Pressure in Chest after Eating

[Michaelccc]

Hi Doctor. Wondering if you can help me with this.  This has been happening for about a year now. Seems like everytime i eat i get this full feeling in my chest. almost as if i'm expanding and my chest cannot hold my insides in. like i'm exploding. makes me very nervous when i feel like that. i  am not overweght.   i'm 35 years old male 5'6 165 .  smoker non drinker. when this happens i don't eat more than anyone else just as much as others. and its not in my belly area more in my chest and sides of the ribs and even the back sometimes. someone suggested gerd or acid reflux but i guess everyone suggests that these days. but i don't have any acid coming up or anything like that. this is just expanding feeling. like i was inflated with air inside my chest. please help.

[Enoch Choi, MD]

it could be acid reflux since it happens after eating.  With a weight of 165 and 5'6" that's more than 20% greater than your ideal body weight and is technically overweight even if you don't feel or look heavy.  Weight loss often helps GERD

[BrooklynsMommy]

Could it be your gall bladder?  I had very similar symptoms and allowed them to continue for a year before getting it looked at and it turned out I had gall stones.  It sort of feels like heartburn, but I felt bloated and it hurt more than child birth! LOL

The good news is, they can check with a simple ultrasound and the surgery is an outpatient lyproscopic surgery.  The bad news is, your eating pattern will need to change... everything digests differently after its removed.

Good luck and keep us posted.

[kitcurious]

I think the expansion may be gas/bloating but you should see your doctor about it. Do you have any food sensitivies?

[Michaelccc]

thank you both for your response.   i don't have any other medical conditions that i'm aware of. no diabetes or anything. i realize that you don't have to have acid come up. but this feeling of expanding in the chest thats the best way i can put it. like the insides are too big for my rib cage. very uncomfortable feeling. what the heck can it possibly be?  i think i will see a GI doctor but i'm curious does anyone else expericence what i'm talking about ?

[kitcurious]

Could be GERD.  See your doctor to confirm it's this of course.  They may suggest an over the counter like Prilosec first, because insurance companies don't like to pay for proton pump inhibitors that are rx  if you haven't tried the OTC one first.
My doc gave me Aciphex ( says "it's the good stuff" LOL).
You also may want to not compare yourself to what everyone else eats because your body is reacting uniquely to its own propensities.
Try smaller portions a little more frequently, cut back on foods inclined to cause indigestion and see your doctor.
Hope you feel better soon.
Also do what you can to reduce stress levels, being stressed does not aid digestion.
Hope you feel better soon :-)

[vic_m]

any other health problems? diabetes?

sounds like GERD. you don't necessarily have to have acid coming up into your mouth for this. you should see your dr for this.since it's been going on for a year, and happens frequently, it needs to be worked up. they may treat you empirically with meds and see if you improve, may do a 24h pH monitoring test, or may do an endoscopy (which is the most invasive but best test, and will allow for not only direct visualization of the upper GI system- for changes due to more acid/reflux, but also for biopsy if needed). depends on your clinic and how they handle this.