Freaking out...is it really acid reflux?

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nba123

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For the past month I've been dealing with frequent throat clearing...feels like mucus in throat. Then, came chest pains, chest tightness and burning. Add to that burping. Finally, today was the last straw: I was wheezing when I inhaled. It felt like my throat/upper chest was constricted. I freaked out and called my doctor...who saw me right away. I thought I might be having a heart attack or lung cancer (never smoked). He heard the wheezing in his office. After trying an asthma med, which didnt work, and listening to my heart and lungs, he said he thought acid reflux was creating the symptoms. I was really stunned. With the exceptions of during pregnancies, I have never had any heartburn or acid in mouth, etc. The doctor prescribed Aciphex and told me to watch my diet, alcohol, caffeine, etc. He also asked about my stress level...which keeps escalating with every new sympton. Does this all make sense to anyone? I have turned into a huge worry wart (Keep clearing my throat as I write this). Has anyone ever experienced this corabo of symptoms? thanks for helping me.
 
It does seem you having the starting symptoms for silent acid reflux. Which comes with no heartburn. This is what I have. Try and not keep clearing your throat. When you feel the need to clear, take a few sips of very cold water. This works for me. I know it's difficult at times to stop clearing, it comes as a natural reaction, but in the long run this will help and not damage your vocal corRAB.

As the doc mentioned, keep away from caffeine, spicy fooRAB. You will also notice eating onions(raw) and citrus fruits such as oranges will give you problems. It does for me anyway. But I've noticed some people with reflux have effects from certains fooRAB and some don't. Not sure why.

Stress and anxiety will make the problems worse. Believe me. I'm going through the same sort of problem at the moment. I'm coming to the conclusion that stress and anxiety had brought my reflux problems on from the beginning. So if you are a stressful person, this could be why you've got it. Or, poor diet for a nuraber of years, such as spicy fooRAB and high alcohol intake will also bring the problems upfront.

Try and not let it stress you out. The more you stress, the bigger problem it may become.

Hope you get better soon.
 
I'll try the cold water thing. Thanks for quick response. This is new territory and a bit scary!
 
I've had clearing of the throat, a cough, tightness and feeling of a lump in my chest, irregular heart beat, chest pains, sinus problems, and shortness of breath for years. Told I had allergies - told I had asthma - which I did not believe, I've had my lungs Xrayed, ecg, stress test - all fine. Only recently has the reflux become obvious and since coming on this board, I realise that all my symptoms over the years most probably have been due to silent reflux.
 
Thanks for responding. What course of treatment are you doing? Has it helped? I took my first dose of Activen this morning...crossing my fingers that it will help.
 
Don't think I know activen. Have been put on Omeprozol (nexium) it worked for a bout two months then didn't touch it. I was then put on lanoprozol (zoton) which worked for about three weeks. Then I was put on ranitidine which did not work at all. I was then put on panoprozole which also didn't work. Now i live on peptic and am going to try whole mangosteen juice as recommended on this board.
 
I to have awful symptoms sharp pain in upper stomach all the way up to my chest goes thur my back and into my throat I hate it and yes I stress alot my bad they are going to do ercp on the 9 nov to check for stones in my bile duct I had my gallbladder taken out oct 07 but have had this prob on and off for a long time i to am ready for relief living in prayers these days i do pray you feel better soon I know may not help but your not alone
 
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