Chest pain, dazy, lightheaded, phlegm, fatigue, shortness of breath, bouding pulse

Roscoe36 · 08-31-2006, 07:01 PM

Ok, this might be a little long, but I want to get it all out there. I have been experiencing chest pain for more than a year now. I am 28 and used to party pretty regularly, including heavy drinking and some things I shouldn't do (let's just leave it at that), and for a long time thought that it was that.

Anyway, about ten months ago, I was painting my apartment and the chest pain was so bad that I had my cousin take me to the ER. Complete work up and I was deemed ok. Then I went to a doctor and had an EKG and an echocardiogram and was clear on both. So I went on with my life.

Over the past four months, the pain got worse and I realized that it was much worse after a night of heavy drinking. I also noticed that when I drank I would get VERY rapid heart beats (don't know the exact BPM). Soon, I was dazy and lightheaded most days and get short of breath and sweat during not so heavy exertion (however, I have no problem running on the treadmill, etc.). Therefore, worrying that this was my heart (I was convinced I had cardiomyopathy and congestive heart failure), I saw three cardiologists and had another echo, numerous EKGs, exercise stress test, 24 hour holter monitor, and recently a cardiac CT. My girlfriend thinks I am crazy to get all these tests, but the pain and weird symptoms I feel are scary as hell. I have stopped drinking, as the throbbing pulse in my neck is too scary to be worth it.

Although I am still not convinced that the heart is not involved, from reading on this site, I think I may have some sort of GERD, especially since the CT showed a hiatal hernia and the pain and heavy breathing is MUCH worse at night. Also, I feel like I always have phlegm in my throat and lower nasal area and can never get rid of it. The pain is just on the left side of my sternum and sometimes in my lower left back side (at bottom of ribs). I also feel like my chest is much fuller on the left side than the right side.

I have been on protonix for about a week but it hasn't done anything.

Can this be GERD???? Thanks in advance to anyone that answers, as I am a newcomer who is really concerned!!!

Roscoe36 · 08-31-2006, 08:52 PM

I should add that all the heart tests showed no problems. So can these symptoms be caused by GERD, including being tired and out of it all the time?

honeydew677 · 08-31-2006, 09:22 PM

I was recently diagnosed with GERD, I can tell you those are my exact symptoms. I have been on Nexium for about a month. I feel a little better but my chest kills me besides the fact that I am always choking on the lump in my throat or the phlegm that feels like glue that I cant hack up. I am new to GERD as well and my dr is not one for bedside manner, so I am learning alot on this site. Keep reading and good luck!

Roscoe36 · 08-31-2006, 09:33 PM

Thanks, honeydew. Do you also feel the strong heart beats when you drink alcohol? To me, in addition to the general feeling of being out of it and waking up with a racing heart rate in the middle of the night, this is the scariest. Good luck to you.

honeydew677 · 08-31-2006, 09:44 PM

I havent drank alcohol in a while, but sometimes just getting out of bed or walking from the house to the car my chest hurts so bad and I get out of breath I feel like I am going to pass out.