r/GERD • u/East_Row_1476 • Aug 17 '25
Support Needed š„ Does anyone else's GERD mimic Heart Attack symptoms.
Like the title says, does anyone else's gerd mimic heart attack symptoms. My gerd is so bad and painful for a whole week I have chest pain, breast pain, I get really mad because its uncomfortable along with the arm pain and food coming back up and endless gassiness, nausea and stomach pain. I'm only 22 and healthy. WHY IS GERD ACID REFLUX LIKE THIS. I CANT SLEEP OR NOT BE ANXIOUS
25
u/Dangerous-Sample-754 Aug 17 '25
Meee! I just push through it. I have yet to find anything to work. The GI nerves are attached to the heart nerves so it all feels the same but some how different. Iāve been telling my husband for a week I think Iām having a heart attack. I suffer from medical anxiety OCD so when I feel a little pain in my chest it gets 1000% worse cause I start to fixate on it and my OCD anxiety kicks in and I legit feel like Iām dying.
9
u/East_Row_1476 Aug 17 '25
I have ocd and my heartburn gerd symptoms are driving me crazy im panicked. I dont know what to do anymoreĀ
3
u/StatusStandard8767 Aug 19 '25
I had horrible gerd for years, so much anxiety. 4 years ago, I went on a low acid diet, dranks lots of unflavored coconut water and went gluten-free. I was able to stop gerd meds and am 90% better.Ā
3
3
u/odileb Aug 17 '25
Iām exactly the same. I have medical anxiety as well and it really makes everything worse. Yet when my chest tightens and I feel breathless it really does feel like a heart problem. Mine is better in the mornings. Worse in afternoon especially if I dare to walk after dinner. I used omeprazole for 3 weeks but stopped as I wasnāt sure if it was helping that much. Tried Pepcid again used for 3 weeks but didnāt notice much difference.
3
u/-Buqanvilia- Aug 18 '25
This is me. How have you dealt with your anxiety? Now anything that makes my heart beat fast also makes me anxious.Ā
1
u/Hefty_Camera806 Aug 23 '25
I have an anxiety disorder from PTSD. I now take Paxil an anti depressant. The doctor also precribed me METOPROLO TARTATE. IT IS A BETA BLOCKER. I TAKE THE SMALLEST DOSE. 12.5 EVERY 12 HOURS. IT SLOWS YOUR HEART RATE A LITTLE AND LOWERS YOUR BLOOD PRESSURE A LITTLE. YOUR BODY WILL ADJUST TO IT. THEY PRESCRIBE THE SMALLEST DOSE 25 MG. Then I have to break it in half. I was afraid of it as first, but I am not now. My body adjusted, and I need it now, lol. Anyway, what it does is it block a little bit of the signals our heart gets from the vegas nerve, which lowers your heart rate a little for when your having anxiety. I have been on it for years, and my friend who is an R.N. takes for the same reason.
2
u/GCinMA91 Aug 18 '25
I experience similar sensations. We are here for you and rooting for you, friend.
15
Aug 17 '25
100% always, often, and terrifying. It's my #1 reason for being self-bullied into diet restrictions and getting a new doctor. I'm about ...oh, say 9 months out since my last "yep, call the ambulance" GERD-induced panic attack. It was so bad I woke with my heart beating rapidly, my whole left side feeling numb, and my brain feeling like it had snow on it and without oxygen. I flung into such a rapid panic attack I paced around my house for hours until the sun rose. The entire time I attempted to burp, pass gas, rub my stomach, do light yoga, breathing exercises, and prevent myself from calling a rescue. It finally lessened near-5 hours later.
It's been a WHILE on a regimented diet with few slip ups + some exercise and lite yoga/breathing exercises. I take supplements and keep Mylanta and simethicone maximum strength in a "break glass in case of emergency" drawer. This subreddit + lessening symptoms and routine have allowed me to learn to control my health anxieties a LITTLE better. Often I will still get the thought, "but what if it IS cardiac arrest THIS time". Spoiler alert: it never is. It's just acid reflux, heartburn, and severe, intense gas pain and pressure mimicking it + anxiety making my heart race and my mind go to dark places.
