bin tenn
29-12-16, 03:34
Many of you don't know me, but I come from AZ as well. I don't struggle with anxiety often at all anymore. In fact, it's been several weeks since I had any health related worries. I like to stick around and offer advice regarding anxiety because I've learned a lot over the past several years, mostly from some great folks who supported me on AZ.
Anyhow, for those of you who have cardiac-focused health anxiety: do you also have GERD? The more I learn about both anxiety and GERD, the more I see some connections.
I had an episode of afib four months ago in August. I woke up around 2am with very bad reflux, acid basically pooling in my throat. It choked me. I coughed for several minutes, went to the restroom, and when I laid back in bed is when the afib episode began. I ended up going to the ER via ambulance, as the paramedics' ECG showed abnormalities (atrial fibrillation). I was discharged from the hospital after twelve hours or so. I had an echo and stress test a couple weeks later and all was clear. Cardiologist said it was "lone afib", almost certainly triggered solely by the GERD that night.
Since then, I've been on a med (Pantoprazole/Protonix) for GERD. I've not had much GERD at all, as I've modified my diet and I began exercising daily (walking at the very least). Sometimes I splurge and treat myself to chocolate, or soda, or caffeine, and I get very mild bouts of GERD/heartburn.
During those episodes, my heart rate is often slightly elevated. I also get other cardiac-like symptoms. That sucks because I have worried about heart complications for a long time. Not really anymore, however. GERD seems to be a common cause of my symptoms.
If you worry about heart problems and you have GERD, I'd recommend getting the GERD under control. It may very well alleviate most or all of your "cardiac" symptoms. I've read studies about GERD and heart links. GERD is in fact known to be one cause of arrhythmias (hence my afib episode) among other things, though I haven't found a direct link between GERD and palpitations.
Regardless, even the symptoms that seem to be telling of serious problems (e.g. heart problems) are certainly not always what they seem to be. The body, I've learned, is a very complex system. Its internal workings are interconnected in ways that we often don't suspect, it seems.
GERD for me has been known to cause:
* shortness of breath
* chest tightness
* increased heart rate - not drastic, but noticeable
* afib - NOT everyone will get it, but it can happen if conditions are just right
* chest/arm/shoulder/back pain
* feeling of panic/impending doom
How do I know? Well, unless it's psychological, I take two Tums and as soon as it alleviates the GERD, all the other symptoms disappear as well.
Hope this is helpful for some of you. Take care!
Anyhow, for those of you who have cardiac-focused health anxiety: do you also have GERD? The more I learn about both anxiety and GERD, the more I see some connections.
I had an episode of afib four months ago in August. I woke up around 2am with very bad reflux, acid basically pooling in my throat. It choked me. I coughed for several minutes, went to the restroom, and when I laid back in bed is when the afib episode began. I ended up going to the ER via ambulance, as the paramedics' ECG showed abnormalities (atrial fibrillation). I was discharged from the hospital after twelve hours or so. I had an echo and stress test a couple weeks later and all was clear. Cardiologist said it was "lone afib", almost certainly triggered solely by the GERD that night.
Since then, I've been on a med (Pantoprazole/Protonix) for GERD. I've not had much GERD at all, as I've modified my diet and I began exercising daily (walking at the very least). Sometimes I splurge and treat myself to chocolate, or soda, or caffeine, and I get very mild bouts of GERD/heartburn.
During those episodes, my heart rate is often slightly elevated. I also get other cardiac-like symptoms. That sucks because I have worried about heart complications for a long time. Not really anymore, however. GERD seems to be a common cause of my symptoms.
If you worry about heart problems and you have GERD, I'd recommend getting the GERD under control. It may very well alleviate most or all of your "cardiac" symptoms. I've read studies about GERD and heart links. GERD is in fact known to be one cause of arrhythmias (hence my afib episode) among other things, though I haven't found a direct link between GERD and palpitations.
Regardless, even the symptoms that seem to be telling of serious problems (e.g. heart problems) are certainly not always what they seem to be. The body, I've learned, is a very complex system. Its internal workings are interconnected in ways that we often don't suspect, it seems.
GERD for me has been known to cause:
* shortness of breath
* chest tightness
* increased heart rate - not drastic, but noticeable
* afib - NOT everyone will get it, but it can happen if conditions are just right
* chest/arm/shoulder/back pain
* feeling of panic/impending doom
How do I know? Well, unless it's psychological, I take two Tums and as soon as it alleviates the GERD, all the other symptoms disappear as well.
Hope this is helpful for some of you. Take care!