Resolved question:
Hi I'm 23 year old male. Over the past three months I've experienced the following symptoms in the order listed:
Acid reflux
Chest pain all over abdominal area.
Left arm pain which feels like a cramp
Passing blood in stool 3or4 times
Loss of concentration
Feeling that left eye is not focussing properly however sight in both eyes normal
Stronger/ more noticible heartbeat/ pulse all over body
Twitching of side of head, arm and eyelids
Headaches.
Friend had similar symptoms associated with h. Pylori
Your thoughts would be appreciated
Submitted:
4 Days
Category:
Family Physician-GP
Hello ,
Thank you for using ask a doctor service from DoctorSpring . I understand that you are experiencing symptoms that has been bothering you lately. The acid reflux (GERD ) is reflux of the gastric contents back through the oesophagus. During this condition you may experience heartburn, bloating sensation, pain in the abdomen and the chest.
Since you are also experiencing pain in the chest it could be due to the acid reflux. However as you have also mentioned that you are having left arm pain, it is safe to get an ECG done. If you are not on treatment for GERD, you can take Prilosec (OTC) once daily just before sleep for 14 days (in consult with your Doctor). You may require additional evaluation and treatment if this fails to resolve your symptoms. H. Pylori is a bacteria that is commonly associated in with peptic ulcer disease. It can occur in GERD also. The easy way to know is to get a breath test done at your Doctor. If found positive, you will need to take an antibiotic course to eradicate the bacteria.
Passing blood in stool usually occurs due to a anal fissure , Hemorrhoids . You will need a rectal examination for confirmed diagnosis. The bleeding makes me suspicious whether you are anaemic. The lack of concentration and rapid heartbeat could be to Anaemia . A complete blood test which includes the hemoglobin levels will be best to rule out the condition The twitching in your arms , eyelids , head and headaches could be due various factors like stress , insomnia , cluster headaches, and the list goes on. But most of the time these findings are non-specific. That means most of the time these symptoms do not point to a single diagnosis and instead it will resolve by its own. Evaluation is needed only if this persists more than few weeks.
Bottom-line is:
Yes, GERD / Peptic Ulcer is possible. Take treatment for 2 weeks. If no resolution (or already had treatment in past) you will need to get tested further. This will identify whether you have H.Pylori or not.
Rectal bleed needs evaluation. Routine Blood test including Hemoglobin levels needs to be done.
All the symptoms are NOT due to GERD. Those are probably unrelated.
Hope this helps
Please feel free to ask followup questions.
Thank you.