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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Breathlessness & chest pains for 6 months?

47 replies

Mummy9431 · 13/11/2025 22:26

So, the feeling of breathlessness starts immediately after eating in the morning and last all day, by dinner time the pain in the chest starts too.
(I really think the amount of air in trying to inhale is causing this pain to my chest)
I’ve had bloods, camera down throat , ECG and a chest X-ray done (all clear, except waiting on results from x-ray)

3 drs have put it down to acid reflux which I do suffer horrendously with, to the point it wakes me up in the middle of the night, no amount of medication or gavison seem to work.

my anxiety is going mad because I’m thinking it’s something more serious than acid which isn’t helping the situation in hand.

any thoughts that could easy my anxiety or how bad acid reflux can really be?
thanks

OP posts:
Dizzyinheights · 13/11/2025 22:35

How old are you OP? I had the same symptoms, except mine were constant through the day and night. Eventually worked out it was due to being perimenopausal and HRT resolved it. Hope you get it sorted as I know too well the dark places it took me to.

Sherunswithwolves · 13/11/2025 23:09

What do your bloods actually say? Breathlessness is a known symptom of low ferritin. The base level for ferritin in the UK is 30, and should be higher. Women are still being told that less than 30 is normal.

Mummy9431 · 14/11/2025 07:37

@Dizzyinheights I’m 31 :) how would I know if I was pre menopausal?
I feel I’m in those dark places at the moment, two young children and my mind is always elsewhere

OP posts:
Mummy9431 · 14/11/2025 07:45

@Sherunswithwolves so this is a tricky one. In July 24 I had my daughter which a lot of things went wrong and put me in ICU. Daughter was healthy and beautiful ❤️
To cut a long story short, after loosing just over 4 litres of blood, when checking my iron levels they came back at 3.
i needed an infusion then I could finally go home.
aug 24 - iron checked it was at 290.
sep 24 - iron level dropped to 50.

that was the last time my iron levels were checked.

I didn’t know breathlessness could be be down to iron levels.
im going to ring the dr and book in for my iron levels and B12 checking.

OP posts:
Sherunswithwolves · 14/11/2025 08:18

Good luck. You should get a full blood count too so that haemoglobin levels are checked. You can be iron deficient without anaemia, or with.

kersh33 · 14/11/2025 16:54

I would suspect iron at being a problem. Have your periods come back? Are they particularly heavy?

Mummy9431 · 14/11/2025 20:11

@kersh33 yeah they’ve come back and there like every 3 weeks, I am a lot heavier than I used to be but I was on the pill for a lot of years so I wouldn’t know what a natural period was :/.
I have been questioning how red the blood if though it’s like bright red which is unusual for me too

OP posts:
kersh33 · 14/11/2025 20:28

That’s not great and is almost certainly not helping. You should talk to your doctor about your periods too. My iron levels were through the floor after my periods returned as I developed adenomyosis which caused super heavy periods and flooding and my gynaecologist basically told me any iron I was taking was coming out faster than I was taking it in so I had to get my periods sorted to sort out the anemia. I ended up going on the Mirena coil which reduced my periods to a manageable level and then let me get my iron levels back up.

Mummy9431 · 14/11/2025 20:49

@kersh33 wow, I would of never have thought about period effecting iron levels tbh.
i will do, thank you. Going to make an appointment on Monday n get a blood test. I’ve bought some iron tablets today but god knows if there going to do any good.
glad your managed to get sorted :)

OP posts:
Newname71 · 14/11/2025 20:53

Mummy9431 · 14/11/2025 07:45

@Sherunswithwolves so this is a tricky one. In July 24 I had my daughter which a lot of things went wrong and put me in ICU. Daughter was healthy and beautiful ❤️
To cut a long story short, after loosing just over 4 litres of blood, when checking my iron levels they came back at 3.
i needed an infusion then I could finally go home.
aug 24 - iron checked it was at 290.
sep 24 - iron level dropped to 50.

that was the last time my iron levels were checked.

I didn’t know breathlessness could be be down to iron levels.
im going to ring the dr and book in for my iron levels and B12 checking.

I have very low B12 and have injections every 12 weeks. If I’m late for them I start getting very breathless and have chest pains.

justasking111 · 14/11/2025 21:03

Are you losing hair on your head?

Mummy9431 · 14/11/2025 21:11

@Newname71 ohh really!!
I definitely need to get these checked! When I had my b12 checked like 9 months ago it was on the lower side then.

OP posts:
Mummy9431 · 14/11/2025 21:11

@justasking111 I am yeah but I wouldn’t say it was excessively

OP posts:
justasking111 · 14/11/2025 21:26

Mummy9431 · 14/11/2025 21:11

@justasking111 I am yeah but I wouldn’t say it was excessively

GP and tests for you.

I never cease to be surprised that a GP doesn't check your previous history and put two and two together.

Mummy9431 · 14/11/2025 22:39

@justasking111 yeah, I’ll be annoyed and relieved if it’s something as iron levels as like you said if they just looked at my history they would of been able to work out that I needed my iron levels and b12 checking.

