Aa
Aa
A
A
A
Close
Avatar universal

Chronic rotten egg/sulfur burps.

I am a 25 year old female and my only illness asides from these rotten egg/sulfur burps is Asthma -- since an infant. I have suffered with these burps for years of my life, and sometimes I can go years symptom free. When I was a little girl I'd get an isolated episode, projectile vomit until the veins in my face broke, and then was ok for a good year or so. The burps then started up again last October and were chronic and occurred 3-5 times a week. They stopped in Feb, and then began again in April. I have never had them last or be a problem for so long at a time.

These burps ruin my life. Asides from the disgusting taste -- I have to spend 12 hours in bed or else I vomit. I notice around hour 6-8 of the burps I get severe gas pains, bloating, and I cry it is so painful. By hours 10-12 they are gone and don't come back for about another day or two, then reoccur. In the meantime I take 10 mg of OTC pepcid 2X daily to try to prevent them and the heartburn that they come with.

My bowel habits change when the burps are back, and I get extremely constipated. Not to be gross but my bowels are often floating and fowl smelling like the sulfur I burped the day before. Food does not want to digest and I burp up the taste of food eaten over 8-10 hours after a meal. I have lost a large amount of weight as well due to not being able to eat. I had a baby in 2006 a year prior to them starting and I went from 185 after delivery to 145, mainly because of these sulfur burps.

I don't know if this condition is psychosomatic with people around. My husband claims he had a bout of them, as did my mother. I think for them because it was isolated it was in their heads more or less than a real issue. They have to continually see me suffer with the condition.

I quit eating chicken thinking that it was a problem with food. I quit eating wheat. I quit eating raw fruits and vegetables because they are known to be harder to digest. I have tried digestive enzymes, and special yogurts to promote digestion. I about about to try grapefruit seed extract. I am very tired of this condition. I have researched it to no ends on the internet and have found no answer. I am terrified I will starve to death because I can never eat. I have to spend half the week curled in bed with stomach pains while trying to nurse and care for my toddler. It is depressing beyond all means. From reading others around the internet world I know this is a viable problem and is not a simple "stomach virus".

Does anyone have some answers for what this could be, possible medications to treat it, and prognosis?

Thank you!
107 Responses
Sort by: Helpful Oldest Newest
Avatar universal
I have had the same issues since I was 17. I'm now 29. They used to happen maybe 2x a yr and now I've had at least 3 so far this year. The last episode was Monday night through Tues. I've had 2 upper endoscopies and the drs have "ruled out" hpylori. I've had a hida scan and my gall bladder is fine. Now they are checking to see if I have celiac disease...this is so frustrating. When the episodes occur it really takes over my life :(
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Sorry to say, gallstones...not the answer.  I had my gall bladder out over 10 years ago and I suffer from this debilitating condition on a regular basis.  I've been to doctors, none of which know what to do.  It's so frustrating when you start the first sulfur burp and you know what's coming for the next 10-12 hours.  The only thing that I have found that seems to help shorten the time the misery will last is to sit up straight as soon as the first burp occurs.  Do not lay down, even though it's the only thing you want to do.  It seems that staying in an upright position sometimes can stave off the vomiting.  I prop myself up in bed with pillows all around me so I can't lean over when I fall asleep.  I also get a very hard stomach.  It feels rock hard as the time progresses and it causes a lot of pain.  I have started doing bends and twists of my abdominal area while I sit on the edge of the bed.  I feel like it makes my abdomen start functioning again, because when I get it, it feels like my whole digestive system has shut down.   Hope this helps somebody out there.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I  personally believe that animal protiens and dairy are the biggest culprits here. It is much harder for the human body  to digest protiens from another species! Since I have cut animal products from my diet I have not suffered from those terrible burps for over a year now!
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Foods that contain sulfur include poultry, red meats, dairy products (specially milk),vegetables (asparagus, broccoli, watercress, yams, cabbage, onions, pack choi, mustard, parsley, onions, sweet potatoes, Swiss chard, tomatoes), legumes( peas, beans, soy, lentils, jicama, carob, alfalfa), avocadoes, bananas, watermelon, grain, nuts, seeds, tea and coffee, amino acids, whey proteins, Vitamins B1 and H. Certain medication may also contain sulfur.

Medical reasons: The most serious and common cause are Helicobacter Pylori or Giardia. Helicobacter Pylori is a bacterium that causes chronic gastritis, gastric ulcers, abdominal bloating, burping and heartburn. This can be diagnosed by a urea breath test and treated with antibiotics. Giardia is a one cell parasite that causes bloating, diarrhea, and foul smelling burps. Poor hygiene, unclean water sources and oral-fecal transmissions are ways these infections can enter the body. Sulfur burps could be a symptom of either infection.
Food reasons: The foods listed above all contain sulfur. This is also true for high protein diets. Acidity builds up when the stomach takes longer to process and expel a high protein meal. A chemical reaction occurs which creates hydrogen sulfide. This is also the reason why the body may feel bloated. The burps disappear once the hydrogen sulfide and protein is expelled.
Prescription Medication: These may also cause sulfur burps. The prescription label will list the ingredients. If any contain sulfur you will have found the reason behind the sulfur smell of your burps.
Other diseases: These include SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth). This is when normal intestinal bacteria overgrows and causes burping, bloating, diarrhea or flatulence. SIBO may also be present in fructose malabsorption or lactose intolerance. In other diseases like Crohn's disease and celiac disease, food may not be digested completely and can be broken down by sulfur reducing bacteria that result in the production of hydrogen sulfide.
If you suffer from both sulfur burps and gas you may have a gallbladder or small intestinal problem. In this case, an endoscopy can be carried out to determine the cause. However, an endoscopy is not known to aggravate the condition.

Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
My 12 year old son is suffering horribly from the exact same thing, the rotten egg sulphur burps and also gets the cramping. He has developed extreme anxiety from this. He is in fear every day of getting these. We have had him to doctors and a pediatric gastrointestinologist have had no relief. Is there ANY ANY ANY suggestion at all to treat these or prevent them? Anything that has worked for anyone here?
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I have the same problem right at this moment. I cannot sleep, I don't throw up. I have had my gallbladder removed years ago. I also have Gord. The doctor gave me a course of antibiotics to get rid of the bacteria it worked for a while. Today I ate bread which was full of seeds and grain this feels like it is still sitting heavily in my gut. My room reeks from the expelled gas that is causes me to have a headache gross I know. If I can stomach it I usually have a warm cup o soup that seems to lessen the symptoms so I can sleep. Mind you it could just be I want it to work! It is also hard to make other people understand how you feel, so sick ,tired, depressed I ask my friends and family but they don't or never have had these symptoms so I thought it was just me. But now I have found this site I know I am not alone.
Helpful - 0
Have an Answer?

You are reading content posted in the Gastroenterology Community

Didn't find the answer you were looking for?
Ask a question
Popular Resources
Learn which OTC medications can help relieve your digestive troubles.
Is a gluten-free diet right for you?
Discover common causes of and remedies for heartburn.
This common yet mysterious bowel condition plagues millions of Americans
Don't get burned again. Banish nighttime heartburn with these quick tips
Get answers to your top questions about this pervasive digestive problem