Chest pain and digestive issues

[JennieF1]

Hi,

I am a 61 year old female and have been diagnosed with IBS but for the last six weeks I have had a horrible tight feeling around my sternum and my chest really aches. I also have lots of gas and heartburn and drinking tea is a real problem as it keeps coming back up. I had an endoscopy a year ago and that was fine but this is really scaring me, sometimes at night I feel as if my oesophagus is in spasm. Has anyone else felt like this. I am currently taking 30 mg of lansoperazole a day but it isn't helping.
Thank you for taking the time to read this, I am getting scared

[JennieF1]

Thank you so much for your response. I am currently taking lansoperazole 30mg a day which is a PPI but its not doing anything for me anymore. I am also getting really bad wind pains in my stomach and seem to have loo bowel motions every time I eat. I had a virtual colonoscopy three months ago which showed nothing sinister except that I have an exceptionally long and  twisty colon which can be problematic.   I also have a hiatus hernia which I think and hope might be causing the problems I have as it  sometimes feels weird when I swallow. Have Another appointment at the docs today so fingers crossed.

Best wishes

[CalGal]

Jennie, what form of IBS were you diagnosed with and what did your doc suggest you do for it? What symptoms are you having that suggested IBS?

Did the same doc give you the PPI for what he/she suspects is a case of acid reflux or GERD, because it sounds like what you're describing is something along those lines. Did the doc suggest you change your diet and make other lifestyle changes to try to tamp down the discomfort of the gastric issue? If not, you may want to make those changes on your own because they could help to make you more comfortable. There are a number of websites that have very good suggestions as to what foods to eat and which to avoid. One is www.gicare.com.

If you had the upper endoscopy and nothing was seen, did you have a pH study done to verify the presence of excess acid (or perhaps bile)?. Was H. pylori found, and if so, were you treated for it?

If you're having esophageal spasms or tightness in the thorax, go back to the doc and ask for more assistance. You may have to change meds or perhaps change the dosage of the medication you're currently taking. Or your doc may want to couple what you're already taking with a histamine blocker which could also help.