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Unexplained Nausea

Posted , 21 users are following.

ang65087
ang65087

For about 8 weeks now I've been dealing with on and off nausea, which started one night after going out to eat with friends. That night I was shaky, nauseous, and felt a lot like i could vomit. I never ended up vomiting and still haven't to this day, but starting that first week I felt hungry and nauseous at the same time. Figured it was some sort of food poisoning and it would pass. But it never did and a week later I felt awful again, a lot like the first night. After that I went to the doctor (which I returned to about 5 times since) who put me on prilosec and basically dismissed my symptoms as acid reflux. I also got zofran which barely worked if anything, and eventually reglan which I felt did help a bit more but not significantly. I tried zantac with no change in nausea, and now I'm back on prilosec twice a day. I feel overall its been more tolerable, but I'm still miserable every day and its hard to do anything because of this.

I also thought at one point this could've been a food allergy, so I cut out gluten for a while but didn't see any change in how I was feeling. I've been taking gaviscon every once in a while since sometimes I do feel like something is backing up into my throat, but it doesn't help. I also get a sore throat very rarely, but nothing terrible and it usually fades in a day or so. I got tested for H Pylori twice (once in blood, once in stool) and both came back negative, and all my routine blood tests are coming back normal. I went to a GI who, after looking at my CT scan, said I had food that wasn't leaving the stomach and intestines so he put me on Miralax and scheduled an endoscopy for a few days from now. Miralax definitely changed my bowel movements, but there hasn't been a change in my nausea since, so I'm guessing this isn't the problem either. There is of course the possibility that this is anxiety, but it seems odd that it would just come after eating something and last for 2 months, especially since I've experienced nausea from anxiety and it feels different than this. 

Anyways since the start of all this i've lost about 6 pounds, and I've been eating healthy every single day. Nothing fatty or oily, nothing fried, but nothing seems to change. Every once in a while I say to hell with it and eat a cookie or slice of cake and it doesn't make my symptoms worse, which is weird to me. In the mornings it can be hard to eat, and sometimes even in the afternoons I find myself feeling hungry but not being able to eat for some reason. Other times I'll eat and feel a sort of pressure/pain in my stomach area, but this is mild and fades within a few minutes. Also, I've been burping constantly because of all of this, which doesn't make me feel any better.

Does anyone have any tips or experienced anything similar? Its very discouraging and scary to constantly feel nauseous with no clear cause and no medication helping. 

4 likes, 48 replies

48 Replies

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  • holly23895
    holly23895 ang65087

    Posted

    Hello, do you have a fear of vomiting? I know I do and I'm wondering if you are still have anxiety triggered by that night you first felt sick? I had a stomach virus in January and I have a horrible fear of vomiting so since then I've been scared to eat and scared of the virus coming back. If tests have come back clear then maybe it is anxiety?

    • ang65087
      ang65087 holly23895

      Posted

      Hi Holly,

      I think I do somewhat have a fear of vomiting, although not very severe. I'm not someone who vomits often (if i remember correctly the last time i've vomited was around 8 or 9 years ago) so it definitely does freak me out a bit when I'm feeling sick. I won't count anxiety out but I definitely want to see if theres anything else I can be tested for.

  • rihanna52936
    rihanna52936 ang65087

    Posted

    Hi ang,

    Sorry to hear your status. But i woould not worry about nausea as that is not big problem here. Seems your body is getting towards IBS. Check with GI specialist.

    I have been suffering from IBS for past 6 months. My problem started with throat infection and nausea. Later bowel emptying difficulty then IBS.

    I am in various diet to control but not able to stop still facing lot of issue.

    Checkout and take advise from experts.

  • Caterina912
    Caterina912 ang65087

    Posted

    I had nausea for quite a few weeks myself. I felt everyone was brushing me off making me think I was crazy and just over exaggerating. Finally saw how weight I lost a friend of mine told me to go to hospital, which is exactly what I did, I dropped my kids off at school and I drove myself to the ER. They hooked me up on iv and ran bloodwork. The bloodwork came back all normal and they gave me zodran which helped with my nausea. I felt a lot better and after taking the medication for a couple of days. I was a new person. They also let me leave hospital with the diagnosis of gastritis/reflux
    • ang65087
      ang65087 Caterina912

      Posted

      I did at one point go to the ER, was hooked on an IV and got anti-nausea meds (i believe it was reglan at the time) which made me feel a lot better. But by the time I left the hospital I was starting to feel bad again, and I've continued to feel nauseous every day since. Not quite sure whats going on

    • kartikm
      kartikm Caterina912

      Posted

      You explained exactly my symptoms - Unexplained nausea and weight loss.
  • rihanna52936
    rihanna52936 ang65087

    Posted

    I am suffering from IBS for the past 6 months, from that period i am seriously working with various people who are having similar symptoms and finally they are led to IBS or pshychiatrist. 

    Most of my observation is people who affeced are 

    1. Having some family members suffering from cancer

    2. Sexual or kiss from unknown personality ( could transfer HCV, H.pylori / Acid reflux ), even after the infection the residual impact causes the stomach damage which is leading to cancer.

    3. Alchohol / frequent gaseous drink. Mostly who drink less water. 4. Bad diet.( Ginger, garlic, clove, turmeric are not added in food. Indians & chinese add those in regular foods and comparatively indians are having less cancer )   

    still i am trying to figure out source of my PI-IBS, unknown cause is difficult to treat the symptoms. as they tend to reoccur.

