# What does your acid reflux feel like?



## Jleigh (Dec 8, 2000)

I am trying to figure out if I truly have acid reflux or if I should be looking into something else. After having my gallbladder out several years ago, I immediately started having "pain" under my ribs/chest area that feels like what you would think a heart attack would feel like. That is it....no other symptoms. No acid in my throat, no burning--just pain that happens in spasms and very sporadically.I will soon be having an esophageal manometry







as yet one more "test" to see if we can figure out what is wrong and hopefully fix it.So, please tell me your symptoms and maybe it will help me in my quest!ThanksJleigh


----------



## Imagica (Jan 14, 2001)

Except for the pain everything feels normal I'm sorry to say that I've gotten used to it. But the pain with me travels. Yes, it travels though. Feels either like a heart attack or my back will hurt usually in the shoulder blades only that pain reminds me to take a Nexium. It's the only thing that stops the pain. Sometimes my stomach will ache and I think oh no it's ibs but it isn't. Mostly it's controlled by my meds. Mostly.


----------



## Jleigh (Dec 8, 2000)

That is what mine feels like but I can not get used to it. The pain is so severe that I can not function until I get it to stop. Nexium did not help me. I only took it for about a week but it did not stop the "attacks" from happening so I just stopped taking it. Maybe I should have given it a little longer?


----------



## GurgleGut (Dec 2, 2001)

I have a variety of symptoms, I have nausea, a burning sensation, a severe pain right under the sternum, sore throats and a lot of canker sores. I often feel sick to my stomach, bloated and burpy. Symptoms vary with people so much that it was 3 years before they figured out that I was suffering with reflux. I hope that they find out what is going on and can help you.


----------



## Davis 2002 (Jan 6, 2002)

Acid reflux is generally a burning usually brought on by spicy food, mint or spearment. black pepper, beer, gum soda, tomato sauce are real killers Try any of these, then try Prevacid or pepcid, if they help you probably have reflux regurgitation of food is a common trait, Bowel problems either c or d are related to IBS


----------



## Jleigh (Dec 8, 2000)

Davis,I don't have any burning, I don't have any acid come up in my throat and something I eat one day may not bother me at all but I may eat the exact same thing two days later (or earlier) and have that excruciating pain????? I have tried Prevacid, Prilosec, Aciphex, Tagament, Nexium, Zantac and Protonex and so far I don't feel any differently taking them or not. I am truly at a loss. My esophageal manometry is on Wednesday and I am sooooo nervous.


----------



## KarenP36 (May 24, 2001)

Well thank you so much for posting this JLeigh. The more I hear these stories, the more I think maybe I'm not crazy. I have the EXACT same pain that I had before they took out my gallbladder. It is right in the middle under my ribs. It is so intense it takes my breath away and gives me sweats. Sometimes even 2 Tylenol #3's will not make it go away. It tends to last 3 hours. My brilliant GI doctor said he thought it was a new "variant" of my IBS. I had one attack March 11th after eating a grilled turkey sandwich, which I can understand because of the grease. However, I had another one April 11th, after eating a handful of dry cereal! That one scared me because there was no grease involved. My doctor is trying to insinuate (sp?) that this is in my head and I should be on an antidepressant. This infuriates me. I would like just for once to give him this pain so he could see what it feels like. My old GI doctor told me to try and get to the ER while it's happening so I can have blood drawn to see if my liver enzymes are up. When it starts my husband, worrying about the doctor bill, says "you know it's just going to go away" or in other words "I don't want to spend the money on the doctor to find out what this is and fix it so why don't you just suffer through it again...". It is terrifying to me and shoots through to my back. I can not find a comfortable position and it hurts so bad I can't even cry. Please post after your tests if they have any suggestions for you. My sister did work with someone who said her mother had these attacks for 30 years. No one believed her. Everyone told her she was crazy. They put her on antidepressants, told her to see a psychiatrist, etc. Finally after going to many doctors she found one who scoped her and found she had sludge in her bile duct. It wasn't showing up on any scans. He put in a shunt to keep the bile duct open. She has never had an attack again. Mmmmmm.... I wonder if that doctor is still practicing...Good luck to you. Unfortunately I know too well the pain and the frustration you feel!