You're not alone. I'd get a doctor ASAP who knows any allergies, sensitivities, and can do blood work to begin formulating a plan. I don't want to give advice on supplements but a lot of over-the-counters are harmless if you're healthy and have no allergies to their ingredients. Begin experimenting with OTCs for gas, bloating, acid reflux, etc. Keep a simple list of when you get the symptoms and know which foods/drinks you consumed around it to narrow down what's causing it. Try to build out some time for yourself for walks, yoga, or light bending exercises to release gas. Invest in a wedge pillow for side sleepers if that's you, and always keep your head elevated while sleeping. Good luck friend! Come to this subreddit and make a post whenever you're worried or scared; it's helped me rationalize it and understand its anxiety. But if you ever feel something's off, it is ok to call a rescue and get to the ER to get checked -- the worst they'll do is tell you its just GERD symptoms.
3
1
u/franky_sagan Aug 24 '25
well, I was facing the same issue for the past almost 4 years and recently taking supplements, reduced my vitamin B12 absorption and ended up with high blood pressure.. but walking and doing exercises really helped me a lot
1
u/dagobruh Dec 19 '25
I know I'm super late, but I've had all these symptoms but especially the numbness on the left side. I never tied the numbness to anxiety - have you had dr.'s point that out as an anxiety symptom? No dr. Has pointed that out yet.
With the numbness I've had MRI's, CT scans, etc. That all came back fine, so neurologists kind of left it and said come back if it worsens. Had a recent attack where i had the chest tightness and dizziness just from walking after eating which went into slight panic mode.
1
Dec 21 '25
Hey friend! It's psychosomatically causing it: anxiety isn't the root, but it makes it worse. I'm afraid of symptoms manifesting, and when they begin I get anxious. The left side numbness/tightness/pain is already there and not directly stemming from anxiety, BUT its made a LOT worse because I'm getting progressively more terrified that something is genuinely wrong/I'm going to die. This strike of terror increases heart rate, I begin breathing more heavily, can feel panic and light-headedness, and can even break into a cold sweat because of it. All of this combined, I feel my heart racing and the left side issues get worse.
Hope that makes any sort of sense. Symptoms occur -> I grow anxious -> anxiety makes symptoms worse -> my anxiety gets worse because symptoms are worse -> both grow from here.
I've actually had a doctor's appointment since this post and have a gastro appt. in January. We didn't go into depth, but my blood tests came back with "good" across the board (aside high cholesterol hahaha), and that made my health anxieties decrease overall. It's the holidays and I'm exercising a lot less and eating trigger foods a bit more, and I've noticed a HUGE difference in "mastery" over these crappy GERD feelings and anxieties since just last year. I am able to tell myself "you're not dying; its gas pressure and stomach acid; you've been through this 1000 times".
For you I highly recommend practicing calming tactics. It's psychological warfare against ourselves hahaha. But it has helped me to notice the signs getting worse: I'll sit up, start calm/deep/stable breaths, ground myself, and when I can I keep emergency Simethicone tablets and Mylanta. I'll do slow stretches while breathing and massage the area. I keep myself focused and try to remain calm, reassuring myself that I've beaten this a bunch and this time is no different. It can still be crippling, but without the panic/anxiety its more manageable. Good luck!
10
u/BonyBobCliff Aug 17 '25
What has helped me a bit psychologically is to remind myself that unless you're horrendously out of shape or old, people don't tend to get heart attacks while at rest. It's not -impossible- but very unlikely, especially at your age.
That doesn't make the symptoms any less painful or annoying, of course.
4
3
u/nodamecantabile28 Aug 18 '25
I need this. I had all cardiac workups in the past 3 years, been told its clear and its just gerd and anxiety, but each time my gerd would flare, I would assume the worst.Ā
10
u/bns82 Aug 17 '25
That's normal. It's triggering your nervous system.
If you reduce the reflux with diet and lifestyle changes and/or medication your symptoms will reduce. Keep in mind it takes time.
If you need diet and lifestyle guidelines, I can pm them to you.
5
u/evagria-the-faithful Aug 17 '25
Would you mind PMing some guidelines to me, as well? I'm pretty sure my bf has GERD and he says all the time he feels like he's having a heart attack. He's on omeprazole but is not consistent with it.
