Hello, first post to the board, long time lurker. I've been diagnosed with GERD and take omeprazole which seems to handle it okay. The last couple of days the GERD has been acting up and I've been periodically having what feel like spasms or irregular heartbeats(i don't know what either feels like). Can someone describe what an esophageal spasm feels like

I am new to these boards as well. I signed up for the very same reason, I was having flutter feelings in my throat. I was thinking OMG is it my heart. Well I went to the doctor and he let me know I am having esophogeal spasms and GERD. My stomach burns alot and I burp ALOT. He prescribed me some pepcid. The spasms feel like flutters or almost like popping bubbles in my lower throat area. I hope this helps. It is hard to describe :(. Sorry!
Take Care~

Yes that is spasms, I have the same thing, it's horrible! I get it more in my throat but many people feel like they are having a heart attack.
It throws me right into a panic attack.

Yep, they do feel like you are having a heart attack. I have had them for years.

Thanks for all the replies. Very reassuring and makes me feel much better.

I have not been officially diagnosed with esophageal spasms, but I have chest pains on the left. Feels just like what I think a heart attack might feel like. I was cleared by a cardiologist -- said it wasn't my heart.

I went to gastro doctor, who did endsocope, etc. Haven't had the test done yet that measures esophagus, but I'm soooooooooo tired of this. I've had these chest pains for at least 2 months. Just on left side behind left breast. Almost feels like a pinching sensation or a continuous ache, but only seems to be relieved when I actually sleep. Prevacid and all these type things do not seem to help. I used to take Pepcid. I may try Pepcid again.

My question for you that have esophageal spasms, do they come and go, or does the pain stay most of the time? Thanks.

good morning all-----I have had reflux since i was ten. I am 53. always under control with an occassional flare up if i eat something i shouldn't. smoke too much ( I know) take a med that effects the stomach, or am under lots of stress, they are my triggers. For the past 2 years maybe 3 times a year a would get this horrendous pain in my lower jaw that went down my thorat into my chest. wipes me out. told the PCP a couple of times and finally he told me if it happens again he wasted me to see a cardio. In the meantime I had an irregular EKG and ECHO. saw the cardio and did a stress test. heart is fine. This got progressivley worse and I began to have problems swallowing. always the feeling of something in my throat. Have seen 2 different ENT's one told me I had some swelling behind my voice box. have an enlarged thryoid but no one feels this is causing it and cancer of the thyroid has been outruled. Have had every test under the sun done and no answers. finally I went to see my neuro for something unrelated and mentioned it to him. He said he believes it's esophageal spasms because of the jaw pain and TMJ being outruled. My PCP then presscribed Bentyl as needed along with my prevacid. I still have attack if I eat something i shouldn't but they're not as frewuent. the swallowing problem is still there. 2 weeks before the swallowing problem started I suffered a neck injury and had to take steroids. I believe they made it worse. I ahve always had a problem taking any sort of anti-inflammatory drugs. 1-2 days and I am in full blown pain. Wishing all the best. it's a horrible pain that travel all over the upper body. scary at times. It's still a mystery to me how to treat it as I haven't gotten much relief from the Bentyl.

ICC

Wow, ICC

You have been through alot. I will let you know my story, I have been having alot of problems with reflux lately and the process to get to see a gastro dr is slow but my dr is trying to get me in earlier. I have asthma, acid reflux, IBS, a slight vocal cord dsyfunction and allergies. I have been on a ton of prednisone for asthma and my dr thinks it is giving me more problems with my stomach. Since the 2nd week of Jan I have been having ongoing stomach pain, trouble swallowing, alot of nausea and I have lost about 15 pounds (which I need to anyway). I find the night the worst and I find whatever I eat or drink seems to give me problems. I had an ultrasound yesterday and my doctor thinks I really need an endoscopy and possibly a colonoscopy to rule out any problems in those areas.
I find the medications I am taking are not helping much either.
I hope things get better for you.
Karen

Hi Karen----your health issues read like mine.I also have asthma, multiple food and respiratory allergies, have already had vocal cord surgery once, relux. Had a colonoscopy in july and the dr. said I was a bore. LOL I was happy to know nothing was wrong in that area. probably need to have an endoscopy but with other health issues going on my PCP has opted to wait. I have told all dr.s i will take take prednisone again for any reason and will not take any anti-inflammatory. they tear my stomach up. I have even had swallow studies done with a speech therapist present. NOTHING, NADA. So I really have no idea what's going on but i do know that I always know my stomach , chest and throat are there because there is always some sort of uncomfortable sensation going on. Wishing you the best. I can't believe there is no med out there that helps this.


