I am new to this board - recently diagnosed with Acid Reflux, possible GERD and Hiatal Hernia. I have read through many of your posts - and see often that many of you suffer from 'breathing problems' associated with your reflux. Can you please tell me what your breathing problems are like?
That is my #1 complaint - breathing difficulties that started in late October. It is difficult at times for me to get a deep breath down and then sometimes I felt like I had a band around my lower chest area.
Lately I have some new 'breathing issues' - they have moved to my upper chest - such severe tightness in my upper chest - it hurts so bad and hard to breath - I am so scared. Maybe this isn't acid - this all started when I went on the PPI (Prilosec OTC) - the upper chest tightness and pain.
Any help or comment would be so greatly appreciated..... HELP
Yes I do but Im not sure if its related. I have the urge to yawn and take deep breaths all day. Never seems like I get enough air. Sometimes I get wheezy not sure if allergy or acid related.
I do not cough - and I do not wheeze - I just get so tight, like all my chest muscles are contracting and I cannot breath in or out - it is terrifying. Sometimes it last for an hour - sometimes for DAYS - it is so horrible. The Dr. thought the PPI's would help and it seems all they did was bring the tightness from my lower chest into my upper chest.
Still have to yawn all the time and lots of times I do not feel like the air is getting all the way down..... I am scared.
I know it can be very scary feeling like you cant breath right. I have had many breathing tests,chest xrays etc but they never found anything. So I just dont know what could be causing it with me. Sometimes I think anxiety and stress but it could very well be related to the LPR that I have. This problem brings many strange symptoms like things you would never guess as coming from you stomach. For an example coughing fits. Who would ever think that was from acid reflux. So I hope you feel better and get all the tests you can. First rule out anything more sinister. Have breathing tests and xrays make sure they really check your lungs out good. I hope you feel better take care!
Sometimes our doctors cannot determine what the reason for shortness of breath is. I too had breathing difficulties. Very severe, actually. I know how scary not being able to breathe can be. Look to your medication first - they refuse to perform the pulmonary function tests on people who take beta blockers - did you know that?- Beta blockers are known to cause breathing problems. Even after the therapy is stopped, the drug stays in the system for a while. I still don't know for sure what caused mine. It could have been one of several conditions. Because I always felt stomach discomfort or even pain when experiencing breathing difficulties, (as well as chest discomfort, tightness and pain in the lungs) I tend to think my GERD, hernia or both were most likely responsible.
I hope you will find a way to cope. Do not exert yourself. You could always, with your doctor's permission, stop your PPI for a while and see if things get better for you, especially if your GERD symptoms prior to starting the therapy were not too bad. Strangely, the opposite is true in my case. After starting the PPI my breathing seemed to improve, while I started getting all of the symptoms of GERD and LPR though I'd never had any before.
I hope you feel better soon.
flowergirl
Last edited by flowergirl2day; 01-07-2008 at 10:43 PM.
I am going Friday to discuss getting off the Beta Blocker completely for a while and also to stop the PPI for a bit and see if that makes a difference.
The odd thing is -- for the first time since these breathing problems started almost (3) months ago my rescue inhaler is actually helping (only this past week since the tightness moved from my lower to my upper chest)???? It never used to make a difference at all (I have had a rescue inhaper and regular asthma meds for 4 years). I had only had to use my rescue inhaler about 5 times in those 4 years before all this started in October - since October I have been using it frequently and only the past week has it been helping - but as soon as it wears off BAM - breathing problems again
Like you Flower Girl -- initially when I started my PPI my breathing improved significantly - BUT I was still off my Beta Blocker then... I have been back on the Blocker now for almost a month. But after 5 days on my PPI the upper middle chest tightness started and has grown worse.
I am also on an antibiotic right now (today is my last dose - my Dr. is trying to rule out sinus infection) - and I wonder if that is contributing to this at all because it REALLY upsets my stomach????
Do you know why they refuse to do pulomanry tests on someone on a Beta Blocker??? WOW - that is scary
Did any of you find asthma meds or rescue inhalers helped your breathing problems at all?
I have had (2) pulmonary function tests and a chest x-ray - nothing showed up and I wish I could be happy about that - but I still can't breath good.
My Dr. put me on Flovent 2 puffs 2 per day and gave me a rescue inhaler just in case. And I have been on that regiment for over 1 1/2 years.....
He started to suspect the GERD/Hiatal Hernia when I kept complaining about the chest tightness....
It is all scary and confusing - thank you for your support!
Listen inhaled steroids makes gerd worst, if you dont have asthma get off of them. I was on advair for 3 weeks for bronchitis and i had alot of chest heaviness, the doctor took me off . she said that these steriods makes gerd worst and leads to breathing difficulties because of it...before I went on advair, the gerd was controlled with zegerid no problems..
I am new to this board - recently diagnosed with Acid Reflux, possible GERD and Hiatal Hernia. I have read through many of your posts - and see often that many of you suffer from 'breathing problems' associated with your reflux. Can you please tell me what your breathing problems are like?
That is my #1 complaint - breathing difficulties that started in late October. It is difficult at times for me to get a deep breath down and then sometimes I felt like I had a band around my lower chest area.
Lately I have some new 'breathing issues' - they have moved to my upper chest - such severe tightness in my upper chest - it hurts so bad and hard to breath - I am so scared. Maybe this isn't acid - this all started when I went on the PPI (Prilosec OTC) - the upper chest tightness and pain.
Any help or comment would be so greatly appreciated..... HELP
Your medicine is not working for you, you need something stronger to control the effects of the GERD...
Thank you so much for taking the time to reply. I am seeing my Dr. on Firday to discuss all of this.