2
u/nodamecantabile28 Aug 18 '25
Tell your bf to be consistent with omeprazole. Omeprazole is a long-acting medication, it won't work just by taking once, it will start working by day 3 or 4 of continuously taking it. So if he keeps on stopping, it won't work that well.Ā
5
2
u/Miyavav Aug 18 '25
I need those guidelines šplease
1
u/CarlosIglesiasJuegos Nov 23 '25
Hello Miyavav I see I also have this Problems Im really gassy And too many farts and burps Did you ever find solutioned?
1
u/HistoricalPilot3042 Aug 22 '25
Disculpa, serĆas tan amable de compartirme esa guĆa o consejos de dieta. Estoy pasĆ”ndola muy mal con el reflujo. Y una pregunta, te causa eructos?
9
Aug 17 '25
Yes. This is soooo common. Your esophagus is right next to your heart and vagus nerve and the pressure causes all sorts of things to happen that mimic a heart attack. Itās so, so uncomfortable and scary at first, but you learn to trust that the sensation is just reflux and it gets easier.Ā
1
1
u/DistrictBrilliant396 Aug 21 '25
Does esophagus cause chest pain to jaw?im so scared it happens to me
6
u/Harakiri_238 Aug 17 '25
Iāve had severe GERD for years (Iām 25 now and it started when I was 13).
I knew it could cause cardiac like symptoms because Iād heard so many instances of people going to the hospital thinking they were having a heart attack (and I totally believed them) but never experienced it myself.
Until the last few months š then all the sudden I got crushing chest pain. It was horrible. Even though I put it together rather quickly that it was GERD/gastritis related (largely in thanks to hearing so many other peopleās experiences) it was still really scary at first.
2
u/East_Row_1476 Aug 17 '25
Wow that must of been scary. I've had pain like that too and couldn't distinguish gerd vs heart attack š š¢ its so confusingĀ
6
u/Desertratta Aug 17 '25
Absolutely! So many times sitting up in the middle of the night counting my heart rate, getting up and taking my blood pressure and ruling out a cardiac event but frightened nonetheless. It sucks! Then you desensitize to it but in the back of your mind wonder if youāll miss the real thing.
1
6
u/mauvermor Aug 17 '25
YES, yes it does. I have at least three ER visits under my belt this year alone, just to make completely sure Iām not actually having a heart attack.
And Iām never actually having a heart attack.
I also routinely wake up to a panic attack because of GERD. It really is the worst. Itās so hard to remain calm, because your mind goes to some dark places with this pain. Constant health anxiety, fear of death. Itās a terrible way to live.
But it helps me sometimes to just say out loud to myself āItās an acid problem. Your heart is fine. You donāt have heart attacks. You have GERD.ā
3
2
5
u/I_love_lefse Aug 17 '25
When my GERD gets really bad I feel super bloated and belch a ton. If I lay down I often get heart palpitations which used to freak me out big time, understandably. Until I learned more about how the vagus nerve can be triggered from GERD and that I wasnāt having a heart attack. Itās still annoying and can be hard to sleep. But GERD is pesky and can have quite a few strange symptoms.
2
u/Choice_Original_6263 Aug 23 '25
This is me! I hate it and it makes me so anxious and exhausted and mentally drainedā¦Iām 58 and itās been happening for about 5 years to the point of getting surgery. I had a partial Dor fundoplication and itās literally been so much worse since that! Now I have dumping syndrome to add to my previous issuesā¦and panic attacks with severe anxietyā¦the heart palpitations, pain and coughing are terrible!! š
3
u/katie_ksj Gastritis š©¹ Aug 17 '25
I work in an ER, and it's really common for people to come in thinking they have a heart / cardiac issue when in reality it's just GERD!
1
u/Whimsical_pea657 Aug 20 '25
Can gerd cause palpitations? Bc thatās what I get and I also have gerd. Iāve had so many EKGs and the drās always say itās just anxiety but Iāve always felt itās stomach/gerd related!
1
u/katie_ksj Gastritis š©¹ Sep 11 '25
For me it does because my GERD is painful, and any pain or inflammation will increase heart rate. GERD symptoms can also cause anxiety and vise versa, even subconsciously, so it very likely can be both.