ICC

ICC, you sound like me.....
I have this constant tightness in my throat and air hunger not caused by asthma although i do have asthma. I have esophageal spasms and was diagnosed with vocal cord dysfunction. I see a speach therapist and do breathing exercises everyday, day ppi's, enzymes, etc... to no avail!
I have been like this everyday for 5 months , I have never been so aware of my throat in my life, I know what you mean, there is always something uncomfortable drawing my attention to my throat, chest or stomach. I have also had every test done under the sun.....
UGH!

I don't get it. why can't they find something to help. I have had this problem since May. if i lay flat my throat closes and I can't breathe. the dentist is a nightmare. sometimes my throat is numb, i just don't feel anything and others it has something stuck. when I see my PCP in April I am going to hound him to figure something out. I have had a lot of health problems in the Past 8-9- months so I think he felt this could take a backseat. No more. it's horrible. Wishing everyone the best.


ICC

Yes - maybe this is what I have. My throat or upper chest feels like it is jumping around or 'fluttering'. I've been able to stop it by just freezing, not breathing. I have had some GERD and was on Prilosec for a while, and while I was on it and ate healthily my spasms went down in frequency (maybe once every two weeks). The triggers are wierd, though. For example, if my glasses slip to the end of my nose, that will sometimes trigger it. Also, if something is putting pressure on my solar plexus. It's wierd stuff. Happened today for the first time in a while. This time, though, it triggered a panic attack (even though I knew what was up!) and caused my heart to start racing. When this started happening, I thought it was a heart attack, but there's never any pain, and I'm able to exercise without any problems.

Hi all,

I know this post is almost a year later, but I've only just decided to take some action and find others with a similar problem.

I have been diagnosed with Cricopharyngeal Spasm for over 3 1/2 years... I am 21. It started as a sick, tight feeling in my throat, which I mistook for nausea and which then turned in to major panic attacks (I have a phobia of vomitting). I have seen a ENT doc, had ultra-sounds and am seeing a psychiatrist and psycologist. It wasn't until halfway through this year, when I changed doctors, that I found out what was wrong with me... Talk about frustration!!!

I have had all the same issues, in my throat and stomach. I get tingling sensations, tightness, lumps, gagging sensations and weird stomach movements. I have bad reflux, heartburn and wind issues too. Sometimes the spasming causes a sudden tightness in my throat which brings on the feeling like I am going to vomit, which leads to mild-severe panic attacks. I sometimes have trouble getting to sleep as well.

I have also dealt with mild depression which was a result of my initial confusion, frustration and fear of what was happening to me. I couldn't stop crying. I was really scared! This was right at the beginning of my spasming problems. Sometimes it comes back if the spasming increases over an extended period of time.

I have done a lot of reading and my doctor tells me it is a symptom of stress or anxiety.... And sometimes you may not know what it is that is causing the stress/anxiety! Thus why I am seeing a psycologist.

I am currently on Xanax... taking .25mg twice daily as the spasming is constant for me. They usually become worse when under more pressure, or worried about vomitting etc.

I am also getting hypnosis (not weirdo stuff, just relaxation tapes!) which is helping a bit, however the spasms do fluxuate. I thought I was getting on top of it for a fair while, until about a month ago when it flaired up again... This was partially due to being exposed to a lot of vomitting, gastro issues with others in a small amount of time. I have been trying to get back to normality since and am slowly getting there.

Anyways, enough of my complaining. I thought I'd post this because I know how you all feel. I hope what I have written has helped those of you who are confused and scared. There is no cure for it sadly, and apparently it goes away by itself... Don't know when though (grrr!) I have kinda learnt to live with it now.

