Severely depressed about GERD, breathless constantly... Nothing helps!
Posted , 5 users are following.
Hi there, I want to make this as short as possible.
I was diagnosed with GERD last year after being hospitalised for 5 days. Barium swallow and Endoscopy came back normal (however this was at the start of my GERD related troubles...)
When I shine a torch down my throat it doesn't look great, my tongue is slightly swollen and while my swallowing has improved, it is still a constant issue every day of my life.
I can deal with the constant vomiting of whatever seeps out of my stomach, I can deal with restricted eating and swallowing food more slowly, but I am out of breath all the time. Not a day goes by where I don't feel like I'm going to die from how tight my chest feels.
Doctors think it's my asthma. I tried to tell them my asthma is well controlled and I haven't had an attack in about 7 months, but they wouldn't listen. She put me on Prednisidone for four weeks which I stopped after two days as they were making me delirious and almost suicidal. I felt normal again after stopping them.
I honestly don't know what to do anymore. My acid reflux is ruining my life and I'm only 25.
Not eating causes a flare up.
Typical bad foods such as pizza, chocolate and fruit are fine. (I had dominoes with my BF the other night and had no issues at all!)
Vegetables are very bad and every time I have broccoli or sweetcorn my reflux is awful and I get the feeling like they're stuck in my throat.
I have tried to give up dairy - nothing improved.
I have tried to rule out gluten - nothing improved, if anything my symptoms got worse.
I am currently trying probiotic tablets and I drink a glass of almond milk before bed which seems to help. I have not woken up vomiting acid or gasping for breath in a couple of months now. I was also put on Mirtazipine for depression, anxiety and sleep deprivation. For a while I was terrified of sleeping as every night I'd wake up with acid stuck in my throat and I'd honestly feel like I couldn't breathe or get a breath in.
What else can I do? Doctors see that my tests were normal and don't care. I have been referred back to my gastro clinic at the hospital but I was warned an appointment could take eight months...
Any other advice is greatly appreciated.
0 likes, 10 replies
Gillian1956 JasminDee1
Posted
hi sorry your having a bad time of this dreadful illness I get the breathless feeling sometimes and like pressure on my chest it from the acid that leaks up into the food pipe I also get burning throat and chest when its really bad I get a burning tongue try not to try not to sat the foods that affect you also you say some bad foods have no affect on your problems, well foods you eat one day mite not show any will affect till the next day so be aware of this
JasminDee1 Gillian1956
Posted
I get the chest pressure as well, all I can do is breathe through it and reassure myself that my heart is okay and that I will be fine. I get no heartburn, just constant belching and coughing up thick foam. I have had a blood test which showed something borderline wrong with my liver (Serum globulin level) so I have more tests coming soon.
james87669 JasminDee1
Posted
JasminDee1
Have you ruled out the possibility that all this could be an "emotional" issue? Did you know that the Gut and Brain have much in common and if you are prone to anxiety and or depression it could manifest in a multitude of ways not unlike your current situation.
Please think about this and see where it takes you.
JasminDee1 james87669
Posted
I am on medication for depression and I take CBD oil every day. My anxiety has improved a lot, but recently even while travelling abroad with my boyfriend I was breathless and had to take gaviscon to ease off the tight feeling in my chest.
Guest JasminDee1
Posted
i relate to this post so much. im young, only 18, and suffer from what I believe to be severe GERD (amongst other possible upper GI issues). i too experience breathlessness frequently and as you know it is awful. it's frustrating too because technically you can "breathe" but it's hard because of how much pressure we feel in the chest, etc. trust me, you are not alone. unfortunately I am still trying to figure out what works. i've been on/off omeprazole for 2 years and it has always seemed to help, but provides very temporary relief. otherwise I honestly try to relax myself because it's all i can do. i try sitting down and watching a movie/my favorite show, sitting down and doing my makeup, taking a relaxing bath, focusing on my breathing and reminding myself this feeling will subside, etc. Doing things to distract myself help quite a bit, as well as just taking it easy. Also, sometimes i will place a bag of crushed ice on my chest which often helps relax or calm down the pressure sensation and in turn helps with my breathing. i hate this so much and i can tell from your post you do as well, but we will get through this. we're too young to suffer forever!