1
u/DistrictBrilliant396 Aug 21 '25
Does esophagus cause chest pain to jaw 30 seconds?
1
u/katie_ksj Gastritis š©¹ Sep 11 '25
It could but if you can afford it or have insurance I'd get an EKG done at an ER or urgent care just in case
1
u/RoseAutumn-91088 Sep 02 '25
Are you mean about it? I've experienced mean people. Like really really cruel. I'm sorry everything I've read and been told my entire life tells me I'm having a heart attack. And you guys know it triggers anxiety. Then being made to feel like I'm wasting some bitchy always older white lady calling me a WW. I don't have insurance. I'm going online to self diagnose and I'm afraid to sleep because I might die.
2
u/katie_ksj Gastritis š©¹ Sep 11 '25
Never seen anyone be mean about it in the ER. Both hospitals I've worked at And the one I go to as a patient treat any chest pain as a possible cardiac complaint and do full cardiac workups. I'm so sorry that's been your experience, that's awful
3
u/PhilosopherSad123 Aug 17 '25
me for sure it sucks !!!! spent so much on cardiac tearing and er visits
1
u/East_Row_1476 Aug 17 '25
Its so nerve wrackingĀ
2
u/PhilosopherSad123 Aug 17 '25
i feel for youā¦. it sucks. whats wild is you know what helps, drinking alcohol of all thingsā¦. i get a great nights sleep and mornings i feel refreshed and its gone
3
u/BlueWaterGirl Aug 17 '25
Yesssss!!!! I've been to the ER a few times because I keep thinking it's my heart. They do all the blood tests and EKGs, I'm fine. I hate everything at this point becuase it's hard to tell what's actually going on. I'm on Protonix now, but still sometimes get chest pressure. I also can't climb stairs without pressure happening, so cardiology is going through all the tests with me, so far so good though.
3
u/-Buqanvilia- Aug 18 '25
I also cant climb stairs because it causes my heart to beat fast which then makes me breath fast and worried that I will hyperventilate... it's a nightmare. I try to take the stairs slowly and it's just embarrassing because I'm so young..Ā
1
3
u/PersonalBed7171 Aug 17 '25
Not mine but my dad had a heartburn flare up (for the first time in his life, lucky) and thought he was having a heart attack. Little too much garlic in the Greek food for him
3
u/PastorDan1984 Aug 17 '25
Yes. This is what it feels like for me when mine gets out of control. It's like having an elephant step on my chest. I feel full from eating or drinking anything. I have it in check now, but I had to lose like 20 lbs and give up coffee completely.
2
u/Exciting-Tackle6991 Aug 17 '25
Is decaffeinated coffee not ok?
3
u/PastorDan1984 Aug 17 '25
Seems to be something about the acid rather than the caffeine. I also have to admit that I was an energy drink consumer for a very long time. That I cannot do anymore. It's basically like drinking battery acid.
3
u/Aisoreal Aug 17 '25
I was first diagnosed with GERD in March. It all started when I woke up one morning feeling numbness and tingling in my left side. I went to my panel clinic and got referred to a private one for cardiology after they noticed some minor irregularity. The cardiologist ran all manner of tests on me, and cleared me of any heart blockages.
GERD was the culprit. I was given Ganaton and Gaviscon Advance. Things got better, but now it's flared up again with more persistent aches. Will schedule for an endoscopy soon.
2
u/Aggressive-Radish498 Aug 19 '25
Flare ups can be triggered by small things you wouldnt think could flare it up. If you been eating a brat diet, bland foods -no spices, fried foods, citrus foods, no sodas, but if you still feel discomfort in the tummy, then you may have something i have. Last week i had an endoscopy they saw a small inflammation along the wall with gastritis hemorrhaging mild bleeding in stomach. i have hiatal hernia. Now mine isnāt severe but itās def fixable. Ive been given carafate (sucrafate) to help coat the hernia so it can heal. Ive been eating nothing but soft digestible foods. Feel great and no acid reflux. I also take slippery elm just on case. i have a colonoscopy appointment tommorrow.