It is frustrating because no one understands what is going on, and no matter how many tests you get done; ultrasound, x-ray, ENTuff, etc. nothing can be found because crycopharyngeal spasm is not a visible/see-able problem in most cases

So those of you who are scared or confused, please try not to be... As I have said above, it only makes it worse e.g. Depression. Apparently it's quite a common problem!

It can be lessened with medication and relaxtion. I hope you all can find a way to deal with this sydrome and I pray that it may go away for you very soon :o)

Hi Amy, your situation is so like mine.
I thought i was going mad, i ended up on anti depressants and that doc thought it was anxiety, until my ENT told me it was reflux. its going on a year now, i hate it i feel anxious with it, i consstantly have bloating, lump in throat, all the same as you. I was on the phone one night talking to a friend and i couldn't swallow it, my throat went tinto spasm 3 times in the space of an hour, i ran to the doctors, he gave me gaviscon, but what i find stops it for me is motilium, its an anti- spasmotic, and its great!! but shouldnt be used too much. i have been on nexium but it wasnt working great and now im on losec but i seem to be getting anxious with these, what do i do?? im so sick of this.:(

Hi, all...Thanks to everyone who post their troubles. It helps to know that I'm not the only one with throat issues. I too have been having weird throat spams and it all started after I quit smoking and drinking, all of which I did after having inguinal hernia surgery. Just prior to surgery I was told that I have H. pylori which is supposedly a very common type of bad bacteria. So needless to say it has been a rough couple of months for me. I have talked to several doctors about the throat spasms and every one of them have said it is caused by acid reflux or silent reflux. I have had my share of heart burn in the past and have been able to take a prilosec to treat it. I continue to take prevacid or prilosec but it does not really seem to help. My throat spasms are usually triggered while eating sometimes to the point that I choke on my food. Its pretty scarey..At that point your mind starts to play games and you start to panic not being able to swallow and then you heart rate increases, you have trouble breathing and then your having a panic attack. A couple of the doctors that I have talked to have said that my problem is also anxiety related. I will say that between surgery, not smoking, not drinking my nerves are shot. I myself think that anxiety is the biggest contributor to my problem. One doctor prescribed me some lorzepam(check spelling) for really bad anxiety attacks and started me on a daily dose of zoloft. It sucks to have to take all of this crap, but I'm tired of feeling like this and its only been a month. I am also starting to take prevcid everyday. I hope all of this stuff helps, i will report back in a couple of weeks with my status and let everyone know if all this helps. Thanks again everyone.

I am so glad I found this board! I am new. ;)

I have esophageal spasms and I am also on Lorazepam for it and Reglan. I was fine just two months ago! Mine are so bad that I start passing out. My doctor said that my esophagus is spasming and hitting my vasovagal nerve. What fun! It sometimes feels like pain in my chest which I attribute to GERD. Sometimes it feels like a lump in my throat. I have also for a very, very long time, felt the fluttering in my throat. I want to get off the meds but don't know how. I can take Lorazepam forever! Two doctors have told me to go to a pscychatrist but I have had no previous problems with panic attack or anything and the fainting spells only last about 15 seconds. I may still go - I haven't decided yet. Well it is good to know I am not alone. I am hoping this will HEAL slowly.

I have had everything checked out and I don't have an ulcer, just GERD. I also have been check for H. Pylori. Nothing. Everything is negative except for the acid reflux. I have been on a bland, boring 5 meal a day diet for 6 weeks now and have lost a few pounds. Thanks everyone for listening. BTW, trigger foods seem to be cheese ( I am allergic to dairy but used to be able to eat it). and soy milk, which I also used to be able to eat. I used to be able to drink like a fish and had to quit cold turkey. :confused:

Have you tried cutting out dairy to see if that helps?

I am just wondering because I have been keeping a journal for over 4 months now and I am trying to see if maybe there is a connection between certain food groups - or foods that are aggravating my acid or something. It seems that I have some normal triggers (chocolate, too much caffeine, carbonated beverages, citrus, etc.) - but I am willing to try eliminating say 'dairy' or 'nuts' or something to see if that helps.

Have any of you tried that? I hate the spasms they scare me bad.

Thanks everyone!!

