Why do I have problems with breath when I lay down?

Shortness of breath, nausea, dizziness, fatigue, etc...?

• I am an 18 year old female, pretty athletic (a wrestler and a swimmer), yet lately I have been feeling increasingly worse. I have IBS and acid reflux and have been on medications for those for about 3 or 4 years, yet recently my nausea has gotten out of control. I never actually throw up, but I get to the point where I am so nauseous I am lightheaded, sweaty and shaky with goosebumps about every third day. I often wake up and feel very dizzy or uncomfortable/disoriented for hours, no matter how much water I drink or what I eat for breakfast. I have had sleeping problems for years, but recently, no matter how much I actually can/do sleep, it's not even near enough. I also get random bouts where I feel like I might faint, but those go away usually in 10-30 minutes after beginning. I have swam competetively since I was 6, played flute and never smoked, so my lungs are great...but these last 2 or 3 weeks I have shortness of breath whenever I lay down; it feels as if I cannot get enough air until I sit up. Just today it progressed to all the time, not just when I'm laying down, and I developed a dry cough and very mild chest pain + headache. I feel that it is also important to note that I have extremely low blood pressure. Usually it is around 90/60 but two months ago it was measured at 88/36 when I was feeling perfectly fine. Any ideas what might be going on?

• Answer:

  Acid blocking drugs lowers essential stomach acid. This is detrimental to health! And when you have low stomach acid - welcome nutrient deficiencies! Most notably vitamin B12 deficiency. Intrinsic factor is a protein made in the stomach that helps your body absorb vitamin B12. With low acid stomach, intrinsic factor secretion is deficient. Fatigue, dizziness, nausea, fainting, chest pain, headache, low blood pressure are all listed as B12 deficiency symptoms. Misdiagnosis is high due to far too low a reference range. B12 serum is optimal above 800pg/ml or 600pmol/l. A urinary methylmalonic acid (UMMA) test is more accurate and aids in diagnosis of deficiency. Vitamin B12 deficiency is just one of the many health issues of low stomach acid. You NEED stomach acid for good health. Most people with acid reflux and other digestive issues have INSUFFICIENT!!!! stomach acid and/or lack of digestive enzymes in the diet. Conditions related to hypochlorhydria (low stomach acid) Acne Anaemia Autoimmune disease Eczema Food allergy and sensitivity Hashimoto's thyroiditis (autoimmune hypothyroidism) Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) Osteoporosis Rosacea Psoriasis Rheumatoid arthritis Small intestine bacterial overgrowth Candida yeast infection Vitiligo Adrenal fatigue My mother no longer has GERD or LPR (suffered severely for 5 years) and has a 90% improvement with gastritis (suffered for 25 years!). Throwing away the proton pump inhibitor nexium and antacid gaviscon and then supplementing with digestive enzyme supplements and betaine hydrochloride supplements was the answer. I hope you get better soon. :) Detrimental side effects of antacids and acid blockers >>> http://refluxdefense.com/heartburn_GERD_articles/side-effects-antacids-and-acid-blockers.html Vitamin B12 deficiency symptoms >>> http://www.b12d.org/content/B12-signs-symptoms-assessment-form http://b12d.net/book/export/html/29 Digestive Enzymes - King of Indigestion, Bloating and Acid Reflux Remedies >>> http://www.natural-indigestion-relief.com/acid-reflux-remedies-digestive-enzymes.html Low stomach acid >>> http://www.modernherbalist.com/betaine.html http://altmedicine.about.com/library/weekly/bl_quiz_hypochlorhydria.htm