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GERD / Chronic Nausea 1+ year

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Posted 6/8/2011 1:45 AM (GMT 0)
Hello All,

I was wondering if anyone experienced or knew someone who experienced anything like this. I have had chronic nausea for about a year now. It is really dependent on what I eat and usually fatty foods are the culprit. For some reason anything with vinegar really does a number on me as well. I have seen about 5 GI and a couple Internists and so far no one has been able to properly diagnose me. I have had almost every test under: HIDA, Endoscopy, Gastric Emptying Study, Million blood tests, Stool Tests, Colonoscopy, CT, Small bowel barium swallow, SIBO test.

The only positive results have been that esophagatis and chronic Atrophic gastritis and deodonitis in the endoscopy (no H. pylori). +3 Candida in stool. C Diff in blood test (treated - I never had diarrhea). Xylose sugar absorption on the low side (what ever that means???). Unexplained colitis in ileium for colonoscopy allthough I do not have crohns / colitis (IBD serology ruled that out. SIBO was positive ( but SIBO is a mysterious thing indeed so who knows). Those were the only results that brought up any interest and all my other tests were normal. Gallbladder HIDA scan (I took 3 times) i'm on the low side (and sometimes high side) but nothing to draw attention really(between 24% - 94% ejection fraction). Ultrasound no gallstones. Gastric emptying normal range (50% 2 hrs/ 90% 3 hrs)

The only thing that helps this nausea is when I take antibiotics (like xifaxan) and I'm almost nausea free for about a month and then it returns. Usually when I drink yellow gatorade it will help ( it has citric acid). Lately I have been taking double dose of prilosec 20mg twice daily to make sure i'm doing everything I can. For some odd reason the more antacids I take the more heartburn I get (and I usually do not have heartburn normally - only nausea). Is this a normal part of healing? I know I have high stomach acid because when I tried HCL betaine pills they gave me a burning feeling.

Now for how did I get this way. One day last year I was having a lot of bloating/gas so online I read that ACV (Apple cider vinegar) could help. I took about a tablespoon full and had this burning in my chest, that burning turned into nausea and till this day it never went away....

Does anyone have any words of advice that could help me out (or anyone else out there with the same issue). I found an interesting research study with GERD and nausea cured by prilosec but i'm not sure if this will work for me as the more prilosec I take the more heartburn I get lol (http://www.annals.org/content/126/9/704.full.pdf).

Thanks Everyone!

Update 11/4/2012
I have had some more testing and there have been a few abnormalities which still cannot be explained. I have a little higher than average blood calcium. Higher than average albumin. All though the doctors don't seem too concerned with these as they are not too far above normal? The most interesting test I have taken provided with the most mysterious results is the brain MRI. I took a brain MRI in Nov 2011 and it showed white matter lesions and mild atrophy! I have been to two neurologists and had the plethora of blood tests, I have had a spinal tap and all results negative. Neurologist thinks its from malnutrition/malabsorption... Well looks like i'm back to square one.

Post Edited (efplaya85) : 11/4/2012 6:13:47 PM (GMT-7)

Posted 6/8/2011 1:47 PM (GMT 0)
I have also been experiencing nausea for almost a year.  I had blood work, endscope, cat scan, and a ultrasound. All came back normal.  My doctor thinks I have too much stomach acid.  I was taking prevacid which was working but then I started to experience side effects so I stopped taking it.  I am trying to change my diet which does seem to help my symptoms.  You might want to try a different ppi.  Prilosec didnt help me.  Have you changed your diet.  I cannot drink anything with citric acid, it makes my nausea worse. 

 

Posted 6/8/2011 5:02 PM (GMT 0)
I have tried prevacid as well, I still get heartburn with it. I can change my diet and it helps a little but I'm still nauseous all the time. But like I said it is odd that anti microbial herbs/medicine helps the nausea and I have been tested for H. Pylori many times and all negative. Another thing that recently seems to help is glutamine powder which is an amino acid and is a precursor for GABA which makes the LES contract so maybe i'm on to something there?

Meg, have you had a gastric emptying test?