I am new to this site and I feel sad for everyone that has written into this site, surely there must be something that can be done for this???????
I have been having stomach problems for nearly 23 years, it apparently first started with having to have over 120 injections of penicillin after I had my daughter. Due to that Drs told me I had developed Ulcerated Colitis. 3 years ago I was told I had Diverticular Disease, shortly after I had my Gallbladder removed due to a small growth being detected in it – the Gallbladder had been causing me problems for some 5 years before it was removed. It was around this same time that I started to get strange discomfort in my stomach area just near the bottom of my rib cage from left to right. It feels as though I have swelling under there at times and it twists and contracts randomly. Had a number of tests to determine anything and Drs said you have inflammation in the stomach, don’t eat chocolate and take Nexium if the pain gets bad.
After 5 years it has now got to a stage of having severe attacks with strong pain in centre of my breasts, burning in the throat, having bouts of swallowing continuously like there is something in my throat, swelling in the upper stomach and pain through to my back, up to my shoulder and up to my ears. These attacks make me have to lay down until I feel I can function again.
Recently I went to a specialist and he said that I may have Esophagus Spasming and that there wasn’t much could be done except take drugs like Nexium and others that I couldn’t even begin to spell.
Is this like the spasms that you all are having?
From reading everyone else’s, I feel we are all lumped into one area of “well it must be anxiety so take this drug and hopefully you’ll feel better” or “there isn’t anything we can do so live with it”
This is 2008 surely someone can help all these people on this site and me with a better diagnosis than we have all been given. I am at a loss with the medical Drs that I have seen and would like to go onto a path of getting to the bottom of this illness. Since mine has worsened I have restricted my diet even more than it was due to my other illnesses, lost weight, my job has been effected as I can’t function properly and I seem to spent a lot of time lying down or in bed sleeping.
Is there any other solution than this out there?

Trish22

Hi Trish,
I have edited this 3 times but the original has gone through. I was able to reread your post and be more specific. Hope this post goes through.
I have had esophageal spasms for about 30 years. My spasms only happen when I am eating, usually at the beginning of a meal but not always. My spasms are extremely painful, actually excruiating and are minutes in duration. I do not have reflux. I recently learned that esophageal spasms an irregurarity in the Vagus Nerve. This nerve uses Acetylcholine ( look this up), a neurotransmitter which is also important for memory. I was doing a search when I found this forum so I can't tell you anything more about it. Librax has helped with the frequency of my spasms and if I took it more than 1 time a day I probably wouldn't have them as often.
My sister went to the ER because she has a prolonged spasm like some on this board seem to have. Long story short, her spasms are controled with one of the PPI, not sure which one. She needed an infusion with medication to stop the spasm that brought her to the ER.
You related your problems to antibiotic use. I think you need to look into HEALING your gastrointestinal (GI)tract. Did you know that 80% of our immunity comes from our GI tract? I listen to a renowned nutritionist on a radio program and I have learned SO MUCH about immunity and neutraceuticals. Start by researching Probiotics, which reinnoculate your GI tract with the essential bacteria that the antibiotic wiped out. Lacotobacillus Bifidum is the first of 3 that you need. You may need to first heal your GI tract before taking the Probiotics so do some research or find a nutritionist that comes highly recommended to TREAT the problem not just the symptoms!
This is my 1st post so I don't know if I can say people or product names. In the meantime, I'll continue to search for more info and post what I find.
Hang in there.
megrandma

Thanks megagrandma,

Your symptoms are most like mine. I am finally going to go to a doctor. I think I will print out your information and bring it with me. Lately (in the last two weeks) the spasms have been triggering unexpectedly...even when I have chewed my food very carefully. They don't get relieved easily by deep breathing or after I've made myself throw up (which is unusual.) The spasming feels more out of control then ever before. I'm thinking the espophagus is more irritated by foods I've eaten lately. Tonight for examply the spasm wouldn't let up for about 10 minutes. I decided to chew and swallow two tums and that did stop it. On occasion I have taken a nitroglycerin tablet under the tongue, (which relaxes smooth muscles), and that has helped but recently in a restaurant, it didn't....how disappointing.

