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Suggest Treatment For Chest Pain When Eating Starchy Food
Question: I have chest pain and it's been going on for over 2 years now. All doctors I see tell me the same thing: nothing is wrong, maybe you're stress. The pain never goes away, it feels like a bad acid reflux, but it reside on my left chest panel and spread through my whole upper body. I feel it more when I eat thing that sugar and/or starchy food.
What could this be?
What could this be?
Brief Answer:
GERD, not heart related...
Detailed Answer:
Hi there,
I have gone through your query and feel sorry for the situation you are in.
The symptoms you are experiencing are not indicative for heart problems, but for possible GERD. I suggest to run further cardiac tests :
- EKG
- stress test
- Holter monitoring
to exclude heart problems. If everything is ok, then, should run:
- chest X-ray
- upper endoscopy
- abdominal ultrasound to exclude lungs and stomach problems. Depending on the tests results should start proper treatment for GERD with PPIs and antacids.
Lifestyle and diet changes are also necessary to improve the symptoms.
Hope it helped! If anything unclear, do not hesitate to contact me!
Dr.Benard
GERD, not heart related...
Detailed Answer:
Hi there,
I have gone through your query and feel sorry for the situation you are in.
The symptoms you are experiencing are not indicative for heart problems, but for possible GERD. I suggest to run further cardiac tests :
- EKG
- stress test
- Holter monitoring
to exclude heart problems. If everything is ok, then, should run:
- chest X-ray
- upper endoscopy
- abdominal ultrasound to exclude lungs and stomach problems. Depending on the tests results should start proper treatment for GERD with PPIs and antacids.
Lifestyle and diet changes are also necessary to improve the symptoms.
Hope it helped! If anything unclear, do not hesitate to contact me!
Dr.Benard
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Vinay Bhardwaj
Hi Dr. Shehu,
Thanks for your quick reply. I have done all the tests you mention above and still got the same answer from different doctors. Could it be diabetes or sign of it? I have been trying different to see if the pain increase or decrease. My diet is not perfect but I am above average and eat fairly healthy.
I am stressed but I don't think that's the problem. I am looking forward to hear from you again.
Thanks XXXXXXX
Thanks for your quick reply. I have done all the tests you mention above and still got the same answer from different doctors. Could it be diabetes or sign of it? I have been trying different to see if the pain increase or decrease. My diet is not perfect but I am above average and eat fairly healthy.
I am stressed but I don't think that's the problem. I am looking forward to hear from you again.
Thanks XXXXXXX
Brief Answer:
Diabetes testing&upper endoscopy to run....
Detailed Answer:
Hi back XXXXXXX
If you had all the tests I mentioned earlier, and all of them resulted normal, then, nothing worrisome. Being stressed is causing such symptoms to you.
With regards to diabetes, usually, when you had your blood work, they will check the levels of blood sugar. Particularly, you can run the following diabetes testings:
- fasting blood sugar
- post-prandial
- HbA1C test
to determine/exclude diabetes.
Stomach problems (e.g. GERD, gastritis, ulcer) might also trigger your symptoms. That's why I asked to run upper endoscopy.
All the tests I asked you to run is to determine the right diagnosis and take proper treatment.
All the best!
Dr.Benard
Diabetes testing&upper endoscopy to run....
Detailed Answer:
Hi back XXXXXXX
If you had all the tests I mentioned earlier, and all of them resulted normal, then, nothing worrisome. Being stressed is causing such symptoms to you.
With regards to diabetes, usually, when you had your blood work, they will check the levels of blood sugar. Particularly, you can run the following diabetes testings:
- fasting blood sugar
- post-prandial
- HbA1C test
to determine/exclude diabetes.
Stomach problems (e.g. GERD, gastritis, ulcer) might also trigger your symptoms. That's why I asked to run upper endoscopy.
All the tests I asked you to run is to determine the right diagnosis and take proper treatment.
All the best!
Dr.Benard
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Ashwin Bhandari
Hi Again Dr.,
Thanks for your answer.
Yes, since 2008 I have seen 5 different specialist (cardiologist, internist and general med) and have done all these tests at least 2 for each. The results are always the same.
I will follow your suggestion and run an upper endoscopy this week.
A friend of mine recently asked if I have checked if it's Gastritis. I have never of Gastritis until that time. Could this possible?
Generally speaking, the pain is in the left chest area and from there it seems to spread when/if needed. So when it spreads it goes all over my upper chest and I can feel even on my shoulders. The only way I can describe it's like after not being to the gym for a long time and then one day one goes in and lift a lot of heavy weight so the next morning you can barely most the swelling muscle. Another word, my left chest feel like swelling but under the pectoral area. I hope this make sense.
In the last few days I have noticed that if stretch like push my chest forward as if I was stretching for exercise and I can hear the crack from within. Is that something I should be concern with ?
Best Regards, XXXXXXX
Thanks for your answer.
Yes, since 2008 I have seen 5 different specialist (cardiologist, internist and general med) and have done all these tests at least 2 for each. The results are always the same.
I will follow your suggestion and run an upper endoscopy this week.
A friend of mine recently asked if I have checked if it's Gastritis. I have never of Gastritis until that time. Could this possible?
Generally speaking, the pain is in the left chest area and from there it seems to spread when/if needed. So when it spreads it goes all over my upper chest and I can feel even on my shoulders. The only way I can describe it's like after not being to the gym for a long time and then one day one goes in and lift a lot of heavy weight so the next morning you can barely most the swelling muscle. Another word, my left chest feel like swelling but under the pectoral area. I hope this make sense.
In the last few days I have noticed that if stretch like push my chest forward as if I was stretching for exercise and I can hear the crack from within. Is that something I should be concern with ?
Best Regards, XXXXXXX
Brief Answer:
Wait for the results of upper endoscopy first...
Detailed Answer:
Hi back XXXXXXX
Gastritis is one of the stomach issues to be ruled out through upper endoscopy.
If the chest X-ray resulted normal, then, nothing to be worried about lungs and pleura and pericardia.
So, I suggest to wait for the results of endoscopy first, and then, can discuss it further. You can send the reports to me together with other lab tests (chest X-ray, EKG, cardiac echo, etc.) to let me analyze them altogether for further assistance.
Looking forward to hear from you soon!
Dr.Benard
Wait for the results of upper endoscopy first...
Detailed Answer:
Hi back XXXXXXX
Gastritis is one of the stomach issues to be ruled out through upper endoscopy.
If the chest X-ray resulted normal, then, nothing to be worried about lungs and pleura and pericardia.
So, I suggest to wait for the results of endoscopy first, and then, can discuss it further. You can send the reports to me together with other lab tests (chest X-ray, EKG, cardiac echo, etc.) to let me analyze them altogether for further assistance.
Looking forward to hear from you soon!
Dr.Benard
Note: For further queries related to coronary artery disease and prevention, click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Raju A.T
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