JasminDee1 Guest
Posted
I feel this so much. The ice in a bag is a new idea for me, never heard that before but I will try anything. I know a lot of it probably is anxiety based but when I wake up at night feeling like I'm suffocating because of the acid, it's hard not be anxious!! 😦
I have found reading a book or watching youtube videos helps when I am having a breathless attack. I also have a 500ml bottle of Gaviscon advance which I take 2-3 times a day which helps a lot, so if you're not already on that, I'd recommend it. It's not a cure but it does help ease the breathlessness.
Guest JasminDee1
Posted
youtube is a savior for me when it comes to distractions haha. i definitely find it keeps my mind focused on something other than what im feeling. i too believe a lot of mine is anxiety related whether i want to admit it or not. however, just as you said, its not easy to not freak out, get anxious, or panic when you feel like you can't breathe! i've never been on long-term anxiety meds, but i do occasionally take ativan when i feel i need it. i cant say it completely makes everything go away, but it's a huge help even in just easing my mind. And i totally relate to taking gaviscon. i used to carry a bottle of it with me everywhere and kept one permanently in my car. i still take it from time to time, but i find it doesn't work well for me anymore. overall, i just try my best to get through the feeling while i have it, and remember it's not forever. i hate that we're both going through this, but i'm glad someone can relate
Dee9815 JasminDee1
Posted
I feel like i could have written this myself. i was diagnosed with GERD over 2 years ago. i also have asthma and i swear that my GERD flare ups feel similar to an asthma attack, but inhalers dont fix the problem when its GERD. im 34 years old and feel crazy for having such issues at my age. i eat healthy, i was exercising 5 days a week until recently and yet im still having issues. when i was diagnosed with GERD i was perscribed omeperozle which did wonders. in fact, once my GERD was treated my asthma was barely there. About 3 months ago i got really sick with bronchitis. i went on antibiotics and steriods to aid my breathing. once i recovered from that i had about 2 weeks of solitude then WHAM. i started experiencing SEVERE anxiety followed by SEVERE acid reflux. i ended up going on zoloft for my anxiety which has been great, however my acid reflux is just not getting better. its miserable. my esophagus is sore, my throat is sore, the inside of my ears hurt, i get a choking sensation sometimes, there is such intense pressure in my chest that i too often feel out of breath, i even wheeze too. i had to give up going to the gym because of it, which is so hard for me. my symptoms are constant, i never get relief. i was put on a stronger dose, and different kind of medication last week, but it hasnt helped. im calling my dr back tomorrow to tell them its not helping and im going to request another endoscopy all though im sure it will only confirm the GERD. im not eating much at all, and def no bad foods. its crazy idk how to get it under control. i thought my anxiety triggered it and maybe it did but its not getting better despite managing my anxiety.. i wish i had advice on how to feel better. if i find a solution i will pass it along for sure.
JasminDee1 Dee9815
Posted
I agree so much with this! I take my inhaler when I'm having a breathless attack (almost every day at the moment) just to sort of reassure my brain that it isn't my asthma, even though the two sensations are very different. With asthma it comes on quickly and I start wheezing, with GERD my chest gets very tight and I fee llike I can't get a breath in. It sounds strange but I always get short of breath (TMI...) before a bowel movement. Once I go, I feel better. I tried googling this to no avail and doctors were stumped when I mention it.
I really recommend almond milk. (I've found that unsweetened and dark chocolate flavor) works pretty well. I have a glass before bed and it helps settle my stomach.
I've flared up again really bad recently. The past two nights I've woken up several times in the night feeling like I'm choking and waking up with severe breathlessness to the point where I do believe I'm having my final breath. Doctors don't want to know as the breathlessness subsides in about an hour so it's not classed as an emergency. I feel totally lost, I really do.
Dee9815 JasminDee1
Posted
yes! im the same exact way, with my gerd it feels like i cant get enough air in. its not like that all the time for me because i have other symptoms too, but when it happens its scary. i actually wheeze from it, its crazy to me. i too take my inhaler at least everyday because of my reflux. my gastro dr. changed my meds to something stronger and it still hasnt helped. she decided i need a ph test done. she thinks i could be experiencing non-acid reflux and/or my les spinchter isnt working properly. have you had this test done? im really not looking forward to it, but im desprate to get better. as far as almond milk goes thats been my milk drink of choice for years because i dont like regular milk, unfortunatley i dont see any difference while drinking it.