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Avatar universal

Having trouble bleching and bloated/fulling feeling, why?

First a quick story... problems started about 4 years ago with heartburn and sweating after most meals.  This was easily battled back with heartburn OTC meds.  In the last 2 years things have worsened. With occasional heartburn I constantly burp small amounts of gas, but in an uncomfortable way, I have to force it up and out by flexing my midsection and tilting my head slightly forward. This belching is all the time and has began to hurt my throat. Most of the time I try to hold back from burping and I feel slight pressure high in the back of my throat. Normal belching only occurs rarely. The problem subsides after lying down for 15 minutes or longer, but this starts the steady passing of gas through the rectum with no complications to speak of there. Obviously the burping is much worse after any carbonated drinks or eating too much.  I have maintained a steady diet by eliminating fatty and gas producing foods and exercise routinely. My full/bloated feeling is the worse of the symptoms. There is no sharp or bad pain within the stomach only a pulling/bloated feeling from the midsection, I just don't feel hungry almost all of the day.  The full feeling and burping begins in the shower for me everyday. Once in a great while I have a slight pain just behind my sternum after I eat.  This pain is not sharp or very common, but definitely present. I've talked to 3 different GI doctors in the last 2 years with the following tests performed: Radioisotope Test of the digestive tract, Endoscopy, Upper GI, Colonoscopy, CT scan and a couple of blood tests with everything coming back normal.  My medications have consisted of but not limited to: Prilosec, Nexium, Creon and Dicyclomine.  Currently I will be getting back on Hyoscymine because this is the only medication that seems to help with the burping.  I have limited the speed at which I eat.  I try to swallow less often to prevent air from being swallowed.  I am fit and have a thorough medical examination annually for my job position requires such.  My energy level has been impacted severely. I have gained weight, but not more than any average man at 30. This is more information than most of the other doctors have gotten from me because they never have asked me to write a 3000 character question on my condition, which definitely gives you an advantage.  Do you have any idea what is going on with me?
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Avatar universal
Hi Bloatedboy,

My husband was the healthiest man, up until 6 years ago, when it all went downhill. We rented and lived in a small apartment that had a lot of deadly molds on the wall. We've been exposed to molds for about 2 years. We later found out that he had allergic reactions to mold. It all started from there. Nothing happen to me, cuz I don't have allergic reactions like he does. The molds, obviously had weakened his immune system, he started getting fevers, ear infections, light headed, etc. We went to a Thai restaurant called "Thai Promise" in Mission Viejo, CA had he started coming home vomiting, diarrea, and fevering. He felt like he was gonna die. I thought that maybe he was food poisoned. Months later, we went back to that restaurant. The same thing happened to him. Weird thing is that we ate the same food but I was ok.

We owned and was operating a very stressful food business for 6 years, working 12/7. Every doctor we went to would just rule out stress / anxiety and send us home. My husband was never the same ever since. He has this chest tightness, shortness of breath, plenty of fatigue and a discomforting churning growling stabbing (you name it) under his left rib cage traveling to the back upper shoulder blade area. It feels like cold airy acidy gas. He was never able to take a full deep breath eversinced. Every time it seems like air is leaking somewhere. Every time when he's in a sitting position, he tends to feel the chest tightness leading to shortness of breath. He's only 32 years old, but he feels like broken down 70 year old. We've done colonoscopy came out normal, breath test, numorous blood works, chest xrays, ekg, gallstone ultrasound, recently endoscopy with biopsy ruled out that he has inflammation and erosion in his esophogus. Was put on Nexium with no improvement and left dangling again. We've tried practically anything, anyone would recommend us. There are times when he has this sharp pain just a little below his left hip bone. A pain which concerns him that we went to do ultrasound for stones, came negative. He does realize that he feels better on certain days, and that certain food does make him feel crappy. It's very discomforting for him and I hate seeing him go through that. His 2 year older brother died of Leukemia less than 6 months ago after battling 4 years.

We visited the Asian country 6 months ago and he came back with diarrea. I did too, but it went away in about a week. His diarrea has been on for 6 months. He was put on strong antibiotics and Immodium with not much luck. After each of his diarrea, he gets this growling churning discomfort in his stomach. People look at my husband and no one has a clue that he has all these symptoms.

My husband is the sweetest man in the world, why is he being punished with all these illnesses? We've spent over 40k in medical bills already (that is with insurance coverage)with no solution. It's funny how different docs tells you different things just to get you out of their office. Doctors told my husband that he's got pluracy, muscle spasm, anxiety attack, GERD, gastritis, ulcer, IBS, asthma, pinched nerve. Because so much things happened at once and lead so quickly to another, it was hard to pin-point  what made this all started. I suspected a few things: the exposure of mold that weakened his immune system making him vulnerable from attacks, the damn Thai food's deadly food poisoning, his low-carb diet that made him lose 40 lbs in a couple of weeks, or weight lifting without first stretching out that may have caused him a pinched nerve. Who knows?

After visiting this website, I realized that my husband isn't alone. There seems to be no answer as of it yet. But if there is ever that someone has the answer to all this, please advise. I appreciate any input. Hope all goes well with you.

Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I suffer from this also, but not to the degree you have.  I have found a definite connection to PPIs.  I got off Prevacid and went back to OTC Zantac for a few days and the bloating all but disappeared.  Problem is, the reflux went out of control.

Never overlook the benefits of fiber.  I make a daily shake of Metamucil and the new yogurt that contains the active probiotics. In this case, the thickening of Metamucil that so many find disagreeable, helps thicken the shake.

I wish you good health.

Helpful - 0
233190 tn?1278549801
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
It is difficult to say without evaluation.

You have had a pretty comprehensive workup for your symptoms.  The upper endoscopy and CT scan can rule out many of the major causes.

At this time, you can consider more specialized testing.  This can include a 24-hr pH study with esophageal motility testing.  This is the definitive test for GERD and can evaluate for motility disorders.

Was the radioisotope test a gastric emptying scan?  If not, this should be considered as well - since gastroparesis can cause some of the symptoms you describe.

If negative, irritable bowel disease can be treated for.

These options can be discussed with your personal physician.

Followup with your personal physician is essential.

This answer is not intended as and does not substitute for medical advice - the information presented is for patient education only. Please see your personal physician for further evaluation of your individual case.

Kevin, M.D.
kevinmd_
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Do you think you could be bloating because of the ppis(prilosec)?  i take them and they cut down on the heartburn, but I experience painful bloating and gas continually with them
Helpful - 0

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