. I was talking to a police officer who I know at the time and he took me to ER because he knew someone with similar symptoms who had a heart attack. Couple hours later I'm clear, no worries they say.

About one month ago, I experience chest pain again, this time it's painful, but not to bad, similar to the feeling of a cramp after you rub the cramp out. My girlfriend, who over worries Insist I go to the ER, so we do, I tell the doctor I'm sick of coming into the hospital for nothing. They run an ekg and blood test (like all the other times), and the doctor comes back in to tell me it's an esphogeus spasm, or acid reflux, I'm mildly relieved but no it seemed like a guess more than a diagnosis.

I've rarely had heartburn (once a month at most, although that only started about two years ago). The only symptoms I experience are the chest pains, which as me worried because I can eat whatever and it's still there, (since I was told it was acid reflux, I've only eaten Gerd friendly foods, in small doses).

I don't stress out often, but this has me worried, and I'd be willing to admit that maybe all this is nothing more than stress related, because frankly I'm more concerned it may be heart related.

So I guess after a long story, my question is, does anyone else have a similar set of experiences. My current symptoms are the chest pain or ache rather, and sometimes a clogged throat feeling, no heartburn or acidic liquids coming up.

1 like, 8 replies

8 Replies

  • carol7212
    carol7212 ChewGerd

    Posted

    Hi, I cant count on 2 hands how many times I've been to the ER with chest pain. Also a few times with the pain accompanied by a tingling in my left arm which pretty much panicked me. They did all the typical tests but thought it was Gerd related due to the golf-ball stuck in my throat sensation which is a huge symptom of reflux and LPR. Also was the clogged throat which I mostly experienced in the beginning of my troubles with this horrible ailment. I know you don't necessarily have to have the heartburn or refux as symptoms however.Ultimately each doctor I seen in ER and clinics all suggested I go for an ENT. It's really the only wsy to make a proper diagnosis.

    As for stress onitiating symptoms...I find that the globus effect ( lump sensation in throat) almost always rears it's ugly head when I get stressed.

    Anyway, I wouldn't worry that it's a heart issue rather than Gerd because the symptoms very much mimic each other and every single Dr. I've seen told me it wasn't my heart but rather the Gerd.

  • liz44044
    liz44044 ChewGerd

    Posted

    If this keeps happening with chest pain and they sent you home several times...I suspect its not heart related...Myself I too at first for yrs just had the chest pains which mimic a heart attack so my gastro doctor had said....that is how it all began for 30 + years at first 1xyr maybe...so i took over the counter med to relieve the pain maalox, assuming it was indigestion....well this past year it got to the point everything was triggering it and i too am careful what i eat..The gastro dr did endoscopy found hiatal hernia...he tried rx ppi's treated this for 1 year and i could not take the too frequent chest pains.  Therefore ordered a motility study and ph probe which identifies thoroughly what was wrong.....This lead to Nissen Fundoplication and Hiatal Hernia repaid...i am now 3 1/2 months post op and i am so glad i had this done tho it was not easy recovery.....i now can eat everything and no fear of the "heart attack" that i called it waking me up in the middle of the night especially.  I am on no more meds and will not ever i am told by the surgeon....I have the best in the world the surgeon that did it has done many and he said i had 60 %  acid in my stomach and it was going into the hernia causing this distress.  Get a good gastro doctor now that the heart issue is resolved.  Ask for the motility study and ph probe to identify what is wrong if anything in your stomach....Good Luck   that chest pain is no fun I felt like a time bomb never knowing where i would be and it would start up...i would start sweating from the pain all signs of heart problems....  check it out   good luck
  • ChewGerd
    ChewGerd

    Posted

    Thanks for the replies, I should add I'm 28 years old and relatively healthy, although my current overnight schedule for work makes that difficult. I can't stress enough how much the pain is less of a pain and more an annoyance in my chest, sometimes it kicks off after eating and sometimes not. I was a pretty strict Gerd diet still experiencing the pain, then one day I said screw and nabbed some pizza, I was half expecting some serious chest pain. None what so ever. The pains are daily however with no clear trigger, that's kind of what worries me
    • papote53
      papote53 ChewGerd

      Posted

      With chest pain, do you mean heartburn or chest pressure, heaviness?
    • ChewGerd
      ChewGerd papote53

      Posted

      It's hard to explain, it's not heart burn, I think. It's more or less an ache, it's lasted for a few minutes up to all all day.
  • dytuga
    dytuga ChewGerd

    Posted

    Same symptoms as you I feel better when I take ppi but i go on lower doses like 10m daily

    Talk with your doctor first, they don't help much but is better having an second opinion

  • youngatheart1
    youngatheart1 ChewGerd

    Posted

    Hi, I too have these chest pains, I have been to hospital 4 times and had blood tests, scan, x ray, ECG's and am due to have a 24 hour monitor.  All tests come back negative, bloods excellent, nil heart disease, last time saw 2 doctors who both said could be thyroid, which it is not, blood tests came back clear.  I have suffered with gerd for 9 years now, am 57 year old female.  Hospital doctor said sometimes there is no explanation for a symptom, it just happens, which is not very helpful but something I will have to accept if the 24 hr monitor comes back clear.  For me it is slightly different as without reason even when sitting down my heart will race, last time it was going from 72 to 108 up and down.  I get a dull achy pain and sometimes a stabbing pain in chest, also arms feel numbs.  I have also noticed recently that without warning (sorry TMI) I will all of a sudden get white frothy pleghm in mouth it just comes up, no real heartburn or acid either.  I just think digestive problems cause lots of other symptoms and dizziness for me is a bad one as well. Now that I have stopped worrying so much it does seem to be happening less often. Take care
    • liz44044
      liz44044 youngatheart1

      Posted

      i had HH repair and Nissen surgery ..... post op chest pain which now i, 3 1/2 mos and those chest pains are gone....only slight if i should eat to fast or too much.....had monitor as well heart is fine....the only way u will find out its gerd is motility study done ....that is a sure thing to find out about the foam for which u think u dont have problems with gerd and do ...i had 60% stomach acied i did know something was wrong with the chest pains quite often to often.....good luck and suggest it to your doctor insist on it   liz
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