Visceral Hypersensitivity

I'm new to this forum and hoping I can find someone who can help me. Just under 2 years ago I stated having nausea and stomach pain. I had vertigo at the time so I attributed the nausea to that.

After it didn't go away for several months I finally went to my doctor, we both suspected it was my gallbladder. I had an ultrasound, my gallbladder shows no stones or problems. Just prior to the ultrasound I started to experience pain, fullness, and trouble swallowing.

I was referred to a GI, did an EGD all is normal. I started losing weight. I have no appetite. I feel full like I just ate a thanksgiving dinner most of the time and I'm almost constantly in pain. To date I have lost 80 pounds due to lack of appetite. I needed to lose weight, but I'm to the point of being too thin.

I have tried all of the food modification diets, no help. I've been treated for H. Pylori, no relief. I've been biopsied for celiac's , not that either. My gastric empty study showed slow motility at hour 3, but at hour 4 I missed the criteria for gastroparesis by one percentage point, so they say it can't be that.

I had HIDA scan, slow ejection fraction. Surgery was suggested, but i was told it wouldn't solve most of my problems, so I declined. I have had CT scans, ultrasounds, swallow study, esophageal manommerty (YUCK) all with normal to mostly normal results.

The doctor says that the tests that had a small variance in normal are not off enough to give me a diagnosis. I really like my doctor but I live in a smaller city, so at the request of my family who are worried about my weight loss I went to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester MN. We were told they have better equipment and more experience so what the heck I had nothing to lose and maybe I could get a diagnosis. Per the Mayo's request I brought my scans and reports with me.

They looked at them and took them at face value. I had expected them to re-do some of my tests especially the tests that had some variance of normal. After all they said they have better machines. I also thought they would do a capsule endoscopy because that is one test I haven't had, but no such luck. They did run two other tests i hadn't previously had but of course they are normal.

I did find in the swallow study report that Barretts Esophagus could be possible. This was never mentioned to me by the doctor. When all was said and done I was told I have Visceral Hypersensitivity.

I'm having a hard time with this diagnosis . I feel like they can't find anything so it must be this. I'm having a difficult time finding any information about this. I've read some doctors don't even believe it's a real thing, it's all in the patients head.

I was given anti-anxiety meds that MAY help. The few things I have found about this is that the general medication is an anti-depressant not anti-anxiety. After driving 1600 miles to the Mayo, I have to say I'm a little disappointed that more wasn't done there. I was dismissed to go home. So after all this I guess my question is does anybody have any experience with Visceral Hypersensitivity? I'm hoping someone can offer some insight to this diagnosis.

All help is welcomed! Thanks

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Post Edited By Moderator (dencha) : 8/13/2014 7:51:25 AM (GMT-6)

Im on amitriptyline for hypersensitivity, its a good drug, takes a few weeks before you notice the difference though. Sounds like youve had every test, and they found the gallbladder issue, may be worth exploring having it removed. Although its probably not a direct cause it may be related. Ive read stories from a lot of people and it doesnt seem uncommon for 'hypersensitivity' and gallbladder issues to both be present.

For those who have "visceral hypersensitivity" - to what? What are the triggers?

My allergist had me keep a detailed food journal to find my food triggers. It takes a while, but it works! The price is right too. Please look up food journal in the search box at the top of the page. There are dozens upon dozens of threads, mostly in the allergy forum.

After you have a list of foods that cause your symptoms it's easy to list some of them and the words "food allergy" and do a google search. I found my triggers.

If you are having trouble with this, you can try a "challenge test" There are many threads explaining this also. I found it wasn't the bun or the meat in my hamburger (for example), it was the condiments. They all contain sulfites - my main trigger. I also have lactose intolerance, a "true" allergy to sunflower seeds, and in the years since doing my original testing I have become wheat intolerant (not celiac, not all gluten intolerant because I can eat oatmeal). And speaking of oatmeal - I don't tolerate the amount of sugar I was putting on it, again because it contains sulfite.

If you are unfortunate to have my particular symptoms or anything potentially life-threatening, please enlist your allergist for challenge testing. I get tachycardia, sometimes lasting many hours and needing cardioversion. This reaction is called cardioesophageal reflex (not reflux).

Thanks to all who have replied to my post. With visceral hypersensitivity it doesn't seem to matter what I eat, it just depends on the day how my stomach reacts. I can eat the exact same meal at the exact same time of day two days in a row, one day I have a problem and the other not so much trouble. I have tried every food restriction diet including the newer FODMAP diet with no results. However I haven't thought about the condiments I put on things, certainly worth a try. I haven't been to an allergist I will look into that. I have kept a food diary and haven't been able to isolate any triggers. This is certainly frustrating, and I'm hoping the new med will help. I have been on Reglan which did help better than anything else, but with it's potential serious side effects, frankly I'm a little nervous to use it on a long term basis. It is usually prescribed for gastroparesis, which I've been told I don't have. Thanks again for all who have replied, I appreciate it.