Everyday-Random Dry-Heaving with no other symptoms!? What's going on?

Dry heaving and gagging has been a part of my life for a good 10 yrs. now. I remember when I was about 21-25 yrs. of age, I would only get this when I'm out in the cold weather or whenever I put on a tie. But as I've gotten older it has become worse. I noticed that sometimes I could just wake up dry heaving and gagging on and off throughout the day. There would also be days without it. When I drink caffinated drinks such as coffee or soda this would also happen. When I get nervous it'll happen too. I also remember being the best man of my friends wedding, and just before we all walked inside a room full olf people, I would gag like crazy. It's embarrassing and some would look at me like I'm sick or something. During days of on/off dry heaving and gagging, I would also feel slight headaches too, which sometimes would lead me to believe that I have a terminal illness of some sort. It scares me from time to time.

I also have the same issue, going out into the cold or just andom moments throughout the day. Unsure as to what causes it also

i too have been experiencing the dry heaving and have no idea why. it happens randomly throughout the day but nothing ever comes up. i have not been too the doctor and was wondering if anyone has figured anything out

I also have the symptoms. I've always had the feeling of gaging, but up until a few years ago it has worsened. I don't have the same stories as most of you, it doesn't happen to me in the morning or any other time in perticular, it happens as im having my smokes. Pretty much every smoke of my day I can only get through half of it before I have the urge to gag, it's become so painful I almost come to tears.. Before I found this thread I was contimplating going to the doctors but felt I might regret hearing bad news. I'm 22years of age now, but when i was 14-19 I used to have a bad drug problem which may be the reason for my gaging, plus going along with the drug problem I used to gag alot (including blood). I'm scared to find out the out come to my symptoms but it is nice to see people accualy have the same problems as me, if not entirely the same. In the past year things have worsened to where ive had problems in my chest and problems breathing. Im not so active any more due to the threat of even worse dry heaving, its even threatning my job. Looking forward to reply's..

thanks for your time everyone

Spencer 22, BC Canada

So what things do we all have in common here.
Age range for start of symptoms: 15 +
Sex: I see mostly Males
Trigger of symptom: Stress or physical exertion.

Well I am also a "gagger" as I put it. It happens when I do any kind of strenuous activity and push myself a little to much. It also happens on occasion when I sing which isn't good because that is what I do.
I think that our gagging and dry heaving has to do with our muscles. I know my stomach and throat muscles very well because as I mentioned I sing. I think that the added stress on the muscles from whatever activity we are participating in is what does it. They are swollen as if we were lifting weights and so they take up more space and the slightest bit of flexing whether intentional or not can press on the stomach pushing whatever is there up far enough to set off our gag reflexes. I just shoveled snow and when I came in I gagged for what I think is no reason but after reading all these post I see the similarities and I see a potential reason for the symptom.

I also have these same symtoms for over two years, Every morning after getting out of the shower, brushng my teeth and getting dressed, all morning heaves..Then during the day from time to time but nothing like the morning..I have had a bunch of tests done "gastro and liver" and still no answers..cannot seem to find a doctor to really give me the time to explain and understand that i do not have a mental condition...Please if there are any answers send me a email

thanks Michael

hi guys,
this has been happening to me for close to 7 years. i am 21 years old and its been happening since i was in about 7th grade. my doctors have tried everything from heartburn meds to me keeping a journal of when it happens. there is no consistency of when it happens however i do agree that it happens more when i am stressed out. ive thought i was pregnant several times bc it happens close to every morning like you all have said. i do have a stomach ulcer that was dicovered 3 years ago and yet to go away. a friend of mine recently passed away and my stress level has gone up and its been happening almost all day every day for the past week. i am completely out of ideas and i do not know how to make it go away. i am going to talk to a therapist. it definately feels good to know im not the only one who suffers from this weird thing.

I have had this problem for a few years and believe it could be a mild asthma. Assuming that the gagging is our bodies way of trying to get more air I have focused on improving my breathing and my gagging has not been so bad. The first thing I did was get a thinner pillow so that my head can lay back keeping my airway fully open while I sleep, this sets me up for easier breathing in the morning. I also try to focus on keeping my head and neck up in good posture during the day to keep my airway open. And finally I try to focus on breathing through my nose and making each breath a deep one. I hope you all find these tips helpful.

hey all- i too suffer with this, Have been for about 6 months. Am seeing doctor this afternoon- will let you know what is said. I am pleased not the only one with this, but it is a horrid thing to have to live with.

