Sometimes i have breathing difficulties and my chest feel tight what is it?

Are those youre only symptoms? You need to elaborate a little more. I have those symptoms also.

That is actually my main symptom. It happens for me when I reflux back into my lungs. I have 3 sphincters which are not working properly from the base of my throat to the top of my stomach. They are allowing the acid to go up further and splash onto my lungs.

I also have gastritis, esophagitis, a hiatal hernia and IBS. All of these cause swelling which pushes up against my diaphragm and that also causes shortness of breath.

Have you had an endoscopy or pH Probe done yet? Both of these helped determine my issues.

Ugh, my chest has been feeling tight all day, especially when I woke up. This is a new symptom that I have. Then I had like a itching or weakness feeling in my chest, especially after I ate a small meal today. Didnt you say that means you healing on the inside?

Then I had like a itching or weakness feeling in my chest, especially after I ate a small meal today. Didnt you say that means you healing on the inside?


Hi Gar,

Yes, my doctor did tell me this was the inside healing. However because my problem is so bad right now I keep refluxing more and more so I continued to have the tight chest.

Just stay away from your trigger foods. Take your medicine like you are supposed to. Do not skip any and try to relax. I know that's easier said than done but stress/anxiety makes reflux worse. That is why I decided to take the anti-anxiety medication. I couldn't control anxiety on my own and my reflux was getting really bad.

Chest tightness is also a sign of anxiety. I know you had a stressful weekend in anticipation of your procedure so that might have had something to do with it.

Actually, I just got off the phone with my GI and they are going to take me on Weds. morning bright and early at 6:30 a.m for the endoscopy!!!! I will be so glad when all of this is over. I played video games last night and it got my mind off of this for a while.

I had severe reflux for years and what cured me (yes, cured) was Pine Nut Oil. Im not allowed to post links on this board for whatever reason (according to the rules) but do a search in a popular search engine and use the words, "natural cure" or "natural" plus "heal gastritis"... something like that.

Ive been taking Pine Nut Oil for 2 years now -- more a maintenance dose after the first few months -- and my reflux continues to be non-existant. I can drink a can of tomato soup and go to bed and not get the reflux. I do notice if I stop the Oil that within a couple of weeks I will start getting symptoms again... so then I may step up the dose from maintenance to regular for a week or so.... til symptoms again disappear.

I had breathing problems, severe laryngeal/pharyngeal reflux where my vocal cords were bathed in the nasty acid.... hoarseness so annoying that I had to loudly grate my throat daily and often.... sore throats, bouts of laryngitis, gas and bloating, burping, anxiety from all the annoying symptoms.... chest weirdness... burning.... swallowing difficulties, pain, etc.

All GONE. Went off all meds, OTC and Rx, within a few weeks of starting the Pine Nut Oil.

I wish everyone could take it and get the same results as I had. I was a step away from surgery, at (then) age 30. Im totally fine now and the quality of life is a lot beter without all those nasty and uncomfortable symptoms, thats for sure!

Btw, i dont work for a Pine nut oil company or have anything to do with the one I order mine from. Just I found an awesome product that really works! And want to share that, peace...


FarmGirl

HI FARMGIRL,
The breathing problem i have all day from the minute i open my eyes to the minute i close them. I also have the chest pain and tightness. I am allergic to nuts do you think i can still have the pine nut oil and if so where do i get it?? I will try anything i have a family to take care of and i am only a 34 year old women. I feel like this has destroyed my life.

Hi, Farm Girl --

Do you think that eating pine nuts would help, like on a salad? Or does it have to be the oil? Thanks for sharing your experience. I'm willing to try just about anything. I used to be so skeptical of the home remedies.

I'm honestly not sure about the nuts.... I never tried those. The oil I use is from off the Internet and is expensive but WELL WORTH it!

Please look into it. I wish we could put links in here, I dont know why we cant??

Wow Farmgirl. I am trying to find info on ordering this now and if it would help I would be forever grateful!! I have (as so many others here) been suffering with this God awful reflux (LPR) in the worst possible way since May! Every single day even while taking HUGE amounts of medicines both prescribed and OTC and STILL having trouble. I'm going to try pine nuts until I order and receive the oil.

