Wattsup

You sound pretty certain about that, that it's GERD. I'll take the diagnosis. It's a little better than a clogged artery, right? I will see the PCP soon though, but no ER for me. It's a $500 deductible, and I feel fine.

Here are a few interesting extras. When I first started exercising five years ago, I had similar symptoms every once in a while. At the time I was running on the treadmill (biking now that the hip is screwed up). I could be doing the most brutal HIIT, getting my heart rate in the stratosphere and would feel fine. Occasionally though, when running a little longer distance, at a very moderate heart rate, I would get a slight sensation in my throat, a twinge that would pulse about once a second, a sensation that felt similar to what I felt today (today was stronger though.) So I went to the PCP, and I said, "Do I have angina?" He said."You might. If you feel pain, dial it back a bit." So I said, "Well, I was hoping to get a stress test. He said,"We can do that." If I hadn't brought up the stress test, that would have been it, just a recommendation to dial it back. Managed Care! I got the nuclear stress test, and it was negative. That was that. I've been biking for a few years now, indoors and out, and I have rung out my heart many many times. Never had a pain. Today I had the funky throat sensation for the first time in years. Even as write this, I can feel little *tiny* twinges right in my voice box, like little tiny spasms. Tiny! And I know the GERD is acting up. The question is, is it the same thing, just smaller amplitude, of what I was having today?

Another tidbit. I had GERD for many years, was on prilosec, but then I cured myself. What happened was that I was trying to eat better. No meat,(I love meat) little saturated fat, and I was scarfing down high fiber bars, (a source of inulin) and also cheap store brand yogurt, the kind they load up with guar gum and the like to make it feel smooth and creamy. Both inulin and these gums are known as prebiotics. They're actually food for the bugs in your stomach. You can't digest it, but the bugs can. So, after doing that for a few months, I ran out of prilosec one day, but was lazy, didn't get the script refilled. Ordinarily I would have the stomach pain, the persistent heart burn within two weeks of stopping the prilosec. Guess what? I never took prilosec again, and never had GERD again. (until recently, of course.) I had had GERD for many years, and I cured it with that diet, lots of inulin, and cheap yogurt! So right now, I have symptoms of GERD. I have had some heart burn, I'm clearing my throat constantly, and my voice has gotten soft, almost a little hoarse. I recognize this as the GERD returning. The question is, is this the cause of the funky throat sensation today on the bike? I'll look into it. Thanks all for the advice!