Have you entertained the idea of low stomach acid... Maybe try a Betaine HCL pill or two and see if that helps. Low stomach acid has very similar symptoms as high stomach acid..
Posted 6/9/2011 1:09 PM (GMT 0)
No, I havent had the gastic emptying test. My doctor didn't think that would be my problem because he said you would fill full and bloated after eating.  I didn't think it was low stomach acid because If I drink anything that is acidic I get horrible nausea.  Dairy also makes me sick.  I need to try an elimination diet and see if that helps.  If you have gastritis that can take a very long time to heal and you need a strict diet. Have you tried mastic gum?  It's horrible being nauseated all the time.
Posted 6/10/2011 3:18 AM (GMT 0)
I have tried mastic gum but did not use it for that long. I heard you need a few months on it so I will have to experiment with that. I'm just not sure whats wrong with me or why i have gastritis if I do not have H. Pylori... I'm currently trying out garlic pills for their anti microbial properties thinking that I may have some bug doctor's do now know about yet. It has been making me feel somewhat better but I will post updates along the way.

Acidic drinks actually lower stomach acid... The stomach gets a shot of of something acidic and turns off it's acid production a little bit because no more acid is needed. Thats why alka seltzer has citric acid in it. Even though Lemonade is acidic it has an alkalizing effect on the stomach ( i know , confusing!). The only way to know for sure is to put some HCL in there since it's ph is really low and if it doesn't burn it means you have low acid. I have come across people on forums who have cured themselves with low stomach acid.

For gastroparesis - some people feel full, some feel nausea, some vomit etc no one really knows why a stomach would slow down and the test ( Gastric Emptying) is really simple and non invasive. Gastroparesis is a fairly new ailment that doctors really conflict on (Much like SIBO).
Posted 6/10/2011 6:56 AM (GMT 0)
I've been dealing with this also for 3 years. I've had everything tested from hormone levels, gall bladder, thyroid, parasites plus all the gerd tests. Everything was normal except the tests for reflux. I've tried every med there is for reflux and some helped a little for a few weeks while others gave me nasty side effects, home remedies, herbal, and numerous anti nausea meds. I've had the nissen 3 times. My GI went as far as having me get my tonsils out to see if that would help, pulling at straws there. Even though my gastric emptying test was normal, I convinced the dr to let me try domperidone. It has helped the most, not a lot but better than nothing. The only problem is it's not available in the states so I have to order from Canada. I cannot work, I barely leave the house...for some reason being in the car makes the nausea increase, can barely eat. It's taken over every aspect of my life. My drs are puzzles what's causing it. Another thing that I found helps is gum. It keeps me swallowing and helps wash the acid down.

I wish I had an answer for you but just know that you are not alone!
Posted 6/10/2011 1:11 PM (GMT 0)
babygirl I'm sorry to hear about your situation. If the only negative result is reflux that must be the problem? Have you tried carafate? One way to test if this is really a motility problem is to eat something fibrous like brocolli and see if you have any trouble. How many times have you taken the gastric emptying test? That test can be a little odd. Did you ever try Iberogast(http://www.amazon.com/Iberogast-LARGE-SIZE-100ml-Dyspepsia/dp/B001B3UUAA) I heard some people with motility problems found resolution with this.

I have now been reading all these things about the gallbladder on healing well and it sounds like some people just have nausea with no abdominal pain. Some people even claimed that both ultrasound and HIDA came back normal but when they had the gallbladder removed it was inflammed and scared and they felt better after it was removed. If nothing else works for this nausea I may just have to entertain that Idea.

babygirl - do you still have your gallbladder?
Posted 6/10/2011 2:41 PM (GMT 0)
I do have reflux which is why I've had the nissen 3 times. I don't have the feeling of acid coming up as often anymore but it's still there occasionally. I have the nausea from morning til night. I don't have a motility problem. I've had the test done twice and it was normal. I don't have an issue with fiber exept for gas. :/ Carafate does nothing.

