Unusual Combination of Symptoms

[csm1113]

Hi, I'm new to this forum and am hoping someone can help.  I'm a 55-year-old female who has been diagnosed with GERD, chronic esophagitis, and asthma.  Been on Nexium for about 6 months now with some relief but recently new symptoms.  Choking sensation just above collarbone level, burning in upper chest and under arms, pain in middle of chest and between shoulder blades, with tingling in arms and legs, and sometimes pain up front of neck and in lower jaw, kind of like a toothache.  Also have a lot of burping and gas, intermittent diarrhea, and nausea.  Also get palpitations when this is going on and feel weak.  Should also say that I had a stress test and echo about a year ago, both okay except for echo showed three leaky valves.  Dr. has order HIDA scan for next week, thinking gallbladder because Murphy sign is positive.  Can GERD and/or gallbladder cause all these symptoms or are they maybe something else?  Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thank you all!  Everyone seems so supportive of each other on this forum.

[sweetrx7]

Did anybody get any more info o. This?  I'm a 20 year old male and I'm having a lot of the same symptoms. Mine sound a lot like "Cwendyhawk" was describing and I've also recently experienced a swollen liver.   The 2 ladies that were posting.. what was your outcome? Did you get anything figured out?  Any help would be appreciated.

[csm1113]

Thanks to all of you for your help.  I am already incorporating some of Concerned Lady's tips and plan to add more.  

Weaver, have you had the HIDA scan for the gallbladder.   I had one on May 1 but will not get results until sometime next week.  Also a CPM blood test but forgot to ask what that covered.

Asherah, what type of test are you having on the 15th?  

Anyway, I hope everyone can get some answers and perhaps we can continue to help each other.  If anyone would like to correspond directly, my e-mail is ***@****

[Asherah]

Hi I am so glad I found this site. 51 year old female, and have had terrible mid-chest spasms that were mis-diagnosed for ten years. I would go the hospital in so much pain that it felt like a heart attack, then they would just give me demerol and send me home. Finally about four years ago I was diagnosed with GERD, then achalasia. I am having the same problems, and had never heard anyone else say they had pain in the neck and jaw. I know that it is copming when I get a sharp pain in my ear and jaw. I just had another motility (?) test, and the new Dr (I have moved)says I don't have achalasia as previously diagnosed. Waiting for another test on May 15 that Dr scheduled from February. (speedy treatment)The only thing that stops the spasms now are nifedipine that I pop under my tongue, but that results in really bad headaches and dizziness. When I am in extreme spasm, I lay on the floor on my stomach and my husband keeps pushing on the mid-back which keeps pushing air out. So the problem is related to trapped air. I really have very little relief from Dr. Am being ignored and waited two months for this test. Thanks for listening. Ms Gerd/achalasia

[roxnsox]

Folic Acid is one of the B vitamins.  If you have a folic acid deficiency, it could make you feel weak.  Ask your doctor to run a blood test to see if you are low on folic acid.  Even though you may be eating enough foods with folic acid in them, your body might not be absorbing the vitamins. If you are low on Folic acid the doctor can prescribe a vitamin supplement.

[Weaver]

CSM  if you have access to ask jeeves check out gall ballader conditions.  Our symptoms are classic.  My ultrasound was negative - but the symptoms are real.  Perhaps other tests will show the problem

[Concerned lady]

Needabreak is right! Read the "insert" of Nexium. Scary!

One problem with acid blockers is the following chain of events:

1) No stomach acid results in no production (by the stomach) of a substance called INTRINSIC FACTOR.

2) Normally, Vitamin B 12 must have this "intrinsic factor" present, in order for the Vitamin B 12 to be absorbed, in the duodenum (first part of the small intestine, just beyond the stomach).

3) Taking acid-blockers thus results in MALABSORPTION of Vitamin B 12, and other "B" vitamins.

4) Calcium, magnesium, zinc, and some trace minerals, all require an acid environment in the stomach, to be absorbed.

5) Protein needs an acid environment in the stomach, in order to be broken down (digested) into amino acids.

