# Pain all over upper chest/back and stomach.



## ShellyT (Feb 6, 2009)

Hi everyone,I'm new here, I hope you don't mind me posting - I'm just looking for some help / support before I completely flip off the deep end here.I've suffered from acid reflux (pretty much daily) now for the past 10 years (I'm 37). I've been on and off omeprazole and swallowed gaviscon for a laugh.Admittedly, I have not in anyway shape or form helped myself - I have bad anxiety and have self treated myself with a bottle of red wine and a 10 of cigs pretty much every night for the past 10 years, cause it's been easier to do that - rather than deal with the anxiety and the stomach problems. I know I've done myself no favours here - and have probably made this 10 times worse than what it is.I've had every test under the sun (apart from an endoscopy) over the past 10 years (baruim swallow / numerous blood tests / x-rays etc...) all showed up clear. No Dr that I've seen will send me for a endoscopy as they do not think I'm sick enough to warrant one....Over the past fews weeks, I've made the desicion to make major changes in my lifestyle, no more wine / cigs / unhealthy eating etc....I was at the dr last week, she's put me on 40mgs Omeprazole daily and she doesn't seem overly concerned about my symptoms. I however, am worried sick that I have something very serious going on with my oesophagus / stomach.Does anyone else get this iffliculty swallowing / pain in between shoulder blades / under left shoulder blade / pressure in behind your breast bone (feels like I've got a 50lb weight on my chest) / burning stomach.I'm terrified that the dr has missed something or because I suffer from anxiety - she thinks it's all going on in my head. Which I understand that anxiety can make it worse..... She thinks that there's inflamation in my oesophagus - but the Omeprazole will settle it down. Like I say, I'm worried sick that there's something alot more serious going on and I've done some serious major damage here. I can't see how I've done what I've done for the past 10 years and there only be some inflamation. She's also said that I'd probably be on 40mgs Omeprazole for a good number of weeks.I'm so sorry for waffling on - I'm just looking for any advice (apart from - you stupid idiot you've done this to yourself.....







), help that anyone can give me.Many many thanksShellyT


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## overitnow (Nov 25, 2001)

Well, hip, hip hurray, I'm not the only stupid one to keep doing the things that got me there in the first place. I did not have reflux until the very end of my bad digestive and bowel problems. I have no doubt that if I hadn't begun the course in supplementation that I did at that time, that the frequency would have gotten worse. I did smoke and drink and eat my way into this problem and I had the daily D for 10 years. One day, afraid that I had already loaded and cocked the heart attack gun, I began taking a flavonoid supplement, Provex CV, to control and hopefully lessen the amount of cholesterol piling up inside me. Two months later the constant, chronic burning in my stomach stopped and has never returned again. I have never refluxed again. Over the next year my D slowly dried up and my bowels have gone from the nightmare of IBS D to the slightest inconvenience and has stayed that way for a 10 year period. (This has also allowed me to return to most of my bad habits, other than smoking, although at a reduced rate.) And when I finally had a stress test last year, there were no signs of any blockages, at least in the heart.When you finally get the nicotine out of your system, drop me a line. This decision has not only saved my life; but given me a positive direction towards good health that I hadn't experienced in about 15 years.Mark


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## Cherrie (Sep 1, 2006)

Hi ShellySorry you're so worried.Your symptoms sound pretty typical of a bad case of acid reflux. I've been there, too -- the pain and difficulty swallowing -- but that doesn't mean your esophagus has had organic changes towards more serious diseases. Mine has settled down almost completely after the dr. has found the right med for me. I think your dr. is right in saying that the esophagus pain/difficulties will probably subside when/if the Omeprazole takes effect. Or you could ask your dr. about Protonix, which is what works for me (but everyone's different and one needs to give the options a try and find out what works for them).Hope you feel better soon and keep us posted.


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