I too have been suffering with unexplained dry heaving. As some of you have said it can come out of nowhere and at any time. I have had bloodwork, upper endoscopy, ultrasound, and a MRI and all have shown nothing irregular. My doctor tried to put me on medicine for stress, but that didn't stop it either. Even when I moved to a less stressful job, nothing changed. This "condition" has come on during job interviews and has kept me from getting jobs. It is embarrassing when I am out and it happens because people look at me oddly and don't know how to respond. Typically they offer me mints or water, but since it is only a short term thing, that doesn't help. Anyone have anything that has worked to get rid of it?

Its truly amusing to hear soo many people with the same problems as I have. But now my curiosity says,
with this many people having the same issues. I'm not going to say its stress, cause if that is the case, then we would have
way more people commenting on this forums, just like all of you and the rest of the world.

I have been doing research on this for the longest time. I can't figure it out either.

See my issue has stemmed from a few things. But not myself nor the doctors can truly figure it out. Now granted, here is something to keep in mind for the rest of you. If you lack medical insurance, it is almost positive that the amount of treatment you would receive from a medical doctor is then limited. They will do what they can temporarily as I believe it is illegal still to turn away a patient. So on that note, you will not get the best Diagnosis.

I suffer, from breathing complications, Dry Heaves, constant itching in rotated areas. I mean rotated cause never always in the same spot. I've been having weird feelings in my back, as if one side goes numb. Its almost as if it fell asleep.
I have irregular heart beats, and asthmatic issues. I guess it doesn't help that I have seasonal allergies.

This is coming from a guy that @ 30 has done a ton of stuff already. I've experienced scenarios that would almost have you believing that I might have had some kind of P.D.S.D., However, seems to not be the case. I was told Anxiety disorder was my issue and that it was quite common. I did some research on Anxiety disorder and found, that I only had a few small symtoms that could have possibly been related to Anxiety. But its soo small of an issue, that if you were to tell me I had it, I'd think that just about every american out there currently today with the rise of buget loses, and economical changes, I would have felt that everyone has it. :)

I think its time that someone actually answered our questions with some form of explanations or possibly solutions. This is my attempt at hoping someone responds with practical solutions. K.. Its they're turn now, HIT ME!

I had no idea this was such a common problem. I'm really confused about my own issue with it though. When I was younger (it started when i was 8 and lasted untill I was about 17) it would happen to me and we linked it to some kind of social anxiety. If I left the house or went anywhere unfirmiliar it would tend to happen. It would also happen if I smelled certin scents, mostly food. I hate having anything restrict my breathing and when I felt it coming on I would have panic attacks. Because of that we figured it was all just part of it. Eventually when I realized it was all in my head I got myself to get over it and I was fine and able to do things normally for years. Now a few months ago (I'm 24) the dry heaving came back with a vengance. It was a pretty stressful time in my life but it wasn't the first time. Its not random. It can happen right after eating (But not at home always out which was the same when I was younger) and sometimes I will actually lose my lunch. It also happens when I'm working out. I do karate and i can suddenly start heaving right in the middle of an excersise or a sparring match. It scares the c**p out of the people I work out with too. It lasts a few seconds and then i'm good to go again. Whats got me concerned is it will sometimes happen just completley randomly as well. Its not as bad as it was a few months ago so i'm hoping its fading off. I have not a single clue as to a medical cause. I'm not really sure I want to skip work to do the run around with a doctor. I did that when i was a kid and it was determined there was no medical cause. As far as I can tell its just some annoying mental thing that i'm just going to have to put up with. Though I am open to the idea that it could be an ulcer or some kind of bowel issue because I have had bowel trouble recently and i did when i was younger too. What i've found is when it comes on its better to just let it. If you try to keep it down it just prolongs it.

 Try this! Back to the Original Post. I experienced much the same as most of you have described in X-country, Track and with colder environments. When I sought medical help it was found to be a form of "exercise induced asthma". Basically your body cannot get enough oxygen, and it induces dry heaving, and it is very apparent in cold conditions. The fix as prescribed by my doctor was an inahler, and taking an antiallergen (clariten) and a expectorant (mucinex). In a doctors appointment just bring it up and say you want to try it out for a couple of weeks. I believe you will be very satisfied. 

Or you can go to the store and get some prilosec OTC and try it and see if it helps the situation.  Its over the counter and a protein pump inhibitor for acid reflux and ulcers.   Save you a ton of money on the tests.  If it helps you probably have your culprit, if not, get the tests.  FYI.  two over the counter pills are the Rx dose.

  All I know is that I have the same horrible sickness like you guys. This dry-heaving comes to me randomly at anytime. It happens when I eat certain foods, when I take too long to eat or even just sitting watching television. I am hoping someone have an answer to our problem.