Yes I still have my gall bladder. I've had the HIDA scan and ultrasound done 3 times, 2 when I was having a flare up and they came back normal. I asked my surgeon to remove it during the second nissen just for kicks and he said he can't since he needs a reason to remove it and all the tests were normal. I'm curious how those people had it removed without an abnormal test. I did bring up bile reflux to my gastro and they just do the scans. My bravo was normal even though I could feel acid coming up and asked if bile was able to be detected on the bravo and they said no. So it very well could be a possibility, they just won't do anything.
Posted 6/11/2011 1:20 AM (GMT 0)
I am so sorry to hear about your chronic nausea, I commented on another nausea page as that was such a significant thing for me along with the GERD. I can still get nauseous and BROCCOLI would absolutely kill me. I found keeping something in my stomach helps (crackers, protein bars) and hard candy helps, and although I cheat a little on the gastroparesis diet (I love cereal, so I eat it) it has helped a good bit. I drink ginger tea 2x day and I think that helps, the only other thing I can drink is Nestle flavored water. I have also heard of people with normal ultrasounds and hidas getting their GBs removed and being very happy (GBs were scarred or whatever). But, I know WAY more people who continued to be miserable, and now live in the bathroom, lots of weight gain, that for sure would totally be last resort for me. Very last resort. I found getting a doc who gives a darn helps too and that took heading 2500 mi across the country. That guy was great; he was interested, listened and gave me helpful feedback. The guy here (Montana) was largely useless
Posted 6/11/2011 3:21 AM (GMT 0)
I wonder... If there is a way to know if chronic nausea is really coming from the gallbladder or from the GERD? Since both US and HIDA can come out ok is there anything that is conclusive?
Posted 6/11/2011 3:51 AM (GMT 0)
Or it could be so many things, like the slow stomach emptying. I really got relief when I changed my diet.
Posted 6/27/2011 7:52 PM (GMT 0)
baby girl- i've had the same thing.. I've had this for about 9 months now, my parents don't beleive i'm sick, i'm 16 almost 17 and I can't go to school, can't work, can't even hangout with my friends and my parents think i'm 100% fine and can "suck it up". I've been for stool tests, blood tests, pregancy tests, gastroscope I think its called, and an ultrasound, and everything has came back fine, i'm on the erge of tweaking at every doctor because i'm only 16 and I'm now a year behind in school, no job and they can't figure anything out!! and all I feel is nausious everyday all day, sometimes it's really strong and bad, other times I can try and ignore it but it's still with me, but either way when I can try and ignore it I still can't go out and do anything because it is still there. and out of the 9 months i've thrown up about 4 times, all diffrent months.

I need help on figuring it out and what to say to my doctor that I need to do!!
please help!! i'm 16 and need to graduate :(
thanks, my emails [email protected] if you'd rather message me on there and tell me what to doo :(
Posted 6/27/2011 7:53 PM (GMT 0)
baby girl- i've had the same thing.. I've had this for about 9 months now, my parents don't beleive i'm sick, i'm 16 almost 17 and I can't go to school, can't work, can't even hangout with my friends and my parents think i'm 100% fine and can "suck it up". I've been for stool tests, blood tests, pregancy tests, gastroscope I think its called, and an ultrasound, and everything has came back fine, i'm on the erge of tweaking at every doctor because i'm only 16 and I'm now a year behind in school, no job and they can't figure anything out!! and all I feel is nausious everyday all day, sometimes it's really strong and bad, other times I can try and ignore it but it's still with me, but either way when I can try and ignore it I still can't go out and do anything because it is still there. and out of the 9 months i've thrown up about 4 times, all diffrent months.

I need help on figuring it out and what to say to my doctor that I need to do!!
please help!! i'm 16 and need to graduate :(
thanks,

Post Edited (wydenes123) : 6/29/2011 2:02:18 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 6/27/2011 8:07 PM (GMT 0)
Wydenes, you need to remove your email and put it in your profile so only members can see it or you'll get spammed.

