Hi-

I've been scouring the internet trying to figure out what in the world is going on! Let me give you a bit of information- it began last Friday, but I've experienced this before (a few weeks ago, to be exact). I get kind of a tightness in my chest, I have a tons of post nasal drip (but my nose isn't stuffy), and I'm constantly burping. Sometimes I burp up food.

I've had a few heart palpitations too, but it usually occurs right before I need to burp and I can't swallow and I panic.

I'm 24 years old, I exercise daily (and have for the past four years!) and I eat a relatively healthy diet. My last trip to the doctor (a few weeks ago) said I have excellent blood pressure (I always do) and my last blood test from the doctor (a year ago) said the same.

I've always had a "touchy" stomach with IBS like symptoms. Digestive disorders run heavily in my family- both of my mom's parents have had surgeries on their esophagus and stomach due to GERD and acid reflux. My mom can't eat tomatoes or anything spicy without burping non-stop.

I'm thinking that I'm showing the signs...but I'm a bit worried about the tight feeling I sometimes get in my chest. It doesn't worsen when I exercise. It kind of comes and goes. Could it be heartburn? Or is it allergies?

I've also had a few minor dizzy spells. They last for a second or two where I feel like I'm going to lose my balance.

And I've also had stuffy ears that feel like they always need to be unplugged. :(

Anyone with any insight on this would be much appreciated!

hi,
Reading your post you could be me, except you are much younger..

I'm sorry to hear your story because it sounds so much like mine, and many others on this board.
I'm no doctor, but it sounds like all the classic symptoms of LPR, or silent reflux.

I also have the plugged ears, that click when I yawn or swallow, I have the burping, burning, and have experienced the dizziness as well.
I also have great blood pressure (low in fact) and great blood work, but my insides are a volcano!
I can relate perfectly. Unfortunately I wish I had something better to tell you like it will all go away !!

Best to see a gastroenterologist or an ENT physician and get a diagnosis, maybe even a second opinion, and try some different therapies.
some of us have great luck with various medications, and others aren't doing so well with meds, but you have to try different things, and eat VERY carefully.
oh-I also have the heart palpitations, I think that's part of it too, so try not to panic, even though it's hard not to sometimes.:eek:
take care and hope you feel better soon.:wave:

Thanks for the quick response, I really appreciate it!

The first night I had heart palpitations, I thought I was dying! It happened right as I was falling asleep. Needless to say, I didn't sleep very well that night (I was so freaked out) but I did manage to doze off and woke up fine. Same as Saturday night. It is really hard not to panic, but I'm trying to deal with it. :)

I am pretty young for this stuff, which is what worries me. But the fact that it runs to heavily in my family (good grief, one of the most common memories of my gramma is of her clutching her ribcage, holding it, and burping! :rolleyes: ) makes me wonder.

I'm planning on making an appointment with my doctor. I just want to have some ideas of what it could be before I hurl myself at them and say, "FIX ME!"

Thanks again for your reply! :)

Hello. I have had heart palpatations before as well. I would get it so bad I thought i was having aheart attack. Went through the whole barrage of tests and found out it was just reflux. Now I have the burping all the time but not nearly as much pain as i used to. They will have to rule out heart stuff first but i am just letting you know i have had palpatations as well. Good luck to you!

Hi Sillygirl,

I just got back from the dr. today because of tightness in my upper chest. I thought it was some form of asthma but my dr. said my chest was clear and she thought it was acid reflux. She did an EKG and my heart was fine. I had no idea reflux could cause something like that. I also have a lot of post nasal drip and I feel like I have to clear my throat a lot. It drives me crazy and it probably does other people too. I've read that reflux can cause that too.
I've experienced heart palpitations too. I'm 53 though and thought that was due to perimenopause and hormones going crazy. It always makes you feel a little better to get checked out by a dr. but it's frustrating when they can't really offer you much help. She told me to take Maalox and see if that helps and to report back. It helps to know that others have the same symptoms you do and you're not just a hypochondriac!

Venezia

I had some similar symtoms. Mine started with vocal cord spasms. Irritants such as vinegar, salt/sand in the air at the beach, dry throat, would cause spasms so tight that I could only suck air through with a high-pitched squeel. It would stop after I would hold my breathe because trying to breathe through it just caused more irritation. My Dr. sent me to the ENT Dr. That Dr. said that my epiglottis was all red and irritated and that I was having reflux. As he was talking to me I started to taste all of the acid in my mouth. I couldn't believe that I never noticed it before. So I began on a journey of paying attention to my body and surfing the net for remedies. I started by not overeating, not eating before bed, and elevating my upper body at night. This really helped but then I started to notice that during the day if I was really busy and rushing around that I wasn't breathing very deeply, my chest was tight, and then I would get indigestion and reflux. I read on the net that you can get stressed and tighten your chest and then you don't breathe deeply. I'm not sure what the connection is between not breathing and indigestion but it occurred for me. I started to concentrate on breathing abdominally when I would notice myself starting this cycle. After a week I beat it and I quit tightening my chest and then not breathing well. My indigestion is gone and I no longer elevate my upper body at night or watch what I eat. My vocal cord spasms are gone also. Your dizziness could be caused by not breathing deeply (rapid, shallow breathing). I have also had palpatations before from stress. Controlling my reaction to stress stopped them. As for the post nasal drip, my young daughter had post nasal drip from allergies and this caused reflux. I quess the drip is really irritating for the stomach. Her reflux went away after we took care of the drip with more allergy medicine and allergy shots. So is the drip causing the reflux or is the reflux causing the drip? Post nasal drip and stuffy ears go together because it is all swollen in there. Good luck to you.