"heart" burn?

I started having a burning sensation right over my heart maybe in the esophagus. I saw some posts from awhile ago dealing with this, and my doctor also said it was acid reflux.I'm 58 years old and I never had heart burn, not even when I was pregnant. It just started right after getting the PM. If it is nerve stimulation as one of the posts suggested, is there something that should/could be done? I've been popping antacids like candy. And I really don't like to fill my system with unnecessary meds of any kind. Sometimes I think antacids help and other times, like today, it isn't making a difference at all. Any one have any success comunicating this to their doctor? Please share any insight. If it's something that will settle down, I'll live with it, but if it's a danger sign I want to take care of it.

7 Comments

hi

by jessie - 2009-04-24 10:04:50

i have it too. never in pregnancy. i pop pepcid and it works. i don't think it is uncomon with pm's but don't know the reasoning maryann. had surgery this a.m. it was great. no general anesthetic. i chose freezing the site and pain killer. don't know what it was but i was feeling no pain.did very well and had two cute docs . what more can i ask? hugs jessie

Omeprazole ...

by chip - 2009-04-25 01:04:45


FIRST – Please be sure it isn’t from your heart. Reflux pain can mimic heart pain and vis-a-versa.

For my reflux I take Omeprazole; available over the counter at most Walgreen stores.

Take one in the AM and one again in the evening.

Avoiding spicy foods and drinks with caffeine will also help. As will elevating the head of your bed 6”.

Give thought to trying the Omeprazole, it works wonders for me. If it does not control it see your doctor but it's worth a try!

Good luck & God Bless.

Heart Burn

by SMITTY - 2009-04-25 10:04:08

Hi Mary Anne,

It doesn't seem logical that the heart burn you describe would be connected to your pacemaker. But when you have read and/or experienced as many strange things caused by pacemakers as I have, you will understand why I'll never say it can't happen.

I went through a living hell with "nerve stimulation" by my pacemaker for several years before I finally got an EP with enough moxie to determine the cause. Mine was in the form of feeling like I was getting electrical shocks without the muscle contraction. I could get some relief from a change in the settings when they lowered the power of the impulses from the PM. Invariably they were short lived and I finally got relief by from an injection to deaden the affected nerve.

Like you I never had this pain before I got my PM and since I could get relief sometimes by a change in some of the settings, I had no doubt that my problem was caused by the PM but the Dr was just as adamant that my problem was not caused by the PM. Even after the nerve deadening and relief the Dr. that implanted mine would not admit there wa a possibility of it being caused by the PM. He said my problem was neuropathy. So I would not be surprised if you have to step on your doctors toes a few times to get his attention long enough to hear you out.

One thing I would suggest is that you not start taking any new medications, unless they are prescribed by your doctor, until it has been proven the PM is not involved. You need to present a clean slate for them to work with. It is entirely possible that the medication Chip suggested will afford some help, but if the relief is not 100% then your argument to your doctor that you do have a problem caused by your PM could be weakened considerably.

I wish you good luck,

Smitty

Me, too

by NWGirl - 2009-04-26 03:04:06

Hi Mary Anne - I started having heart burn, or a burning sensation from time to time, right in the same location you have described, right after my pacemaker was installed 6 weeks ago. My cardiac doctor also told me it was not the pacemaker, and prescribed famotidine, which is generic for pepcid, I believe. I have never had heartburn before, either, so I have a tendency to blame the pm. The funny thing is, when I went in for my checkup last week, the technician, while he was running checks on my pm, reproduced the exact same feeling in my esophgus -a burning sensation, but it stopped when he was done with the test. Whatever it is, it seems to be getting better. Whether the famotidine is helping, or my body is getting used to the pacemaker, I'm not sure, but I hardly feel the heartburn anymore. I hope that yours gets better, too. Good luck.

NW Girl

Bad Acid Reflux Since Pacemaker

by greg.bikes - 2010-07-01 02:07:41

Since my PM surgery five weeks ago I've had chest pain and a metalic taste in my throat. My esophagus feels like it's having spasms when I run or ride a bike. After a trip to the ER and various tests they've concluded I have no issues with my heart and it was the PM tech who suggested I had acid reflux. After a 14-day regimen of Prilosec it's only marginally better. Of course the doctor says it's not in any way connected with the PM. It's interesting that others have had the same experience. I wonder whether the vagus nerve is somehow being enervated by the PM, causing the spasm?

Heartburn

by Neweli - 2017-09-02 18:37:43

Well after reading these posts it ceryainly ironic that we all seem to get heartburn. It seems perhaps related to the pm because we are more than likely taking the dame type of meds that one has to take blood pressure bettablockers and aspirins. Im to a point where i am fairly pain free six weeks in but its pretty pathetic getting heart burn and reflux to the point of vomiting which i havent captured that in the posts from others but im sick literally from heartburn

Heart burn and chest pressure

by sbanana - 2018-07-19 15:17:17

Hi; I just got my pacemaker 2 and a half weeks ago, and had it reset a week and a half ago.  The reset helped my heart block symptoms and relieved pressure on my left side of my chest, but most days I have heart burn and pressure in the center of my chest above my sternum. My doctor says it could be anxiety.  Any similar stories?

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