Is this GERD?

[lmroswell]

I am writing on behalf of my husband.  42 years old, reasonably healthy, active, and slightly overweight.  Two years ago he experienced odd symptoms which included tachycardia only upon swallowing liquids or food.  HR documented on EKG was over 200 bpm.  This sent him to the ER twice.  When he was experiencing this odd cardiac behavior, he had gastric upset.  Upper GI indicated mild inflammation of the esophagus.  A fatty liver was also determined.  He was given Protonix, and after a few weeks everything disappeared.  His gastro doc did not have an explanation or diagnosis.  Currently, he is experiencing all of the gastric symptoms as before, without the cardiac involvement.  Recent history (two weeks ago) includes symptoms of UTI, which he is negative for.  He feels nauseous, dizzy, below sternum is sore, belches alot, feels like he has a fever but does not, anxious, not sleeping well.  The day this all started he had diarrhea all night.  This has been going on for a week.  Two doctors feel that this is a case of food poisoning.  He has not gotten sick to his stomach, but feels nauseous.  The GI doc examined him, and his abdomin (abdomen) was tender to touch.  His gastro doctor has him on Aciphex 20 mg.  An upper/lower GI is being scheduled and also a CAT scan. His blood work came back normal. He also has had an ultrasound.  All normal.  We live in FL and he is (was) a big sushi fan.  I have read about Ciguatera.  He has most of the symptoms, but does not have the hot/cold reversal of sensations.  He has not eaten sushi for a few weeks, but I have read that the symptoms can reappear even years after the initial infection.  I am not saying he has this, but mentioned it to give you an idea of his symptoms.  He is also taking Ofloxacin 300 mg. for possible bacterial infection, due to his symptoms.  What do you think about all this??  Could this be GERD, food poisoning or liver related?  Should a stool sample be analyzed? Thank you for this forum and for your time...

[Kevin Pho, MD]

All the possibilities you mentioned can be considered.  The definitive test for GERD would be a 24-hr pH study - if negative, then GERD can be safely ruled out.

Liver disease can be evaluated with appropriate liver enzymes.  The normal ultrasound suggests that the liver and gallbladder may not be affected.  If the enzymes are elevated, you may want to consider testing for hepatitis (specifically hepatitis A if raw seafood is being ingested).  

If other parasites are suspected, this can be evaluated via stool tests.  

Finally, if these tests have already been considered, I would consider an upper endoscopy for a more comprehensive upper GI evaluation.

Followup with your personal physician is essential.

This answer is not intended as and does not substitute for medical advice - the information presented is for patient education only. Please see your personal physician for further evaluation of your individual case.

Kevin, M.D.
Medical Weblog:
kevinmd_b

[Vegas1]

I am a 41 year old male and have all of the problems your husband is haveing tackacardia life threatening arithmia's all realated to my esophagus problems I can almost bet for sure he has a "VEGAS NERVE" Problem ,I have learned after 5 years of hell That when this nerve that controlls most organ funtion's when pinched or iritated , can cause more problems than you can shake a stick at I could talk al day on this but if you would like to email me I would be very happy to talk with you and maybe save your husband alot of unessasery testing and hardship

               My Email is Tony_Tavera_189***@**** Thanks

[lmroswell]

Thanks for the comments.  He has not exhibited the cardiac sypmtoms with this episode--thank goodness!  But has all the gastric sypmtoms as before.  I, too, thought that two years ago his cardiac sypmtoms were related to the vagus nerve, but his gastro doc and cardiologist dismissed it, saying that usually when the vagus nerve is involved, the heart rate slows down.  His was the complete opposite, and the heart beat so fast when he was in the process of swallowing liquids or food, you could not even feel a pulse.  The good doctors could not figure out what to do with him.   EP studies were recommended, but we were a little hesitant about the procedure, so he waited it out and finally he started to feel better.  This took a few weeks or a month or so.  What symptoms did you have?

[mrslady72]

hi tony i was very interested in your post as i have been suffering for well over4 years and many visit to the er with racing heart beat and numbness and a lot of other things which no one can figure out i was told i had fibro but i know it is more then that i would like to know more about this vegas nerve problem if you dont mind my email is ***@**** any help would be much apperiated thanks paula

[Vegas1]

The doctors are wrong about the vegas nerve not causing rapid heart rates I have studies from around the world that backs up my oppinion. Let me say this that normally the "VEGAS NERVE" ,Does slow the heart rate , however when this nerve gets disrupted it can work through the esophagus to start the tackacardia even "ATRIAL FIBERLATION" This problem is fairly new to the md's so they can't explain where this is comming from. O and by the way , I had that EP study and they surely thought that the problem was in my heart well they almost killed me after injecting me with Magnesium I went into life threating arithmia's they stoped the test and in the report , said that it was comming from an outside source .One cardiac surgeon told me that I tore the area around the vegas nerve and that it could kill me he refered me to a gastro and guess what , after 4 months near death and numerious heart drugs that the md's said I would need to take the rest of my life the gastro put me on prevacid 30 mg per day My tackacardia went away WOW that wasn't supposed to happen so let me close by saying "DOCTERS DON'T HAVE ALL THE ANSWERS" I wish you and your husband all the best sincerly Tony. PS Email me anytime if you like.

