Help me heal my tummy...

March 13, 2009 11:22 AM

I'm feeling seriously bummed out about some stomach problems that have flared up (again). Have you experienced this group of symptoms (probably GERD or something similar)? What resolved them for you?

These are my symptoms:

- feeling that my throat is trying to jump out of my mouth (acid reflux)
- bad taste in mouth
- feeling that my stomach is swollen
- feeling of being uncomfortably full after not eating very much
- coldness in the extremities and sometimes, chills
- constipation
- abdominal bloating
- not being able to burp, even when it feels like I need to
- not passing gass, even when it feels like I need to
- stools with mucus on them (i know, yuck)

It all seems to start with a little bit of stress (and it doesn't help that I deal with stress by going for long periods without food, drinking lots of (acidic) coffee, and smoking). Then the symptoms present, pretty much in the order I've listed them above. I find it strange that I never experience hearburn through all this. Anyhow, the symptoms last for about a week, taper off and then resolve into somewhat regular bouts of acid reflux. These larger episodes seem to come along once every 6 weeks or so.

This has been going on for almost four years - ever since I went through a period of very severe stress. I have seen doctors about it and I still am, but there are no conclusions yet. I've had a baruim swallow recently but it turned up nothing. I was on Pantaloc, which helped, but didn't make this go away completely. Now I'm off it because I'm supposed to go for a pylori bacteria test (which apparently could be causing all this) and can't take Pantaloc or any actacids prior to the test. I haven't gone for the test yet because I can't seem to go for more than a few days without having to pop Tums and Pepcid AC for the acid reflux (this is background info. yes, i know i must go and get that test done asap!).

Online research suggests that this is GERD, but not all of the symptoms fit (specifically, the coldness, the unproductive gas issues and the constipation) Which is why I'm asking:

Have you experienced these symptoms? Did you receive a diagnosis? How did/do you treat your symptoms? Any wisdom to share about stomach issues in general?

PS. I am not overweight and I follow the "eat until you are 80% full" rule, so these are not factors in the acid reflux. Also, I avoid sleeping right after I've eaten.

posted by kitcat to health & fitness (15 comments total)

It sounds to me like you're on the right track with that test. I was just about to suggest trying some acidophilus to see if that helps
posted by snsranch at 12:19 PM on March 13

I have a VERY long history of severe GERD. I had a similarly frustrating time trying to find treatment - nothing - and I really mean NOTHING (I tried everything) seemed to work. However, I'm doing much better these days.

1. Ginger is, for me, the only "quick fix". If I'm experiencing a lot of nausea, difficulty swallowing, difficulty breathing, uncomfortable fullness, or a bad taste in my mouth, a little pure ginger tea or a small amount of strong ginger soda really, really helps. (For a brand, I recommend Traditional Medicinals ginger tea and Maine Root ginger soda.) This has gotten me out of numerous crises. I carry either one or the other, or sometimes strong ginger candies, everywhere.

2. I meditate every day. When I first started meditating, I saw, within a week, the first change in my symptoms in over a year. At first, I thought it might be a placebo effect or a coincidence, but over the last year and a half it's become extremely clear to me that it's not a coincidence - there's a very direct correlation between how regularly I meditate and how good I feel. (My symptoms also started after a period of extreme stress and flare up under stressful conditions.) 15 minutes a day was enough to make a HUGE difference, 30 minutes seems to be even more helpful. Since meditating is not easy, and is more than simply sitting with your eyes shut, I would really recommend learning to meditate at a meditation center or from a teacher. You don't have to belong to or subscribe to any religion to do this, and it is incredibly helpful. (I've now completed a meditation retreat and have plans for a second one. During my first retreat, I was symptom-free for the first time in almost 4 years.)

Good luck. I hope this helps. GERD really sucks, especially because it's manageable enough on a day-to-day basis that it's hard to convey to your doctor and others how difficult and unpleasant it can be. But you definitely can find ways to manage it, and hopefully before long eating will be fun again and you won't have to worry about this sort of stuff any more!
posted by Cygnet at 12:21 PM on March 13

Cut down on the smoking and caffeine...really - they're hell on your stomach. Also try drinking some pickle juice or at least eating a couple of pickles a day - it really helps me regulate my stomach acid - especially after eating fatty foods (there must be a good reason that pickles come with burgers). I also recommend acidophilus - try and get some kefir and drink a few swigs a couple of times a day. If this is bothering you at night - then try not to drink too much water before going to bed - I really have problems with reflux if I drink a big glass of water before sleeping.
posted by The Light Fantastic at 12:23 PM on March 13

Oh, I forgot, I had really severe lower G.I. problems for many years including really dreadfully painful and bleeding ulcers. One day a hippie friend told me about adicophilus and after taking it on and off for a couple of months, I felt and feel GREAT! You can get that stuff in a lot of health food stores.
posted by snsranch at 12:25 PM on March 13

Wow, this sounds EXACTLY like my symptoms before learning they were caused by fructose intolerance. Some of the wrong diagnoses I received were GERD and IBS. After years of taking meds for those conditions, with no success, I was very happy to learn that all I had to do to control the symptoms was avoid fructose - which is in just about everything, so, easier said than done :) But better than being sick, or taking meds!

