Acid Reflux vs. Heart Attack

[BC38]

Now, you folks are all scaring me to death!

Not long ago, I thought I had heart problems. I went to my PCP and then a cardiologist. I had all sorts of crazy tests done and after all was said and done, they upped my HBP drugs and gave me a prescription for Nexium. They said all that was wrong with me was way too much stress, way too much weight and occasional GERD. I remain very skeptical, but that's what they said.

Well, the last couple days have been brutal with neck and chest pain like you can't even imagine. I came this close to having the good wife drive me to the ER... twice! Lord knows I couldn't have done it myself. Today, miraculously, I'm doing somewhat better. My ENT doc has me on an antibiotic for some yet-to-be-identifed throat pain, most likely related to use of my PAP machine, so I'm wondering about a possible connection there.

So please, try not to scare me too much today! Much more of this heart attack talk and I'm gonna go call me an ambulance!

FWIW, you aren't scared enough yet if you ask me.

TWO DAYS of "brutal neck and chest pain" and you didn't go to the ER? At your (our) age? Are you NUTS?

If/when you do have a cardiac episode, delaying treatment even a couple of hours can make the difference between full recovery and living with impairment for the rest of your (shortened) life.

IMO, you should have got yourself to the hospital. Worst case scenario you have spent a couple of hours just to find out you are OK. Best case you could save yourself from serious heart damage.

Even if the symptoms have passed and don't come back, you probably still should go see a doctor first thing Monday. I would. Let them do another EKG to make sure something bad didn't happen during your bout with chest pain. Take care of yourself man.

Don't worry about the expense. Spending money to keep yourself healthy makes more sense than dying and leaving it behind.

 

[Golddollar]

Then I learned about Roemheld - Roemheld Syndrome - Gastric Cardia - which is little known to doctors...apparently. Sometimes something as simple as having gas trapped in your esophagus can do really weird thing to your heart...one minute you think it's "the real thing" and your'e going to go down and end up on an ambulance ride...then you belch and almost immediately the symptoms stop.

Thank you so much for posting this. I've felt that I looked a little uncouth from burping a little more freely because of my diagnosed cardiac issues when I feel some pressure in my chest. So far nobody has called me out on this but it is nice to have a reference to a real medical issue in the event that somebody who doesn't know me gives me some grief for appearing to be unmannerly.

 

[500SNW]

Thank you so much for posting this. I've felt that I looked a little uncouth from burping a little more freely because of my diagnosed cardiac issues when I feel some pressure in my chest. So far nobody has called me out on this but it is nice to have a reference to a real medical issue in the event that somebody who doesn't know me gives me some grief for appearing to be unmannerly.

When mine started a few years back, it would turn into an anxiety attack or an ER visit. Now, I simply force myself to belch and I feel better. I don't care where I'm at, I'll belch in the grocery store aisle if I have to.

more here: Learn More About Roemheld Syndrome

 

[JcMack]

I've had a heart murmur all my life. In late 2016 they replaced an Aortic (I think) valve in my heart because the murmur was getting out of hand. 14 day stay in the hospital because of complications. While in the hospital I got a test for peripheral neuropathy which proved I had it bad. During the test they shock your feet and legs from the knee down with a mini cattle prod that produces a spark and puff of smoke where ever they touch you. 3 months later one of the spots they probed on my shin turned black and hurt like hell. The dermatologist declared it skin cancer so in Feb. 2017 the derm guy cut a $0.50 size piece off me down to the bone. 3 months later I was getting a real pain in my upper back on the right side. In May 2017 they removed my gall bladder. I should not have done that. 3 months later the end of August I was having out of breath issues that went on for a while before I went to the croaker about it. in late Dec 2017 I went in for some tests and my heart was going 150 bpm. They kept me in the hospital and did a cardioversion and told me the reason I was out of breath all the time was my pericardium was full of fluid as was a portion of my left lung. So they operated and stuck a drain tube in my left chest for 6 days. I was told I shouldn't have been prescribed or taken blood thinners after my heart valve replacement. 3 months is up since that procedure I now await my new adventure as I have acid reflux pretty bad.