----------



## Jleigh (Dec 8, 2000)

Hi Karen,My "attacks" are not brought on by any specific thing. They just happen when they want to happen.A friend of my aunt's had the exact same pain we have. She is a nurse and truly believed her pain was caused by adhesions from when she had her gall bladder surgery as hers also started up after the surgery. She could eat say---steak one day and have an attack but then eat it again the next week and be perfectly fine so she didn't really think it was acid reflux or the like. Anyway, she could never get any doctor to take her seriously and look into it.To make a long story short, she had to have a hysterectomy for other medical reasons and guess what they found when they had her opened up? Yep, you guessed it, adhesions. They went ahead and clipped them while they were in there and she has not had an attacks since. That was back in January.I also have heard about sludge in the bile duct. Maybe putting a shunt in should just be a standard procedure when the gall bladder is taken out? I would love to get rid of this pain. IBS is enough to worry about but with this pain on top of it, it is overwhelming at times.I had my test on Wednesday. It was not painful but was definitely uncomfortable. I will find out the results on Tuesday when I go see my GI.I will let you know what I find out.Have you tried drinking water or taking Pepto Bismol when an attack starts up? Getting up and walking around also helps me. If I try to sit still or lay down, it gets worse. Take Care-we're going to find out what this is-I am confident of that!Jleigh


----------



## TroubledHeart (Apr 8, 2002)

Oh my goodness...I thought my doctor was crazy when he gave me medicine for this...I'm like I though reflux was only when you had burning sensation and i didnt...i have those pains all of you are talkin about...sometimes the pressure is so strong I feel as if something is stuck in my throat and I cant get it down...nothing helps...ANd I'm nauseated all the freakin time and gassy bloated...its terrible sometimes...all your symptoms are so familiar...maybe he was actually right...i dont trust him...lol...i think he believes im a hypochondria...lol...then again i could be just paranoid...i guess this means i better feel that prescription he gave me...dayum...lol...i was trying to save $25 bucks...however my health is priceless...of course...i hope this med works!!!


----------



## LML (Jul 17, 2001)

TroubledHeartMy symptoms are just like yours! And I was beginning to think I was crazy. There's not pain, but a feeling that there are chunks stuck in the top of my throat and a sense that my throat is closing up. I had a test (xrays while swallowing, etc.) that the doctor said showed normal swallowing, but what he called mild reflux and possible peptic esophagitus. That was a few weeks ago, and it's been progressively getting worse. The feeling makes me want to eat or drink something to make it clear. Of course doing that only makes my stomach even fuller and back up even more. It's so frustrating. My GI isn't even addressing this yet. He's taking time to understand my IBS symptoms ... mainly C and constant bloating. I want to understand if this is all related and how. Please let me know what you find that helps you!


----------



## TroubledHeart (Apr 8, 2002)

LML...this may seem weird but what helped me get rid of alot of that feeling in my throat and chest was water and the maple bread recipe in Heathers book "Eating for IBS" or IBS "The first Year"...My mother made it for me a week ago...and for the first week in the last few months I don't get nauseated in the morning and that feeling of something in my throat has almost vanished...its so strange...i think its because i used to start the day w/no food or the wrong foods...eliminating all though and just digesting soluable fiber which is perfectly mixed w/insoluable fiber has really helped...its like im getting all the nutrients i need in one meal w/out getting sick...it could be me...but i eat it for breakfast and a snack...i also eat it before i know im going somewhere where i will have to eat...it keeps my stomach together...i also go to the bathroom a little more...im IBS-C...Try it and see if I'm just crazy...lol..My doctor just put me on Prevacid..30mg...I'm hoping it helps tooo!!! This may sound wacky...but i bet theres some kind of scientific reason why the ingredients in it work so well...lol...i just dont know it...


----------



## LML (Jul 17, 2001)

TroubledHeart ...Thanks for sharing what worked for you! I'll give your suggestions a try. So far, just eating small portions at a time and eating nothing late seems to help some. Also the aloe vera juice. The pressure in my throat when I lie down to sleep is really bad if I've eaten within a few hours. A lot of learning by experimenting it seems!


----------



## TroubledHeart (Apr 8, 2002)

LML You are welcome, I was doing good until Monday...I ran out of my bottled water at work and had to drink juice...ughhhh....heartburn city...i thought i was gonna die...the pressure got so bad...water is more important to your body than anything else...i wonder if im fructose intoleranat (juice)


----------



## nursey (Apr 17, 2002)

hi Jleigh,heartburn or oesophageal reflux is definitely associated with gall bladder removal I had mine out 11 years ago and from the minute I woke up the pain i felt in my chest was excrutiating I thought i was having a heart attack but apparently it was the acid that had pushed back up there during the op( I had the old type 15 staples accross the tummy). Ever since that day I have suffered with reflux and i have to take Zantac every night it doesn't seem to make much difference what I eat I still get heart burn, the pain isn't as bad now though it's just acid regurgitating.I have also put on weight as I have to keep food in my stomach or I get a horrible churning hungry empty feeling. Does anyone else get this?