[lmroswell]

I believe everything that you say about what that nerve can do.  I saw first hand the fact that my husband's pulse was so fast you could not feel it, and much to the astonishment of the several doctors observing him in the ER, the EKG proved it so.  I am also convinced that it was the vagus nerve and that it was irritated, so that when he swallowed, the stimulation of the irritated area and nerve caused the cardiac problems.  But the docs couldn't prove it.  It didn't make sense to them.  They suggested an EP study, but my husband didn't want to rush into a medical procedure until he thoroughly understood the procedure and the medical issue, so we waited to see how his symptoms would react to the Protonix the gastro doc gave him. The upper GI indicated an irritated esophogus.  It took some time, but he was able to finally swallow again, without his heart freaking out.  Needless to say, he lost a lot of weight in a short period of time.  Medicine is an art not an exact science.  Wouldn't it be nice if we had all the answers!  Hope you are feeling well.  Thanks so much for your input.

[Vegas1]

Your welcome , I am still in hell with this I will be driving down the road and if my hernia moves just a tad , BANG there goes my heart into a pause and or major off beats it's like going through a heart attack evry single time I just hope that I can get the proper surgeon to correct the diaphram / hernia problem I have enclosed a report from decades of studies that might help you feel more confedent about this vegas nerve problem talk to you soon . The email to this artical is www.getwellatlast.com                                                                                  
   (Artical is below) Pay close attention to paragragh 10


(Why Most People Do Not Get wellatlast.)  
Sadly, millions of people now suffer from chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, environmental illness (E.I.), depression, anxiety (phobias, panic attacks), Gulf War Syndrome, chronic food and chemical sensitivities (MCS), chronic "Candidiasis," parasitosis, hypoglycemia, and other related chronic illnesses. (These ills are all linked, we have found.) The truth is that these people are virtually never cured by both orthodox and holistic medicine. These sufferers usually learn to live with their maladies, often exhausting their life-savings, and then often giving up hope that they can ever be truly wellatlast. Most people go to practitioners who are incapable of finding and dealing with the cause of the chronic illnesses cited above. Expensive, repeated treatments that are unrelated to the cause of the sufferer's illness are incapable of ever getting the sick person wellatlast.

Drugs (?!) for fibromyalgia; expensive, often-allergic "neutralizations" (injections or sublingual with ever changing "dosing" requiring continual visits); vitamins (often allergenic); and vitamin injections (almost never tested beforehand); homeopathy (a great medical science but impotent here and the remedies come in sucrose, lactose or alcohol--all allergenic); so-called "allergy elimination" kinesiology or acupuncture "treatments" and many other orthodox and "holistic" methods do not deal with the cause of the problem and so will waste priceless time and money.

The understanding by virtually all practitioners treating these related ills is sadly deficient. For example, chemical sensitivities are said to "arise from a chemical exposure," and "electromagentic sensitivities arise from exposure to electromagnetic fields." Nothing could be further from the truth. What actually happened was, for example regarding chemical sensitivities, someone was already permeable because of overgrowths of/and toxins from parasites and viruses (or other shock to the system, such as heavy metal) and the chemicals (from some exposure) got into their blood (and further sickened them), but it (the chemical exposure) was not the cause. An additional factor is the genetic predisposition towards Porphyria which most MCS and EMF allergic sufferers may have. (A future article will address Porphyria, but for now follow my Liver article.) The unrecognized overgrowths of viruses/parasites (or other physical causors such as mercury, GERD, Gulf War "vaccines," etc.) and the subsequent, inherent permeable status of the body was!! Hidden parasitosis, Candidiasis, and/or mercury (or other) toxicity can lead to hormone/endocrine problems (thyroid, adrenal, and pancreatic imbalances), neurotransmitter (serotonin, noradrenalin, acetylcholine, other) imbalance, enzyme disorders, sleep disturbance, hyperventilation (low carbon dioxide levels found in both parasitosis and so-called "panic attacks"), and other disorders. It is important to realize that these latter effects are the result, not the cause. The severe permeability state of the gastrointestinal tract and/or skin induced by parasites, Candida, mercury poisoning, Gulf War "vaccines," etc. is the usual primary cause.

Most alternative practitioners use a lab that actually has a great inability to find protozoan (amoeba, giardia, and other) parasites that are often the earliest cause of these maladies, yet they use this lab anyway. Candida, Viruses, helicobacter pylori bacteria and other organisms usually take hold secondarilly to Protozoan parasitosis and more illness and allergies will result from the permeability caused by parasite/Candida/Viral overgrowths and energy imbalance! As noted on this website and in our books, 80-90% of "Candida" is really either protozoan parasistosis (and not Candidiasis) or else the candidiasis is secondary to the parasistosis!! These two probabilities explain why "anti-Candida" treatments "take forever." But this is also why most treatments "take forever." The actual cause of complaints is never found.