Feel free to mefimail me if you want more links.
posted by chez shoes at 12:29 PM on March 13 [1 favorite]

Oh, PS: You say you don't have heartburn symptoms - I don't either (never did). This indicates, I believe, that there isn't actually a problem with the pH of your stomach acid; it's the actual reflux that's a problem (the sphincter at the top of your stomach failing to stay closed). Therefore strategies designed to regulate the pH of your stomach (like don't drink lemon juice) are probably not going to help you much, or at least they didn't do anything for me, no matter how carefully I followed the rules. (Some antacids may even worsen your symptoms.) I try not to drink TOO much lemon juice or eat TOO many tomatoes, but for me, those are not really triggers. (The only thing that is: raw onion. I stay away from raw onion at all costs. Several papers have also shown that in people with GERD raw onions reliably cause flare-ups despite leaving normal folks completely unaffected.)

For GERD, having your body in a comfortable position is often key. If you're feeling unwell, try leaning back slightly - not a lot, just a few degrees - and relaxing. This helps me and some others with the condition.
posted by Cygnet at 12:30 PM on March 13

IANYD, but...

From a symptom point of view, the coldness stands out as this possibly being systemic. Also, the "bloating" strikes me as possibly very serious if you can see an abnormal bump in your torso from outside the body. (Your description wasn't really specific enough for me to tell.) Have your doctor run a thyroid panel (if it hasn't been done already), and also check your other endocrines.

One problem with GI issues is that you can get a "domino" effect making the symptoms more scary than the condition actually is. One part of the stomach/esophagus doesn't function properly (perhaps because of the stress-trigger?), and that causes other parts of the digestive system to react by presenting other symptoms. You can also have endocrine or organ issues if it goes on for a while, and the body doesn't absorb enough of certain nutrients (although, this is fairly rare).

Be warned, this could be very complex, and possibly take a lot of time, doctors, and tests to zero on the exact cause. Hang in there, and hopefully they'll unravel the puzzle soon!

Thinking outside the box a little bit, I would suggest that you talk to a counselor/psychologist about stress management, once you start feeling better. Keeping your stress down isn't easy (or, we'd all be doing it), but there are techniques that really work for some people, and it can help you avoid the initial trigger in the first place.

And, lastly, I'm going to second The Light Fantastic - coffee is one of the harshest things out there on your stomach, and nicotine makes your blood sugar jump all over the place, which can't help.

Good luck, and let us know how you're doing.
posted by Citrus at 12:43 PM on March 13

Wow, thanks, these are all really unexpected answers. Just to let you know, I have tried acidophilus and while it did seem to make me feel better overall it didn't alter my symptoms. Maybe I need to try a different kind/strain..
posted by kitcat at 12:46 PM on March 13

I spent years suffering from severe acid reflux. I was on 6 Prevacid a day at one point, and several other medications. Endoscopies twice a year to make sure I wasn't developing Barrett's esophagus (and a colonoscopy once a year). Most of your symptoms seem spot on.

If I might make a suggestion, have them check your gall bladder. Also try temporarily eliminating all dairy, to see if you are lactose intolerant. Your gastroenterologist should check for H. Pylori, as he or she is doing... and may want to check for IBS as well. Irritable Bowel Syndrome and lactose intolerance are often associated with gas problems.

But definitely have them check your gall bladder. And though it might not seem important, you might consider chart the chronologic order of your symptoms when you begin to have them.

Two years ago, my symptoms spiked, and I began having serious bowel problems in addition to my other, common reflux symptoms: constipation, diarrhea, etc., I began experiencing that sensation of fullness after not eating much, as you describe. And I began having a rather embarrassing problem with gas. Symptoms which are not typically associated with reflux.

I was under a ton of stress at the time, so I figured that was the cause and didn't think about it. After a particularly bad night (my wife made chili!), I wound up in the ER with crushing chest pains and eventually, vomiting.

To make a long story short:

I went to the ER 7 times in about 2 years. I would begin having terrible heartburn and intestinal cramping, which would trigger a reflux attack. Each doctor I saw believed that I was experiencing severe reflux and nothing more. They'd hook me up to a Prevacid IV, my symptoms would subside over a 12 hour period and I'd go home, thinking that reflux was the problem.