As you said, this is a spasm which occurs after I've taken some food and not chewed well enough, especially in the first few bites. It is near the lower end of the esophagus. Sometimes I realize I haven't chewed carefully before It constricts and I am thinking.."oh no, it's going to happen"..and it does. Major salivation, retching, pain, tearing occur on particular occasions. I've sometimes thought, "I'm going to die right now because this is taxing my body so much in so many different ways." The vegal connection makes sense considering all the symptoms and the intensity of the symptoms.

So anyway, this is my first posting. I just joined a few minutes ago. I hope this gets to you. I am 68 years old, have a pretty relaxed life with little stress at this time.

Sammy

Hi jchapp,

I'm new to the site as of tonight. I will print up your information and take it with me to the doctor. I will also take megrandma's information with me.

Your fainting concerns me. What do the doctor's say about that?

Sammy

Hi, all,
I've been reading this board today and decided to register so I can pass on to all of you what worked for me. In a word, magnesium. I was having esophageal spasms that were happening at all times of the day. At the office, at home in bed, in restautants, eating or not eating. A lot of you say yours are fluttery feeling...mine were so painful I thought I was having a heart attack. This all began a few years ago and can probably be traced to my taking a diuretic as one of my blood pressure meds. I'm not saying it will be the answer for all of you, but I'd be willing to bet a lot of you can find relief. I found out by accident...no doctor is going to tell you this...mine sure didn't. Google 'esophageal spasms' and 'magnesium' & see for yourself. I started taking magnesium oxide and for a year...no spasms! Then they started up again and I found out about all the different forms of magnesium and that mag oxide is a pretty poor form & you don't absorb much of it. I have found the form & dosage that works for me and am back to enjoying a life without the spasms. Every person is different and will need to find what works best for them. One thing you have to watch out for is that too much magnesium can cause diarrhea, but you experiment until you find what's right for you. There are a lot of good websites out there with loads of info about magnesium. Study up and give it a shot...it was a miracle for me.
Good luck to you all.

I have had esophageal spasms for about 35 years. Mine are as painful as a labor contraction! Not just fluttering: That's for sure! I have been taking Librax with fair control. I have heard it can be caused by a "imbalance" of the Vagus Nerve? I tried accupuncture with poor results. It's funny that you have found that Magnesium works because it also works very well for those horrid leg cramps that I get at night. I'm sure that it has also working on my spasms without even realizing it.
You may be interested in something I found out about these spasms: I had very few when I was the Adkins Diet as did a friend of mine? Can it be too many bad Carbs? Don't know. I do know that I am so grateful that YOU made the connection. How did you make the connection anyway? I Thank you very much!

Hi Tommy,

Have you seen a doctor yet?
Look for the posting from Marsha. She has had relief of her spasms with Magnesium. I use magnesium for leg cramps-----who knew!After reading your post, however, I think that your prolonged spasms sound so much like my sister's and hers were caused by reflux after eating fatty foods. I had to take her to the ER because it would not let up! She does not get them anymore since her reflux is controlled with one of the reflux medication, an H2 Blocker. They can be purchased over the counter now in lower doses. If one of them works that may give you a clue to the cause. But be sure to follow up with a doctor. Good luck

i have a nasty nasty digestive system. i mean its almost 4 in the morning, i'm tired as hell and i can't lay down because i will choke and my whatever inside me will push up against my whatever else and i'll feel weird feelings in my sternum area. (meaning i have no idea what's going on in there but it's fricking annoying me and i can't sleep)

anyways, i've been given all kinds of fun pills that don't do ANYTHING and i even take anxiety pills because it all sets off a fun string of adrenalin fun that makes me think i'm going to keel over.

i'm really starting to think that digestive problems (except for structural defects) can only be cured by lowering your stress level and eating really well. getting any kind of supplements you need (probiotics or magnesium or whatever else you are short on) and just believing that you are healing yourself. i've given up on doctors.

i swear to god doctors never suffer from any kind of pain and are so not in tune with what we are going through. so they prescribe a pill and do a few tests and send you on your way.

they should make it mandatory that all gastro docs have to be given an ulcer or gerd or whatever for six months when they are in school so they can feel the bloody pain and discomfort we do.