    At present for temporary solution, healing your stomach for Acid reflux by Probiotic & digestive enzymes will help you.

    Hope i am on the right way. I am not a doctor but i am mechanical engineer for me car engine or human engine are mechanical parts smile.

    • ang65087
      ang65087 rihanna52936

      Posted

      I've been eating probiotic yogurt and I was thinking of starting some sort of pill form, so hopefully that will yield some positive results. I've had very little digestive problems in the past which makes me think something might have triggered this nausea, and now my body just can't seem to shake it.  

  • ang65087
    ang65087

    Posted

    I also figured it would be good to mention that i'm only 20 years old, and I'm in no way overweight. I don't drink or smoke, I'm not on any medications (well, at least previous to this illness) and I eat relatively healthy. I don't have any severe stress in my life.

    And when it comes to my nausea, its very hard to describe. Doesn't feel like the nausea you'd get when you ate too much or you're going to vomit, and a lot of times I can eat through it (although not always, sort of depends on how badly i'm feeling that day). Just feels like my stomach is off and I can feel the nausea in my throat.

    Also, does anyone know if theres any other bacteria/diseases that can be tested for? I had heard of candida so I wasn't sure if that could possibly be the cause, or maybe an autoimmune disease.  

    • vn4526
      vn4526 ang65087

      Posted

      All of the symptoms you describe are exactly what I'm feeling! I hope someone has an answer...

  • pippa58442
    pippa58442 ang65087

    Posted

    Ask your GI for a gastric emptying test to look for possible gastroparesis if your GI said that food was not leaving your stomach.
  • ang65087
    ang65087

    Posted

    Well, i figured i'd update this since it's been a couple months. I haven't seen any improvement unfortunately, but I did get an endoscopy which came back normal. Today I got a gastric emptying study as well, so we may be able to rule out (or rule in!) gastroparesis. I did some research and found out that having impacted wisdom teeth can cause dizziness, nausea, headaches etc. so I'm starting to think that could be the problem. I'm scheduled to get them out in July but I might move my appointment up to this May if possible. 

    I didn't mention it in this post because I didn't think it was related, but back in December there were a few days where I was ridiculously dizzy and lightheaded, and felt like I could pass out at any moment. I went to the doctors then too and everything came back normal, but then fast forward maybe 3 weeks and I start experiencing this nausea and burping and whatnot. I'm starting to think the two are connected now, and maybe this is all just my impacted wisdom teeth.

    I'll update again if it turns out to be my wisdom teeth to close up this discussion. If not, well I guess I'll keep searching and probably see an endocrinologist. Just keeping my fingers crossed cause this is really impacting my day to day life and I desperately want to feel like myself again. 

  • ang65087
    ang65087

    Posted

    Another update, unfortunately it wasn't my wisdom teeth doing all this damage, and I'm still feeling sick every day. Since my gastric emptying study came back normal (thankfully!!!!), my GI seems to think it has to do with constipation, even though in the past i've never had these symptoms when having trouble going the bathroom. He hasn't mentioned IBS and i doubt its IBS as well, only because when i do go to the bathroom, I don't feel any better, and that seems to be a very common symptom. 

    I'm planning on seeing an endocrinologist in a few days, and I'm even going to get acupuncture to see if it helps at all (its surprisingly covered by insurance smile ). I'm desperate at this point so I'm willing to try anything.

    Another thing I want to mention, is that a lot of the times I barely feel the nausea in my stomach, and feel it mostly in my throat as warmth (but no acid reflux) and in my mouth, as my tongue feels a bit weird, almost like its dry, but no tingling. I'm not sure if this could hint towards an allergy of some sort but since I've already tried cutting dairy and gluten I'm not sure what else it could be. Its just really odd all around, and I don't understand how it can't be a problem related to my upper GI tract if its where I'm experiencing the bulk of my symptoms (how can excessive burping be caused by constipation? I'm just confused).

    Regardless, I'll update this as I progress. I'm really hoping to feel better by the end of the summer before school starts again, and I also just want to help anyone who comes across this in the future with similar symptoms. 

    • pippa58442
      pippa58442 ang65087

      Posted

      Were you ever tested for h pylori and gastritis which can cause nausea and excessive burping?  With gastritis, common triggers are spicy and fatty foods, coffee, chocolate and alcohol.
    • rihanna52936
      rihanna52936 ang65087

      Posted

      Hi ang,

      Good that you have cleared all critical test on safer side but I would not surprise. You are in the same path I was. Now I have some neuro issue and minor throat sore. Probable cause is h pylori or candida. But must be post infection with residual issue.

      I visited 2 GI, nothing worked out. Only naturopath solved my stomach issue.

    • ang65087
      ang65087 pippa58442

      Posted

      i was tested for h pylori both through blood and stool, both came back normal. i also had an endoscopy which ruled out gastritis, everything came back completely normal. 
    • ang65087
      ang65087 pippa58442

      Posted

      No, my GI doesn't seem to think its any particular diagnosable illness. I went to an endocrinologist who ran some tests, but mentioned that if everything comes back normal, the nausea will likely improve with time. Either way, I wish I could find some relief in the meantime. 

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