Diagnose Strange Eating Malady

October 4, 2009 5:02 AM

Diagnose this problem I have been having for several years and is getting worse. Often when I eat I start having hiccups, then, sometimes, I end up having to vomit.

I am going to a different doctor this week and I will try to find out more. OK, often but not always I start eating and then I hiccup. It seems if I can belch during this process I will be OK, but if I can't it will get worse and I'll end up having to vomit. Usuall it is Ok after that, but just the other night it kept on going and I was in the bathroom for 2 hours. My previous doctor said I had esophageal spasms and prescribed dococlymine, but it doesn't seem to have helped. Thanks.

posted by Mickelstiff to health & fitness (8 comments total)

Eat slower. Chew your food the ol' 15 chews per bite. When I wolf down any sort of protein, it gets stuck. Slowing down, I get no such spasms.
posted by notsnot at 5:44 AM on October 4

Get a second and third opinion, as planned. Tell them the drugs aren't working. I know someone who had a problem like this, and it literally took 2 years of effort to get his illness under control. Gastrointestinal problems are hard to diagnose on a first try. Don't give up!

As usual, askme can't diagnose your problem.
posted by sunshinesky at 6:11 AM on October 4

Two things that might be possible. My symptoms are very similar to yours, and my doctor (an otolaryngologist) found I have a narrowing in my esophagus that he thought was from acid reflux. He put me on Prilosec, and that did help within a few days. Since then, I've changed my diet (because I didn't want to stay on Prolisec indefinitely), and I have many fewer episodes of the hiccuping/gagging.

My grandfather also has similar symptoms, and it's a hietal hernia.
posted by kimdog at 6:30 AM on October 4

My grandmother also had a hiatal hernia and it was the first thing I thought of. If you aren't resolving this with your next round of treatment make sure you get referred to a specialist. If it is this it is quite common and there are lots of treatment options but it will get worse without treatment so don't take a wait-and-see attitude. Even if it is just something like especially bad reflux that is nothing to leave untreated, the long term effects of acid damage on the throat can be very dangerous.
posted by nanojath at 7:17 AM on October 4

Nthing hiatal hernia. I've got one and this has happened to me in the past. It's happened less as I've gotten older - not sure if it's because I eat less and slower, or if it's one of those things that lessens with age.
posted by chez shoes at 8:27 AM on October 4

I have this, could be a hernia or just bad reflux.

Was your previous doc a gastroenterologist? You might need one.
posted by kathrineg at 11:45 AM on October 4

Has anyone tested you for pancreatitis? It doesn't always involve abdominal pain. And you don't have to be a heavy drinker to have it. Ask your GI to test your urine to see if the enzyme levels are up. It's best to test this within a few hours of an episode so consider going to the ER. Also, you probably should be checked for gallstones. You really should find out what this is. It's scary that it has gone on this long. Glad you are seeing a new doctor.
posted by i_love_squirrels at 9:57 PM on October 4

Another tip--avoid drinking at the same time you are eating. Space them out. The liquid tends to get forced up and out when it's in there with food.
posted by kathrineg at 10:17 PM on October 4