----------



## wanderingstar (Dec 1, 1999)

My reflux manifests itself in various ways - most commonly a strong pain in my mid to upper back. That's the one I hate the most! Other times it will be a strong spasming pain in my chest or a little pain in my throat. Ocasionally I get acid coming up my throat into my mouth (usually if I've been bending over or lying down!).


----------



## Jleigh (Dec 8, 2000)

Nursey,That is exactly when mine started! I have taken so many acid reducing drugs and nothing has helped to keep the "attacks" from happening. How often do yours happen? I am now on Protonix and Nifedipine.Wanderingstar,My pain goes thru to my back also. It is almost unbearable isn't it? I wish I could find something that works for me. I can't imagine living the rest of my life like this. I have had this for 7 years and I am fed up.


----------



## Leigh Phillips (May 28, 2002)

I really don't have any of the symptoms you guys are talking about. However, I complained to my doctor that I was waking up at night with coughing spells (but no coughing during the day). He said it was probably acid reflux since I have IBS and put my on Nexium. So far, I'm coughing less. Does this sound familiar? Common symptom?


----------



## TroubledHeart (Apr 8, 2002)

Forget the bread I mentioned earlier...lol...What has helped me the most has been Prevacid and a diet change...but mostly the Prevacid...I thought maybe I was cured but then I forgot to take my medicine one day and BOOM!!!! Instant nausea, bloating and that feeling in my chest...I couldnt believe...I had just taken for granted that it was my change in diet that did it all...But the medicine really does work for me...I can't miss a day...I may have to be on this forever but w/out Prevacid I am so sickkkk...I ran out of medicine again friday...and had to wait until today to get it in my system...ugh...twice is enough...i'll never miss it again...Also about the comment dr made about anti-depressants...I used to get so offended when my doctor would suggest medicine "for my depression" as he would call it...I totally ignored what he insinuated but then I found out...these same medicines actually help the gut to w/taken in smaller doses...also I get the feeling of GERD when I'm having a panic attack...cant breathe etc..etc...Paxil has helped take care of that too...It doesnt get rid of all my anxiety but enough to decrease the amount of GERD I still get...It's hard to find out what works for you...thankfully it only took two changes in medicine in a 3 week period to find that Prevacid work for me...And the Paxil has helped from the very beginning..Keep asking questions and researching...Do not give up on medicine to early...Some people's bodies take longer to get used to it...Give yourself at least a month to decide if it was a waste I suggest...


----------



## Jleigh (Dec 8, 2000)

Leigh,I have a friend who was put on Protonix for coughing and it stopped altogether. It was actually reflux making her cough.I wish I could find out something that easily.Jleigh


----------



## Leigh Phillips (May 28, 2002)

Thanks fo posting JLeigh. I'm making an appt. soon with my dr. so I'll ask him about it. I've been on Nexium for about 3 weeks and I'm still coughing and sleeping practically sitting up. It's not the most ideal situation, you know?Thanks again.


----------



## Jleigh (Dec 8, 2000)

Leigh,Have you ever had your Thyroid checked? That will make you cough also. I found out I had a Thyroid problem when I went to my FP for a sore throat and cough that I just couldn't seem to shake. My Thyroid was enlarged and pressing on my esophagus.Once I got on synthroid, the sore throat and cough went away.I still haven't found anything to help with my acid reflux/spasms though.







I sleep sitting up most of the time also. That must be why my back bothers me so much???Jleigh


----------



## knothappy (Jul 31, 1999)

I have IBS diarreha prominent and severe GERD, if one is not acting up , it is the other. I get horrible pain in the upper back and shoulder blades and chest. I swear I am having a heart attack, but I had a stress test and cardiogram and it was ok. Now if you you listen to all the Oprah shows and news shows, they say upper back pain, nausea, are symptoms of a womens heart attack-- if I listened to that stuff, I wouuld be in the ER every day-maybe three times a day!!


----------



## Jleigh (Dec 8, 2000)

Knot,Are you taking anything for your GERD?


----------



## KTpower (Jul 17, 2002)

hello all, this is my first time here and omigoodness this sounds so familiar. i have both reflux and IBS and my life is basically controlled by them. my biggest relfux symptom is regurgitation of food. i have a cup next to my bed and at my desk at work. it is so gross and exhausting. i have been trying different meds to help. 1st i took ranitidine - which kinda helped, but not really. now i'm on protonix, which does nothing. i'm going to try reglan next. i am having such trouble finding foods i can keep down. no dairy, no fruits (except bananas), no green veggies, no tomatoes. it's terrible. i feel like all i can eat is bread products (without butter and egg yolk) and yogurt. and lots of time food that is okay for my reflux is horrible for my IBS. i'm a runner - which makes it even more difficult. i feel undernourished and constantly throw-up when i'm running. i get so frustrated when my body feels great and i want to do a long run, but my stomach won't allow it. does anyone have any suggestions? is it common to suffer from both reflux and IBS? i want a new digestive system!!