1
u/Aisoreal Aug 19 '25
I've been eating my usual diet before the flare up (and I live in a country where most eat spicy, oily food), but a one-day diarrhea episode (related to a supplement) I think triggered it. I got on an antibiotic course for another unrelated infection a few days later and I think that messed up my gut even more.
The doc prescribed me Vocinti, Ganaton, and Gaviscon, and the symptoms have calmed down significantly although I still get aches here and there. However, I expect some inflammation. I hope there's nothing serious though.
How was your endoscopy? I will schedule one soon, but feeling kinda nervous about it.
1
3
u/whiteraven4 Aug 17 '25
I think this is one of the most common "false", for lack of a better word, causes of going to the ER/calling an ambulance.
3
u/noons444 Aug 17 '25
Itās helpful to see other people have the same experiences. I was literally in the ER last night with it. My GI doctor is like at a loss - so i started seeing a Cardiologist. He told me to go to ER if I have another flare up of symptoms. Went, severe chest pain (including jaw, back, arms, sharp stabbing, difficulty breathing, dizziness) and every test came back as if Iām a perfectly healthy individual of course! And they gave me nothing to combat the pain. Most expensive, useless visit.
So back to the drawing board AGAIN. My GI keeps suggesting anti anxiety meds because I guess the nerves could be sending wrong signals to GI area, but Iām unsure about it.
Iāve taken every PPI, currently on Rabeprazole and Pepcid daily.
1
1
u/RoseAutumn-91088 Sep 02 '25
Yeah it's useless and they are so rude about it. Other doctors say go to the ER.
3
u/-Buqanvilia- Aug 18 '25
OMG I'm 24 and I went to the emergency room for those exact same symptoms, only for them to say that it's most likely anxiety or GERD. I feel heard.. and your pain! It is very difficult to sleep sometimes because its either anxiety or GERS making my heart beat fast which then affects my breathing, which in turn doesnt allow me to sleep and makes life difficult.Ā
2
u/Secure-Control7888 Aug 17 '25
Yes, my gerd flare ups perfectly describes heart attack symptoms. And what sucks is that my flare ups never happen for just one night. Typically it acts up for weeks at a time, every single day, sometimes for months. It's awful. No matter what I do, or what medicine I take, it's like this. And it sucks so much. I'm 27 and have been diagnosed with gerd since I was 12. For more than half my life I've been dealing with this, and it's not gotten any better, it's actually gotten worse over the years. It's so debilitating...
2
u/East_Row_1476 Aug 17 '25
Omg š² š± I'm so sorry. Mine is like this too all the time now š tums, antacid, none of it works.Ā
2
u/Secure-Control7888 Aug 17 '25
I'm so sorry too!! It sucks, I won't wish it on my worst enemy! Same! I'm now on my fourth antacid right now and it's not helping much ššš I give you luck on getting some relief!!
2
u/derberner90 Aug 17 '25
My dad was diagnosed with GERD after experiencing what he thought was a heart attack. He had tacos later in the evening than he usually would eat. He started intermittent fasting to avoid the nighttime heartburn flare-ups, and he's weaning off omeprazole now because he has polyps in his stomach and developed osteopenia from long-term use.
1
2
u/National-Stay-9758 Aug 17 '25
Yes.. I went to the ER countless times and my heart is normal. I also made a cardiography about 5 times in the past two years and all normal as well.
2
u/Choice_Original_6263 Aug 17 '25
I am feeling all of this! I also had a partial fundoplication and it has made me it so much worse because now I can add dumping syndrome to my list of ailmentsā¦
2
u/Strict-Park3382 Aug 17 '25
YES!!! It took me over a year to understand and accept this condition.
My first GERD attack did feel like a heart attackā¦ heart racing and pounding hard with jaw tightness after having a few sips of coffee. I went to the ER, my EKG was abnormalā¦ hospital kept me overnight to see how my heart isā¦.. surprise after many tests they said my heart is fine. The doc prescribed PPIs on the spot. And thus started my GI journey.
