Constant burping drives me crazy! Please, help

[bartlomey]

Hello,

My name is Bart(no, not Simpson:)) . Let me tell you my story and ask for your help. I'm 19 years old.
After my final exams in high school(back in May) I used to spend a lot of time in home, most of friends went to work so I didn't have a lot to do, so I had a fatty diet(spaghetti carbonara, pizzas, burgers, tacos, cheese, coke and stuff like this). I'm generally a thin person(not an physically active tho). I like to spend time at home, eating, I'm a food maniac, like cooking, eating. Done it for many years with no symptoms. I could eat everything, fatty, spicy foods. But my point is...
Back in June my symptoms have started. At first, for a few days, I had this weird symptoms like I was going to throw up, then I had this weird little pain under my chest, and also constant burping appeared. I went to my regular doctor and she gave me some anti-acid medication and it helped the pain and the puking feeling.
But for the past 2 months or even more  I've been struggling with constant burping and little heartburn. The heartburn is not that particularly strong, but burping drives me crazy! It's chronic. I burp all the time, in the morning, with empty stomach or full. It doesn't matter what I eat, the burping is still there. 3 weeks ago I went to a gastro doctor, and he diagnosed me with acid reflux. He examined my stomach this way: pressed it in a few spots and asked if I felt pain, but I didn't. I don't have any stomach pains or stuff like this. Completely nothing except constant burping and little heartburn. I had my blood examined and the result were very okay.

I've been on a diet for over a week. I eliminated fatty stuff and acidic stuff I eat like 5% fat cream cheese, lettuce, broccoli, etc I drink fresh carrot and apple juice every morning, yesterday I started aloe juice, and I'm still on anti-acid meds(the med is called Polprazol). Nothing seems to actually help. Maybe the diet helps the hurtburn a little bit, but it doesn't help burping. I don't know what to do. I want my previous life back. I want to eat normal stuff, I can pass on eating unhealthy food as frequently as I used to to before, but I want to at least be able to eat it. I can even have the heartburn, but I wish the burping was gone.

Please, help me, give me some advice. I can't live this way all the time. I wish I could eat normal stuff, enjoy dinner with my family or girlfriend again.

Bart

[selmaS]

  I have one as well....have you heard about how it can be manually manipulated ?....I keep this in mind of I ever have a bad flare I can not control with meds and diet/lifestyle modifications....

Seems it is possible to learn how to do this for yourself after a few visits...so I am curious....

I think it is mostly  a viable option for sliding hernias, which some hiatial hernias do....something to look into.

Oh , yeah it is a chiropractor that would do this technique....and not sure all do it so a little research is required on it too,

[greyfox55]

I've wondered myself if I've had something beyond GERD such as Hiiatal hernia. Was your primary doctor able to diagnose this or did you have to see a specialist? What kind of tests were done to determine the diagnoses?

Did they say anything about how its treated?

[bartlomey]

Hiiatal hernia. That's my thing.

[selmaS]

  I know what you mean...and I had periods of time where nothing helped and everything I ate and drank even water caused me to burp.....but in time, I did get better...

I kept my diet very restricted at that time when water affected me...I ate a lot of Jello....toast and things like that....

We are all different as to what will help....and getting stressed over it will not help....we need to relax as much as we can as stress will cause the symptoms to flare.

With diet it is best to keep a journal to log what you can eat and what you can  not as foods considered safe for most may affect you...and that could only be at certain times like during a flare up.....or it just may be you can not eat that item at all....or you may be able to once the flare is gone with the aid of the meds...

It is hard to follow someone else's guidelines as they are not you and they are only guidelines to give you a place to start.....

  Listen to your own body and how it reacts, keep a journal and see what and how you have to  eat to help your body feel better....many times eating more meals in a day is helpful...they should be smaller meals...but the idea is to use up the excess acids and have them break down foods more frequently...to prevent the ill effects of the acids just lying there...

All you can do it try different things and see what works best for you....

