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Need Help Diagnosing Pain...? Reflux?

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Valerie

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So I've been having these odd episodes of extreme abdominal burning pain located just lower than the breast bone in the center. Feels similar to heartburn but I've only ever had that while pregnant and it was always relieve immediately with a few Tums. This is puzzling to me. Here's the past few incidents of it....

Saturday: Ate lunch around noon, felt fine. Had a brownie around 2pm and within 15 minutes, this pain started along with nausea/dry heaves. No relief from Tums. Lasted about 2.5 hours and finally gone.

Sunday: Ate lunch around noon, felt fine. Had a cup of green tea around 1:30pm and within 15 minutes, same thing happened as Saturday.

Monday: No symptoms

Tuesday: Ate dinner around 5:30pm, felt fine. Had some almonds & 20 Reese's Pieces around 8:30pm. Went to bed at 10pm and was awakened at 11pm with EXTREME pain/burning again. Took some Tums, no help. Went to lay on the recliner, no help. Took a Tylenol PM hoping it would knock me out, no help. Had some dry heaves. Took more Tums, no help. I've had 6 babies without any epidurals and never cried from the pain, last night I was sobbing because it hurt so bad. Finally around 2:15am I was able to fall asleep. Wake up feeling fine in the morning.

So anyone have any experience with reflux, heartburn, GERD, etc?? Just not sure what I have going on. And not sure what OTC meds I should try. Sorry to be so long winded but I'm really not liking this and need some help. Thanks :)
 
Go to the doctor. Better for them to check it out. I have had the same issues over the years (feels kinda heart-attacky) and I always traced it back to stress.

Any chance you're pg again? :giggles:
 
skincarekathy said:
Go to the doctor. Better for them to check it out.

Any chance you're pg again? :giggles:
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Well, yes, there is always that chance b/c not even a vasectomy is 100% effective but No, I don't think I'm pregnant :)

Doctor, UGH, I enjoy them as much as Rebecca does.
 
I honestly think you should see your Dr. You really need some tests done to be sure! I have had reflux for years and take zegerid otc now. MOST of the time it works well but sometimes I have to take 2 of them. I try to only take one....fatty, greasy foods are the worst for me and really aggravate it. I also have to eat around the same time every day because if I don't I pay for it w/gerd. When I first started having gerd I used to take nexium but it is so pricey and I find zegerid works almost as well. You could try zegerid but you really should see a dr. A friend of mine likes protonix and she has severe gerd! Good luck!
 
I have severe pain right to center followed by vomiting with no burning.....I go for another ultrasound next week. We still don't know what is causing this problem, and my gi dr doesn't want to rip out my galllbladder because it could make things worse for me....hope you find out something.
 
when you eat do you ever have trouble with the food getting "stuck" in your esophagus? do you need a drink to wash everything down?

i had the same pain as you and dr treated for GERD. Was not GERD. I had the above symptoms as well...turned out to be an autoimmune disease called achalasia. The pain in my chest was not heart burn but the sphincter (sp??) muscle in spasm. Rubbing it and drinking water would usually relieve it after awhile. The actual achalasia I needed surgery to fix.
 
Go see a Dr now, you never know what it could be. My DH had terrible gerd (off meds now and taking 2 smoothies a day) but never had the pain you described nor any vomiting. Better safe than sorry, see the Dr.
 
wcjost said:
when you eat do you ever have trouble with the food getting "stuck" in your esophagus? do you need a drink to wash everything down?

i had the same pain as you and dr treated for GERD. Was not GERD. I had the above symptoms as well...turned out to be an autoimmune disease called achalasia. The pain in my chest was not heart burn but the sphincter (sp??) muscle in spasm. Rubbing it and drinking water would usually relieve it after awhile. The actual achalasia I needed surgery to fix.
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Oh ****, wcjost....you just explained the problem that my mom was having to a T. They told her that it was barrets disease. They scoped her and did confirm that she did have the start of barrets....now this has got me thinking that it could be achalasia because she has sojgrens and psoriasis ...and they are both autoimmune diseases....****..... when you are diagnosed with an autoimune disease you usually have other autoimmune problems that you don't know about....just thinking out loud.
 
I agree with everyone...go see your doctor....better safe than sorry. Hope you feel better soon...:flowers:
 
I had the same symptoms as you and sometimes its very worse. I went to the Doc and was diagnosed GERD/Acid Reflux. Now I am taking Omeprazole everyday morning 1/2 hour before breakfast. For me, I had isolated some food items which gives me the horrible pain. Chocolates, Almonds, Caffeine are the main ones. I have an endoscopy next week to see whats really going on. Also I had my Gall Bladder removed just a month after I had a C-section 5 years back. I started having all the other problems after this only.

Also avoid fatty/greasy foods. Tums never helps me. Before I eat my food if I feel a metallic taste in my mouth (always its the starting symptom for me before I get the killer pain), I just take a Gas-X and eat my food 5 minutes later and that had helped me too.
 
Gallbladder!

I'd definitely have it checked out as your symptoms sound similar to mine and I just found out I have to have it out.
 
steve said:
Drink a glass of milk.
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Well I've been having issues with milk giving me other not-so-pleasant abdominal issues so I'm avoiding that too! :)

Getting old sucks and trying to get healthy sucks (none of this started until I started eating "healthy" foods)
 
Ok, I scheduled an appointment for tomorrow afternoon, was hoping my MIL would be able to come watch the kids but she's got some other commitments so I might be moving it.
 
Valerie said:
Well I've been having issues with milk giving me other not-so-pleasant abdominal issues so I'm avoiding that too! :)

Getting old sucks and trying to get healthy sucks (none of this started until I started eating "healthy" foods)
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Oh I hear you there! :surrender:


Good luck - I hope you can figure this out soon & get some relief. :flowers:
 
i too think gall bladder. but avoid nimc! my sis in law almost died and is not out of the woods at this moment from horrible misread tests from nimc. they said she had an ulcer and sent her on her way. she is way sicker than that and almost died. horrible story. glad they figured it all out and are working on her.
 
Sitting in the waiting room. Man why do I hate to come to the doctor?
 
Valerie said:
Sitting in the waiting room. Man why do I hate to come to the doctor?
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Hay Val....I totally feel for ya! I sat in a Dr's office for 4 hours once with my mom....and had no choice...could not leave because he was a specialist.......

Good luck!
 
Thankfully they were right on time, very little waiting. She is suspecting gallbladder although I don't fit the "typical" patient. She also said it could be reflux or an ulcer. Drew some blood. Recommended I start Prilosec and I have an abdominal ultrasound scheduled for Tuesday.

Thanks for everyone's posts, recommendations and pushing me to go in.
 
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