----------



## writerwoman2002 (Aug 13, 2002)

Hi all,I am new here as well(just posted today in fact)My GERD is about the same as everyone else's. Sometimes I get a pain in the middle of my navel that feels like muscle spasms and they last for hours! I also get pain in the right side, just under the breast bone that can get so intense, that is hurts to breathe! I am curious...most everyone that has posted, said they felt a burning in their shoudler blades that traveled to their chest...I have the same thing! The doctor diagnosed me with chostochondritis or teetes syndrome. It affects the insertion of the third and fourth rib and I think has everything to do with GERD and IBS. When I go have accuprssure done, my chiro notices the thrid and fourth rib sticking out! I think it is from the GERD!! Sound familiar to any of you?







Just wondering...


----------



## JenL (Aug 23, 2001)

Jleigh,I know exactly what all of you are talking about. I had my GB removed a year ago May. Two weeks after I'm just sitting out by the pool and this*how do I describe it* surge of pain mid chest just burst up. It didn't stay it was just a matter of seconds. I almost quit breathing...I was so scared. It happened many times a day for just seconds. I had already had all the heart blood work done and an EKG. I went back to my doctor...of course all the reflux stuff. I demanded a 24 hour monitor...NOTHING! I found when my stomach was at it's worse was when it would happen. Here is what I found that helped me. Absorb-aide, which are digestive enzymes, alfalfa and aloe vera juice. I am IBS-D so I began taking the calcium (stories are posted on BB). I have been pretty much pain free until that time of the month. Not sure why...other than our bowels move at that time. I guess the calcium most absorb the excessive bile...maybe that is what is backing up!Like everyone else I always think I am dying...literally.I think we could be on every med for everything. That is why I try to stick with more natural stuff.By the way, the week after surgery my blood pressure went up and I'm on meds for that...anyone else?Keep trusting in Him!In His strength and power,JenL


----------



## Wes and Tracy (Apr 14, 1999)

I've tried to drown it in water but that just prolongs the inevitable. I've done the pepto route but it just buys you time. You know what works for me, I'm not sure how good this is for you, it's probably really bad but here it goes.I bought a bottle of sodium bicarbonate (baking soda but a little more purified then the arm and hammer kind). I mix a teaspoon in a small juice glass of warm water and down it. It tastes like ####, very salty, but almost immediately the pain and burning are gone. It's a base and it counteracts the acid. You burb like crazy but who cares, when the pain is gone and your able to sleep, who cares.Anyway, to each there own but it's worth a try.Wes


----------



## HipJan (Apr 9, 1999)

I haven't had my gallbladder removed, but I have suffered from acid reflux, especially in the past. Three years ago, I would get reflux so bad at times that the burning sensation would go clear round to my back, like some of you describe. The bulk of my reflux problems eventually, slowly, went away, and now I only take OTC Zantac as needed. (Long story, but I think the problem had been complicated earlier by H. Pylori.) Nowadays, I get upper GI problems only every few weeks (I could chart my symptoms; they clearly, clearly are affected by my cycle and, thus, for me have a hormonal connection). I'm pretty sure they are upper GI problems, that is, but sometimes I still wonder if it's my heart instead. As it is, I see an internist from time to time to do with my heart and related problems, so that's why I really wonder at times. My symptoms are so much like some you describe, with some pain and occasional burning under the sternum (at esophagus, I imagine), etc. (Also, to complicate matters, I think I'd also pulled a muscle in the area.)


----------



## Jleigh (Dec 8, 2000)

It simply amazes me that there are so many of us with this problem but no one can truly help us!!!JenL, I haven't had any trouble with my blood pressure but I too get worse around that time of the month. My pain started before I even left the hospital and it lasts until I find something to make it stop such as water, walking, pepto, etc..My GI now thinks I do not have GERD since nothing helps me. She has dubbed it "Irritable Esophagus". I suppose that is just a name for not knowing what is wrong--like IBS.Wes, I may try your remedy. It couldn't be as bad as gingerroot juice. That stuff is deadly but did seem to help for a time until I got to where I just could not stand drinking it anymore.Take Care everybody


----------

