I've experienced the following symptoms for the past three and a half months:
- queasiness/nausea beginning shortly after eating which lasts 1 to 3 hours (no vomiting, though, and the nausea is not severe but definitely present). This is probably the symptom that bothers me the most because it distracts me from my work and makes me generally feel uncomfortable. For the first two months after my symptoms began, I didn't eat very well because of this nausea and as a result lost about 10 lbs. unintentionally. Not sure if I've gained back any as I haven't weighed myself in a while, but I often do have to make myself eat.
- feeling full prematurely when eating a full-sized meal. As a result, I've been eating much smaller portions and snack throughout the day instead of eating big meals in one sitting. This goes along with the nausea and causes me to not have an appetite a lot of times.
- mild bloating after eating and sometimes in the morning; this is more of a sensation of bloating rather than being physically bloated - my abdomen is not distended, etc.
- chest tightness / feeling like I'm not able to draw a full breath. This happened during the first two months or so, but it has subsided some.
- occasional constipation which usually resolves after a few days. Bowel movements are generally regular and not a problem.
- some lower back pain and a stitching kind of pain in left upper abdomen
- excessive burping in the morning and after eating; by excessive I mean noticeably more than I used to before this all started. Along with this, lots of gurgling sounds from stomach and abdomen area even when I'm not hungry.
- finally, I began experiencing these symptoms after a bout in mid-February of pretty intense abdominal pain that came in waves along with diarrhea, which would relieve the pain somewhat. I'm pretty sure this was not any kind of food poisoning or stomach flu, because there was no vomiting or fever, and I had not eaten anything questionable beforehand. After that episode was when all these other symptoms started..
I went to the doctor's twice soon after these symptoms, and she prescribed me omeprazole because I mentioned that I had a little bit of heartburn. The omeprazole didn't make any noticeable difference to me, so I went to a GI specialist in late March. He suspected either H. Pylori or gastroparesis. Eventually got an upper endoscopy done which turned up nothing, and the biopsy was negative for H. Pylori. I should also mention that I also got a blood and urine test, both of which turned up nothing as well. Since I don't think the acid reflux meds help any, currently I'm taking probiotics and some traditional Chinese medicine, which seemed to help for the past two months - I've started to eat better and more regularly and felt okay mostly again, BUT this past week I had another bout of intense abdominal pain + diarrhea similar to the one back in February, and now I'm experiencing the same nausea/lack of appetite/bloating as before. I'm all out of ideas as to what this could be, and why it would last so long.
A few details about me: age 22, female, was generally in good health before all this, though I had experienced quite a bit of stress and anxiety for about five months before initial symptoms began. But now I'm not really stressed out about anything and this is still happening... help?
Other things I'v considered: gallbladder issue (symptoms don't really fit, though), maybe gastroparesis, IBS? Any help would be greatly appreciated! And apologies for the wall of text!
The starter of this discussion provided comprehensive information regarding herself and the symptoms that were bothering her. The symptoms mentioned in the first post most likely suggested a gastrointestinal disturbance which origin and cause the other participants who joined the discussion tried to identify.
The member who replied first was a 15-year old girl who described the symptoms somewhat similar to those of the discussion starter. These included "the loud beep" in the upper left abdomen, nausea without vomiting (especially when thinking about food), frequent urination, thirst, and "feeling hungry."
I heard it was all due to stress and anxiety.
While the stress and anxiety can indeed cause gastrointestinal problems, as described in the first reply, the symptoms listed in the first post suggest that something else, probably more serious is going on.
The participant who replied next told that when he/she was 15 he/she was told that it was the "spleen causing my gallbladder to sludge." However, the symptoms mentioned in the opening post, except for the abdominal pain, are not those of gallbladder sludge - a collection of cholesterol, calcium, bilirubin, and other compounds that build up in the gallbladder - that may include vomiting and fatty stools, resembling tar or clay.
Another participant was suspecting that the bulimia she was fighting for years caused irreparable damage to her stomach lining and potentially her esophagus and intestines. She also added:
I went to the Dr. last week, and he agreed that it sounds exactly like GASTRITIS (and potentially, ulcers).
The doctor prescribed Nexium (a proton pump inhibitor) at bedtime and recommended GI specialist and endoscopy if the things don't get better in 2 or 3 weeks.
Several participants in the discussion experiencing same or similar symptoms told that they had been diagnosed with IBS, or Irritable Bowel Syndrome.
The gas, bloating, and nausea are all part of it.
Ulcerative colitis, a condition that is a part of Irritable Bowel Disorder (IBD) along with Crohn's disease, has been also named as a possible culprit by several participants in the discussion. Other possible causes named were problems with gallbladder and appendicitis, an acute or chronic inflammation of the appendix.
What helped me, after years of tests and being told it was IBS, was not eating wheat.
Several members suggested the discussion starter and anyone else who experienced these symptoms to try eliminating all gluten such as oats, wheat, and barley or anything that comes in contact with these items.
My son has had these symptoms for 19 months now. In this period of time he has been diagnosed as a Coeliac.
Many have been prescribed with Nexium, a proton pump inhibitor, which was named as the only pill that helped relieve the symptoms.
I have had the same thing for the past two years. I am taking CHARCOAL PILLS from health food store and they really help.
According to this member, charcoal pills helped with both nausea and headache he experienced for a long time, although the flatulence remained.
What do experts say?
The member who started this discussion was a 22-year old woman who had experienced the following symptoms for the past three and a half months:
- Nausea/queasiness that begins shortly after a meal and lasts 1 to 3 hours. No vomiting has been reported.