 

[TTSH]

FWIW, you aren't scared enough yet if you ask me.

TWO DAYS of "brutal neck and chest pain" and you didn't go to the ER? At your (our) age? Are you NUTS?

Yeah, probably a little.

I sincerely appreciate the thought, but let me put this into a little better perspective. I've been examined by 3 doctors in the last month (not to mention my dentist too), including my annual physical. I'm scheduled to see 3 more doctors in the coming month. That's what happens when you get old and start falling apart so badly.

I should also point out that it's been a really, really tough week with an insane amount of driving and several other plausible explanations for experiencing so much pain, including trouble with my PAP machine while traveling and that damn throat problem I mentioned.

But that said, it was pretty scary for a while there... and you are right: a trip to the ER wouldn't have been at all unreasonable. It's somewhat better today, but if it recurs as before, I'll do exactly that.

 

[BC38]

Yeah, probably a little.

I sincerely appreciate the thought, but let me put this into a little better perspective. I've been examined by 3 doctors in the last month (not to mention my dentist too), including my annual physical. I'm scheduled to see 3 more doctors in the coming month. That's what happens when you get old and start falling apart so badly.

I should also point out that it's been a really, really tough week with an insane amount of driving and several other plausible explanations for experiencing so much pain, including trouble with my PAP machine while traveling and that damn throat problem I mentioned.

But that said, it was pretty scary for a while there... and you are right: a trip to the ER wouldn't have been at all unreasonable. It's somewhat better today, but if it recurs as before, I'll do exactly that.

I hear ya man. Gettin' older ain't for sissies. BUT, it sure beats the alternative - and the only way to avoid that alternative is to take care of yourself.

Like they say...
If I'da known I was going to live this long I'da taken better care of myself!

 

[nachogrande]

MY MOM HAD THAT.

When mine started a few years back, it would turn into an anxiety attack or an ER visit. Now, I simply force myself to belch and I feel better. I don't care where I'm at, I'll belch in the grocery store aisle if I have to.

more here: Learn More About Roemheld Syndrome

When that happened, she would drink some club soda, let out a big burp, then feel fine.

 

[pmanton]

My wife has 8 stents so we pay close attention to chest pain. Some time back we checked her into the ER with chest pain. She was further transported to a major hospital in Phoenix. It turned out she was suffering from shingles!!

 

[500SNW]

When that happened, she would drink some club soda, let out a big burp, then feel fine.

I know what you mean. Sometimes you have to take in more air and/or guzzle carbonated stuff to force yourself to belch. Either way, it works.

 

[zzzippper]

This is a great thread on a topic that has always concerned me. Once for about a week I had pressure like someone was sitting on my chest. I finally went in and they did a couple thousand dollars worth of tests. Nothing wrong with my heart so they adjusted my GERD med and I've been right as rain.

But occasionally I'll have sharp pains in the chest. Just one and then I'm good. I figure everyone has those.

 

[Old cop]

About 10 years ago I was home alone watching a baseball game when the chest pain came on full blast. Called 911 and was wisked to the ER, lots of tests and acid reflux, thank goodness. I do recall sittng in my recliner w/the EMTs hooking me up when my wife came home, scared to see an ambulance in our driveway. I’ve been stabbed and shot at in a full tilt gunbattle when I was a cop but nothing freightened me more than this.

 

[Golddollar]

I know what you mean. Sometimes you have to take in more air and/or guzzle carbonated stuff to force yourself to belch. Either way, it works.

Beer works too!

 

[jtcarm]

Worst pain I ever felt was a mild heart attack I suffered end of last year. They gave me a GI (not a soldier’s!) cocktail in the ER and I felt better. I was like, whoohoo, just reflux.

Till the cardiologist came to see me the next day and said sorry, dude, your troponin level is up and you’re getting a cath.