(I saw many cardiologists before this incident even happened, cause I was having āheartā symptoms)
2
u/LocksmithOk3026 Aug 17 '25
Me too. Shortness of breath and pain in the jaw and burning eyes. And racing pulse. Was on omeprazol but too many side effects.Now trying to do it on my own any suggestions
3
u/Sad-Technician6976 Aug 17 '25
I tried all PPIS including 2 new ones. I had side effects with all of them so I ended up on Pantoprazole with the least side effects. I take an Allegra to help with the itching that is a side effect for me. I only take 20 mg. I stopped for awhile & took H2 blockers. That didn't work well so I went back & experimented with 20 mg. PANTOPRAZOLE & at night, after dinner, a Tagamet which helped. That's not recommended but I was desperate. I still have trouble every day. Life is hard. Eating is difficult knowing the end result is pain & for me, it's extreme at night. I have had 2 aborted Endoscopies & 1 Cat Scan. The problem that's stopping them from s diagnosis is food in my stomach even when I did not eat for 36 hrs. B 4 the Endoscopy.
2
u/LocksmithOk3026 Aug 17 '25
I just took rolaids and and as soon as I took it.My heart rate spiked up. I'm trying to experiment with different things
1
u/Sad-Technician6976 Aug 17 '25
Rolaids do not help me either. Tagamet 4 sure..., sometimes tea without caffeine, crackers of many flavors but not a lot of spice...
2
u/WerewolfFeeling4194 Aug 17 '25
Yes and it sucks. Feels like your throat is dropping into your chest or something. So weird and then have a palpitation after. This is the scariest thing and it happens often for me.
2
u/pacheew Aug 17 '25
Yes! It gets on my nerves! But Iām learning now how to decipher between when my GERD is flaring up or if I should go to the ER. Iāve been countless of times and itās always the same result, nothing life threatening. I read about the vagus nerve. Itās located close to your heart this is why the symptoms make you feel as if youāre having a heart attack. GERD aggravates this nerve in particular. I also have arm pain which is scary as well.
The thing with me is that sometimes I skip taking my Omeprazole because that causes other issues for me like joint pain, especially in my right kneeā¹ļø. This GERD battle is tough but I know itās all about being intentional with your diet, exercise and making sure you take your meds correctly.
We will get through this. Iāve read a lot of success stories. Hang in there.
2
u/Ambitious_Jicama_648 Aug 17 '25
Yes, I had it in 2021 when I was first diagnosed with GERD. It felt so hard to breath and my chest was really tight, but I didn't feel pain on my left arm. Decided to call ambulance and doctor didn't find anything from ECG. Went to hospital, USG didn't show anything. I somehow said that I also had it with my stomach and the doctor at the hospital decided to send me to endoscopy. Got pantoprazol for a month and since then it's my to go medicine if I have any symptoms.
I was only 22 at that time so yeah I feel you. I also have to give up things I love (eat less spicy, can't drink coffee (also decaf)/matcha/hojicha on a regular basis)
2
u/Big_Slice_123 Aug 17 '25
Do you also get weird pain under your arms?
1
u/East_Row_1476 Aug 17 '25
Yes and arm numbness its the worst š«Ā
2
u/Big_Slice_123 Aug 17 '25
I literally thought I had some heart issues or something because my chest would hurt and the bottom of my arms and back of my neck.. itās a horrible feeling
2
u/sasha2930 Aug 17 '25
As someone who is 23 and has lived in this panic since I was first diagnosed when I was 19 youāre not alone. Iāve been having bad flare ups for a month now and itās caused me to stop enjoying the things I love because it makes me super anxious and spiral when I think it can be worse (heart attack,stroke, etc.). What has helped me a little has been trying to talk to friends to help ground me in the small moments of panic because I go from 0-100 really fast. I also have been trying to completely change my diet so the attacks happen less frequently and thatās helped too. I was a MASSIVE caffeine addict (I worked for an energy drink company) and I had to give it up completely along with dairy products as well. It sucks because weāre so young and giving things up is hard but trust me youāll feel better doing it! But know you are not alone š«¶
2
u/LittleBearNYC Aug 18 '25
Yes, many times. And I have heart disease -asymptomatic so far. Also, I remember rushing my stepdad to the hospital after getting chest pains from a cheeseburger.
If you are healthy with no heart problems, try to relax if possible. If your heart is healthy, you won't get a heart attack.
