This year I have had so many medical issues, starting with GERD/exp spasms. I dont get it, I am 32 yrs old, in great shape and eat healthy. I first started having these sharp shooting chest pains over 6 months back which got worse and worse. I saw two doctors that said it was an inflammed chest wall,though I knew better. I saw another doctor who sent me in for a test to make sure it was not my heart. When that came back clear, he said he thought it was esp spasms, though I really do not have heart burn or indegestion, though I have had blotting and some other stomach issues. He put me on Aciphex and once I was done with the prescription, I was sooo much better. Its been months since I have taken anything, and the spasms are not so frequent now. Well, tonight I was at the gym doing cardio and all of a sudden I had this crazy feeling in my chest which made actually gasp out loud and grab my chest. I think the people next to me thought I was going down, it then happened again (but not as strong) so I went home. The 2nd time if felt like it was deep in my heart.

How do I know if this is GERD again or a spasm? What if it is heart related this time? How do I know?

Does anyone else go through this? I certainly was anxious and "panicky" after. It didnt help that we had an earthquake when I got home (live in SF).

Feedback appreciated!

It's odd because I get that feeling sometimes too, it makes my want to cough , like a feeling that my heart skipped. I just started with that and it freaks me out...I recently had an echo and it came back fine, I wonder if it's gastro related! I am only 35 so I know how you feel, I just want to be healthy again, between the breathing and now that I feel like a 90 year old!
:(

Last night when I was trying to sleep it was really bad, and it was hard to swallow. I dont really want to go back on meds, but is that the only treatment? I dont want it to lead to cancer! Do I need to get an endo?

I know exactly how you feel. I had those skipped heart beats all they found was a small heart murmur. I had an endoscopy and I have esophagitis and gastritis. I was told by my GI that chest pains from GERD can feel like a heart attack. Have you seen a GI to have an endoscopy done?

I think we all have the same diagnosis. esphogitis, gastritis. It's basically inflammation from the acid but they have to give it official names. Many times the skipped heartbeat is from anxiety and stress, it probably has nothing to do with acid reflux.

How does one differentiate between cardiac pain and pain from acid reflux?
What is the exact location of the pain in acid reflux? I am concerned I will not be able to tell the difference between the two. Can anyone describe what the pain feels like and where it occurs? Thank you.

P.S.
It bothers me that our doctors compare the reflux pain to that resulting from a heart attack. Unless the patient has had an MI, he/she would not know how the pain feels. Likewise, how would the doctor saying this know how bad the heart attack pain can be, and how it compares to acid reflux pain, unless he's had both? I personally don't think there's any type of pain that's worse than the pain from an MI. Why not just give a good description of what can be expected in acid reflux instead?