Breathlessness post OGD

[quest13]

In September 2008 i got my endoscopy done. Before endoscopy my main problem was i used to feel bloated and burp a lot. After endoscopy doctors told i have Reflux Oesophagitis and hiatus Hernia (less than 5mm). I was prescribed Pantocid 40 mg twice daily. My burping and bloatedness was gone in one week, but my major problem started just next day after my endoscopy. After about 30 hrs of endoscopy i started getting breathlessness. I feel i cannot breath in properly, i feel i am not getting sufficient air to breath in. I never had any breathing problem before.
My Chest Xray, PFT, Blood test, Sinus CT and Neck CT are normal.

I feel because of endoscopy i got this breathing problem and from past 5 months i am still facing it. I am taking regulary my antacids but i have this breathlessness, so m sure my acid reflux is not the cause of breathing problem.

Please let me know can this be because of endoscopy and if yes, what test i need to undergo and what treatement should i follow.

I really fear a lot, at times i feel i will die without breath. Please answer my query as this is eating me from inside from last 5 months..............

[Jene29]

It sounds like I am having the same problems as everyone else.  Mine started back in March.  It began as racing pulse, sweaty, & couldn't seem to breathe right.  I would lay in bed because I felt awful.  I ended up in the ER one night because my blood pressure was much higher than normal.  That is when they did the CT Scan & said the only thing they found wrong with me was my Esophagus was dialated (is this common with Gerd?).  I pursued the heart stuff because my pulse rate was up to 100 when it is normally around 70.  When I was in the ER it was 130.  All of my heart stuff came back normal.  

I then had a Barium Swallow, Endoscopy & Motility Test.  The Swallow showed slow emptying.  The Endoscopy showed some stricture (what does this mean?) & the motility test showed that I have dysmotility in my Esophagus.  I switched GI drs. because my original one told me over the phone that I have Scleroderma!!!  Something about the PH?  I have no answers to these questions because they refused to see me & told me there was nothing more they could do.  I then went to 3 different rheumotologists about the Slero, one being a Rhemo who specialized in Sclero.  He immediatly said No & sent me to regular Rhuemo for further testing.  Both Drs. said it is not Sclero & the blood work came back Negative.  All of this is being done at Johns Hopkins.  Anyway, I asked for a referral to a GI dr., but my appointment is not until Oct. 28th!  I did just have my blood work done for a 3rd time because my ANA the second time around came back positive & I have lost C3, which is indicative of Lupus.  I was reasurred that they don't think there is anything wrong with me because I don't have any of the symptoms for Lupus.

Back to the esophageal symptoms.  The breathing thing comes & goes & I can't seem to pinpoint if it is after eating a certain thing.  It occurs when I first wake up, if I don't eat, if i eat, sometimes not at all or sometimes all day long.  When I am naeseous, it occurs a lot worse.  I was diagnosed with mild asthma & the inhaler does not work for this feeling.  I sometimes get a sore upper back after one of these all day "attacks."  My pulse has been better, but it still seems to randomly go up & down.  The breathing thing is more like it is labored (not really short of breath).  Like a funny feeling in my esophagus & I'm usually naesous or feel like I have air blowing into my esophagus when I am trying to breath?  I can't describe it & the Drs. look at me like i have 2 heads when I do!  I don't get pain in the chest (although I've had GI symptoms for as long as I can remember & I used to get really bad pain in chest at night or early in the morning).  Anyone have any other advice?  I still worry that I have Sclero & everyone of the Rheumo drs. are wrong...or that it is Lupus & the breathing is related to that.  

My old GI dr. left me with more questions than answers & I can't wait to go see this new doctor!  