[greyfox55]

I have been suffering from GERD / Acid Reflux for 3-4 years and I feel your pain. For me it started out as occasional burping and heartburn a few times a week. In the past year I've had symptoms of GERD practically every day, and at times it can be so intense it affects my quality of life. I've actually gone to the ER because I thought I was having a heart attack because I had such bad chest pains from GERD. My case is much like yours where absolutely everything can trigger it. Just yesterday I had lettuce and spinach in a salad with no other ingredients or dressings, and afterward my acid reflex intensified. I've tried eating as bland as possible with little to no improvement. I will say however that certain foods can make it much worse for me such as pizza, pastas, salsas, anything hot and spicy.

Unfortunately for me antacids like Zantec and Tums are ineffective. I was taking Prevacid for a while and I did see improvement but the side effects really bothered me. You may want to try Zantec 150 if you haven't already. If that is ineffective your doctor may prescribe a PPI.

I hope this helps, your not alone in suffering from GERD.

[bartlomey]

I was hoping that the diet would help, but it doesn't or maybe a little little little bit. It doesn't eliminate burping, nothing actually does and I've been on antacid for 2 months..The doctor said, that if the meds don't help, I should be done gastroscopy. I'm actually terribly afraid of this test, even thinking about it makes reflux even worse. It's even difficult for me to relax. I'm moving out in October, I'm going to the university..it makes my life very stressful.. And not being able to eat what I like makes it even worse.

I'm starting to get kind of angry now. I read forums, I talked to doctors, my mum, I watched youtube videos, and everyone says something different! Some people say that you need to eat fresh vegetable and drink fruit juices, eat vegetable salads, some people say that you can't eat raw food(vegetables, fruits, etc) other people say, that you need to eat boiled meat and vegetables, other people say that you need to drink milk and dry bread, other people say that milk should be eliminated from your diet..Some people say: "Eat tomatoes!" and other people say different.  My God!! This is really driving me crazy now. I don't know, who should I listen to. Everyone says something different, but nothing seems to help.

[selmaS]

  During a flare up water can cause you to feel ill....it is not always what you eat but how inflamed your system is....you can calm it with a modified diet and meds.....with time you can feel better....

As I said try to reduce your stress and stick with the diet and follow the instructions on how to take the meds....

I had it so bad water made me really ill and I no longer have that issue....and I only have an issue when my IBS flares....so, it can get better for some of us....keep us posted on how you are doing.

[bartlomey]

Thank you for your support.

Do you think if this condition is ever going to go away? It's driving me crazy. I've read forums, and people say that it may stay this way forever. I can't even think about it; not being able to eat regular food..?oh boy, this doesn't look too good. I could eat everything, and now I have this GERD..and the funny thing: it doesn't actually matter what I eat, I still burp and the heartburn is there. I eat like two slices of bread for breakfast, lettuce with tuna for lunch, my dinner is similar. I'm trying to minimize fat and carbs.  I was hoping, that the diet would help, but it doesn't seem to.

@yourenderme, I have a few questions for you.
What do you actually eat? What does your diet include? For how long have you had your symptoms and what are your symptoms?
Have you ever had gastroscopy or anything like this?
Do you think this condition is treatable or we are gonna be this way forever?

[yourenderme]

I have GERD and burp ALL the time. When I first met my husband he was like what is wrong with you? I told him I can't help it!! I just burp like a man! We would go out and I'd burp and pretend it was him. lol. Anyway...I think this is a common symptom. You are on the right track with diet. Keep away from over eating. Especially a lot of bread, pasta, etc...So no more donut mornings for me. Also watch your weight. Take your antacids (Nexium, Zantac, etc) before you eat. If I eat well I only have tiny burps. But I will wake up in the morning and first thing I do is burp. No water, food, etc..You aren't lone.

[selmaS]

  Hi and welcome to the GERD forum.

Reflux can be triggered by a number of different things...stress being one, and with graduating from high school during final exams I am sure you had some stress....

So do try to relax, and give the meds and diet a little more time to see if it helps.....ask for testing if it doesn't ....