- The loss of appetite
- Unintentional weight loss as the result of nausea and loss of appetite
- Feeling full prematurely when eating a full-sized meal
- Feeling of being bloated after eating and sometimes in the morning (not visibly bloated)
- Chest tightness
- Occasional constipation which usually resolves after a few days. Bowel movements are generally regular and not a problem.
- Diarrhea with abdominal pain
- A stitching kind of pain in the left upper abdomen
- Some lower back pain
- Excessive burping in the morning and after eating
- Gurgling sounds from stomach and abdomen area even when not hungry
The symptoms indicated possible acid reflux/heartburn which doctor suspected and prescribed omeprazole, a medication used to treat gastric or duodenal ulcers, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), erosive esophagitis, and heartburn. The medication didn't help so the doctor ordered further tests, including blood and urine tests, endoscopy, and biopsy, which excluded H. pylori infection and gastroparesis.
So what could be causing these symptoms?
Literally anything related to the gastrointestinal tract. Here are some possible conditions that can cause these symptoms.
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a chronic condition affects the large intestine. The symptoms that may vary in severity and duration from person to person include:
- abdominal pain or cramping
- diarrhea or constipation
- nausea
- bloating
- gas
- an inability to finish a bowel movement or feeling of being unable to finish it
- stools with a white mucus
There’s no cure for IBS, so the treatment is aimed mainly at condition management and symptom relief usually through dietary changes.
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) represents a group of intestinal disorders that cause prolonged inflammation of the digestive tract. The most common of these disorders are ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease. Symptoms of IBD may include:
- cramping and pain in your abdomen
- unintended weight loss
- loss of appetite
- exhaustion or fatigue
- fever
- bloody stools
Also, in IBD, eating is often associated with symptoms such as nausea, pain, bloating, and diarrhea.
There are a number of treatment options for IBD, many of which can be combined for the best condition management. Treatments may range from making dietary changes to taking medications such as antibiotics, anti-inflammatories or immunosuppressants to surgery.
Enlarged spleen (splenomegaly)An enlarged spleen, or splenomegaly, can be caused by a number of diseases and conditions. Infections are one of the most common causes of an enlarged spleen. An enlarged spleen can be also caused by cirrhosis and other liver diseases, cystic fibrosis, blood diseases characterized by abnormal blood cells, problems with the lymph system, inflammatory diseases such as sarcoidosis, lupus, and rheumatoid arthritis, and even cancer.
Many people experience no symptoms with an enlarged spleen. If symptoms are present, they may include:
- pain or fullness in the left upper abdomen that may spread to the left shoulder
- feeling full even after eating
- mild back pain on the left side that may spread to the shoulder
- shortness of breath
- fatigue
- an increased number of infections
- anemia
- nausea
Treatment options for an enlarged spleen depend on the underlying cause and may include rest, medications or surgery.
Celiac disease or non-celiac gluten sensitivityCeliac disease is an immune reaction to eating gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley, and rye. People with celiac disease experience gastrointestinal symptoms such as diarrhea, constipation, abdominal pain, bloating, nausea, and vomiting.
Treatment may include following a strict gluten-free diet or using medications that suppress the immune system, in cases when celiac disease persists even after diet changes.
Although less severe, non-celiac gluten sensitivity may be present with similar symptoms.
Other gastrointestinal conditions may also cause the symptoms described in the discussion, however, it's hard to tell which one without detailed medical examination and clinical tests.
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4051916/
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5625880/
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4106026/
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4782273/
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12061183
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5437500/
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6040028/
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28810029
Discussion highlights
What symptoms have been reported?
- I mainly feel like this in the mornings and feel better by the time I go to bed.
- I also get headaches a lot to.
- I've experienced the following symptoms for the past three and a half months: - queasiness/nausea beginning shortly after eating which lasts 1 to 3 hours (no vomiting, though, and the nausea is not severe but definitely present).
- - feeling full prematurely when eating a full-sized meal.
- - chest tightness / feeling like I'm not able to draw a full breath.
What helped relieve the symptoms?
- I am taking CHARCOAL PILLS from health food store and they really help.
- Since I don't think the acid reflux meds help any, currently I'm taking probiotics and some traditional Chinese medicine, which seemed to help for the past two months - I've started to eat better and more regularly and felt okay mostly again, BUT this past week I had another bout of intense abdominal pain + diarrhea similar to the one back in February, and now I'm experiencing the same nausea/lack of appetite/bloating as before.
- Things like Buscopan may help, and it maybe worth looking into Hypnotherapy, but only very few people specialise in Hypnotherapy for IBS.
- See a Naturopathic doctor and get off all those drugs that are making you worse.
- Maybe consider speaking to your dr or a naturopath about foods that are considered natural inflammatory foods and staying off of these for several weeks.
- Did they do a colon scope similar systoms I had and they finally tell me I have a mild case of colitis Nexihm is the only pill that help me with bloating after a thousand different ones
- He put me on 20mg Pepcid twice a day, and nexium (a proton pump inhibitor) at bedtime.
- You then get 2 antibiotics and a proton pump inhibitor, and within a couple weeks, you're all better!
- I have been on nexium for a week.
- I started on Citalopram and I felt a lot better for a couple of years, and then they tried to take me off the Citalopram and al lthe systems you have described have all come back.
Verification Claims & Medical Studies
-
I am taking CHARCOAL PILLS from health food store and they really help.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK482294/ -
For IBS you take Mebevrine.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2177997
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4033443/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8899088
In conclusion
Symptoms described in the discussion can be a manifestation of many conditions affecting the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. However, without physical examination and clinical tests, it is hard to tell what may be the cause.