Unexplained nausea/gagging and throat tightness truly related to GERD?
Posted , 55 users are following.
Hello to everyone, i am a 19 year old guy and for about 3 months now (soon to be 4) i have had a very strange problem with constant nausea and gagging. Could this truly be related to GERD or LPR?
This might become lengthy as i will try to explain everything in detail, but i would very much appreciate any thoughts. This interferes with my daily life and i am so frustrated with it.
Before all of this started i was very active, not overweight at all.
I refer to my feeling as "nausea" because it sometimes feels likely that i am close to vomiting but more than often i actually really only feel like i need to gag and i usually do.
I will list as many of my symptoms as i can before i get to the part about GERD.
When this all started i did not experience any other real symptoms during the first month. But my "nausea" and gagging was very intense. i would gag during the day almost every 5-10 minutes and it would last for a few hours until it eventually died down, only to return without explanation during random hours of the day. It would happen regardless of what i would be doing and it would interfere with my daily activities. At first i thought it was related to eating, but later i realized i would feel it regardless of whether i was eating or drinking anything.
I tried to ignore it for one month but then i couldnt anymore and decided to check it out at the doctors. I had an echo scan done on my entire abdominal area and i was told nothing appeared to be wrong in terms of swelling or lumps etc.
Around this time i suddenly started experiencing a tight feeling in my lower throat, on both sides of my neck.
Also a feeling as if something was stuck in the middle. I mostly felt it when i swallowed.
I explained these things to a few doctors including my nausea and gagging but most of them said it was due to anxiety or stress. I was given antibiotics (amoxicilin) for my throat because i was told it appeared a bit red or irritated. It seemed to help a bit but the tightness remained.
Eventually i kept checking and i was finally given multiple blood tests, urine tests, and even an upper endoscopy.
All of these tests i was told returned with good results and nothing appears abnormal. I even had a biopsy done with tissue samples from the endoscopy and those returned with good results as well. I am constantly being told that this problem has nothing to do with my stomach, as all appears to be fine.
About 3 weeks ago i started feeling better and worse at the same time. My gagging and nausea reduced dramatically. i would only feel it maybe about 2-3 times a day randomly with no explanation, but at the same time my throat started feeling a lot worse. The tightness increased and it would feel randomly itchy/scratchy. I then would experience a burning sensation in my throat and chest. The burning was terrible and after the very first night of experiencing it, i visited a throat specialist and she diagnosed me with GERD. I was prescribed a proton pump inhibitor. 40mg of Omeprazole. After that i didnt experience a burning sensation in my chest again. So yes, basically i experienced what my doctor thought was heartburn, but for literally one night only. I had never in my life, ever experienced anything similar or any form of heartburn and could basically eat any and everything i wanted.
The itchy/scratchy throat lingered for a while longer though.
So currently i am still suffering from random nausea and gagging. But it is very minimal and random. Sometimes if i relax the entire day, i can go 24 hours without a single gag or nausea feeling. But i notice that my nausea and gagging reflexes come on a lot stronger and intensely while i am active. (long walks, basic house chores, moving around for a while etc) after my gagging has subsided, and i begin to rest, i notice my body feels a bit shaky. only a tiny bit. as if it has been weakened from the gagging experience. But during my rest my nausea and gagging subsides almost completely for the day or until i begin doing more "strenuous" activities.
Over the past 3 weeks the tight feeling in my throat has become a lot less. i definitely still feel it a bit, but it is not extremely uncomfortable as it was 2 months ago. I am currently on a second round of antibiotics as well, prescribed by my throat specialist. there is no more burning sensation in my throat either.
The one other troublesome symptom i have (this one is the most uncomfortable and "painful") is that i cannot speak with a normal tone of voice for more than 20 minutes without feeling discomfort. If i continue speaking my throat feels suddenly very tight and contracted. My neck itself feels stiff and numb around all sides and there is pain in my throat area until i stop talking and rest my voice for a long time.
So that is basically it. I am still taking the proton pump inhibitor medication, along with antibiotics. I havent experienced any other symptoms apart from everything i described here. I have no coughing, and i have never once actually vomited through all of this. My throat specialist says apart from some redness and simple irritation which is was prescribed antibiotics for, nothing else looks abnormal, no scarring, swelling etc. in my throat.
