Shortness of Breath after eating

[Need air]

I am a 26 year old male, and for the past year I have had trouble breathing after I eat a meal.  The trouble generally starts 1 hour after I eat.  I have had cardiac workups and also had an upper endoscopy showing minor symptoms of gerd.  My internal med doctor can't determine the connection between eating and the shortness of breath.  Has anyone ever had these types of symptoms.  It is almost as if, there is a tremendous pressure or lump in my throat as well.  

[jadkins00]

You most likely have a condition called "eosinophilic esophagitis."  Doctors sometimes mistake the inflammation in your esophagus for GERD, when in fact it's autoimmune response to foods you are eating.  The only way to know for sure is to biopsy your esophagus during an endoscopy.  

The reason you have shortness of breath is an allergic response to food that is passing through your esophagus.  Your body mistakes the food for an invader and confuses the tissue in your esophagus as the same.  In addition, if the reaction is delayed beyond half an hour or so, you may have enzyme deficiencies in your gut.  This means your body has difficulty breaking down proteins in some foods (sometimes many).  Instead of digesting properly, proteins pass through the stomach/intestine wall and into the blood stream where they are attacked by your immune system.  The result is a release of histamine and other immune system functions.  Thus, your shortness of breath.

I have yet to try the enzymes mentioned above, but it makes sense they may help to replenish the deficiency and resolve the majority of the issues - including esophagus inflammation caused by the autoimmune disorder.

Also, a doctor well-versed in this rare (but increasing) disorder, will likely prescribe a steroid to be swallowed twice dailiy.  Flovent is a corticosteroid often used.  Budesonide mixed with spenda has also been shown to significantly reduce eosinophil counts in the esophagus, which results in reduced inflammation and improved swallowing.

I only know these things because I currently have this condition.  I've had it for 18 months and it's been torture trying to figure it out in my rural medical community.  It took a GI specialist in St. Louis performing a biopsy on my esophagus to figure it out.  I'm in recovery, but still have shortness of breath after many meals.

Hope that helps.  God bless.

[lioness3]

Check out the VCD pageand see if it seems to fit your symptoms: http://njc.org/disease-info/diseases/vcd/about.asp

VCD can be triggered by GERD.  

[Mozartcowgirl]

go to the health food store.. get some digestive enzymes...you can try the enzymemedica brand.. those are pricey.. but worth it........ or.. you can use the brand I use... which is a really good brand as well..
source naturals... Essential Enzymes.. Bio align.  i take two with every meal.

i use to have the same thing.. i couldnt breath.. i felt HORRIBLE>... i thought that something was wrong with my lungs.. or something serious... i went to gastro docs.. cardiologist... respiratory specialists.. etc ect. i do have a smal hiatal hernia... and.. some other things as well.. but.. not one doc suggested i try digestive enzymes..

try the easy things first..  try the enzymes.. they will help to break down any foods that your body might be having a problem with ..

it worked for me.. i can breath now.. no more elevated heart rate after eating.. no more freaking out after i eat... no more being afraid to eat.