[clareuk]

I have all the above symptoms and was finally diagnosed with B12 deficiency/pernicious anaemia. Most GP's will test for iron anaemia and not B12 deficiency which has almost identical symptoms. A simple blood test can diagnose and treatment is available

[ott-lite]

I am 47 male and have problems like you. I have pains in my sternum area. it feels like a heart attach and has all the symptoms. It makes me feel like I am not getting enough air and thus I yawn or take deep breathes. I have had my Gall Bladder removed and it took my symptoms away for a few months. Sleeping is hard to do as I get pain shooting through my chest/sternum so I have to change positions often. It feels like I am bloated and need to burp to get rid of air or gas but can't. Here is a site to check out
http://www.healthline.com/galecontent/costochondritis
http://orthopedics.about.com/cs/sprainsstrains/a/costochondritis.htm
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/costochondritis/ds00626

I hope this all helps..I am going to see the doctor and I think this will finally help me

[bigkev414]

I just read your post about the breathing prolems. If you have hiatus hernia and GERD it can cause breathlessness. Do you feel the shortness of breath is in your chest or trouble breathing through your nose? Think about it for a minute  --- does your chest feel like it's not getting enough air? are you a bit wheezy? are you puffy like you have walked up a steep hill?
I am an expert on this because I have been having these problems for 15 YEARS! If you have a hiatus hernia and it gets kind of 'tangled up' it makes you breathless because it's not closing off properly and part of your stomach might be going into the esopagus. This has happened to me  when I do physical work and reach above my head or twist. I have been to the ER several times.
This might sound silly, but please try it. Drink two glasses of water, and then gently jump up and down on the spot 5 or 6 times. This sometimes lets things slip back into place. It's not a joke, and does work. A doctor told me years ago. The other thing is to take antacids and eat things that agree with you. Try a small piece of fruit and see what happens...maybe you feel better suddenly or worse. If worse eat something fried like a samosas and see what happens. Sometimes one will work and sometimes the other.
I'd like to know how you get on so please send me a note when you get time. Please Try it; there's nothing to lose.

[gmichael66]

Folks. I pray for you all. My inability to catch my breath started nonstop the day after the superbowl. We had a party and I ate way too much. It has scared me, kept me out of work for three weeks and made my life miserable. I have lost 52lbs so far.

What doctors have you guys seen ? What medicines are you on ? I will tell you, its been one doctor after another first the family doctor who tried to tell me I was too fat and had pickwickian syndrome. THen the heart doctors, all tests came back good, then the lung doctor who recommended a sleep study, then a new primary doctor and then of course a therapist becuase "It must be anxiety" so week after week wetn by, not catching my breath, yawning to catch a breath, and now I finally went to a Gastro - .
I dont know what they will find in my tests tomorrow but I noticed that since he put me ob Prilosec, its been only four day, I am having a teeny bit of improvement, even catching my breath three times while writing this AND its not anxiety.
I noticed If I burp I can catch my breath, drink water and eat small meales I can catch my breath better, and get enough sleep, and you need something like Xanex to relax you because ironically, the problem causes stress and anxiety.

Enlist the trust of others, tell everyone an anyone your problem, the more you talk, the more feedback you will get. Both of my Pharmacists knew what was wrong with me before I did and guarantee me I will be fine. One of my customers is a nurse, and one of my co-workers wife had the same problem I am having.

Get checked for Hiatal hernia, and GERD. The flap that opens to the stomach is weakened and/or deteriorated and opens up when it should only open down. I also have a stomachache, and dont think im outof the woods yet but guys, dont give up hoe, God made our bodies to be healthy and tehse things will NOT , WILL NOT last. its just the combination of the right doctors, tests, medicine, therapy, and treatment.

Hang on there.
Love to you all,
Geoffrey

[Kellz22]

Well i guess this forum hits it on the head with me. I have the same shortness of breath, chest tightness, pains from acid reflux and headaches and dizzyness that come and go. My problems started with anxiety and more things pilled up. I am on my 1st month of feeling like this, it has ruined my life. I have a scope soon, so just hoping to last til then. I have been to the cardiologist and pulmonologist and i pass every test, negative on asthma, but still cant breath right and I get tired even from walking up stairs. I have wondered if its oxygen problems, but i have normal counts on that, so the reflux could be casuing irritation on our lungs and casuing us to feel short of breath...I am a very healthy guy. It looks like the common element here for all of us is stress and Gerd. Stress is something that can be there and you don't realize it. When you sit all day and think about how ****** you feel from the gastric reflux, it builds up your stress, so we all could have a combination of anxiety and Gerd casuing all of this, so there could be a chemical imbalance that wont show up on tests....I saw someone wrote their only 22, im only 19, and believe me, we are all too young to have this. It is misserable, but hopefully one of us will have a breakthrough that will help us all out....