esophageal spasm?

[MJ]

I have been experiencing what I think is esophageal spasms. Symptoms are excessive spasmodic belching, discomfort in the center to upper chest area, almost like a knot. This becomes most pronounced during periods of stress.  I have been prescribed Prilosec which doesn't seem to relieve my symptoms. However, alprazolam at .5mg eases the feeling and it eventually goes away.  My question is then, is there such a thing as stress-induced spasm of the esophagus?

[Paul]

GES & Fibromyalgy - I started with chest pains 3 years ago, have visited the ER numerous times with the "heart attack" even been flown there in a helicopter. Told I was "mad" and accepted hospitalistaion for 3 months in a German hospital (I only speak English) subject to psychotherapy every day (mental torture) and felt really mad when I got out. Put on all sorts of Medication that gave me side effects, had no help for 3 years, since had all symptoms of FMS and diagnosed as such. I go to a FMS clinic here in Munich this month and pray for some progress. In the mean time I still have to work, bring up a family and suffer constant back pain, weakness, chest pains etc... Your stories don't make me feel better since I would not wish such a life on anybody. However there does seem to be an overwhelming link between all these symtoms, why on earth can't medically trained experts simply listen a bit more before sending a person off for more tests etc.. Hope it works out for someof you soon.

[rosemary]

Thanks, Patty and to all those posting here. HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL...

I read ejay's 1/2000 post and my gastro doc sounds just like his,i.e., uncaring, deaf, blaze, arrogant, cocky, etc. etc. I am in Houston and wonder if they are one in the same!!!! I see a new female gastro doc in a few weeks.  THANK GOD.  

Patty, on our local TV the other day, there was a Baylor Doc talking about a new procedure that a doc at the Mayo clinic was doing.  Is is non invasive and they go down much like a Endoscopy and put a few tiny stiches to keep the acid from coming back into the esophagus.  This is not for everyone but boy oh boy, does this sound like something I want to investigate. My %^#$%@#$^ Gastro doc said there was NOTHING out there to help folks like me, other than the meds, i.e. priolosec, prevacid, achifex of which I have tried and have worse side effects from these meds. OH...YES, this Male gastro doc did say that if I would MEDITATE and do daily YOGA, all my symtoms would disappear..... I told him that he was on the wrong page!

I am 62 years old and a retired CEO.  I will not take a back seat to rudness, unprofessionalism, etc. etc. I will not let any person intimidate me.

Thanks again, Patty for sharing this.  I will try to get the magazine today and I will call this number and discuss this with the new Female Gastroenterologist that I will be seeing.

P.S.  I will buy Pepcid today.  I was taking Zantac and this was helping me better than the proton pump inhibitors. BUT, I have to watch everything I put in my mouth.  No fun.  I hated to have to say Good Bye to my Almond Joys.  We made a great team.<g>

[Patty Kovell]

I've had the burning and the food sitting in the esophagus- had that happen 3 times and had to go to E.R.  Newest doc put me on Protonix and it worked great for several months but now I have this burping thing going on and I've never had that before.  Kind of that swirling feeling of liquid in my throat too- hard to sleep- anyways I read about a new procedure in this week's Woman' World- its called  the EndoCinch.  "Studies show it can end heartburn for up to 75% of patients and compared to traditional surgery for chronic heartburn, this procedure takes just 45 minutes and carried a much lower risk of complications" explains gastroenterologist Anthony A. Starpoli, M.D.  To find an Endo Cinch trained doctor near you call 1/800 826-2273.  The article also says of the over the counter meds Pepcid is 77% better than Zantac- keeps it under control for 9 hours and works within 1/2 hour of taking it.  Good luck!!  I am calling the 1/800 number on Tuesday!  Just got the magazine!  I'll let everyone know if I get it done!

[Paul on 23rd December 2000]

Thanks very much for all the information about esophagul spasm.  It was a big relief to know that I'm not alone.  I was especially interested to read the comments which ejay made back in January, since his symptoms are the same as mine.

