Hello Garry, Thanks for posting, From your description you are most likely suffering from a gastric diseases such as ulcer or gastritis or acid reflux which may have occurred as a result of too much starvation, infection with H. pylori, alcohol consumption/cigarette smoking etc. Since this is your first experience, it will be wise enough to see a doctor who can confirm/rule out my suspicion and maybe provided with an appropriate medication such as a proton pump inhibitor such as omeprazole or h2 inhibitor such as cimetidine or ranitidine etc. or antacids (such as magnesium hydroxide) Other possible causes of your piercing pain could have originated from your heart as a coronary artery diseases which makes me still suggest you will need a doctor to examine you properly. Some tests such as to determine the presence of H. pylori and maybe an endoscopy could be done. Hope this helps