These feelings are rather uncomfortable though, and makes me nervous at times since it has yet to be 100% confirmed what my problem might be. I was planning to take up my gyming activities again this coming month but i am nervous how i might feel since my gagging and nausea increase so much from simple activities and chores.
If there is anything anyone can suggest so that i can look into it, i would very much be thankful. I cannot even speak to people at a meeting or get together without having to stop due to the discomfort in my neck from it.
Could all of this really be GERD or LPR even though i have never experienced it any other time throughout my life? I have so many doubts about that and i worry at times if there is an underlying disease that i should know about. Doctors have told me the fact that i have never vomited throughout all this or experienced any form of bleeding is a sign that nothing is too serious at the moment, but i would like to figure this out before it might get to that point.
Thank you to anyone in advance.
5 likes, 125 replies
Scarzzxo jar0081
Posted
I'm sitting here googling all these symptoms and came across this link on google, I feel like I've just read practically about myself!! Firstly, thank you for writing that so I know I'm not the only one (makes me feel a tiny better ha) but my symptoms are a little different by I don't have the burning feeling but I don't know what's wrong
have you been properly diagnosed yet? Are you still experiencing this awful feeling? My symptoms were crazy gagging, I would just be sitting/standing doing nothing and I would keep gagging so intensely I thought I would throw up but never did, driving and yep gagging which is so bad to get when I'm driving, I would be talking & gagging which makes me so embarrassed. I ain't hungry and haven't ate, if I go to have a bite of something as soon as it's in my mouth I spit it back out as I can't stand it on my mouth / can't bring myself to swallow it, the gagging has been ok the last day, touch wood, have probably gagged twice three times defiantly so much better with that side but now I've got really bad tight chest in middle like I wanna perhaps burp but can't even if I full push myself to I can't and if I eventually do it's little and does no justice. I'm so sorry this is long 
hoping you could perhaps help xx
asianjanedoe Scarzzxo
Posted
Please check your water filter//source for mold. If mold is the cause switch to high quality bottled water! My filter was infested with mold
and I didn't know. Doctors don't know jack!! I figured this out myself after 3 years!
DickTracy jar0081
Posted
It may be really left field but you should go see a neurologist who specializes in autoimmune disorders (if your symptoms come back). Myself, I am blessed with a "Chinese Buffet" of symptoms that leave every doctor I have seen scratching their head. Fun right? The nausea really kills the mood. I could probably write 3 times as much but will keep it short. Pay attention to the nausea and see if it causes other symptoms to occur or evolve. The good part is you may grow out of it. Good luck!
asianjanedoe DickTracy
Posted
antoni67949 jar0081
Posted
carol7212 antoni67949
Posted
asianjanedoe jar0081
Posted
Hi there, hope I can help. Been having similar problems and found out I've been drinking moldy water. Brita filters aren't so great apparently. I noticed loads of mold on my filter. Switched to Evian and Fiji bottled water and have been feeling great ever since. Check your water source. If you are feeling sick from doing a lot of activities I'm assuming you're consuming large amounts of water too. Please check! Good luck!
bwe123 jar0081
Posted
You might have a Hyperactive Gag Disorder. Thats my name for it. Online I have found something described as Hyperactive Gag Reflex, but I use the word Disorder because it is not a reflex - it happens for no apparent reason.
Here's what I know from my own experience, and what I have read about others. HGD is a persistent gag response to various physical and/or psychological situations.
Some people have had this problem from childhood, but for others it develops when they are adults. For some it is persistent and debilitating, for others it is transient and manageable. This reflex may have triggers that are psychological, such as excitement or anxiety. Or the triggers may be physical, such as rigorous exertion, anything that affects the throat (coughing, eating, talking a lot, touching or pressure on the neck), and of course dentistry work. It is also more likely early in the morning, or in colder weather. Some people have only specific triggers, while others experience a variety of triggers.
The fear of being embarrassed by a public episode can create anxiety, which only increases the likelihood of having an episode. As a result, sufferers often learn to associate the gagging episode with social situations.