I've had excessive belching and heartburn for about two years now.  I was diagnosed as having reflux esophagus but was told that the belching was not caused by this condition but by swallowing air.  I don't accept the diagnosis of swallowing air as it's too great a co-incidence that the symptoms of reflux (ie heartburn) should have started at the same time as the belching did.  Further evidence that the belching is caused by reflux  is that the activities which trigger the heartburn, such as eating spicy foods or bending over, also trigger the belching.

I've tried a wide range of prescription and over-the-counter medicines, none of which were at all effective.  However, like ejay, I found that a bland diet was very helpful in reducing both the heartburn and the belching.  I've removed all the following foods from my diet: spicy foods, fatty foods,meat, vegetable protein (eg beans and nuts), citrus fruits and any food containing citric acid, hard cheese (I can eat low fat soft cheese), onions, garlic and alcolhol.

I've found that smoking pot will often stop me belching; possibly because my condition is aggravated by stress and smoking pot is very relaxing.

I also find it helpful to keep busy in the garden when I'm having an attack of belching; possibly because I get stressed about the fact that I'm belching if I just sit around doing nothing and this makes it worse.

I'd really like to hear from you again ejay, and from anyone else who can throw light on this unusual illness.  Thanks

[Paul on 23rd December 2000]

Thanks very much for all the information about esophagul spasm.  It was a big relief to know that I'm not alone.  I was especially interested to read the comments which ejay made back in January, since his symptoms are the same as mine.

I've had excessive belching and heartburn for about two years now.  I was diagnosed as having reflux esophagus but was told that the belching was not caused by this condition but by swallowing air.  I don't accept the diagnosis of swallowing air as it's too great a co-incidence that the symptoms of reflux (ie heartburn) should have started at the same time as the belching did.  Further evidence that the belching is caused by reflux  is that the activities which trigger the heartburn, such as eating spicy foods or bending over, also trigger the belching.

I've tried a wide range of prescription and over-the-counter medicines, none of which were at all effective.  However, like ejay, I found that a bland diet was very helpful in reducing both the heartburn and the belching.  I've removed all the following foods from my diet: spicy foods, fatty foods,meat, vegetable protein (eg beans and nuts), citrus fruits and any food containing citric acid, hard cheese (I can eat low fat soft cheese), onions, garlic and alcolhol.

I've found that smoking pot will often stop me belching; possibly because my condition is aggravated by stress and smoking pot is very relaxing.

I also find it helpful to keep busy in the garden when I'm having an attack of belching; possibly because I get stressed about the fact that I'm belching if I just sit around doing nothing and this makes it worse.

I'd really like to hear from you again ejay, and from anyone else who can throw light on this unusual illness.  Thanks

[Comment from Paul on December 23rd 2000]

Thanks very much for all the information about esophageal spasms - it's a big relief to know that I'm not alone.  I was particularly interested to read the comments made by ejay, back in January, as his symptoms are most like mine.

I've been experiencing excessive belching and heartburn for about two years now.  I was diagnosed as having reflux esophagus but was told that the belching was not caused by this condition, but by swallowing air.  I don't accept the diagnosis of swallowing air as it's too great a co-incidence that the symptoms of reflux (heart burn) should start at the same time as the belching started.  Further evidence of a link between the two is that the activities which trigger belching, such as eating spicy foods or bending over, are also those which trigger heart burn.

I've tried a wide range of prescription and over-the-counter medicines and have found that none of them are at all effective.  However, like ejay, I found that a bland diet was very helpful in reducing  both the heartburn and the belching.
I've removed all the following things from my diet: spicy foods, fatty foods, meat, vegetable protein (e.g. nuts and beans), citrus fruits and any foods containing citric acid, hard cheese (I can eat low fat soft cheese), onions, garlic and alcohol.

I've found that smoking pot will often stop me belching, possibly because my condition is aggravated by stress and smoking pot is so relaxing.

I also find it helpful to keep busy in the garden when I'm having an attack of belching, possibly because I get stressed about the fact that I'm belching if I just sit around doing nothing and this makes it worse.

I'd really like to hear from you again ejay and from anyone else who can throw any light on this unusual illness.