Akumu

Thanks for clicking. For the last 2 years or so I've had what I call 'mock heart attacks' as that is just what they feel like. In March, before my move to PA here, I saw a doctor who determined my problem to be acid reflux disease. He gave me 3 trial bottles of Nexium and sent me on my way. I took those 3 bottles over a span of months with no more problems. I then moved down to PA here, and have since lost my health insurance, and stopped taking the Nexium as when he gave them to me I took them for a month with no 'mock heart attacks' or anything close occurred, and I convinced myself that there simply was no need for them. (Genius move.)

Now they're back; except that I'm not understanding why. If it's something that I'm doing/eating or what have you. I've changed my eating habit significantly since I was first 'diagnosed' and the problems still maintain. As a matter of fact sometimes I'll have something like say...a bag of Cool Ranch Doritos and be fine, not eating the whole bag in one sitting, just with a sandwich. Then the next week I eat ALL OF THE SAME FOODS I've eaten the week previous and have one of my bouts. My bouts maintain at a much lesser rate than many people who I'm reading about here nearly daily, of which I'd go out of my mind. I typically only get left side chest pains once every 5 days to once every two weeks. (It used to be once every 4 months to 10 months and only with things like hot sauce.) Sometimes I'll have them at work when the only thing in my stomach is my morning breakfast. (Total cereal.) This inconsistency leads me to believe that it could be panic attacks (weak ones, anyway) or simply stress. I'm not a stressful person, my job sure doesn't stress me. I'm guessing I fit somewhere in 'average.' but the lack of consistency points me thus.

During one of my 'attacks' I'll be doing...whatever. (Working [no real heavy lifting, but lifting none the less], at the computer doing whatever, going from point A to point B in the house.) and my heart will begin to pound in my chest like I just finished a triathlon. This will be followed by nausea, weakness, sweating and a few minutes later a 15+ minute trip to the bathroom, not always diarrhea, but more often than not. My left side feels incredibly weak in the aftermath. The only position I feel even remotely comfortable in is sitting down with my hands hugging myself and sometimes it fades in 5-10 minutes, sometimes it kicks back up a bit (but not as bad as initially) and I'm back to the bathroom clearing out whatever's in me. A few episodes come in mind, like today, where the 'aftermath' was (actually, still is right now, but not harsh) hours long and any coughing I might do was just BEGGING for a mini shockwave of pain from the left center chest area. It slowly diminishes, and the Maalox I drank did seem to help some. I usually just go to sleep/lie down, in an upright position with my pillows stacked up a bit on the wall behind me and wake up at about 80+%.

I still have 2-3 bottles of trial size Nexium left that I should probably be getting back on in case it is GERD, but I can't shake the 'anxiety/panic attack' route either as the male members in my family seem to have a propensity for that, though I never did till some odd years ago.

I can only say whatever the outcome that this really sucks, and has now cost me money from having to leave work early. I'd love to just know what the hell is wrong and how to fix/disrupt/marginally slow down whatever it is.

PS I don't sleep lying on my left side as within minutes I begin to get pains of a sort in the chest. Sorry if I went on and on. Feel free to reply. I'll be in my basement working on my synthetic android body soul transfer to dump this hunk of junk I'm currently trapped in.

That is my post from Nov 2007.

Since late Nov 2007 I've been fine. There's been a few times where I felt kinda 'iffy' but no more 'mock heart attacks.' I didn't get one today, either. It just skipped right over that fast beating to the sense of wrongness, skipped over the nausea to the pain in the left side of me (heart area) and skipped over the have to walk, talk and move like a 95 yr old man to merely a 70 year old man. I have since Nov 2007 seen the doctor. Numerous times. Mental and Physical. I've had blood drawn on 4 occasions. My trip to the ER in Nov got me an MRI, the Dr saying that he can't particularly tell what's wrong and that my heart (and most everything else) looks good. X-Rays, Psychiatrist, Heart stress test (on the tread mill), prescription of Ranitidine that I took until I was told to stop...all nothing. Heart is in great shape they said. (Wished more were like me they said...) Prescription did nothing. I was told to stop taking it 5 months ago. I did. No problems.

I'm on a largely fat free, spicy food free, hot food free, acidic food/drink free diet, just like is recommended of GERD sufferers. (Which is hilarious given how thin I am. I know I'm laughing. ) My indulgence is my work break food. Pint of 2% milk (I drink Ultra Skim at home), banana and a 2pack of Twinkies. (Which I've now sword off after today's event.) I am truly over and over lost. I have medical bills up to my eyes, because I only work PT. However, how the sam hell can I work full time (I'm aspiring to be a Nurse's Aide by Sept.) when I might get hit with something that's going to make me in worse shape than the people I'm 'treating'? The Psychiatrist points to my body. The Doctor points to my head...and I just shrug my shoulders. I have little to NO stress in my life. My rent is dirt cheap for a house with 2 friends, med bills aside, I afford everything fine for a PT job. I don't get in arguments, EVER. (While at the same time no one pushes me around.) When I work nights I work alone, pretty much, with no real rush to get things done. Day work the manager's god damned motto is "No rush." I don't have the type of GERD that has the burning sensation up the esophagus. I don't belch a whole lot, nor gas. No bad breath or holding anything down. No sore throat. The pain just comes and BAM, no other real indications that I see others on the board talking about with sloshing or what have you.

I am completely and totally clueless as to what brings these things on. Just...out to sea. Lost. (And that is not somewhere you want to be with something like 'GERD' or so they say I have that stress either triggers or makes worse.) =(

Thanks for listening to my ranting. I'm greedily gobble up an advice or answers anyone can give.