GERD, Allergies and asthma?

[missweasley824]

I am an 18 year old girl.  I am allergic to something I don't know what so I started to take Claritin daily.  This whole thing began in mid-May with a feeling like there was a lump in my throat.  I went to an ENT and he used a scope and saw nothing.  I still had the feeling like there was something stuck in my throat and this was accompanied by gagging, dry heaving and vomitting up anything that I ate.  I was also constantly spitting this mucus-y, clear saliva out of my mouth.  I went to the ER one day because I threw up and felt like I could not breathe well.  They ordered a Barium Swallow which showed nothing except acid reflux (I had been on Protonix at the time).  I then went to see a gastroenterologist, explained my symptoms and he suggested post-nasal drip and to go back to the ENT.  The ENT said he saw nothing and gave me a prescription for Nexium 40 mg 2x daily.  Around this time I also switched to Claritin-D and began using a neti pot.  I had an upper endoscopy: nothing there.  Since then the feeling of the lump is better and the nausea has stopped.  I don't vomit anymore or feel the need to gag.  My throat still makes a weird gurgling noise sometimes and I still feel the need to burp.
For the past month I have also been expieriencing trouble with taking a deep breath.  Whenever I breathe I feel restricted: like I can’t get enough air.  It seems to be worse in the morning and at night.  Even going up the stairs I have to pause and catch my breath.  I am also coughing a little and constantly feel the need to clear my throat.  There is a pressure in my chest, it feels tight, whenever I take a breath and sometimes I feel a little dizzy.  When I cough though, I feel like I can't do it well.  I sometimes also get this pain in my chest that moves to my back around my left shoulder blade.  It also feels worse sometimes just after I eat.  Could it be asthma? or something else?  I also have been feeling very hot all the time and I get very emotional and moody.  

[Allisonc78]

Your symptoms sound like they are mostly GERD related. You need to go to a new gastro and tell him your symptoms including the asthma/shortness of breath. An upper endoscopy does not completely rule out GERD or not. Asthma is a complication of untreated GERD. I would ask for PH monitoring to see how bad your refuxing. I have been going through the same thing since mid May, except I developed full blown asthma symptoms. I am on Advair, Singulair, and a rescue inhaler. All the tightness your talking about are signs of asthma, so get to a pulmonologist and a new gastro that will look a little further into this for you.

[missweasley824]

Thanks for your reply.

I'm on medication for the GERD right now but I do have another appoint with the gastro in a couple of weeks (thats as soon as I could get in, of course).  I'll make a point of telling him about the shortness of breath, it hopefully won't get worse in these next couple of weeks.
Thanks again

[Allisonc78]

I am taking Zegered and I am still having the burning sensation in my chest. I think I need to be on a PPI as well. Let me know what your doc says about the shortness of breath. I have an appt with my gastroenterologist on Thurs. I had two endoscopies within the past month and the first one was normal but the second one showed some damage in my esophagus. So the first doctor told me nothing was wrong and the second one did find something so it always helps to get a second opinion. Good luck!

[Caligal196]

Here's a great article I found. I recently noticed that my asthma had gotten worse just about the time I started having severe heartburn.

http://www.asthma.partners.org/NewFiles/BoFAChapter21.html