Really getting bad. (will be long)

[hypomom]

Ok, so I have to backtrack.

About 2 months ago I woke up in the middle of the night with terrible waves of pain in my chest (left side) and it radiated to my back, throat and left arm. Went to my PCP and was given EKG and told she would refer me to a cardiologist. Well, after paperwork mess ups it took 2 weeks to get the nurse in charge of referrals to call me back to set it up. SHE then decided I should see a gastrologist first and made that appointment quickly and set the cardio appointment for mid april.

Well of COURSE the mention by the doctor that I might even need to see a cardiologist put this heart worrier into overdrive. SO, a week after the 1st "attack" I end up in the ER. They do a EKG and heart enzyme test and chest xray and all comes back ok but also state it wouldn't hurt to followup with cardiologist but they think it's GERD.

So, I go to the gastro appointment yesterday. It lasted a total (with the nurse) 2 minutes. She checked my bp and temp. Then the doctor came in, asked my symptoms, inturrupted me halfway through and told me to lay down. He listened to my stomach and pushed on a few places. Never asked how it felt when he pushed. He had me sit up and asked who in my family has had cancer and what type. He then walked out. He was with me a total of 3 minutes. The nurse then comes back in and has a schedule book and says I need a endoscopy, colonoscopy and ultrasound. She tells me it will be on March 5th (doesn't ask if that works for me) and gives me a stack of papers on how to "prep" for it.

Needless to say, I got in my car and cried my eyes out.
I immediately am thinking they are suspecting stomach, colon or some other cancer.
I get home and start googling. Bad I know but i just couldn't help myself. BUT one site I found gave me some relief. I found a med board where TONS of people were having my same exact symptoms and it is caused by esophagual spasms due to acid reflux (GERD) and it helped by anxiety medicine and anti acid meds and diet change.

So, now my choice is to try to go to yet another doctor and get a 2nd opinion (not like i really got a first though) and get some anxiety meds or go ahead and have the tests the first doctor has ordered. Invasive procedures scare the crap out of me so I am really against it unless absolutely needed.

[marc]

First, I am not sure how old you are. Second, the GI physician you saw needs a lesson in
bedside manner. MY friend who is an internist/cardiologist said that some physicians jump
immediately to do the most extensive testing possible, in order to rule out something
serious, even though the likelihood of anything being wrong is remote. In 2005, I begin to
have pain in my right side and it radiated to my back. I also got a burning sensation in my
back whenever I ate anything. I had a multitude of tests, in the following sequence;
abdominal ultrasound, abdominal/pelvic MRI with and without contrast, Thallium stress test and
finally EGD. The only reason I did not have a colonoscopy is that I had one the year before. It turned
out that I had an esophageal ulcer with a slight hiatal hernia. I was put on nexium and the ulcer went
away. I have been to the GI physician a multitude of times and your symptoms seem GERD related as
I have had similar symptoms.

[hypomom]

You know, he didn't even offer (or give me a chance to ask for) anything to relieve me some. I guess suffering for 2 weeks before the tests is ok with him. 

[floridaguy65]

Hi. Sorry you're amped up. Sorry your GI Doc experience wasn't pleasant.

IMHO, I would absolutely NOT schedule these tests until you have recieved a 2nd opinion. And, I would definitely keep in mind that there is a very HIGH probability that you do not even need these tests. You have had a lot of recent medical intervention looking for serious stuff...nothing has come up. This is great:) Peeps, of all walks of life get heartburn and acid reflux. When it becomes a little more prevelant or it affects our lifestyle a little bit more, Docs call it GERD. Overwhelmingly, GERD can be treated, initially, with diet change and medicine. And, then, after the appropriate time, a further protocol can be discussed if the situation hasn't improved enough. GERD and many GI issues are directly related to and / or are exascerbated by chronic anxiety / stress. Peeps with HA often go through a battery of invasive med testing because of the symtpoms of GI issues (GERD / IBS). Med testing is incredibly counterproductive to our healing path, when it is medically unneeded or given for our "peace of mind". I am not telling you to not have med testing. My concern would be, as it has been shown so very often with HA peeps, that we use medical testing to help us with our overall anxiety issues...our overall sense of feeling 'not right'. I understand we feel crappy...I understand that we percieve we need med testing (we are scared - it is how HA can operate).

You have HA / Anxiety. This is known. So, to me, it is always better for us to lean towards making sure we really need medical testing. This is difficult. We feel we have to have it in order to "protect" ourselves and our well-being and the well-being of our familes, as we don't want to leave them behind. Our Docs will often push med testing as it covers their rear-end and it makes them $$. It is also part of their job to give us med testing when needed. It is certainly a precarious slope....the HA patient and Med Doc relationship.

It's tough giving advice on this forum often, as we cant play the role of Doctor. But, we can look at our own past experience and we can look at the well-defined history of HA (and all it's normal patterns of behavior) and we can, hopefully, use this info to help us frame a quality decision about our health protocol. And part, of this decision making process HAS TO include, IMHO, that history has shown us that we can treat a lot of our aches and pains and symptoms and physical manifestations by focusing most of our energy and resources on our mental health challenges. And we can, often, treat the same with minor medical intervention, as opposed to serious, anxiety provoking, costly, invasive med testing. And, we can treat the same, often, with some lifestyle changes (diet and exercise and learning and stress reduction).

What's going on in your anxiety help, currently?

Peace and Feel Well:)

[MrMoleHill]

I've had a few episodes of extremely intense heartburn at night, that radiates throughout my chest, back, and throat.  It was horrible stabbing pain, and I was ready to call an ambulance if it persisted. However, I realized it was due to over-indulging in food (junk) and drink (beer) late at night, and then trying to go to bed with it still rotting in my gut.

As Marc said above, the doctor probably did this in order to rule out something serious.  It seems like he hears the sound of horses hooves, but is ruling out zebras first.  If he's an opportunist, and he knows your a hypo, than this would be his way of "practicing medicine".

If this was one particular isolated episode, and these symptoms have not recurred, and you have no other symptoms, and you seem to be fine now, I personally would also reconsider running the gamut of these tests before proceeding.   Keep us posted.

 

[hypomom]

Thank you for the replies. I have been having these issues daily for 2 months. Last night was another really bad night but some days it's just annoying. Flordiaguy I almost cried in the 1st paragraph of your reply. I am NOT the test taker HA sufferer. Actually, the thought of any invasive test gets me extremely anxious. Just you argeeing another opinion is ok, made me relax some. I have HA AND phobias and tests/medications (fear of allergice reactions) are my phobia.
I researched GERD a lot today, went and bought some Zantac and have changed my diet. I was drinking tea daily and have cut that out today. I found a GERD diet and am following it. I am feeling somewhat better already.