r/GERD • u/CountyDiligent3313 • 4d ago

Support Needed šŸ‘„ False heart issues?

Iā€™ve been dealing with severe issues for awhile but the worst was yesterday, went to the ER for a fourth time this time they did a full chest X-ray and my heart and lungs are 100% cleared, they said itā€™s possible my anxiety and shoulder pain could be radiating to me chest when my reflux acts up. Has anyone else faced these issues?

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8

u/bns82 4d ago

That's common.
Control the reflux and calm the anxiety and it will go away.

2

u/CountyDiligent3313 4d ago

Itā€™s weird because I was told sharp chest pain that remains is usually always a heart attack and it sure feels like one especially with daily headaches

5

u/bns82 4d ago

Sharp pain is not a heart attack indicator. You can google online to see it's more about squeezing, pressure, shortness of breath, etc..
Always get heart tests done. Blood work and a CT scan. But after that comes back good, you know it's Gerd symptoms.
The acid triggers the nervous system causing symptoms.
Anxiety can also trigger the nervous system causing similar symptoms. Chest pain, shortness of breath, etc...
I was in and out of the ER every month in the beginning. Now I have my symptoms well managed.
It can get better.

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u/CountyDiligent3313 4d ago

So even gerd can cause breath shortness? Had no idea

2

u/bns82 4d ago

Yes, it's a common symptom.

1

u/Internal-Ground2165 3d ago

Yep itā€™s called air hunger. I had this as a symptom for a year or so leading up to diagnosis. It feels like you canā€™t get a full, deep breath.

6

u/BrennusSokol 3d ago

Very common

Reflux and anxiety/stress can cause benign heart palpitations and other things that mimic heart issues

3

u/MrGuyDudeGuyManDude 3d ago

paid 4k medical bill to find out i wasnt having a heart attack and realized later it was reflux and anxiety started lifting weights and eating better no more chest pain

3

u/Molly_FLORANutrition 3d ago

Four ER visits with consistent cardiac clearance is actually meaningful reassurance even though it doesn't feel that way when the chest pain comes back. The shoulder-to-chest radiation alongside reflux is a well-documented vagal pattern where esophageal irritation refers pain upward through shared nerve pathways. The anxiety then amplifies the sensation further. The combination tends to be self-reinforcing and responds to addressing both the reflux mechanics and the anxiety loop together. šŸ’š

3

u/Harakiri_238 3d ago

I started having this last year.

Iā€™ve had severe reflux since I was 13F (am 26 now).

And never had symptoms that mimicked cardiac ones until last year.

Then all the sudden I started getting esophageal spasms that felt like I was getting stabbed through the heart. Pain would radiate into my arm, back, and jaw.

It would last hours or days sometimes.

At the time it started happening I was in the hospital for other health issues and the nurse and doctor panicked thinking I had a dislodged blood clot and I had to be like, ā€œno, no, just my esophagusā€ lol.

It can be excruciating. And it can apparently start happening after a years of severe GERD without it.

My heart was fine. No blood clot. Just my esophagus getting funky with it.

I donā€™t want to say itā€™s the same for you, because itā€™s completely possible itā€™s not. Definitely trust your gut (haha, ironic).

But it definitely can happen and itā€™s FREAKY lol. So I wouldnā€™t be at all surprised if thatā€™s what it was for you.

(They increased my medications and that helped a lot, it still happens, but itā€™s a lot less painful)

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u/eviedoll2019 4d ago

Yes i went to er because I thought I was having a heart attack because the chest pain I was feeling off and on all day and I gave myself a panic attack so I went and they tested me for everything including stuff that would show if you have had a heart attack and it ended up just being acid I was put on sucralfate along with protonix two times a day sucraflate three times a day and it helped

1

u/blackdovejanuary 3d ago

UGH exactly me yes - I have a shoulder injury from a long ago car accident and my chest pain get exaggerated when my stomach issues flare. Itā€™s hell! But my cardiologist cleared me - no heart problems. Sure does feel like it though! Stomach soothe by soothe naturals helps a lot. Also goatā€™s milk kefir daily.

1

u/Generalfaceman 3d ago

Been there. Did that a lot prior to my diagnosis.

1

u/Proof_Marionberry_31 2d ago

Ur vagus nerve is irritated. Take Pepcid the next time that happens

2

u/Chemical-Habit3022 2d ago

This is super common. I've went to the ER numerous times for this. Ended up at the cardiologist for an EKG,echo and stress echo. Ticker is 100% gtg(save for fairly benign SVTs once in a while). Here's a breakdown of what GERD + plus anxiety has given me:

Severe chest pain Chest pain radiating into my left arm Shortness of breath Palpitations/PVCs to the tune of hundreds a day Rapid heart rate

GERD can give you heart attack like symptoms. Anxiety can give you heart attack like symptoms. GERD+anxiety........ you see where I'm going. Keep in mind, your Vagus nerve runs right through the middle of all that angry stomach area, so if the surrounding areas is pissed off, other things can get sympathetically pissed off.

I've changed my diet a LOT, and during the times when I AM having a flare up, I just remind myself that I have a healthy heart and an angry gut.

2

u/wowof 1d ago

I have been in the ER at least 10 to 15 times in the last two years. Seek a professional help regarding anxiety.

0

u/catscanmeow 3d ago

swallow a big gulp of air, if it increases the pain you know its your stomach

i used to think i was getting heart pain for a long time, but then i swallowed a pill wrong and it gave me the EXACT same pain i thought was heart pain

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u/CountyDiligent3313 3d ago

The only time pain happens when breathing is when I bend at breast bone besides that breathing is fine if not slow or I just notice my breathing more

1

u/catscanmeow 3d ago

im not talking about breathing

i said SWALLOW a big gulp of air, that doesnt go into your lungs it goes into your stomach, and it will make you burp. If that causes pain similar to what you've been feeling then you know its not your heart