esophageal air bubbles

Question

I am 60 yo femal in good health except.....I have had GERD for years. I had fundliplication surgery in 1998. I did fine until about 5 years ago when I had go back to prevacid, at first one a day. About 1 1/2 yr ago I was having chest discomfort (now I recognize as air bubbles in my esophagus) I was treated for h pylori. It was awful. Ever since then I have had frequent recurrences of the air bubbles in my chest. I thought it was the prevacid so I stopped taking it. I have had subsequent EGD, colonoscopy, and barium x-ray. Everything looked normal. I try to eat very little at a time and stay up at least three hours after eating. I tried aciphex. I tried taking no medication. I am now trying L-glutamine and heavy vegetable diet. This is miserable. I am up at 3 am looking for relief from this. I have to work and can't afford these sleepless nights. This latest bout has been for over a week. I feel awful. What can I do?

This discussion is related to esophagus air bubble.

Comfydez · Answer

Possibly Esophageal Achalasia  We have 90% of the symptoms or more.

yogibear32 · Answer

Everyone....i have the solution and you might think i am crazy but it has been working for me for a month now!  A couple minutes before you eat, concentrate on breathing through your nose and not breathing through your mouth.  This eliminates most of the air out of your esophagus and in turn you get much less or much small air bubbles and the food actually goes down!  It's been amazing.  I have had dilation at least 4 times and now i believe it was unnecessary.   Keep breathing through you mouth as you eat and continue to eat slow and chew well.  Even if something does get a little stuck, you don't have to be scared about using water or liquid to get it down as it will go down easily.  I have been there where water even doesn't go down but with this breathing method of breathing through your nose before and during eating, it's been unbelievable and i feel i have new lease on life!  If this helps you, please email me as i would love to hear the success stories.  I am at y o g i b e a r 3 2 at Gm.

Acidrefluxnation · Answer

I have had reflux for 10 years.Flare ups cause a lump in my throat,upper back pain,ear pain as neck pain.  When I have a flare up I take Pepcid 40mg in the morning at least 1 hr before I eat or drink. It is a hassle but the pay off is relief. Then at night before bedtime. It takes me at least two weeks to heal up. Then I take 20mgs Pepcid after I get healed up. I get to thinking I can quit taking meds,but eventually a stressful life situation sets it off again.

Imajerk · Answer

This may sound oversimplistic, but have any of you tried taking something specifically for gas, like Gas-X? I have some air bubbles here and there that feel like they're in my throat, and it often helps.

Liame333 · Answer

I just typed my answer now it disappeared! Liame333

Lalaclaus2004 · Answer

Look at www.haea.org.  I believe this rare C1 protein missing or non functioning could be your diagnosis you are looking for. I can stop this with 1 sub q injection. Good luck. See an allergist/immunologist. The web site above should help you find a doctor

oslooskar · Answer

I have had this problem on and off for a number of years and have found that in my own case it is directly related to tightness in my upper back and neck muscles. In fact, it first came about when I took up kayaking. Also, the problem returns when I spend a lot of time at my computer sitting the wrong way and leaning over.  I have also found that lying on my back only aggravates my condition when air is trapped in my esophagus because in doing so it compresses the trapped air and thus creates pressure within my esophagus. Sort of like squeezing a balloon. Therefore, I try to sit upright when I'm online and I also do a lot of stretches for my neck and upper back muscles throughout the day.

Ayka45 · Answer

I try eating 2 radishes when this happens. Radish is a natural vegetable which causes burping. 2 min after eating i burp and it helps somehow.

gloriaspates · Answer

I've had the same problems.  Mucus and air bubbles in esophageal can cause gas or heartburn symptons.  I take Phazyme 180-250 mg for gas (or) I take  Cimetidine, (Tagamet) 200 mg for heartburn.

Zoe38 · Answer

I have also had these symptoms for 3 years.  I have extreme difficulty eating meat, bread, potatoes as well as many other foods.  The food will feel like it is falling down my food pipe slowly, until it gets to my breastbone area and then I get excruciating pain as it goes into my stomach.  Most meals are pushed down with water after every mouthful.  I have recently had a nighttime cough and asthma and bubbles of air travelling up and down my oesphagus, sometimes during eating and throughout the day.  My saliva glands have started to go into overdrive and I also have frothy saliva, which is mucus free but still making me wretch. I do not have any acid reflux. I have had MRI, gastro-endoscopy, seen a Neurologist, thyroid function and had a barium drink test with bread.  My oes is healthy with no inflammation, MRI normal.  Thyroid slightly over active.  Only diagnosis was that I have very little peristalsis from mouth to stomach.   The advice I received was to eat soft food for the rest of my life.  I'm 38 not 88.  I also have a B12 deficiency. I cannot seem to put on any weight and have lost a large percentage of body fat.  I have adapted my diet, I exercise and seen a nutrionist, which has helped with the frequency of symptoms but it is still an everyday occurrence, with some days worse and no pattern.  If anyone can help or advise anything they have found that has helped them please reply!!!!! I did read an article about a new diagnosis for an illness called nutcracker oesphagus..... Symptoms fit??

Killer58 · Answer

I am researching this same phenomena for my wife.  She quite often gets an air bubble trapped in her esophagus area and cannot breathe and goes into almost what you would call a panic attack.  I do not blame her.  If she is alone she has to try to beat her back on a door facing or if I'm there I beat her on the back until it turns loose.  It is areal scary situation!  In your research have you found any answers?  I am desperate for answers!  Please contact me at ***@**** as soon as possible if you have any information for me!  Desperate!

Killer58 · Answer

I am researching this same phenomena for my wife.  She quite often gets an air bubble trapped in her esophagus area and cannot breathe and goes into almost what you would call a panic attack.  I do not blame her.  If she is alone she has to try to beat her back on a door facing or if I'm there I beat her on the back until it turns loose.  It is areal scary situation!  In your research have you found any answers?  I am desperate for answers!  Please contact me at ***@**** as soon as possible if you have any information for me!  Desperate!

M1ndyClark · Answer

Exactly my symptoms to a T. You are not alone in this. I have had this issue for years and I would love to know how to prevent or treat it. I have had to deal with this trapped air for hours before and my husband and kids find it disturbing to watch. It is also hard to explain how something like air trapped can cause so much pain and even obstruct breathing. I have tried inducing vomiting when this happens. Sometimes it works and allows me to burb (it also brings up any food or drink stuck in the esophogas) but the last time it made it worse so that every time I tried to burp after that I would gag and vomit (without trying) I don't recommend it but this just shows how bad it can be..Also get a thick bubbly mucus that forms in the throat with this (making it harder to swallow/burp)

orion254 · Answer

i have this problem too. i swallow water or whatever drink and a bubble of air is trapped in the stream slowly, painfully creeping down my throat. i can't breathe and almost have panic attacks. my saliva glands turn on full blast, it's really scary. happens all the time. i think my swallowing technique is wrong. usually the tight bubble goes all the way down to my stomach but tonight its stuck in my lower esophagus in my chest somewhere. it won't go away this time! every time i swallow now it seems to stack on top of the stuck air bubble.  this is so annoying!  there must be an answer.

RIDotson · Answer

I understand what you mean, though I don't know what you can do.  I am on this site because I am awake with the same problem.  If you figure it out, e-mail me and let me know.  ***@****

Thanks, and I hope you feel better soon!