The eighth time I went to the ER, I collapsed from the intensity of the chest pain. They admitted me, ran a battery of tests, and found my gall bladder had ruptured (gall stones!) and become severely infected. I had emergency surgery the next morning.

I'm not explaining all of this to frighten you in any way, but to emphasize something I didn't understand at the time: explaining the order in which my symptoms presented was extremely important for an accurate diagnosis. I would get cramps, then chest pain, then vomiting. The pain in my abdomen was too diffuse for me to recognize it as a gall bladder issue. I assumed, and so did my doctors, that I was simply experiencing terrible reflux. When in truth, I was experiencing problems due to a damaged gall bladder which would trigger esophageal reflux.

I realize you're not experiencing chest pain. But it can't hurt to check. An inability to break down an overabundance of ingested oils can cause some of the symptoms you're describing, and you don't have to have chest pain or heartburn to have a gall bladder problem.

Surgery diminished my reflux drastically. I'm on one "maintenance" Prevacid pill a day now. It's quite a change.

Obviously, IANAD. But If you would like to, please feel free to email me.
posted by zarq at 12:54 PM on March 13

Irritable Bowel Syndrome and lactose intolerance are often associated with gas problems.

It's worth mentioning that other carbohydrate intolerances - such as the above mentioned fructose intolerance, and other even less common ones like galactose intolerance, can cause this problem. Unfortunately, they are often misdiagnosed exactly that way - as IBS, or the more common lactose intolerance.
posted by chez shoes at 1:03 PM on March 13

That was very much like how I felt before finding out I'm gluten intolerant.
posted by Ruki at 1:12 PM on March 13

Four years is a long time to live like this. I have had GI issues in the past, mostly triggered by stress. Before I write, let me mention that I avoid taking medicines as much as I possibly can. This may be extreme but sometimes I also pretend that I am cast-away or something and I can only eat foods available in their natural forms (natural as in a fruit plucked from a tree not a "natural" food labelled on a can from Whole Foods) and it surely helps me.

"Any wisdom to share about stomach issues in general?" -

1. How about starting with a food diary? Write down everything that you eat and try to find any patterns. Avoid foods that are obvious triggers.
2. Avoid caffeine (coffee, tea, chocolates and even decaf- seriously) and see if there is any difference. I read somewhere that drinking coffee when you have stomach problems is like trying to put out a fire using gasoline- always helped me stay away from it.
3. Rule out lactose/fructose intolerance too (#1). I have noticed even within a brand some kinds of products affect me severly whereas others are just fine.
4. Avoid (not try but avoid) fatty and spicy foods and anything with tons of sugars/salt in it. Ditto for sodas.
5. Check #1 a week or so before your menses. The latter itself can wreck havoc on the GI system so you will need to separate the symptoms of the two. Again, avoid spices, excessive salt etc a week earlier. Also note that taking iron during that time can also aggravate some problems.
6. Drink lots of water.
7. Manage stress. Learn the source of the stress and effective ways to deal with it. Some solutions might include talking to a counsellor and self-help books. It takes work to address some issues and the results may not be immediate. But the effort is worth it in the long run.
8. Walk/exercise regularly. Yoga is excellent. All this is not just about weight loss.
9.Meditate and relax.
10. Ginger tea once/twice a day. I prepare it very light and I add all ingredients in mine separately so #2 doesn't really apply in my case.

I hope this helps and you feel better. Please keep us posted.
posted by xm at 1:16 PM on March 13 [1 favorite]

I have acid reflux coupled with IBS and get most of your symptoms (not the coldness thing but the rest at some time or other). The reflux sets off the IBS, is definitely acidic even though I don't get heartburn per se (the jumping throat thing and the bad taste thing show the acid is there, it's just that the mucus lining in my oesophagus prevents it hurting on the way up), and overall it's a fairly uncomfortable slew of symptoms.

Does this mean you have the same thing? No. None of us know what you have, we're haven't examined you or done tests or whatever. Lots of the answers here work against each other so at least some of them will make you worse instead of better.

So you need to keep working with your doctors. If it is h. pylori related then antacids or acidophilus or changes in diet won't do anything, you need specific antibiotics. The good news is that h. pylori is treatable, it would actually be a good diagnosis to have. So suck it up and do what you need to do to have that test, then keep going to your doctors and working with them to get this sorted. That's what's going to help you, just as working with my doctor has helped me to the point I'm currently symptom free.
posted by shelleycat at 5:47 PM on March 13

GERD? DGL. (IANAD & YMMV)
posted by IndigoJones at 6:20 PM on March 13

I've recently started Drinking Apple Cider Vinegar and Bi-card soda in a glass of water every morning and night. Providing that I stay away from the foods that trigger my stomach probs I've been discomfort free.
posted by AzzaMcKazza at 7:10 PM on March 13