unbearable burning in middle of my chest

[jasonfuk]

hi everyone,i am suffering with my stomach everyday,i get a horrible burning in the centre of my chest just below my breastbone,i am on omeperazole once a day which has helped but just lately as i have got more worried about it the pain is back pretty much the same,my doctor hasnt said much to wat it might be,i broke down to him 2 weeks ago telling him i think it is cancer.he said that i show no symptoms of any long term illness or any nasty disease but like most of you know its hard to believe your ok when you feel so bad!there are reasons for my anxiety as i explained in my last posting but today i managed to get myself to work to come home to find my endoscopy appointment and i must be honest im scared,can anyone relate to my stomach pain???

[yorkylover]

Hi Jason,I can relate.I had stomache problems for years and years.I had loads of tests done all clear.It was all down to my anxiety.I still get problems now when Im stressed or very anxious.

Anxiety does affect lots of body parts,tummy being one.Endoscope is nothing to worry about.Let them know you are very anxious.I was a sleep for mine,and it was over quick.Given a nice cup of tea after and a biscuit!!!

I find a glass of bottled soda water calms my tummy down.
:bighug1:

[jasonfuk]

thanks ellen did you have this burning feeling?

[yorkylover]

yes I did,sometimes felt is was right through to my back.Try not to worry it makes it worse.I know this is easier said than done.

[jasonfuk]

yea it is easier said than done and the worry is ruling my life ive started to hide away in my bedroom very not like me,but i know wat you mean thanks

[trac67]

Jason,

Have you tried Gaviscon for the burning sensation, I find it really good for helping it when I get it, mine turned out to be heartburn.

Trac xx

[jasonfuk]

i used to use gaviscon trac but i exspected omeparazole to work,also i think the omeperazole is giving me belly aches too x

[tayside lassie]

hi jason , how long have you been using omeprazole for ? was wondering if a glass of milk would maybe help to settle your stomache a little .

[jasonfuk]

been using omeparazole for 2 weeks milk does help, its wat is causing it that really worries me hun

[nomorepanic]

I take omeparazole for acid indigestion as well.

It could be your diet. Things that will aggrevate it are spicy foods, too much fruit, vinegar, caffeine, alcohol, smoking to name a few.

Try a really bland plain diet for a while.

Aloe Vera juice is very good as well.

[tayside lassie]

hi jason , im sorry didnt realise ,its probably stress and anxiety jason i can say stop worrying but you will like we all do ,remember it could be loads of minor things and anxiety and panic dont have mess your digestive up .

sally

[jasonfuk]

yea i have stopped all the usual stuff nicola,have had these symptoms before thing is i lost my mum just before xmas to cancer and although i dont feel that that is where my anxiety is coming from im sure it must be,im still getting pins and needles the headaches although vitamin b12 seems to help with them,been having the anxiety sympyoms for about 3 weeks really at the end of my tether finding it hard to cope,and now i have con vinced myself that i have cancer great! very scary time for me

[joannap]

hi. i had this for 2 years plus general pain in stomach ranging from mild discomfort to feeling as though i had been punched - it used to go through to my back too. i had an endoscopy in september - all fine - i couldn't believe it after the intensity of the symptoms. i then realised i had been clenching my stomach muscles so i consciously relaxed and it gradually went - haven't had a twinge in months. i was on omeprazole but to be honest i never felt it made a difference. ssri's can irritate the stomach so if you are on meds swallow them with a mouthful of food - i am sure you will be fine.

ps - i had the endoscopy with no sedation - it feels a little uncomfortable but is over in less than a minute. xx

[joannap]

aaww jason - sorry about your mum - sounds 100% anxiety and grief upsetting your system - the quicker you can accept and float through it - the quicker it will pass. i had convinced myself it was cancer too but gp's know what they are looking for - its obviously in your mind because of your mum and has stuck there because you are at a low ebb. take care - you WILL be fine.

[jasonfuk]

thankyou all !i take comfort in your words and hopefully soon i will be able to comfort somebody with my experience!this is very lonely for me and i am so greatful for all your support thanks!

[yorkylover]

Jason Im so sorry to hear about your mum.I can understand why you are so worried now,but Im sure all your problems are anxiety,you have been through alot recently.Have you explained your concerns to your gp.

[jasonfuk]

yes he says he sees no signs of anything nasty he thinks its anxiety,but im finding that hard to believe

[yorkylover]

I know its hard,I never thought anxiety could cause so many painfull problems,but this site has helped me learn alot of things.Things will get better,you are going through a stressfull time at the moment but things will settle down.
:bighug1:

[Amanda3266]

Hi Jason

I've posted on one of your other threads about the burning sensations I get with anxiety - it's hideous but all liklihood is that anxiety is doing it.

I have a very good friend (a consultant psychiatrist no less - with huge depression probs of his own:whistles: ) who went through two years of stomach burning and at times agonising pains - he had test after test and all came back clear. Now 10 years on he never suffers from it and says that when he thinks about it he just remembers what dreadful stress he was going through at the time and puts all the pain and burning down to that. It WAS a stressful time - he was in a job he hated and his Nan had just died. I can remember him going through agony with stomach pain - under the breastbone and sometimes all around - it was hard to believe he had nothing wrong - but he didn't.

You're going to be fine and you don't have cancer - these are not even stomach cancer symptoms. The worst they could be are a bit of inflammation from excess production of stomach acid due to anxiety. Eat slowly, avoid spicy foods and perhaps try an antacid. Once you convince yourself that you are fine this sensation will probably stop.

Take care of yourself

Amanda

[jasonfuk]

thankyou amanda x

[flinty90]

Hi Jason,
I have had in the past 3 years helicobacter pylori and i suffer really bad from heart anxiety(worried my heart is not right) I have also taken omeprazole for about 2 years everyday at 20 mg and even for some weeks i have had 40mg per day. I get really bad boughts of stomach burning but as its in my chest area my heart is the first thing i worry about. i dont feel so bad nowadays but im still takking omeprazole once a day. some tips for you from me as a long term sufferer.

1. Take your omeprazole first thing when you wake up before breakfast
i found this help you stomach to still digest food through the day as it inhibits acid if you eat a lot of food you dont have the natural acid levels to break off your meals so easily,
2 eat smaller meals and eat them at regular intervals
3.stay away from spicy foods,tomato based sauces and concentrated fruit juices.
4 dont drink milk to try and settle your stomach it may feel ok for a hour or so but milk in the stomach turns into acid and this could cause burning sensation after a few hours.
5. drink plenty of water, this also aids food breakdown and clears it away from your stomach quicker.

If you even try one of these things per week and see if you get relief, i know it helped me immensly so i hope it helps you too,

if all else fails ask doctor for lansaprazole its basically the same thing but it may suit you better than the omeprazole and doctor will normally try both medications.

and if all else fails ask if you can get a breath test from doc to check for helicobacter pylori , if you have that then a simple course of antibiotics and lansaprazole is given to get rid of the ailment, nothing to worry about.

Oh and also try drinking those yakult or actimels once a day they are great fro repairng the good bacteria in your gut that you omeprazole will be taking away.

hope this helps mate let me know how you get on
flinty !!

[jasonfuk]

thanks flinty i had blood tests for h pylo or wat ever its called but was negative