Ask your doctor to try you on a PPI or H2 blocker. Also you need to modify your diet to acid free foods. Raise the head of your bed 6-8 inches.
Some tests you may want to ask about: Barium swallow, manometry, pH testing, and stomach emptying test.
Wish you luck.
Posted 6/29/2011 8:05 PM (GMT 0)
thank you i'll deffinatly ask!
Posted 6/30/2011 8:24 AM (GMT 0)
Babygirl, your comment re the car makes me wonder if fumes bother you, in which case you may want to try something that supports your liver (e.g. Milk thistle or methionine). Or is it the motion, in which case have you tried the acupressure bands? Acupuncture supposed to be good for nausea. Not tried it myself; my worst nausea was from taking Omeprazole during the day; when I took it at night it did a better job on the reflux and the nausea was a lot better. Was difficult to know how much nausea came from the drug and how much from the reflux, but changing when I took it made a big difference!
Probably not saying anything you've not already thought of, but just thought I'd mention those things.
Posted 6/30/2011 8:20 PM (GMT 0)
I think it's the motion or just the anxiety of leaving home. I have sea bands, not sure if that's the same thing you're talking about. They have a little knob on them that puts pressure between the tendons on the wrists. My reflux is tolerable during the day but once 6pm hits everything is out of control. I've tried taking my meds later in the day but they seem to make it worse. I found a site about bile reflux and that's what I'm thinking I have. I'm going to an "expert" gastro next month to find out what's going on.
Posted 11/5/2012 1:06 AM (GMT 0)
Wow hard to think it has been a whole year since updating this thread.
For about a year now I thought I figured out a way to control my nausea but now i'm not so sure. I found a mixture of herbs that seemed to make me a lot less nauseous. It was a mixture of Liver support herbs along with cinnamon and oregano oil twice a day. I figured I could attribute this nausea relapse to the herb's antimicrobial properties as I have a history of feeling better on antibiotics. I keep thinking my nausea is primarily due to my SIBO diagnosis (which is really a BS diagnosis - completely useless). These pills worked for a little over a year of constant intake until last week when I got a flu shot. For some reason I was having tendinitis issues that day and thought they may have been from my herbal regiment and stopped taking the herbs that were supposedly helping the nausea. After discontinuing the herbs it took less than a day for the nausea to kick back in so I went back on the herbs... This time the herbs didnt work. So I went on other antimicrobial herbs, didnt work. I thought ok, this is odd. I had some left of Xifaxan antibiotic which I took for a few days and still no improvement. Also during this time i developed some sort of a cold as I was having a sore throat and overall "eh" feeling. Either this bacteria somehow adapted to a very powerful remedy or it wasn't the bacteria that was making me nauseous in the first place? The only thing that seems to help with the nausea is taking Lemon gatorade... For some reason just lemon gatorade gives me some relief.

I'm hoping maybe i'm having some weird viral infection or a reaction to the flu shot that will go away? Has anyone had flu shot nausea side effects before that have lasted 2+ weeks? I'm thinking since the gatorade helped me that maybe my body is trying to fight something and i'm chronically dehydrated. I'm just attempting to get massively hydrated these past few days and seeing how this works. I'm also going to try a different antibiotic and see if it is indeed a bacterial problem. I'l post back with results.
Posted 3/15/2016 3:40 AM (GMT 0)
I've had on and off nausea for nine years; it started when I was fifteen. I've had so many test done to see what is wrong but every doctor says that I check out fine. They tell me it is all in my head. Because of this there is no perscription that I take. Sometimes tums helps, but what really helps me is mint chewing gum. The mint helps settles my stumack. I also like to rub the palm of my hand and put a cold towel on my neck. I am carful with what kind of food I eat and I always make sure drink lots of water. Hopefully some of these small tricks will help some of you feel better.
Posted 2/10/2018 7:30 PM (GMT 0)
Ok i it has been quite a few years since this thread. I want to give an update and maybe some hope for people who have similar symptoms.

It turns out the nausea was most likely just gastritis and/or GERD. I think back then I must have burned my stomach lining with the ACV vinegar. And looking back now, it makes sense. I took a tbl spoonful of ACV right before bed and it was probably just resting in my stomach, burning.

So by chance, my girlfriend at the time had one bad day where her GERD/stomach was flaring up. Her Dr told her to try Mallox/Liquid Ant Acid. She had similar symptoms as me for that one day. So I was like hell with it, i'l give it a try. So me and her spent literally the entire day drinking Mallox. I noticed throughout the day i felt better and better. By the end of the week I was 100%, no more nausea.

Its funny to think that no other antacid was able to help me. It took a whole day of Mallox drinking to fix me. Now whenever the nausea comes back(not frequent at all) i just take a tspn of Mallox and I'm good.

So TLDR; No more nausea and life is good after drinking Mallox for 1 entire day.
Posted 2/20/2018 8:58 PM (GMT 0)
Hi OPo. The calcium can indicate that something is not right with your Parathyroid gland. Possibly your thyroid is also too large. If they are too large, they can put pressure on your windpipe, wich in turn puts pressure on your esophagus and prevents you from releasing gas normally
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