Menopause Matters Forum
Menopause Discussion => Other Health Discussion => Topic started by: holidaylover on August 11, 2021, 08:07:18 AM
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Morning Ladies
Looking for any advice re my symptoms. I started with palpitations about 4 days after my 1st Pfizer jab, couple of ECG's were fine and I am awaiting the results of a 24hr monitor. (12 week wait on results because of backlog!!) Jab was in April and because the palpitations happened after that I assumed it was a side effect. Doctor didn't think so. Anyway decided to have my 2nd jab (bit of a panic attack at the jab centre!) but palpitations are still here. But what I am also getting now, really badly, is burning pain at top of stomach, almost just below breasts, lots of stomach gurgling, wind, constant burping (huge from the gut burping). I get relief a wee bit from the palpitations when I burp, if that makes sense. Also my stomach gets really bloated until I feel it might burst. Palpitations are waking me at night, and they are worse when I am lying on my side. If I am standing, and lean over the kitchen worktop, for example, I feel them worse then too. I phoned the doctor a few weeks back and he arranged for a stool sample to be sent for testing for h. pylori, but I haven't heard back so assume it was ok. At the time he told me to take more of the Gaviscon Advance I was taking and he also prescribed me some omeprazole. I took the Gaviscon Advance four times a day for a week and I improved a bit, in fact that was when I wore the 24hr monitor and I hardly had any palps then (typical). I felt better so stopped the Gaviscon, but lately the pains and palpitations are really bad again. On Sunday I started the omeprazole, but really feel it's making me worse. The pain is more intense (kind of like a hot poker stabbing pain and really sore when I press top of stomach) as are the palpitations, although I don't seem to be burping as much. I feel like the gas inside me is more trapped now and cant get out. The past couple of days I have also felt an odd sensation down the front of my leg under the knee (HA in overdrive and this is probably not connected to the tablets at all!) Just wondering if anyone has suffered anything like this, found omeprazole helped or hindered, or has any advice at all. I don't even know if the pains, wind and palpitations are connected but feels like they could be. Thanks for reading such a long (winded) post.
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I also wanted to ask if any found symptoms got worse before they got better on the omeprazole. I've only taken them for three days and don't know whether I should stop already or give them time to work.
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Hi holidaylover, what you describe sounds like acid reflux and the symptoms you describe sound similar to how mine started. The palpitations are caused by irritation of the vagus nerve, which serves a variety of organs including the heart and stomach. You need to continue with the Gaviscon Advance, after each meal and before bed. It forms a layer over the stomach contents, and protects the lower end of the oesophagus from reflux of acid. It's also useful to avoid acidic food and drink (tomatoes, orange juice, etc.) Sleeping on the left side is best so that the stomach remains below the oesophagus. The right side is the worst for this. On your back but propped up is OK. The omeprazole should help.
I think there will be other ladies along with advice as several of us suffer this.
Hope you feel better soon.
JP x
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Hi Holidaylover, can’t help with the palpitations, but l get the strange, below the knee sensation too. Just my right leg. It comes and goes, not every day or even every week. It’s not numbness, just a feeling that l can’t really explain. It used to cause HA of course, but never gets any worse or prolonged so l just try to ignore it.
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Thanks for the replies.
Joaniepat, Thanks for the advice and yes it is worse when I lie on my right side, which happens to be my 'comfy' position.
Marge, it's my right leg too just below knee. Feels a bit like a sticky plaster over it if that makes sense, with a slight stiffness, but just at the front! Gets better once I start walking. Odd!
jaypo, I know I have a slight wheat intolerance and IBS but never had this before. The tablets are 20mg ones.
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Your symptoms do sound right for reflux. I have this due to a hiatus hernia diagnosed by endoscopy and I agree with all of the advice on here. I am on omeprazole for my reflux/stomach pain which usually works well but only if I take it as soon as I wake up with a whole glass of water and then nothing else to eat or drink for at least 30 minutes. How long between the omeprazole and the gaviscon are you leaving?
Taz x
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Taking the omeprazole first thing in morning. I only started them on Sunday and at that time I wasn't taking the Gaviscon. But yesterday the pain and palpitations were really bad so I took the Gaviscon before I went to bed. I'm up this morning and didn't know what to take, so I haven't had an omeprazole today, just Gaviscon after breakfast and after lunch. Pain isn't quite as bad today as it was yesterday and I was wondering if the omeprazole could have made the problem worse. Is that possible?!
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It depends on the reason for the reflux. Have you been referred for endoscopy? Ulcers can give that burning pain in the top of the stomach. Does it sometimes feel like hunger pangs? The omeprazole took a week to begin to work properly for me but I was on 40mg and I'd done a fair bit of damage to my oesophagus by putting off going to the GP. The standard dose is 20mg. You have to leave at least two hours between the omeprazole and gaviscon. Have you been using any NSAID painkillers lately as this can flare up these type of gastritis symptoms.
It's amazing how miserable a painful tummy can make you feel.
Taz x
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Hi, no I haven't been referred for endoscopy although I'm sure that will be the next step if I phone the doctor back and say I'm still having pain. He actually never said he would follow this up and I was only prescribed the tablets after a phone consultation. No not really hunger pangs, just burning pain in centre along with almost constant rumblings. Funnily I have been burping more today than I did yesterday, so dont know if that is because I haven't taken the omeprazole. Burping though seems to be the thing that gives me relief.