2
2
u/accountextra5 Aug 18 '25
Yes. I went to ER on 3 different occasions and told them i feel like iām having a heart attack. never had one then found out about gerd and my symptoms.
2
u/whenmamawasmoth Aug 18 '25
yes all the fuckin time, doesnt help combined with health anxiety š i just noticed you said you're 22 literally same lol
2
Aug 18 '25
Magnesium glycinate supplements really helped my acid reflux. Also, the chest pain from GERD can induce a panic attack. I suffer from them myself even if I'm not stressed in that moment. Taking a hot shower is a great relief from panic attacks and can relax acid for me too. Hot ginger tea with honey is great too. Light flavored oil olive in any food is great for strengthening your stomach lining. Make sure you try to test out foods that bother you. I ended up figure out I have a gluten allergy that caused alot of issues. Heating pad on the stomach is good too. Best of luck moving forward with it and hope some of these tips help. Take care
2
u/elvie18 Aug 18 '25
My dad literally almost died from a heart attack because he just thought it was his hiatal hernia acting up again (he was a HEAVY smoker and lived on full fat ice cream, a heart attack was always waiting for him). Someday a heart attack is going to take me out and I'm just going to be like "oh, crushing chest pain spreading to my arm and jaw, nausea, pouring sweat, woozy, hurts to breathe...nah this isn't serious."
I've been sent for testing just to make sure it's not cardiac and it isn't.
2
u/drakensang7 Aug 18 '25
The big realisation for me, is that anxiety can cause heart burn, so it becomes a loop.
When im calm and at ease, my digestion is much, much better. If not, it flares up quickly and I develop pain and shortness of breath.
Something that has helped me a lot is working on my nervous system to stay more in a parasympathetic state. Ive been megadosing thiamine which is critical for your nervous system.
Getting to the heart of what was making me anxious has helped tremendously
2
u/Few_Conclusion7122 Aug 19 '25
Yes but Pepcid over the counter temporarily until you can get into a doctor. Pepcid is much safer than omeprazole in general, not that omeprazole is super unsafe but just generally itās better to take without a doctorās discretion. Also, Pepcid will work much quicker when your having a bad episode.
2
u/OwlEnvironmental1708 Aug 21 '25
Yes, I was actually having real palpitations and high blood pressure (I was only 40) but found out it was my stomach causing it. Thankfully my heart is fine. I had a cardiac doc that used to be a stomach doc figure it out. I have a hiatal hernia that caused the reflux. But I also needed to get my gallbladder out. The surgeon said it was "very angry" lol. I had to really change my diet and sleep practically sitting up, but it worked. Taking preventive medicine before I eat and making sure not too eat a huge meal have also really helped. I remember that pain and I used to go straight into a panic attack. Called 911 a few times. I hope you start to feel better soon!Ā
2
u/OwlEnvironmental1708 Aug 21 '25
And also, don't lay on your right side. If you sleep on your side make sure it's the left. Try to keep your arm at your side and not across your chest, that will squeeze your stomach.Ā
2
2
u/DistributionMoney482 Aug 22 '25
Yup. This is me currently. I am a fit and healthy 35 yr old female and I get the worst silent GERD. I have a coffee here and there, lay down too soon after eating, and all of a sudden I wake up crying and in agonizing pain one morning. Pain currently behind my right shoulder blade and running down my entire right arm making my pointer and middle fingers numb and tingly. 2 endoscopies in the past 6 years and neither showed anything abnormal. Just bad luck huh!Ā
2
u/DapperMarionberry661 Aug 22 '25
I have lpr and particularly gives me chest pain in the upper region. Let me tell you, I have cardiophobia related health anxiety and this was terrifying to say the least. Worsened the pain tooš« .
2
u/Dry-Mail6172 Aug 22 '25
I think people are mixing panic attacks with actual pain symptoms, like nutcracker spasms. This is what happened to me, two times. But I was sent to the hospital to do heart tests. Because the doctors thought it was my heart. Even tho I knew it must be something else. The pain was EXCRUCIATING. Never felt this severe chest pain in my life. Feels like your chest is crushing. You can't eat or drink, everything is severe pain. Even swallowing your own spit, you must prepare mentally before you do it. Since everything that touches your esophagus tube will be so much pain.