Thanks so much for sharing. (I'll post an update on how it worked for me) :)

Yes, i was able to go off ALL Rx meds (I was on my 4th one for Reflux) and also ALL OTC meds... i used to keep a bottle of liquid Maalox in my car and a baggie of TUMS in my purse at all times.... in addition to a bottle also of TUms, in the car.... i didnt realize just how much it impacted my life until the problem was gone. The stuff was like a miracle for me and i hope for you and others too!! I had a BAD bad case and its been totally gone....
I noticed a different within just a few days, too, not like weeks and weeks.

God bless!

I do this also. Liquid Maalox is always in my car, a huge Tums bottle follows me everywhere (even to bed!) I am on the third medication change. Currently prilasec40mg twice per day as well as Zantac 300mg before bed. Still I choke.:(

Thanks again. :)

How do you eat this pine nut oil? Do you pour it over your rice or veggies? Or do you drink it from a cup? I'm willing to try anything at this time too. Do you know if there are any long term effects from drinking pine nut oil?

THANKS!

I pour it into a teaspoon and just drink it. Its fine... doesnt have some awful taste or anything. i just drink it and chase it, with that full glass of water, no big deal.

I dont believe it interacts with anything.

Only long term affects i know of are WAY IMPROVED digestive health! You would think i work for the company that makes this stuff but I dont!

I broke down and called my doctor last night because my chest tightness and SOB was getting to be too much. He was wonderful and talked me through the entire ordeal.

He explained to me that reflux will cause the esophagus to spasm which then tightens the chest. This also causes shortness of breath. He said the sensation is like someone is standing on your chest and you can't get a full breath of air in which is equivalent to what heart attack survivors claim their heart attack felt like.

He is going to up my medication a little more to get rid of the reflux. His next option is Reglan which I have never been on. I am also going to get that pine nut oil. As I said....I'm willing to try anything at this point.

I just wanted to give everyone the news since I know most of us on this board suffer from what I've written about.

Good luck!!

Did he say it can kill u? It cant, right? ?

thanks for sharing this!!

Did he say it can kill u? It cant, right? ?

thanks for sharing this!!

He said that it would NOT kill me. This is a normal side effect to someone with severe reflux. I do not drink alcohol but you did reference beer in one of your posts and he said that was the absolute WORST thing you could do if you have reflux. Something in beer triples the amount of acid your stomach will produce thus causing your reflux to triple in severity.

I can often feel my esophagus spasm so I know that the chest tightness is about to begin. Reglan is supposed to strengthen the lower sphincters which allow the reflux to occur and move food through your digestive tract faster so as to not allow the acid to build up.

It is so nice to know I am not alone in this. And my doctor truly is wonderful. He made sure I did not have a full fledged panic attack and kept repeating to me this would not kill me.

I am 30 years old,I have suffered from Acid reflux for about 2 years, i had a camera test and it showed Grade 2 Acid Reflux. I take 1 losec every day and i rarely get any burning sensation. However for over 6 months now i get very short of breath and it felt like i was going to stop breathing, i have been to hospital and am now seeing a specialist. I also have a post nasal drip that causes me to need to clear my throat alot. They have checked me for ashma, they have done a camera test in my lungs and its clear, my heart is fine and my blood preasure is fine but they cannot tell me what is making me get so short of breath. It is taking over my life as i have to cancel meetings, cannot do presentations any more and dont like traveling in case it gets worse. Would it be possible that my acid reflux could affect my breathing this much without causing any burning sensation? If so how is it treated. I feel a bit better to hear that i am not the only one with this condition

It is VERY possible for reflux to affect your breathing and not feel any burning sensation. I do not feel any burn but I do feel the acid in my esophagus. It no longer makes me choke or cough like it does my husband because I've had it for so long. My GI told me over time your body becomes numb to the pain of it.

I also have a post nasal drip. All of these things wreak havoc on breathing.

What happens is the acid refluxes back into your esophagus and hits the nerves going to your lungs. This causes your esophagus to spasm which feels like heart palps but it's not. From there your esophagus begins to tighten up which is where the "tight chest" feeling comes from. As I posted earlier it is like someone is standing on your chest and you can barely breathe.

