GERD and Shortness of Breath

[heribertus]

Dear all,

I had almost 1 month shortness of breath. I did some tests (chest x-ray, EKG, spirometry, blood test) that ruled out problems of my heart and lung. Is it possible that my shortness of breath is because of GERD? Actually I felt pain on my stomach and heartburn when I missed my mealtime. Is it possible that my shortness of breath is because of GERD? Do I have to see Gastroenterologist?

Thank you

[Jaybay]

It certainly IS possible.  If you have severe reflux, you can sometimes aspirate small amounts of stomach fluids into your lungs - usually at night.  Do that long enough and your lungs get very unhappy.  If you have any underlying problems like asthma or allergies, the reflux can make it worse.  You don't necessarily have to see a gastro doc right off the bat, but it's certainly worth speaking to your family doc about the problem.