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Hi holiday
I’ve been having bad burning pain in my right side under boob and rib since June .. I have been on omperzole 20mg daily but helped at first then all pains come back but I continued to take
Then I started getting burning up to my mouth and leaving an awful taste in mouth
Which they think is acid reflux .. the omperzole aren’t helping this
So they are starting me on H2 blocker to see if that helps
I lost weight 18lbs because I can’t face food when I have this
I make myself eat because I know I have too but I always feel sick & I dry heave and gag & sometimes feels choking on food etc bloody awful
Some days it feels worse than others
I’ve done a stool sample to see if any blood in it but awaiting results & today done another full blood count ( not sure what that can tell you about stomach but have done them today )
Depending on these results they will send me for camera to see if any problems
I’m hoping the H2 blocker will help in a way that I can eat a proper meal and actually enjoy it. Told me to trial them for a week but usually you know if somthing is helping as these are meant to be faster acting I believe
I did try upping the omperzole but it seem to make my symptoms worse or thts how it felt so was back on one a day .. I’ve never missed any but symptoms still there
I have also been told tht aniexty can ramp up the acid too so I’m damned if I do and damned if I don’t
Also menopause can cause havoc with our digestive systems.
If your symptoms persist get on to the GP
I hope you feel some comfort soon.
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Thanks Michelle7474, It's flipping awful isn't it. I have anxiety too which has been quite bad lately so that wont be helping. I'll phone docs back next week and see what he says.
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Thanks Michelle7474, It's flipping awful isn't it. I have anxiety too which has been quite bad lately so that wont be helping. I'll phone docs back next week and see what he says.
Hi again
It is awful and I hope you manage to get some ease from it .. I totally agree with you on that
Definitely keep on at GP as you need it resolving
Omperzole doesn’t suit everyone but there are other options out there
Good luck Xx
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I also wanted to ask if any found symptoms got worse before they got better on the omeprazole. I've only taken them for three days and don't know whether I should stop already or give them time to work.
Oh wow. I literally just posted now about the same symptoms - mostly felt when the lying on sides or leaning forwards accompanied with shortness of breath and palpitations, I also feel like I can't breathe. Doctor said anxiety,yeh right. Iin the end, spoke to another female doc who said it could be GERD and put me on Omeprazole - that hasn't worked for many months now and on not sure whether exacerbating things.
SO I suggested whether or not it could be my stomach pushing up through my diaphgram aka haitus hernia? And she said could be - that was 2 weeks ago. I demanded an ultra sound today ater being so desperate and it pretty much ruining my wuality of life. So I am due for a gastroscopy which not looking foward to because the method in which it is inserted causes me anxiety, but desperate to find out what it is so...
I thought I was the only one with these symptoms because everytime I metnion it anywhere people think I'm off my rockers. While it's crap, I'm glad to know I'm not the only one experiencing this.
p.s. Mine begun way before I had the vaccine though.
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Hi holidaylover, what you describe sounds like acid reflux and the symptoms you describe sound similar to how mine started. The palpitations are caused by irritation of the vagus nerve, which serves a variety of organs including the heart and stomach. You need to continue with the Gaviscon Advance, after each meal and before bed. It forms a layer over the stomach contents, and protects the lower end of the oesophagus from reflux of acid. It's also useful to avoid acidic food and drink (tomatoes, orange juice, etc.) Sleeping on the left side is best so that the stomach remains below the oesophagus. The right side is the worst for this. On your back but propped up is OK. The omeprazole should help.
I think there will be other ladies along with advice as several of us suffer this.
Hope you feel better soon.
JP x
God this is helpful for me too. I used to use Gavison advance when it first started and I remember some imporvement s better get another bottle.
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Hi loonarider
I hope you get some results from your gastroscopy. I think that will be the route I'll have to go down too. Not quite as bad today so I feel the Gaviscon Advance works for me but its quite pricey to be taking on a day to day basis. I dont know about you, but I have suffered anxiety for yonks and it really frustrates me when, no matter now what my symptom is, it's usually put down to anxiety by the doctor.
The palpitations in bed is horrid. I get them even when I dont have any pain in the stomach. I was convinced in the beginning that they were caused by the vaccine (health anxiety!!) but it's most likely a coincidence. I try and prop myself up on pillows when I go to bed, but by the time I wake up I've slidden down off them and end up with a sore neck!
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Hi. I'm new to this so hope I am doing it right.i am getting exactly the same as you. It feels like someone is slicing my stomach from the inside and around my belly button area too. My stomach bloats to the point of bursting too off my food a fair bit but yes it's like a burning pain. My GP says it's a UTI but I know it's not as I have suffered a lot with them in the past. So I am now waiting on a scan too to see if it is endometriosis back again.
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Hi Paula. Yes you're doing it right :)
Sorry to hear about your painful stomach and that you've had endometriosis in the past. Let us know how you get on.
You may like to introduce yourself under the New Members thread so that more members will see your post and be able to welcome you.
Taz x :welcomemm: