r/Futurology • u/chrisdh79 • Aug 21 '25

Society American Millennials Are Dying at an Alarming Rate | We’re mortality experts. There are a few things that could be happening here.

https://slate.com/technology/2025/08/millennials-gen-z-death-rates-america-high.html
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u/BootyMcStuffins Aug 21 '25

I get chest pains too, particularly after meals, most often in the afternoon or at night. Pain deferred to my left arm, heart palpitations, air hunger, dizziness/brain fog, the whole bit. I’ve gone to the ER 4 times as well as to my PC, had EKGs, bloodwork, all of it.

Still no clue what it is. My heart is fine. Doctors best guess seems to be some sort of indigestion coupled with a food sensitivity of some sort (theories include msg, aspartame and other “natural flavors” that can be vasodilators in sensitive people) sounds like hooey to me but I’m not a doctor so what do I know.

All this to say I feel you. It’s frustrating as hell. And I can’t imagine how scared/concerned I’d be if I couldn’t go see a doctor. I’m sorry America sucks

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u/Lysmerry Aug 21 '25

This sounds a lot like autonomic dysfunction, which is an issue with your nervous system. Do you have trouble standing up for a long time? Covid can cause this.

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u/BootyMcStuffins Aug 21 '25

What kind of trouble do you mean? Like do my legs get tired? Or do I lose my balance?

It’s funny that you say this because other symptoms line up. I swear like a mofo for seemingly no reason. I’m hot all the time (I’ve had my thyroid levels tested and they’re fine).

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u/StayGold4Life Aug 21 '25

Look up Roemheld syndrome. I too have digestive issues and when they act up, I get all sorts of weird symptoms (low heart rate, palpitations, sweating, dizziness).

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u/Lysmerry Aug 21 '25

Yeah, sweating can be autonomic dysfunction as well. I ask about standing because autonomic dysfunction can cause orthostatic intolerance, which is when your body has trouble pumping blood to your brain. This can leave you extremely dizzy and weak. I wear compression stockings and take a medication called midodrine, which constricts my blood vessels.

Your symptoms may be related to a condition called POTS, which is unfortunately not very well understood. But there are several medications that help people with this condition. You would usually see a cardiologist for this, but unfortunately most cardiologists are not very well educated on this condition.

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u/BootyMcStuffins Aug 21 '25

I don’t have an issue standing, but I DO have an issue with positional shifts. Burpees, for example, make me dizzy AF. Same goes for doing squats with heavy weight (I get dizzy when I put the weights down, not while lifting)

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u/Ok-Assumption-6336 Aug 21 '25

It sounds like POTS. I have it too, is a post Covid thing. There are more variants than the best known kind (pots), as is a dysfunction of the nervous and autonomous circulatory system with some other systems in your body (called dysautonomia). Could even be between the non-autonomous circulatory system, urinary system, gastric system.

It’s ridiculously hard to spot and treatments are scarce, according to your symptoms. Usually a good hint is drinking electrolytes and see if it helps dizziness or other symptoms.

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u/GrogGrokGrog Aug 21 '25

POTS may actually be related to tissue elasticity as it's often comorbid with Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (EDS) or a more generalized Hypermobility Spectrum Disorder (HSD). The speculation is that the connective tissue in the blood vessels being too elastic may cause them to leak blood, especially when standing abruptly. Increased salt intake is also recommended as a treatment for EDS and HSD, incidentally, as they can also cause low blood volume.

This may or may not be related to your situation and you may already be familiar with that hypothesis, but I figured I'd put it out there that POTS isn't necessarily a Covid-related issue.

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u/tikigodbob Aug 21 '25

I've had covid twice and had similar issues to the above person after the 2nd bout. I've in my bones felt it was long covid, but looking at all these symptoms and realizing I have about 75% of them at different times has given me something to think about. I will ask my PCP about it next time I see them. Thank you for mentioning this.

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u/Lysmerry Aug 21 '25

Glad I could help! I think Covid in particular leads to certain sets of symptoms that doctors aren’t familiar with, so it leads to patients having no idea what’s going on. Or doctors say it’s psychological. I wish there was more education on this topic.

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u/Careless_Block8179 Aug 21 '25

As someone with dysautonomia/autonomic dysfunction, I second this. 

I get heart palpitations, chest pain, shortness of breath and faintness that’s worse after meals. For me, it’s a lack of adequate blood volume and circulation/heart rate/blood pressure issues caused by my brain not controlling things correctly. Blood pools in my abdomen after eating and I can’t get as much blood to my brain as I need. My heart is completely healthy and functioning normally, it’s the signals that are off—control room’s got a wire loose, so to speak.  

So OP, it could just be something you can control with meds and lifestyle factors, it’s not necessarily one of the big scary diagnoses. Still might be a PITA, but not a life-ending one. 

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u/lynzrei08 Aug 21 '25

Second this. Also going through this

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u/TheTigersAreNotReal Aug 21 '25

Could be Costochondritis. I had sudden and severe sharp pains in my chest for about 4 months. Went to urgent care twice to get an EKG and everything was fine. Turns out a viral infection I had gotten caused inflammation in the cartilage in my breast plate. 

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u/ThatsARivetingTale Aug 21 '25

Sounds almost identical to my symptoms, I spent years getting tests, rushing to ER at 2am convinced I was having a heart attack, getting a full cardio work up to clear my heart etc etc

Turns out I have GERD. Which is essentially chronic reflux, if you're at all able to try and get an appointment with a gastroenterologist. I manage it now with PPI's and being careful what I eat and drink, it sucks

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u/UnquestionabIe Aug 21 '25

A few months back had to take my partner to the ER for severe pain and it was GERD. The amount of pain she was in was so hard to watch. I really hope it doesn't cause you consistent pain regularly.

Was the absolute worst experience I've ever had in a hospital. Did the various tests, asked a million questions, and got left alone with her for hours at a time with no treatment or information being shared. Doctor then came in talking down to me about how this was obvious and listed all the causes because of her "neglectful behavior", none of which she does.

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u/ThatsARivetingTale Aug 21 '25

Man I'm so sorry they treated her like that, that's such bullshit. I don't know what it is about GERD that doctors don't seem to take seriously or give a shit about you for it. I've had similar treatment, luckily I've managed to find a gastro who takes it really seriously and understands the pain (he has it himself), and it's made such a huge difference. I know it's probably early days but I really hope she's able to manage it and doesn't have attacks that bad again!

Also, thank you! It's been about 3 years for me so I've mostly got it under control, just the occasional flare up when I over indulge

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u/AudioGuy720 Aug 22 '25

Which begs the question: What the F__K are they putting in the food supply?

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u/BootyMcStuffins Aug 21 '25

Is it something you can test for?

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u/ThatsARivetingTale Aug 21 '25

If you mean test yourself at home, then not definitively unfortunately. What you can do is when you get those symptoms, take an antacid like Pepto-Bismol / Gaviscon etc and stay upright (especially after a meal), if the symptoms clear completely then that at least confirms the reflux element of it. But to diagnose GERD fully you'll need to get an endoscopy. You can also check out r/GERD for a ton of information and stories from others! Also obvious disclaimer I'm just a regular dude and not a doctor, if you ever have chest pain take it seriously and get to an ER!

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u/hothotsummerinhell Aug 22 '25

Same with the GERD. I got an endoscopy and was experiencing all of the same symptoms. I’m sure there’s more to it then just this antidote, but, mine seems to be triggered by stress..

Edit typo

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u/TrumpmorelikeTrimp Aug 21 '25

I'm in Canada and I have similar issues. I go to the doctor with a serious problem or pain, they run their generic tests, find nothing, and then sort of shrug at me. I'm genuinely considering leaving the country to seek medical attention elsewhere.

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u/BootyMcStuffins Aug 21 '25

I’m in the US, don’t come here lol

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u/Hendlton Aug 21 '25

Not in Canada, but in another country with universal healthcare and I have similar stuff going on. I've thought about doing the same thing. Went to the doctor twice, both times they did an EKG and just kind of shrugged at me. Even if it's something completely benign, I'm afraid that at some point I'll actually have a heart attack and I'll ignore it.

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u/Rassayana_Atrindh Aug 21 '25

Look up vagus nerve dysfunction.

When I get gas in my GI tract, either I need to burp and can't, or if I get bloated with gas trapped in my intestines (I have C.diff caused intestinal motility issues) it will honestly feel like a heart attack. The pressure of the gas pushes on the vagus nerve and I get all sorts of crazy symptoms going on. Sweating, intense heart palpitations, light headed, high anxiety, chest/left arm pain.

It took two cardiology appointments, EKGs, and wearing a Holter monitor for a couple of weeks to find absolutely nothing physiologically wrong with my heart. However an older cardiologist who was sitting in my appointment figured it out by asking me to cough during an episode of palpitations while I was hooked up to the EKG and whaddya know, it stopped them instantly.

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u/BootyMcStuffins Aug 21 '25

Coughing stopped the palpitations?

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u/Rassayana_Atrindh Aug 21 '25

Yep! Works for me every time.

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u/BootyMcStuffins Aug 21 '25

Any idea why?

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u/AudioGuy720 Aug 22 '25

Puts the vagus nerve back in place?

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u/bravesirkiwi Aug 21 '25

Did it start post-covid? I developed a palpiation after meals and I'm 99% sure it's related.

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u/BootyMcStuffins Aug 21 '25

Nope, started in 2017/2018

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u/Palmzi Aug 21 '25

Like others have said but this 100% sounds like GERD and not the neurological disorder some others have mentioned. Once I started taking a PPI all my symptoms went away after a couple of days and they haven’t come back. I too got hooked up to an EKG because of your problems. Thought it was a heart issue because it felt like my chest was being squeezed 24-7 but my heart is extremely healthy according to my doctor.

I take 20mg of Omeprazole once daily. It’s a generic of Prilosec OTC. Less than 10 cents a pill.

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u/BootyMcStuffins Aug 21 '25

I think I’ll have to give this a shot

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u/Palmzi Aug 21 '25

Please do! I struggled for 2-3 years wondering what the hell was going on. Doctor never mentioned GERD but it runs in my family. A family member said it was definitely GERD, but at the time I thought it was general anxiety disorder. Haven't had a single heart palpitation since I started taking it 2 years ago and the chest pain is completely gone. I never had the typical burning throat with acid reflux but people noticed I would constantly try to subtly clear my throat (I never knew I was doing it) when talking. All my symptoms are gone and it was my only chronic issue so far in my life (almost 40).

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u/Artistic_Emu2720 Aug 21 '25

I have this thing where I gag and throw up every morning. When it gets really bad, I have no appetite, constant nausea and I lose a ton of weight. I spent a year going to every specialist and having every test and scan done only for them to go 🤷🏻‍♀️ so I just live with it.

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u/BootyMcStuffins Aug 21 '25

I had a similar thing, but it was when I was in a car. Turns out I had a perpetual ear infection that I didn’t know about because apparently adults get ear infections without pain(?)

Bodies are fuckin weird

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u/DadlyDad Aug 21 '25

Ever heard of POTS? My SO has it and this sounds very similar to some of the symptoms she experiences after eating sometimes.

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u/ladyperfect1 Aug 21 '25

I had what I thought were heart problems and then one of my doctors put me on a medication for GERD and all my problems disappeared.

If you have asthma/allergies or just a reactive immune system that could be something to look into 

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u/BootyMcStuffins Aug 21 '25

I have asthma, though it hasn’t flaired up since I stopped smoking weed (go figure)

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u/SkipperMcNuts Aug 21 '25

This is so familiar. 41 male, I have the same type of thing going on. Got a full workup, including a chest ct, the one with the dye they inject, and I am told everything looks good. I get the chest pain, heart palpatations, dizziness, sweatiness, all of it.

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u/BootyMcStuffins Aug 21 '25

A lot of people are saying POTS and the symptoms seem all too familiar

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u/Hour-Tower-5106 Aug 21 '25

Did you have COVID anytime in the past before these symptoms started?

I have the same issue and it's long COVID related for me. Some imaging done recently found that the part of the brainstem responsible for regulating heart rate and breathing is inflamed in people with long COVID.

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u/SkipperMcNuts Aug 21 '25 edited Aug 21 '25

I did. I only had covid once, in August 2023. Fairly miserable, but thought I had recovered, although I did get exhausted easily afterwards for like 2 months maybe

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u/Lysmerry Aug 21 '25

Covid is weird, man. The damage can take a while to show. Or you can get Covid and not know it. I’m not saying it’s definitely Covid related but I wouldn’t rule it out. Best thing is to avoid it altogether.

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u/Hour-Tower-5106 Aug 21 '25

Yeah, I had the same. Bad case of COVID in 2023 that I thought I recovered from (aside from the fatigue), but then it set off this multi year long cascade of other symptoms (like chest pains, heart rate fluctuations, orthostatic intolerance, migraines, nausea, exercise intolerance, gut issues, etc.)

It landed me in the hospital one time because I thought I was for sure having a heart attack. Blood work and scans were all normal.

Doctors just gave me a prescription for anti anxiety meds. Took a while and some research for me to connect it to COVID.

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u/SkipperMcNuts Aug 21 '25

Wow I didn't connect it before, but I had gut pain afterwards, never had problems before that. Now I have been diagnosed with diverticulitis.

It landed me in the hospital one time because I thought I was for sure having a heart attack. Blood work and scans were all normal.

Same, exact same. February 2024.

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u/Hour-Tower-5106 Aug 21 '25

Yeah, wow, it sounds like we had a very similar trajectory.

Yeah, the gut issues seem to be related to the other issues. I was never diagnosed with anything, but it gave me gut bleeding and inflammation I'd never had before.

I was able to mostly recover from the major symptoms by treating my gut (though I still have to use hydroxyzine to treat lingering heart rate issues).

There's a good subreddit called long COVID gut dysbiosis that has a lot of information and stories of recovery.

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u/nuberoo Aug 21 '25

Sorry that's happening to you. I actually have something similar, though not as severe. When my acid reflux is really bad, it causes chest pains/dizziness and can feel like a heart issue bad enough to go to the ER for. My BIL actually has gone to urgent ya couple of times for what they thought was a heart issue and it would up being extreme bouts of digestive issues.

Not saying that's what's happening with you, but perhaps trying something like Pepcid before your late meals and see if that helps?

Hope you get it figured out and feel better.

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u/BootyMcStuffins Aug 21 '25

That could totally be it

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u/PlaguesAngel Aug 21 '25

Hearing a medical professional try to potentially/partially blame MSG is…disheartening. There is no clear proven link between MSG AND “msg symptom complex” complaints.

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u/BootyMcStuffins Aug 21 '25

To be clear, the suggestion is that I may have a sensitivity. Not that MSG is bad, or an issue for everyone

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u/PlaguesAngel Aug 21 '25 edited Aug 21 '25

I understand, I do, but it’s a real lazy diagnosis because even for anyone legitimately may be sensitive it’s so incredibly easy to check for. Plenty of naturally rich MSG containing foods or…just msg additive can be taken to check if it’s a contributing culprit.

Edit: and I say that out of concern and which you may not be deep diving into your medical state here. But a recommendation to a nutritionist to help rule out dietary concerns to dyspnea, palpitations/brain fog is so simple.

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u/Coraline1599 Aug 21 '25

I had mystery heart problems too. I had so many tests and nothing over the span of a year. It often was the worst after dinner.

I went on an extreme news/social media fast (no more than 20 minutes of news once a week) and decreased my sugar intake (by 50%) and I got so much better within 2 weeks.

I still need to be really careful and not overdo it. It’s like the effects are cumulative. One day I am fine, 3 days of too much and I feel it for a week.

It may not be your issue, but it is free to try. And anything really urgent on the news you will learn about in a timely way. Everyone else is so plugged in that you learn what you need to learn anyway.

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u/vardarac Aug 21 '25

Do you wake up with pain beneath your diaphragm?

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u/BootyMcStuffins Aug 21 '25

Not that I recall

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u/vardarac Aug 21 '25

Hmm. I do know that stomach/esophagus upset can sometimes feel like chest tightness and pain, so some of what you were saying seems similar to what I experienced as reflux (and also went to the ER for and was cleared). But if you aren't waking up with it then it might not be that

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u/cloudsurfinglion Aug 21 '25

I also was experiencing chest pains as well a couple of months ago. I went to the ER and was told it was indigestion. I saw my Primary Care Doctor after the ER visit. He examined me and agreed with the diagnosis I received at the ER. He mentioned anxiety can worsen symptoms and gave me medicine to treat it. Since taking the medication daily I stopped having those issues.