I ended up in the ER Saturday night with chest pains, shortness of breath and nausea. After a few tests they said it was acid reflux and gave me a script. I've been taking it since Sunday and I'm still miserable. Following up tomorrow with primary care doc and sure hope there is something else that will help. It hurts to eat and sometimes swallow and feels like there is something stuck in my throat. Also can't lie down. Ready to feel better! 

Get online and see what foods they recommend you stay away from. My mother has had this problem for years, but didn't know what caused it until a couple of years ago. Sleeping on an incline will help. You can get a foam rubber wedge to put under your pillow. That seemed to really help my mom. She is on medication, but the change in diet really seemed to help her the most. 

I haven't been eating much because of the pain and have also looked up the foods to avoid. I have also been sleeping sitting up but not sleeping much. Just wondering how long it will take for the medicine to help or if something else is going on. Guess I'll find out tomorrow. 

I had almost the exact same scenario a few years ago and the hospital completely misdiagnosed me. It turned out to be a hiatal hernia and I got an Rx for it, basically a muscle relaxer for the esophagus and stomach areas. It worked almost immediately which was nice.

I don't have the Rx anymore and deal with it with tums and relaxing my chest.


Edited to Add: The med was Hyoscyamine, it's sub-lingual and naturally derived. In fact, Angel Trumpet flowers are a source of it! 

get to a ENT, and get scoped- esophageal cancer is the fastest growing cancer in the US, according to Dr. Oz- 

Gall bladder/stones. 

another really good possibility, too! 

Gall bladder/stones.


Yup. 

You could also have Barrett's esophagus which needs to be treated. Nexium long term is what is most often prescribed for that, plus eliminating certain foods, beverages. I wouldn't panic, it can be so many simple things but do advise you have it checked further. 

Yeah I had that same problem but cut out caffeine, fried foods and alcohol.

Felt great but those foods pulled me back in like a friggin' mafia. 

Gall bladder was my first thought. 

Allycat, I have several of the items you mentioned. I take Zantac, Pepcid, any of my choice twice a day and I can not go without it. I used to be on nexium two times a day and after prolonged use I became very sick. When I miss my meds I takes me about five days to get back on track. 

Thank you all for the information, I will bring them all up tomorrow. I keep thinking something else has to be going on because it just isn't going away and is so painful. I hope the doc can figure it out and hope for an easy fix! I have too much going on in my life right now to have a set back. 

You might try (for relief, whatever the cause) some George's Aloe Vera. It is distilled and does not have much of a taste at all, but it is very good for acid reflux, ulcers, and general stomach issues. Whatever you do, make sure it's George's and don't get talked into anything else. You might be able to get it at HEB, but if not, you can definitely get it at A Gift of Health (Atascocita) and The Natural Kitchen (by Skeeters). 

where is the pain at allycat? what side? 

The pain is in a few spots. The base of my throat feels like a knot or something stuck. Then it also hurts right between my breast bones and at the top of my stomach directly above my belly button. It hurts all the time but also to take a deep breath and eat. So strange! 

have you been tested for hiatal hernia? 

the gall bladder would usually be pain under your breast bone, right side and radiate up through to your shoulder and back.

the hiatal hernia would feel like something stuck in your throat.

You could also have some sludge in your gall bladder too 

I had a chest xray at the ER, would it show? I'm not sure. 

be sure you tell your PCP all your symptoms no matter how minor you think they are.

Things like thirst/no thirst, bowel habits are definitely needed to be talked about, time of pain (before or after eating), what about breads, diet, etc 

I plan on going down the list! Now tonight my back between my shoulder blades hurts. Waahhhh, I'm falling apart! 

Allycat, so sorry you are going through this. Please keep us updated on what the doctor said. This sounds more serious than acid reflux. Sending some prayers up for you. 

You really should see a specialist, like Dr. Banker.

There are several things that can be happening, and you need to get the correct treatment.

Natural meds are OK, but they can mask the real problem...jmho 

I write down my list of symptoms in order of greatest problem to least when I go see my doctor. That way, I don't leave anything out. 

Great idea Annie. I mention bowel habits as consistency,color, frequency and smell all tell the doctor whats happening in the body 

update?

How are you feeling? 

I mention bowel habits as consistency,color, frequency and smell all tell the doctor whats happening in the body


One reason I would never have been able to be a doctor---especially a colar/rectal specialist.

Yes, by all means consult with Dr. Banker...he is great. 

Yesterday he said that not all meds work for all and that Zantac is the mildest of those types of meds. He changed it to something stronger and said I should see a difference within four days of the new meds. If not then he said I will need to see Dr. Banker. Also said I have esophagitis (sp?) And that's where a lot of my pain is coming from. Guess I have to wait and see. I don't have as much pain this morning, now if I could just eat. 

Cool, hopefully the new med will work.

Can you sip vitamin water or anything like that? 

Can you sip vitamin water or anything like that?

What???

How about 8 glasses of bottled water, daily.

You should not introduce any new factors into this situation - until you see a specialist, and have a solid diagnosis...jmho 

zapper007, per the OP, their PCP has given them a new course of treatment and 4 days for it to work. They may not need a specialist.

However they are hungry now and needing both hydration and nutrition which is why I suggested the vitamin water or some like beverage that could provide nutrition and hydration.