We have found that not being breast-fed or not being breast-fed for at least 6-9 months leads to a life-long weakened gastrointestinal tract--making parasitosis a repeated life-long likelihood. There is also a genetic weakness for parasites or Candida or viruses or bacteria.

We have also found that raw fruits, vegetables, juices, salads are full of parasites! Organic produce is great in that it is pesticide-free, but organic means fertilized with horse or cow manure and so will be full of parasites. Those of us who were not breast-fed, and/or who have a weakness for getting parasitosis need to eat only cooked (organic) food.

"Modern" dentistry is also one of the leading causes of chronic illness--allergies, autoimmune disease, cancer, etc. Mercury and other heavy metals (gold, nickel, tin, palladium, etc.) are often toxic and/or allergenic and can be very detrimental to health and can cause permeability! Root canals and crowns can leave the gums or teeth themselves infected! Chronic infections in gums or teeth can destroy the immune system. But it is wise to get tested accurately and kinesiologically for any dental materials before they are used. Other sources of mercury and other toxic metals inlcude many fish--especially larger fish and fish nearer to industrial coasts, some medications and injectables, pesticides and other industrial materials. It is very important to get a Hair Mineral Analysis every few years. Learn how to get your own hair mineral analysis right away.

Non-medical, advanced kinesiology methods allow for immediate individual determination of the energy factors and micro-organism-induced imbalances that are causing these problems and to find remedies that are safe and effective as well as rapid, energy balancing techniques that restore energy and well-being while the "critters," and/or heavy metal or other toxicites, and/or other causors are being dealt with.

Many people also do not deal with their allergy/addictions and blood sugar problems. Sufferers of the ills cited above, at least in the short run--till all their "critters" (or other causative factors) are dealt with--and maybe for a lifetime--often have to go on a 100% avoidance of caffeine, sugar, alcohol, all sweets including fruits and fruit juices, dairy, wheat, yeast-mold and other foods that they may be allergic and addicted to (sometimes all grains, and nightshades: tomato and potato if there is achiness). If one has gastrointestinal permeability, food (and even supplement) rotation must be adhered to in the short run.


#10
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********************LOOK AT THIS *****************************
"Any other underlying problems such as GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease/hiatal hernia/frozen diaphragm/vagus nerve imbalance)", mercury toxicity and any other factor shocking the gastrointestinal or nervous system must also first be identified and dealt with as well as any and all microorganisms present. Only after identifying all the "hidden" factors can the result--allergies--be overcome because allergic reactions--due to the severe permeability state--are the result of these other things.*************************************************
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Sadly, the bogus "allergy elimination" so-called "treatments" leave many people sicker because they are told they are "cured" for coffee, sugar, dairy, alcohol, and many other allergic foods--when of course, they are not--because the permeability of the body has not been addressed! The bogus muscle testing is a testor-induced hypnosis-like effect! Sometimes though the organ affected by the allergy may change after such "treatments" and the sufferer will not realize what the new reaction really means. Or there may be some temporary symptomatic relief because the method does balance the acupuncture meridians (temporarilly.) But most of the time, the sufferer just wants to believe that since their arm "tested" strong, they are "cured" ("permanently" no less) when there is no actual change in their symptoms (or the allergens just move to another organ), but they want to believe they are "cured" because the "allergy eliminator" told them so?!

But all these problems can be overcome, often in a matter of weeks or months, if the cause is found and dealt with properly. The permeability is halted once the toxins of parasites, and any other underlying causors, are no longer present. When the permeability goes, so goes most of the allergies and blood sugar problems and most of the complaints.


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at is trying to kill me . Well anyway I can email

[ruby L]

I wanted to email you Tony but I could not get through. I wanted to communicate with you in regard to waht I feel i have- a veags nerve problem? Pleae contact me . Thank you.
Rube

[ruby L]

Ive read these comments and I must say much of what I read is familar...
I think I have a Vegas nerve problem...
I have what i feel are heart issues etc... I wake up in the morning and I feel fine. After a bowel movement which i have some difficulty passing I experience pain in the lower colon. After the movement my lower colon is sore/inflamed. Ive been taking fiber...
After the movement I start getting light headed, dizzy and I feel like my heart slows and speeds up.
I am taking aciphex for gerd. I just had a colonoscopy and the doctor said for the most part my colon
was ok. he did say I had a slight case of gerd. What Ive read about the vegas nerve and the symptoms seem familiar. I guess ill see my doctor again soon. Any other ideas or suggestions please offer them.
Thnak you.
Rube

[djrjaj]

A related discussion, is imroswell's husaband now well was started.