Posts by rowdypuma79

placidtinker80 said:I’ve been dealing with gastritis for over two years now... but since last year, and especially lately, I keep getting this feeling like I can't catch my breath. My heart feels fine, everything else seems okay, but it keeps happening right along with nausea. Could those two things actually be linked? Thanks

It totally could... I'm guessing you're dealing with some serious bloating, which is probably why breathing feels like such a chore. Basically, all that gas in your gut pushes up against your diaphragm—kind of like it's "squeezing your lungs"—and messes with your breathing rhythm...
I deal with the whole breathing struggle and bloating mess myself... whenever I lie down, it gets a bit easier because the air moves lower down in my abdomen... but man, it's at its worst when I'm just standing or sitting around...

Carl Barrett11 said:I apologize for reviving such an old thread, but I am quite distressed and am hoping for some guidance. I have a doctor's appointment scheduled for this Thursday, but I am unsure how I will manage until then.

Over the last two days, I have been experiencing pain in my esophagus. It started in my throat before gradually migrating down, and now I am finding it difficult to breathe. I have no other symptoms, but the sensation is maddening—it feels as though a heavy weight has been placed on my chest. I also struggle with very low iron levels; could there be any connection between the two?

Is it actually possible for esophageal inflammation (in my case, specifically from acid reflux) to cause shortness of breath??? I don't really have much pain, just these absolutely brutal bouts of nausea...
My iron levels are fine... though I do know that being anemic can definitely cause breathing issues...

Can someone with some actual medical expertise walk me through these results...? (Like, are we looking at low numbers here... high... or just totally normal???)---

ANTI-SS-A 0.93
ANTI-SS-B 0.52
ANTI Sm 0.82
ANTI Sm/RNP 1.11
ANTI-Jo-l 0.52
ANTI-Scl-70 0.52

I also had p-ANCA MPO and c-ANCA PR-3 done, but I haven't gotten those results back yet...

Also, if you could explain what kind of diseases they were even testing me for???... I've been dealing with some pretty terrible health issues lately... and honestly, I'm freaking out a bit...
Thanks...

Jessica Brown7 said:It looks like I'm not the only one dealing with tachycardia. Mine usually kicks in right after I eat, and honestly, I think it might be something about the sparkling water I’ve been drinking. My fitness level is pretty much zero right now since I had to be stuck in bed for a while following surgery, but I can't figure out why this is happening. My stomach doesn't actually hurt, and I don't have issues with acid reflux or anything. As far as my heart goes, doctors say everything seems fine. It doesn't even happen every week.
Thanks

I’m dealing with breathing issues too, and it feels constant... ever since I had my gallbladder surgery. What exactly was your procedure?
There's a real chance you're struggling to breathe because of bloating and trapped gas... just general intestinal gas buildup.
I don't get much reflux either, and if I pass gas, it's barely noticeable... I just feel constantly bloated.
On top of all that, I’m dealing with nausea, dizziness... and a whole laundry list of other symptoms. Honestly, my doctors are at a total loss on how to help me anymore.
Also, I know a hiatal hernia can cause similar stuff
(like the racing heart, shortness of breath, etc.)... if I were you, I'd get an abdominal ultrasound to check for gas buildup and go talk to a gastroenterologist.
Stick to foods that don't bloat you up, and try to stay active... just some light walking and stuff like that.

I’ve been dealing with this absolute nightmare for about 8 months now... I'm currently on a cocktail of Prevacid, Rupurut, and Questran, but honestly? It feels like they aren't even doing much at this point.

Matthew Grant3 said:BILE REFLUX

I just stumbled across this article about bile reflux. The part that really caught my eye was how proton pump inhibitors (like Prilosec or Prevacid) might actually make things worse. For me, the symptoms kicked in right when I was going through that repeated triple therapy to wipe out H. pylori while I was on Prilosec.

I read that article too...
Honestly, dealing with this is such a grind... trying to overhaul your whole life—diet, sleep habits, you name it—it doesn't even help nearly as much as it does for standard acid reflux...
And for you, having that H. pylori infection in the mix definitely didn't make things easier...
On the bright side, at least you haven't had to go under the knife for your gallbladder like I did...
See? When all else fails, there’s surgery... like a Roux-en-Y... though apparently, the success rate is only somewhere between 50% and 90%...
I've got no clue why those specific symptoms hit you back then, though... maybe if some of the more experienced folks on here chime in, we'll actually get some real answers...