I am really afraid to stop my asthma medications. I am scared I will have an attack or something - my breathing has been bad for the past 5 days and I am terrified it will get worse
Maybe a different GERD medicine will make the difference!
Thank you and best of luck in your struggle with GERD.
How many different meds did you try before finding the Zegrid?
Do you know why they refuse to do pulomanry tests on someone on a Beta Blocker??? WOW - that is scary
When a person on a beta blocker experiences breathing problems, there's a good chance they arose from the beta blocker use. Most beta blockers, especially in very high doses (either selective or non-selective), or beta2 blockers-even is smaller doses-affect the airways and impair breathing, at least in some people. (I am on a cardioselective beta1 now which does not bother me).
When I showed up for my test I was told they would not be able to do it because I was on a heavy dose of a beta blocker. The referring physician forgot to update my meds. I had stopped taking the beta blocker six weeks previously. I had to explain this change in my meds (which was then verified) before they proceeded with the test.
You have such GREAT insights and a TON of knowledge - what a pleasure you are!!
Not sure where to go next - I have tried an ACE inhibitor (horrid coughing and upper chest tightness - much like what I am experiencing on the PPI) - a CCB - horrid HORRID upper chest tightness, and a diuretic - no help - and of course the Toporol --- which STARTED all the chest tightness and breathing problems
I am scared -- my breathing is awful - now on day 6 and my acid is TERRIBLE because I had to stop the PPI again due to the side effects. I am so terrified.
I see my regular Doc. on Friday and my Pulmonary Doc. on 1/23 -- not sure what is happening to me
I agree, Beta Blockers do cause breathing issues, which are probably from GERD in some people, Beta Blockers relax the LES, which causes reflux (eventhough a doctor may not exactly tell you this). Even after you are off them the problems can continue because your LES takes time to return to normal. For me, I woild rather have HPB than this garbage.
Good luck with your appointment. Please let us know what your doctor's suggestions are. I hope you can restart your PPI soon so that you won't have to put up with the horrible symptoms of GERD on top of your SOB.
I've just recently started having the same exact breathing issues that you originally posted and was curious what the doc said. I've not changed any meds in the past 2-3 months, so I don't think it is anything that I started taking. I have been modifying my diet, so that could be it .. I guess.
My appointment was a bit 'disappointing' -- he would not take me off my Toprol (HBP medication) - which I feel is contributing to the acid and breathing problems - he does not think so
He did give me 'Prevacid' to try for the acid instead of the Prilosec because he does believe the breathing issues are from the acid. Even though I have modified my diet and lost 16 pounds and am healthier than I have ever been. The acid seemed to get so much WORSE after I went on the Prilosec...
I asked if it could be the 'asthma' that a pulmonologist diagnosed me with and he just shrugged me off and said to try the Prevacid.
Also, he wants me take anxiety medication. I told him that anyway who felt like they COULD NOT BREATH RIGHT or at all at times would FEEL ANXIOUS???? Why do Drs. refuse to see that??? I told him - if I get really scared I take a Xanax and it calms me down - but I still CANNOT BREATH?????
Anyway - I have the Prevacid but am afraid to take it because I am worried about more side effects like I had from the Prilosec. I guess I will have to break down and try it because my breathing is AWFUL.....
Well now I am beginning to wonder if gerd/reflux can really be the cause of all these breathing issues, after reading through the posts I have had the same, could not take a deep breathe in for nothing even when I would yawn, which always felt like I had to do. It was like something was blocking me from taking a full breath in. Does this sound familier? I have had doctors disagreeing over whether I have asthma, which the problem is on exhalation not really inhalation, but I have failed breathing test, yet my pulse ox. is always normal. After reading all this I am beginning to think the reflux could be doing it. My doctor just told me she has had patients that came in with terrable breathing all due to reflux, & thought they had asthma. This has been an eye opener for me for sure. I am so glad I came on this board. I hope to learn & also contribute. This problem I believe is really not understood. People do not realize how bad it can get. We all have to many symptoms alike here. Wow I wonder just how much this can interfer with ones breathing, I went through misery became depressed & almost let it ruin my life, I did let it for awhile. I hope some answers are out there. Sammy
That is where I am at RIGHT NOW.... It started for me 10/2007 - woke up one day and just could NOT breath right. Hard time getting a deep breath in, yawning all the time, tightness in and around my chest (sometimes feeling like someone had a belt around me pulling it tighter and tighter and tighter), feeling like all of sudden I just cannot breath, constantly aware that I am not breathing correctly - it has been HORRID.....Seems worse at night and worse after I eat - but sometimes it last all day and all night for days at a time....
I went to (3) different Drs. and had at least 10 drs. appointments in a 3 month period of time. The Pulmonologist said that I have asthma even though I did not cough or wheeze, - he said it was because I got so tight like that. Put me on Flovent (2) puffs (2)/day and gave me a rescue inhaler. The Flovent did not take the breathing problems away. Sometimes the rescue inhaler seems to help when it is really bad.
All three Drs. said that it could be GERD and Hiatal Hernia - so I guess I should just pluck up my courage and take the Prevacid and see if it helps. My fear comes because I took the Prilosec for 20 days and it caused DIFFERENT breathing problems for me......
This road is a difficult one - it helps to know that I am not traveling it alone
I have a question. With this breathing problem, where does it stem from (inside you) because I have breathing problems (upper respiratory anyway) when I have a gas bubble trapped at the end of my esophagus/beginning of stomach. It subsides and Im able to breath properly, once I burp or sometimes even pass gas. Does that sound about the same to anyone? Or do your breathing problems feel different than that?
My breathing problems are constant - tightness, difficulty breathing, Shortness of breath, upper respiratory mostly lately but do get the tightness around my lower chest and stomach at times.