The common response of doctors is to look for sinus issues, allergy problems, or anything else that might obstruct or inflame the throat or oesophagus. Or the doctor may focus on the anxiety component of the gag response, and prescribe anti-anxiety medication, or recommend stress reduction and relaxation techniques.
Sufferers often find ways to help manage the sensation of tightness in the throat that precedes a gag response, such as sipping water, chewing gum, or taking mints. But for lack of a medical remedy (or even recognition), relief is usually found in avoiding trigger activities as much as possible.
abu04913 jar0081
Posted
im abu. I have similar symptoms. As a teacher i have to speak loudly for few hours a day. It started to speak hard and tiring from last year. Thought it was from my protacted benzo withdrawal. Last month i had to take more classes everyday. Suddenly my voice becomes hoarsen and very painful in my throat. I have shortness of breath too. Now it is constant feeling of gag and irritation, icthy and burning sensation when i talk even for 1 min. And if i am active it is more but when im at rest i feel better. If i teach, i feel breathless in throat, gagging and lump sensation in throat. And sometimes dull pain in chest and back. Had my chest xray, ecg and spriometer test done. They all r normal. My doctor is telling me allergy. I am taking the meds of cold and antacyd. But improvement at all. Im a teacher so voice is very important for me. My voice is still very hoarse...pls if any one can tell me how to improve it...
antoni67949 jar0081
Posted
carol7212 antoni67949
Posted
Hi Antoni,
I wondered if you've had an endoscopy? All my problems from Gerd, Acid Reflux and everything associated with them all began after I had emergency surgery on a perforated ulcer. I was fine for the first 6 months or post surgery but then hings all started going downhill. Since then every single day has been a fight with nausea and the horrible lump in throat sensation (which actually triggers the nausea). I can barely manage to eat and have lost a lot of weight from it. I took PPI's (Pantrapazole) every day for 3 years but they didnt do anything toward helping my symptoms. And now they bave found that I have 4 abdominal hernias which I contribute to the surgery and to the PPI's. Of course I had no choice but to have the emergency surgery when the ulcer perforated but they say that any kind of abdominal surgery and the long time use of PPI's can cause hernias. Since the onset of Gerd however I have had 3 or 4 endoscopies .
antoni67949 carol7212
Posted
carol7212 antoni67949
Posted
Thanks Antoni. I don't know what to think anymore. I have had so many varying symptoms which doctors have all attributed to the acid reflux. It seemed as though each day would bring out yet another different symptom. Doctors weren't really too helpful, nor too interested for that matter because it's not something easily defined it seems so I pretty much had to try everything under the sun to help myself. My endoscopies were coming out all clear too so there wasn't much they could do short of exploratory surgery lol. Of course they several times resorted to that old standby known as anxiety. You know...when all else fails lets go the anxiety route. Needless to say , all very frustrating. Anywayyy, I basically have since given up on the fight. Can't get any answers and no amount of medications do the trick. So now I just resort to the fact that it's just the way the cookie crumbles after having any type of abdominal surgery. Sheer bad luck I guess. Nowadays if I have a sore toe ...I chalk it up to Acid Reflux lol. So my catchphrase has become that 'Everything is relative'. No illness stands alone therefore making it impossible to focus or look for treatment on one specific thing. Good luck in your research but ya..that's personally my take.
hugo19125 carol7212
Posted
carol7212 hugo19125
Posted
Hi Hugo
Same here . I never suffered a lot of anxiety so when the doctors went that route I just kind of rolled my eyes.
As far as progess..no I haven't made any. Still pretty much feeling the same way and doctors have no more options outside of the original suggestions such as 80 mg per day of Pantrapazole and watching what I eat , which neither of has shown me any relief.
How are you coming along with it?
wendy51535 carol7212
Posted
My name is Wendy. I really feel for you. My son has the same symptoms as Jar0081 and yourself. He has been swept under the rug so to speak. And has now developed depression. He believes no one believes him. I found this post and I have read them to him. I can see a glimmer in his eye, because he is not alone. I feel so frustrated that I am hitting brick walls. And my opinion of doctors or specialists is not very high. I am not giving up. If you have any tips I would be so grateful.