Can I get some input from anyone who actually knows their stuff when it comes to acid reflux? Like, what’s the best way to deal with it, how do you even treat it properly? Also, if you're currently stuck in the trenches dealing with this same mess, please weigh in. Let's swap stories and see what works.

Hey there...
I'm looking for some Cholestyramine (Questran) 4 g powder. I'm based out of Boston, but I haven't had any luck tracking this specific stuff down locally...
Does anyone know if it's easier to get ahold of this medication in the US? Like, where should I be looking, and does anyone have an idea what the price tag looks like?
Thanks...

Sean Brown86, I sent you a DM

Is there actually a problem here?... How would you even diagnose something like this?... I don't get it... and then what? Even if we figure it out, what's the next move?

So, I guess I’m officially joining the club too... I've been dealing with these breathing issues and digestion problems for about four months now. I've gone through all sorts of tests and doctors, but honestly? Everything just feels exactly the same.

I've been dealing with this shortness of breath and that weird "lump in my throat" sensation for way too long now. I finally went in for a spirometry test today, and honestly, I’m looking for a doctor or maybe even a med student (I'm pretty sure there are a few hanging out on this forum 🙂...) to help me make sense of these results. This whole thing is just total gibberish to me...

Drew Jones26 said:So, they're sending you for a CT scan because of the dizziness. If that comes back clear, they'll likely push for an MRI just because it gives a way more detailed picture.
On a side note, about those dizzy spells—I deal with something almost identical every once in a while. Except for me, it's been going on for nearly a year now, and it still hits me out of nowhere. I had my MRI done, everything looked fine, but turns out it’s an ear thing for me. When it hits, I can barely even get out of bed.
Did you have an ear infection right before this started? Did the vertigo hit you all at once? Are you feeling nauseous too? Any neck issues? What kind of tests have you actually gone through so far? Dizziness is such a wildcard—it could be anything from your vestibular system or neurological stuff to your neck, or even just stress and anxiety...

For me, the dizziness kicked in after gallbladder surgery... though I did deal with frequent ear infections back in the day... it started off gradual, but eventually, it turned into a total "ocean" of spinning. I had an AV test done... doctor said it was spontaneous nystagmus grade II???... I was taking Urutol... Bilobil Forte and Vitamin E... which helped dial down the dizziness a bit... but I still have this weird sensation in my head. It feels like one part of my brain is constantly asleep... I'm perpetually exhausted... and I feel like I'm about to pass out. Plus, I've got GI issues too, and my mental health has basically hitched a ride on all of this. I deal with nausea every single day, but that's from bile reflux... and honestly, I'm stuck in bed most of the time. Since that surgery, I've felt terrible... choking sensations... nausea... vertigo... it's just awful. I've done countless tests, and yet nobody seems to be able to pin down what's actually causing all this.

Can someone please help me make sense of this CT scan report?
Diagnosis: VERTIGO SYNDROME
BRAIN CT:
The brain was scanned using transverse slices at 8mm intervals without contrast. On the scans provided, there are no areas of abnormal density within the brain parenchyma in the infratentorial region.
The III ventricle, IV ventricle, and lateral ventricles all show normal shape and width.
Sulci on the cerebral convexity are appropriately deep.
Conclusion: Brain CT shows no significant pathomorphological changes in the brain parenchyma. An MRI of the brain is recommended.

Look, I know I’m just a layperson here, but I'm assuming this isn't anything major, right??? But honestly, it's still bugging me—why are they pushing for an MRI... is there actually some suspicion of something going on??? Just to add some context, I've been dealing with these brutal dizzy spells for about three months now... this weird sensation in my head... like it doesn't even belong to me... one part of it feels off... I don't even know how to put it into words... I constantly feel like I'm about to pass out... and I'm just perpetually exhausted.
Thanks...

Amanda Gray77 said:No, it’s actually not the same thing as acid reflux (GERD), even though everyone seems to lump them together.

Has anyone here dealt with bile reflux after gallbladder surgery? What kind of symptoms are you getting, and what meds are actually helping? I’ve heard people say bile can travel "south" and mess up your digestion, or go "north" toward your throat and leave that bitter taste in your mouth. Apparently, they say it just settles down about a year after the surgery. Is that actually true? Anyone else going through this right now?

I’ve got bile reflux myself, started right after my gallbladder surgery. I’m dealing with daily nausea, though I’m honestly not sure if that's directly from the reflux or something else entirely.