OP posts:
TheTwitcher11 · 14/11/2025 23:05

Mummy9431 · 13/11/2025 22:26

So, the feeling of breathlessness starts immediately after eating in the morning and last all day, by dinner time the pain in the chest starts too.
(I really think the amount of air in trying to inhale is causing this pain to my chest)
I’ve had bloods, camera down throat , ECG and a chest X-ray done (all clear, except waiting on results from x-ray)

3 drs have put it down to acid reflux which I do suffer horrendously with, to the point it wakes me up in the middle of the night, no amount of medication or gavison seem to work.

my anxiety is going mad because I’m thinking it’s something more serious than acid which isn’t helping the situation in hand.

any thoughts that could easy my anxiety or how bad acid reflux can really be?
thanks

I had the exact same symptoms for 2 months and was prescribed Lansoprazole at the beginning of this week. Took about 5 days but I’m feeling so much better now!

gamerchick · 15/11/2025 06:17

I got chest pains when I ignored my acid reflux. I had to do the GERD diet for a month and raise the head of the bed. It was boring and you feel a bit deprived but it's effective.

Acid reflux is one of those things that needs a lot of effort from the sufferer.

Mummy9431 · 15/11/2025 12:12

It’s crazy cause I can’t pin point what’s sets it off, I mean I’ve cut a lot out, lost nearly 3 stone while doing so and still it’s so bad.
it’s not like I can feel the acid burning inside but I always get like liquid coming up from my stomach and into my mouth, it’s horrible.

i can’t see how acid reflux can cause this much chest pain and breathlessness.

like how bad can acid reflux really be?

OP posts:
gamerchick · 15/11/2025 12:45

Mummy9431 · 15/11/2025 12:12

It’s crazy cause I can’t pin point what’s sets it off, I mean I’ve cut a lot out, lost nearly 3 stone while doing so and still it’s so bad.
it’s not like I can feel the acid burning inside but I always get like liquid coming up from my stomach and into my mouth, it’s horrible.

i can’t see how acid reflux can cause this much chest pain and breathlessness.

like how bad can acid reflux really be?

Depends on how long you ignore it. Your stomach acid is literally burning your tubes, it's making them inflamed. If you're lucky it'll damage your esophagus irreparably. I stopped feeling the burning as well. That isn't a good thing.

You need to follow a completely low residue diet and cut a lot out for a few weeks and raise the head of your bed so you're not lying flat. Take the PPIs.

Foods to include
Vegetables: Green beans, asparagus, broccoli, carrots, potatoes, leafy greens, and cucumbers
Fruits: Bananas, melons, apples, and pears
Lean protein: White fish, lean meat, poultry, and shellfish
Whole grains: Oatmeal, brown rice, whole-wheat bread, and couscous
Healthy fats: Avocado, nuts, and olive oil
Dairy: Low-fat yogurt and milk (red top)
Other: Ginger, herbal tea, and high-water-content foods like celery and watermelon

Foods to avoid
High-fat and fried foods: Avoid fatty breakfasts, chips, pastries, and deep-fried foods.
Spicy foods: These can exacerbate symptoms for many people.
Acidic foods: Limit or avoid citrus fruits, tomatoes, and tomato-based products.
Common triggers: Coffee, chocolate, mint, carbonated drinks, and alcohol are frequent triggers.
Onions and garlic: Some people find these worsen their symptoms.

Eating habits to adopt

Eat smaller, more frequent meals: instead of three large ones.
Chew food well: and eat slowly.
Avoid eating large meals, especially late at night; try to finish eating 3-4 hours before bed.
Maintain a healthy weight .
Avoid tight clothing: around your waist.
Don't lie down immediately after eating .
Consider keeping a food and symptom diary: to identify personal trigger foods, as tolerance varies from person to person.

gamerchick · 15/11/2025 12:51

Red meat should be on that list as well to avoid.

justasking111 · 15/11/2025 13:29

gamerchick · 15/11/2025 12:51

Red meat should be on that list as well to avoid.

Edited

I'm okay with a little red meat say half a lean steak, it's the add ons to mince like onions, garlic, tomato, if making Italian, that bring me down. Roast lamb fine, lamb curry, kebab, Etc not so much.

gamerchick · 15/11/2025 13:37

justasking111 · 15/11/2025 13:29

I'm okay with a little red meat say half a lean steak, it's the add ons to mince like onions, garlic, tomato, if making Italian, that bring me down. Roast lamb fine, lamb curry, kebab, Etc not so much.

I found I was ok with red meat. But that initial month to let the tubes heal it was total elimination and then reintroduce to see what aggravated it.

It was a grim month. You feel deprived and I was sick of the sight of bland chicken, but it works canny.

Thatsalineallright · 15/11/2025 13:38

Have you had your iron levels checked? Sounds a bit mad I know but anemia can cause chest pain, breathlessness, heart palpitations etc.

Hollyhobbi · 15/11/2025 14:11

Get your magnesium and vitamin D levels checked too!

Gloriia · 15/11/2025 14:18

Mummy9431 · 14/11/2025 20:49

@kersh33 wow, I would of never have thought about period effecting iron levels tbh.
i will do, thank you. Going to make an appointment on Monday n get a blood test. I’ve bought some iron tablets today but god knows if there going to do any good.
glad your managed to get sorted :)

Op, you said you've had blood tests and they've all been fine.

'my anxiety is going mad because I’m thinking it’s something more serious than acid which isn’t helping the situation in hand.'

You've had a load of tests and they've all been fine so please be reassured that ist isn't anything serious.

Acid reflux can be very unpleasant so keep taking the meds prescribed and maybe try cbt to get the anxiety under control a bit. Use a calming app for breathing exercises to help when you feel like you're hyperventilating.

It sounds like panic attacks to me exacerbated by the worry of the acid diagnosis so do ask for mh support. Good luck!

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