Why do I always feel like something is stuck in my chest even though I eat healthily?

Question

Hello doctor,

I am 56 years old, my height is 5'8, and my weight 143 pounds. I feel like something is always stuck in my chest. I have had EKG, chest X-ray, and EGD procedure that showed I had a small hernia and my LES was somewhat open, and they used forceps to close it with good success. I was prescribed Omeprazole which never helped, and I still feel this pressure all the time. I am a personal trainer and nutritionist, and I do not eat any of the trigger foods that cause acid reflux.

I am very cautious about what I eat and put into my body. And I have no other health problems. I also stopped taking the treatment due to the side effects and the way it made me feel all the time, so I started taking holistic natural remedies like apple cider vinegar water twice a day with meals and probiotics, and just continuing my healthy diet.

I also do not eat after 6 pm. So I am confused about my situation. I just want to know what is going on and why this feeling continues daily, even though my eating is healthy.

Kindly advise.

Answer 1

Hi,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I understand your concern.

I studied your case you have described everything in detail. There can be various factors that need to be closed in your case. If you have it for long time, then it has become chronic GERD. In chronic GERD, mainly the normal tissue or layer is changed by stomach tissue, which always triggers such reflux, and due to that, you are feeling an unusual sensation. Other reasons can be narrowing of (LES, as you mentioned, in case your lower esophageal sphincter can be narrow.

When you eat something, it takes time or passes slowly through that sphincter, and you get reflux. The third one can be hernioplasty. I mean, if there is still some part that is pouching out, that can be the reason for that. Because normally, Omeprazole should help at least once. And as you said, your diet is good.

In my opinion, either you can change Omeprazole to tablet Ranitidine 75 mg twice a day for 3 to 5 days and see if it works. If not, consult a gastroenterologist or a gastrosurgeon. And get treatment for it. In some cases, if that part is not healing up, they cut it and remove it.

I hope this helps you.

Thank you.