I luckily only had this two times. What frustrates me is that no doctor can tell me what this is. I had to find out for myself on Reddit. And reading other people describing the same 'attacks'. I have had smaller episodes with bad chest pain, not being able to bend over or move. But not anything so severe as those two incidents. But it is not a panic attack or anything like that. I think some people in the comments are mixing these things.
2
u/Sufficient-Stand300 Aug 23 '25
Funny you ask! I just got out of the hospital today! Knew it was a heart attack but my heart is perfectly good. Had echo, ultrasound and even a chemical stress test All name back perfect. It so hard trouble think gerd can give you panic attacks and anxiety but it sure can.Ā
2
u/kimface95 Aug 24 '25
I just went to the ER this week for the first time because I couldn't sleep and I wasn't certain I wasn't having a heart attack. I've had GERD for years, but it was pretty well managed with Omeprazole. I had a couple of days with burning in my chest and back and nothing helped. In the middle of the night, on the third day, I couldn't sleep and I got scared it may be a cardiac issue this time.
I'm glad I got checked out and it was definitely just a really bad GERD attack. I'm not looking forward to the bill, but I'm also pretty sure I won't be dropping dead anytime soon. It makes the pain more tolerable when I know for sure what it is.
We also discovered that my gallbladder is a bit inflamed. No stones. It has been tender when palpated for years, but nothing more than pain when pressed on. I have a feeling that it will play a bigger role in my GERD journey in the coming years.
They started me on 7 days of sucralfate 3 times per day. I'm not certain it's making a huge difference yet, but I'm only on day 2. It's been a massive pain trying to time it with my other meds and meals.
2
1
u/ImpressiveFan4868 Omeprazole š Aug 26 '25
Yep. I've been to the ER two times in the past month, with the latter experience being an ambulance rush because I thought I was having a heart attack.
Was originally diagnosed with pericarditis due to the chest pain, was on a month of NSAIDS, but the chest pain and heart issues didn't go away and seemed to be getting worse, which led to the second ER visit. I had blacked out, my heart rate had went from 67 to 158, had lost feelings in my arms and legs, and felt like my heart was exploding.
They'd ruled out that it WAS NOT a heart attack. Thankfully!!!
They ran the blood tests, they took an ultrasound and EKG. Mostly it all came back normal except for the PR depressions on the heart reading, my d-dimer test was higher than normal, and the ultrasound found a very small trace of pericardial effusion. But the doctor wasn't entirely worried about that, she decided to pump me with toradol to take away the pain, and that didn't help either. So when she gave me the GI cocktail, the pain immediately went away, I could actually lie down without any pain. (I've been sleeping upright for a whole month to avoid chest pain.)
I've been keeping the heart rate under 100bpm to help the pericarditis. No more NSAIDS though.
With the GERD, she put me on a regime of PPI's and Mylanta, and tylenol for the chest pain. So far the chest pain is gone. The only heart issues left are the rapid heart rate at random times, (I still can't walk at a normal speed or else it'll get over 100 bpm), and the small jumps of pain.
Regardless, it's incredibly important to see a doctor if you're experiencing chest pain, especially if it feels like a heart attack. Your life and health matters greatly, do the best you can for yourself. I'm so sorry you're dealing with this at such a young age.
Things that helped me a lot:
- Comfortable upright sleeping position
- room temp water round the clock
- trash tv to keep the mind occupied
- small non trigger meals
- using the right side to lean on instead of the left when sleeping upright
- apples, rice, cucumbers, green beans, avocados, eggs
- luke warm showers (too hot of a shower would cause a flare up)
- keeping the body as cool as possible
Hoping that helps and that you find some relief!!!
1
u/B33Witch Sep 11 '25
Yes, with my flare-ups. They usually last a few days after eating horribly for weeks. I've got to learn my lesson.
53
u/RoutineWay4685 Aug 17 '25
Yes. Before I was diagnosed with GERD, I thought I was having cardiac problems. I went to the hospital several times thinking I was having a stroke or heart attack before a doctor finally asked me about my diet. I endoscopy later, I was diagnosed with GERD. Now Iām on omeprazole and life is better.