Rotten Egg Burps = Projectile Vomiting

[Condor301]

I'm a 43 year old male with a long history of stomach issues.  I take prilosec daily and have no idea what a "normal" bowel movement resembles.  Sour stomach, cramps, reflux and soft stools are just a part of life for me and I've been able to lead a fairly normal and mobile life in spite of these issues.

Six weeks ago, I went to work and took one of my kids w/me.  He loves going to the office for some reason and he had nothing better to do on this particular summer day.  Around 10am I started noticing that I was burping quite a bit and my son pointed out that something smelled like "rotten eggs".  I agreed that something did smell putrid and that it was in fact my burps.  As the day continued, the burps became more and more frequent with individual burps lasting longer and smelling even worse (if that's possible).  Around 3pm, I told my boss I wasn't feeling well and excused myself.  I drove to the hospital and the ER was empty.  Not a person in sight!  Wow!  I told the nurse that I was in extreme abdominal discomfort, nauseous and pain radiating toward my back from my stomach region.  Well, somehow that triggered the "high risk heart alert" which got me checked in in record time, and EKG, blood work, and who knows what else.  Eventually they ruled out my heart and I continued to feel incredibly nauseous despite the three doses of anti-nausea medicine they had put in my IV.  Once it was brought under control, they did CAT scans, x-rays and sonograms of my abdominal region.  They checked everything!  They found nothing.  My appendix, galbladder, intestines and stomach appeared normal.  They gave me two bags of iv antibiotics and lots of fluids via the iv. I just figured it was viral.  The next day I checked out and went home having missed a day of work.

Three weeks later, I started tasting the rotten egg burps again and about 3 hours later, I was heaving up my guts.  I'm one of those people who really, really hates to vomit.  I mean, I just wont do it unless there is just no option.  I will feel sick longer rather than throw-up.  I'd take a beating before willfully throwing up.  Anyway, it was an unstoppable force and it just kept coming.  My wife took me back to the hospital ER where they again performed many of the same tests which all came up negative.  They gave me anti-nausea medicine which worked a bit better this time.  Again, after 24 hours, the pain and nausea were gone.

Today, September 7, 2003 I'm starting to taste the rotten egg burps.  I can't afford to miss work tomorrow but more than that, I cannot afford to spend the night and tomorrow morning going through this hellish experience again.  It's just too much.  So, here's what I've tried.  I took 40mg pantoprazole sodium (Protonix) delayed release tablet and an alka-seltzer.  These were 2 of 3 ideas I found on this site.  The 3rd idea said to eat a lime or lemon.  I have to say, the burps do feel a bit controlled but I'm not ready to claim victory yet.  I'll post tomorrow morning and let all know if this worked.  God help me if it doesn't because for sure the medical community at large is not able to.

All of these posts going back ten years and not a single person has said they have been cured yet?  Please, if you have had this problem and have been correctly diagnosed and cured, post a response and let me know.  Or, perhaps you have had this issue and know of a means of dulling the symptoms?  That would be great too.  I just can't believe that after over 40 years of never having anything like this happen, now It has happened 3 times in six weeks.  Again, I'll post if my rotten egg burps have not turned into nausea by morning.

-Condor301


This discussion is related to Sulphuric/ Eggy burps and stomach cramps.

[JULIEFERREE]

I am going through this as we speak. But I get water like bowel movements. I feel like I am going to throw up but it never comes just dry heaving.  I am so exhausted from running to the bathroom and from being sick.  

[JULIEFERREE]

I am now 14 into this horrible sickness.  I am now projectile vomiting.  The pain in my stomach is unbelievable.  I feel like death warmed over.  Does anyone have any suggestions for me

[Krys6]

I go threw this for years I puck up all this rotten undigested food after the nasty burbs start but now its happing all the time use to be a few months in between now it happens several times a week pretty much when ever I eat I hate it if anyone knows how to help this plz tell us

[TonyaAnn420]

My girl friend is going through the exact same thing we are sitting in the ER right now it seems like anytime she eats any solid foods thats when she gets real sick, if she on clear liquids for a day or 2 she gets better and thinks its ok to eat because she is starved then it starts all over again. When she starts burping like that we know vomiting is next. She lost 20 pounds this past week. She been like this a month now. Doctors cant find nothing.

[Ziggy4Life]

I am not a Doc so I can't diagnose but when you said, "it goes away after I vomit", that made me remember something in my past. I described that exact comment to my gastro years ago. And they found out I was having Gall Bladder attacks. I had the test for it and I was full of stones, packed! It may not be this, but it can't hurt to have it checked out? Just a thought. I so hope you get better soon ;)

[jkimber]

What did you find out?

[Mamanita87n05]

I have had the same thing! And am feeling like I am dying! What was the outcome of your doctors visit?