Like you I have had to miss work, social events and cancel presentations for work. I can not even breathe well enough to take my son around the block most days.

My doctor is getting ready to put me on Reglan to strenthen the lower sphincter. It is this sphincter which is allowing the acid to come up and do this kind of damage to my breathing. All my lung tests are normal and my CT scans show no lung damage. It is truly just an angry esophagus. :D

Good luck!

I am 30 years old,I have suffered from Acid reflux for about 2 years, i had a camera test and it showed Grade 2 Acid Reflux. I take 1 losec every day and i rarely get any burning sensation. However for over 6 months now i get very short of breath and it felt like i was going to stop breathing, i have been to hospital and am now seeing a specialist. I also have a post nasal drip that causes me to need to clear my throat alot. They have checked me for ashma, they have done a camera test in my lungs and its clear, my heart is fine and my blood preasure is fine but they cannot tell me what is making me get so short of breath. It is taking over my life as i have to cancel meetings, cannot do presentations any more and dont like traveling in case it gets worse. Would it be possible that my acid reflux could affect my breathing this much without causing any burning sensation? If so how is it treated. I feel a bit better to hear that i am not the only one with this condition

Can u describe your shortness of breathe symtpoms? Like does it feel like you are being suffocated? Or is it a different sensation?

I have post nasal drop too, and think the reflux - post nasal combo DOES make it all worse.

Were u ever tested for gastroparesis? (Its a stomach condition... i have it, and i think it contributes to my trouble breathing symptom).

Is the breathing worse after eating, or after a long period NOT eating? Or does it make a difference?

I am sorry u have this problem.... I have almost left work early when the breathing thing happens.... somehow i have toughed it out but a few times i was really frightened, and also hoped noone would speak to me because while speaking I would not have been able to hide my distress/trouble breathing.... like gasps at times, then ok... then really slow inhale, trying to get to the "top" of my breathe.... (and cant).... discomfort, distress.. its insane, really.

It is good though, yes, to know we arent alone. That others can relate.... because I have felt alone in this too, its a weird kind of thing to have.

Of course there are several things that come to mind that has caused me to have experienced a similar symptom. Honestly, I thought that I might be having a heart attack because it was if my throat was closing and pain in my jaw.
I have had G.E.R.D. for over 35 years and now, at 55 yo, I finally had my first endoscope done.
The discovery: hiatal hernea (this would have been detected when they did your endoscope); H-Pylori bacteria attacking the lining of my stomach (this bacteria has been found to cause stomach ulcers, gastritus and stomach cancer). I am now taking a PrevPac to eradicate the bacteria that is comprised of 3K mg of antibiotics. I understand this will help me a lot when the germ is no longer destroying the lining of my stomach.
The acid was going up into my esophagus causing a sort of spasm. I especially noticed this would happen if I took aspirin. I thought it would be a good idea to start the low dose aspirin routine, but I am not able to take it at all.
Then there is always the possibility of C.O.P.D. I would think you doc would have found this, but it never hurts to ask specifically about it to rule it out.
Hope this has been helpful to you. All we can do is share our own persoanl experiences and educate ourselves. The best medicine is know what questions to ask when seeing your doctor.
Cassy:angel:

Hi to all! i have posted something on another thread but wanted to share it with you all in hopes it may help. I had SEVERE chest pain, tightness, No shortness of breath, but I felt dizzy due to pain at times. I was checked by cardiologist (which I would highly recommend), normal heart, and scoped by GI doctor. I have h pylori , did three different rounds of antibiotics... still have the bacteria...we are still working on that. But I also recently had my Gallbladder taken out. I feel MUCH better, not 100%, but definitely not such bad squeezing chest pain. My first Gallbladder ultrasound and hida scan was negative.... the 2nd tests after 9 months of suffering thru this was not. My gallbladder was 0% functional, and lots of small stones. Please have them check your gallbladder, it has changed my life. Also I take hyocymine ( ?spelling), a smooth muscle relaxer for the esophageal spasms and it does help. There are several prescription products that can help, I tried several, this one had the least side effects for me. I am definitely going to look up the pine nut oil, I still have the reflux no matter how little or what I eat, not bad, but the Dr. says its from the H pylori and til I get that cured this may help. Thanks good luck to all and God bless you!;)