My 4month saga - astma/Gerd/??

[Janster]

Please excuse, just venting... 4 months ago, my chest got really tight. Could've been due to stress at the time - not really sure (I was pissed off at my job more than stress itself). I also had an anxiety kinda feeling in the upper part of my chest. Almost 2 weeks later, this tightness continued (I wasn't worried about it being serious)....I went to the ER and everthing turned up normal (EKG, lung xray, blood pressure, etc). They suspected stress and/or asthma. Gave me an inhaler and Xanax. Xanax relaxed me but that anxiet feeling didn't go away and the inhaler didn't do anything either. Went to the doctor - blood tests, pulmonary tests, all normal. Gave me Advair (which cleared up the tightness and eventually the anxiety feeling).
However - as soon as chest symptoms went away, I developed a strange throat sensation/soreness. I was on Advair for 3 months before getting an appointment wit Pulmonary specialist. Took me off Adviar and on Singulair - assuming I have asthma (I have a history of allergies). Throat soreness is still there - feels like a large lump in my throat. About 4 weeks later - still taking Singulair ...and the throat isn't improving. Feels 'restricted' now.
Went to a Gastroenterologist last week - very nice doctor - prescribed me with Protonix and scheduled an endoscopy for Dec 7th. Since then, I discovered my mom is on protonix and my father has had esophogus type problems also.....

My throat has been feeing better (not 100%) during the day - but after having 4 tacos (a normal meal and amount for me) this evening....feels like the food is taking forever to digest and I'm clearing my throat a lot (I have a long history of this also) and my saliva glands are working overtime it seems.

This is sooo weird to me....I've never had any problems in the past with heartburn or acid reflux related symptoms. Most things I've had over the years... (clearing my throat a lot after meals, drainage in back of my throat, allergies, etc) These things I just considered normal....

So I'm reading information about GERD and seeing how all this stuff can be related to GERD..... Is it possible that you can be symptom free for years and all of a sudden be hit with symptoms & problems?

Here's hoping they find 'something' during the endoscopy test - and hoping they can prescribe something to relieve this issue I've been dealing with for 4 months now.... Right now...about 6 hours after I ate, the lump in my throat is back and feels like something is stuck in there. Go figure...

The saga continues...
Oh and....since Protonix prevents your stomach from producing too much stomach acid - how's that affect your digestion ? Compared to how you've been accustomed to it over the years? Does that mean, less acid - longer digestive times? Or will it simply mean I'll feel uncomfortable till the food is digested?

[Gar2007]

Wow your symptoms sound similar to mine! Especially the throat clearing, throat problems, and chest problems. My symptoms hit all of a sudden as well, started with a lump in throat. If you read my other posts, my endoscopy showed gastritis and esophagitis. They are running other tests to make sure it is GERD/Acid Reflux.

Thats a good question about Protonix, I am ready to try a new medicine. I've been on it for 5 weeks and it seems to not work that well. Let us know what happens and good luck!

[Janster]

Originally Posted by Gar2007

Wow your symptoms sound similar to mine! Especially the throat clearing, throat problems, and chest problems. My symptoms hit all of a sudden as well, started with a lump in throat. If you read my other posts, my endoscopy showed gastritis and esophagitis. They are running other tests to make sure it is GERD/Acid Reflux.

Thats a good question about Protonix, I am ready to try a new medicine. I've been on it for 5 weeks and it seems to not work that well. Let us know what happens and good luck!

Thanks!

I've been reading and reading and trying to learn from all this. Perhaps I should nearly starve myself and I won't have any symptoms to feel? (laugh) and I'd lose weight too!! ..... <--trying to be funny....

I've only been on the Protonix for a few days its becoming obvious, the digestive tract isn't feeling the same as it has my entire life. I'm not worried - atleast not yet.... After all the other things I've tried that haven't worked - atleast this is something different and a step towards getting fixed up.

I also take Allegra D at night to help me sleep (been taking this for years). Last night I decided NOT to take it and see what happens. Well - either that was a bad idea or just my system is sooo messed up right now...I had a hard time getting warm and a hard time getting to sleep.
I think when my 40th birthday hits in a few weeks - my body is just gonna give up.

It's nice to have folks to chat with here....Thankyou for listening and Good Luck to you!! I'll have to check out your thread...

[Timbrado]

Janster,
what you are describing sounds typical of gerd; even the salivary glands overworking is a symptom comon to gerd, called water brash; you might want to cut back on things like tacos for a while; also , have smaller meals; this p;roblem also seemed to hit me all of a sudden, but of course i recognized symtoms from the past...keep taking your ppi, have the scope, etc.; as miserable as it seems, it is a managable condition...
good luck!

[Janster]

Thanks Gang,

I've never ever had problems with heartburn in the past. This past weekend I didn't feel very well and I didn't even eat anything yet.

I ended up taking some over the counter stuff (xantac) and that helped greatly. Just seems weird that all this heartburn trouble started after taking the Protonix. Is this because I don't have as much acid in my stomach to digest what I eat compared to before?

All this time - the lump in my throat is still there and I swear there really is something in my throat. Dec 7th seems like sooooo long away!

Thanks again for the help/guidance!