Feeling like something is stuck in the right side of my chest

[Shellae]

When I was pregnant I was diagnosed with severe acid reflux. I was told it might go away after I had Caara by one of my OBGYNs nurses, and that it wouldnt go away by another nurse. Anyway, near the end of my pregnancy any time I would lay on my right side I'd feel short of breath real bad for 15 seconds or so and then feel like there was something stuck off center into the right side of my chest until I moved on my back, then it went back to normal. Well after I had my daughter.. I'd say a week after, I started to notice the feeling that something was stuck in my chest no matter what I did. I started to panic and have heart palpitations.. I thought I was having a heart attack. I ended up in the ER and an EKG was done which was normal, and other blood tests for my heart, which were also normal, and they also did a CT scan just to make sure I didnt have pulmonary embolus.. all came back normal.

Well thats when my shortness of breath started. The following day it hit me out of no where and I've had it since.. and my daughter is almost 7 weeks old now. I've been to the ER 3 times since the first time over my shortness of breath and each time they did an EKG and blood test on my heart and even tests on my lungs, all of which came back normal. They did an ABG to test my gas levels and my oxygen level was like 128% and the doctor said that normal people's oxygen levels are around 100% and that mines was so high from hypervenalation.

The weird thing is the shortness of breath is mainly into the right side of my chest, where it feels like something is constantly stuck. I'm also suffering from post partum anxiety and depression and have such a hard time believing that that could be causing all of this.. but Ive read a lot that the feeling that something is stuck in your chest and throat has something to do with acid reflux.. which I do have and that could also be causing my shortness of breath. I'm on Prilosec because my doctor said its right up there with Nexium and Prevacid.. Ive been taking it for 3 days now.. havent really changed my eating habbits much though.

I suppose my chest is, is anyone else suffering from this? Its so scary and hard to believe there is nothing serious causing it. I want to think its my heart doing it because I do have heart palpitations.. but thats probably the anxiety of feeling like there is something stuck in my chest. What can I do to alleviate this? I am on anti-depressants as well as something for when I start to have panic attacks.. help anyone?

[CalGal]

Acid meds can take several weeks to really work at the optimal level. But you probably should also be following a GERD diet which might be of some help. If you're not familiar with a GERD diet, you can find suggestions at gicare.com.

In addition, you need to make some lifestyle changes such as trying to sleep on your left side which will help to 'pool' the acid in the left part of the stomach away from your esophagus. You may also want to consider raising the head of your bed.