Gerd pain?

[SoJo26]

I'm a 22 yr old female. 3 months ago I woke up with a horrible pain in my chest and a stabbing pain in my left ribs under my breast. I went to the dr. and she said it was costochondritis and gave me naproxen. A couple weeks went by and the pain lessened but wouldn't go away. I went back and a different dr said the same but gave me steroids and a sample of nexium. The stabbing pain in my ribs went away with the nexium and eventually the rest of the pain went away. A couple weeks later though the pain came back, it wasn't as bad but it was constant. It was still a stabbing pain in my ribs, pain behind my left breast, a burning/painful feeling in my chest that went up my throat and a burning like feeling below my sternum that reaches my right ribs sometimes and I burped a lot. I had yet a different dr and he said it was Gerd and gave me a prescription of kapidex (which is like nexium). I just started taking this med for about a week.
The burning went away but I still get that dull stabbing pain in my left ribs and my chest will hurt sometimes randomly. One day I was laying on my stomach with a heating pad (which can calm the pain some) I felt the spot in my left ribs bubble and I let out a really huge belch! The stabbing pain stopped for that day but came back the next and is still here. I also get this feeling like sometimes thinking I can breathe, but I can breath just fine with no pain. I also get dizzy. I was diagnosed with panic disorder in the past but went off the meds.
I was wondering if this really is gerd/gas and panic/stress causing these feeling? I don't have any insurance and next week I'm moving back home from sc to iowa. Will I be ok to wait to go to another dr till then and give this med some more time before I have to have an endoscopy (next step dr said) and try getting back on the panic meds first to see if calming myself can make me feel better, been under a lot of stress since end of last year.
Please help!

[selmaS]

Just a warning, that dairy can slow the LES and allow acid up into the esphopagus.....so it is important to keep a journal of what u ate and when u get the gerd.......there r many foods that can affect u that u would not have considered a problem.

Like strawberries...pineapple....tomatoes.....ect..all acidic.

"selma"

[SoJo26]

I'm pretty healthy I think. Im 5' 8'' and weigh around 120 and go for daily walks around the apartment complexes. I don't hardly ever eat spicy foods and eat pretty regularly and I hardly eat fast food.
I know science hasn't exactly proven it but I think this pain was a monumental build-up of stress and anxiety.
I just got put on some lexapro for my anxiety and citalopram and that feeling for not being able to breath has gone away and the the stabbing pain is dulling down. I think that my panic disorder could have been a major cause in all of the.
P.S. I took a beano before I ate my mac and cheese today and no burning just a small fart :P
Hopefully this is all I needed and that things continue to get better and no back sliding at all!!!

[selmaS]

Hi and welcome to the GERD forum.

It does take some time for u to feel the effects of these meds.In addition u may want to try in addition to the meds to watch ur diet and make some lifestyle changes....meds alone can not help especialliy if this has gone on a long time untreated or u have excess acid built up.

Please see the Health pages here on MedHelp for a list of lifestyle changes and lists of safe foods and foods to avoid.

Please keep us posted on ur progress

"selma"

[SoJo26]

Bit more info I have had chest x-rays, EKG and two blood test but I can't remember what it was for exactly. All came back just fine and healthy.