6) The result of all this INDIGESTION AND MALABSORPTION (especially the mal-absorption of Vitamin B 12 & other parts of Vitamin B complex) is NERVE DAMAGE, called PERIPHERAL NEUROPATHY.

Some symtoms of this are: PAIN, PINS & NEEDLES, BURNING, NUMBNESS, WEIRD SENSATIONS ("PARESTHESIAS").

For more information about this, please go to http://www.braintalk.org and then find the Peripheral Neuropathy forum. Rose has important "threads" about the terrible effects of Vitamin B 12 deficiency, and how to take supplements of the Vitamin B 12 (and Vitamin B complex), etc.

Another forum at http://www.braintalk.org you should visit, is the one about Thoracic Outlet Syndrome, which, in some cases is a form of Peripheral Neuropathy, and can be made worse by a Vitamin B 12 deficiency!!

I'll also do a "cut & paste" of some Gastric Reflux tips, as another message, below.

Good luck to all!

Sincerely, Concerned lady
http://cantbreathesuspectvcd.com

[Concerned lady]

Some GASTRIC REFLUX TIPS (without acid blockers):

GER=Gastro-Esophageal Reflux. (Gastro=stomach. Esophagus=food tube.)

LPR= Laryngeal-Pharyngeal Reflux. (Larynx=voice box, containing the 2 vocal cords. Pharynx=throat, above the larynx. The larynx is above the trachea/windpipe.)

Reflux=acidic or alkaline stomach material that backs up into the esophagus (food tube), causing any of these problems: VCD attacks, cough, voice problems, asthma, globus (feeling of lump in throat), constant need to clear throat, worsening of sinus condition, sore throat, pre-cancerous conditions of throat &/or esophagus, etc.

SOME GER/LPR CONTROL THINGS WE DO, that we learned from the excellent book: STOMACH AILMENTS AND DIGESTIVE DISTURBANCES, by Michael T. Murray, N.D. See page 9, References, in my website: http://cantbreathesuspectvcd.com   and, also see GER/LPR info on page 5, and on LINKS page.

PLEASE READ THIS GREAT BOOK. It may possibly be bought on-line, from Michael T. Murray

[needabreak]

Just a suggestion...read the insert from the Nexium or Prevacid or whatever you may be taking (PPI's).  Some of your problems may be side effects from the medication...I know I had several strange symptoms and quit taking the Prevacid about 2 weeks ago.  SEE the posts from Concerned Lady.  She has very helpful tips for you GERD sufferers.  Good luck.

[cwendyhawk]

FYI -

Valves on the right side of your heart can be damaged by viruses like Mono-Epstein Barr  and Speglamovirus and can be extremely serious especially if you have experienced any part of your body swelling recently like your liver, and legs.  

Whatever other condition you have is likely aggravating the leaky valves and making the injection rate of the heart worse.

I was worried about this also and did as much research on this as I could using the internet.

Since right heat failure can drag down the left side of the heart and cause fluid in lungs- you might want to get a chest x-ray if you have any type of lung congestion that has lasted awhile or coughing a great deal.

I do not know much about GERD but I wish you luck with all your symptoms and for a diagnosis.

cwendyhawk

[Weaver]

I've had an ultrasound for Gallblader - negative.  They feel I have costrocondritis ( inflamation of inercostal space between ribs) and of course the Gerd.  These symptoms are sporadic, sometimes lasting only hours, this bout has been 5 days.  I've been given previcid but it seems like Malox works just as well.  I'm beginning to wonder if there is a cure or if we can only treat symptoms.  Let me know how you make out.

[csm1113]

What tests have you had?  Has your doctor suggested any possibilities or remedies?  Sure hope we can get some answers and feel better.

[Weaver]

I am 56 year old female and thought I had wierd symptoms.  They are exactly like those posted by 55 yr old female on forum today.  I also have Gerd.  These symptoms have been on going for 6 days.  They are not unbearable but uncomfortable.  Does anyone have further information?  It is good to know someone else is having identical problem.  I was getting confused by the combination of symptoms.