Reflux, anxiety or something worse?

[lelespears]

I have reflux treated with 40mg of omeprazole it seems to do ok then get worse, I had a endoscopy 2 months ago all was ok, have a small ulcer, the dr said he would test for h.plori but I haven't heard anything. But I feel so bloated right below my sternum like there's a ball wedged in there feels like I can't get a breath and I feel dizzy! It's really scaring me. If I eat & drink I feel full quickly too. I really hate this. I also get a tight feeling around my heart area.

Lele x

---------- Post added at 12:14 ---------- Previous post was at 09:12 ----------

Nobody?

[Jess4]

Hi there,

I get this all the time, its just stress/anxiety. It's a terrible feeling and it's very scary. Best thing to do is try to find something to distract you. Also, if you try to acknowledge that it's just the anxiety and nothing more sinister, it may help you relax.
I've had these feelings at least 5 times a week or so for the last year...it's frustrating..

Jess

[lelespears]

Really. It's so scary. I feel awful today. Thanks for helping though means alot.

Lele x

[lelespears]

Anybody else?

[Dazza]

I used to get this, and I know how scary it feels.... I was on Nexium for a few weeks again in Sept 2011, but I took myself off them and tried to calm my mind from thinking that I had a serious problems (ie - heart problem, due to the nature of the pain that I get, near the heart). Since then I've not had many episodes of it, and when I do I eat a little or drink some hot tea. Distraction is good, do things to take your mind off it all...

[lelespears]

Thank you Dazze :flowers: did you also feel breathless?

Lele x

[Dazza]

yes, sometimes.... i had an episode in september when i felt slighty breathless only on the left hand side (I was terrified it was a clot in lung or lung failure) but it turns out that it was gas in stomach putting pressure on lung. We are just hypersensitive to every damn thing that we feel in our bodies! sigh!

[lelespears]

Ok thanks! Yeah it's really exhausting this carry on :( xxx

[shanlynn1012]

thats why i logged on tonight, feel the same way for over a month. chest sqeezes feel breathless, lump in throat, scared! do u think reflux?

[Dazza]

thats why i logged on tonight, feel the same way for over a month. chest sqeezes feel breathless, lump in throat, scared! do u think reflux?g

I've had all of those symptoms and it was all due to anxiety / too much stomach acid. I also used to get a sudden, squeezing sensation in my chest that used to make me feel like i was going to pass out... apparently they were stomach spasms... very scary though, as they were right where the heart is (as our stomach 'sack' sits right next to it).

[shanlynn1012]

OMG yes the chest/stomach throat squeezing quick & sudden and constantly feeling breathless. Can not stand it! Yes I have been googling keep thinking asthma, reflux, allergies etc etc so of course it is not going away! So your best advice it to ignore it? Hate it LOL

[Dazza]

Yes, it's hard but try to ignore it.... concentrating on it will make it worse for sure. I go through periods of being ok then it comes back and can be bad for a few weeks....until i managed to control it with anti acids and relaxing more / trying to ignore the symptoms as much as I can... well, not ignoring them so much but telling myself that they are harmless. :)

[shanlynn1012]

What ant acids did you take? Been thinking about trying them. Thanks

[Dazza]

I usually take Nexium 40mg, one per day in the morning. but I know it's not good to take them for a long time, so I limit it to a few weeks max. I then try to vary my diet to simple foods (not so much fatty stuff) and I drink water and also I now drink hot tea (no milk or sugar) after every meal, and it seems to be helping (plus there are numerous health benefits to drinking hot black or green tea --- anti cancer, can lower blood pressure, lower LDL cholesterol etc, etc. So, drinking hot tea is a good habit to get into. :-)