Unexplained nausea/gagging and throat tightness truly related to GERD?

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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

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  • Posted

    Out of interest has anybody been tested for celiac or any gluten intolerance? I’ve basically reduced my diet to nothing and the biggest aggravation for me after that was cigarettes/caffeine, then this morning I had some toast and i was gagging as if I’d just had curry. Quick google found a link between gluten and GERD so I did a test a few hours later and had a cup of tea then a fag and it still wasn’t as bad as the reaction to the toast. It also pointed out if you’ve been tested for the h. pylori bacteria you should get checked for celiac or gluten intolerance even though most doctors don’t. I’m sure the doctors know their jobs but I’m sure we’ll all appreciate any possible answer to this so maybe worth mentioning if it’s not come up for anyone. 
    • Posted

      I haven't been tested for either of those and I do suffer from Gerd/Acid Reflux.

      I believe there is a link between Gerd and gluten because of a similar reaction to yours. All foods tend to make me nauseous after I eat because of the Gerd...but the other day I ate a piece of bread and i thought I was dying. I got more nauseous from one piece of bread than if I had ate 3 huge steak dinners.

    • Posted

      Hi Carol,

      I was desperate so went all out on a gluten free shop and research, a lot of things have gluten in somewhere for some reasons. I was still gagging for the first day but that’s stopped since, still get minor GERD symptoms but they’re nothing compared to before and the violent painful wretching has stopped, I feel a lot better and I’d recommend trying completely gluten free to anyone suffering after this response to it 

    • Posted

      Hi Dan

      Wow so glad to hear the improvement you have experienced. I am definitely going to try and go the route of gluten free. So much appears to contain gluten that I'm anticipating difficulty with that aspect, but for sure I am ready (desperate) to do what I have to .

    • Posted

      Hi Dan

      Wow so glad to hear the improvement you have experienced. I am definitely going to try and go the route of gluten free. So much appears to contain gluten that I'm anticipating difficulty with that aspect, but for sure I am ready (desperate) to do what I have to .

    • Posted

      I’ve been allergy tested and I’m allergic gluten, eggs milk and soy. 
    • Posted

      Finally an answer!   My 7 yr old has been saying she felt sick since last Feb 2018.  She said it wasn't her stomach, it was her throat, but said it wasn't any of the sensations I described as heartburn.  First, a doctor treated her with Ranitidine, and when that didn't work, he said to just take her off dairy for a month.  I decided, instead, to get a second opinion, and ended up at a GI specialist, who didn't know diddly squat.  With only 2 pediatric GI specialists in that medical network, I decided to try a completely different network/system and went with the U of M.  It took 2.5 months to get in for our first appt, but it was worth the wait.  That good doctor explained everything so well, and had a much better approach to discovering the cause.  After trying omeprazole for 2 weeks, she said that's enough time, we're doing an endoscopy, and she discovered the problem was Eosinophilic Esophagitis (EoE).  I had never heard of it before, but 90% of the time, it's a food allergy that creates eosinophils in your esophagus.  Reflux causes eosinophils also, but with reflux, the majority of them are at the base of your esophagus, with less in the middle, but with EoE, it's flipped, with most of them in the middle of the esophagus, and less at the base of your throat, because the lining of your eosaphagus is reacting to the first contact with food on it's way down.  If EoE is not discovered and treated, it causes a narrowing of the esophagus over time, and adults have had to go in to have their esophagus stretched 3 or 4 times a year.   However, if you discover the cause, which you do by following a strict elimination, you can discover the culprit(s).  With an elimination diet, you eliminate the top 8 allergens for 6 weeks, and then slowly add one back in, one at a time, followed by an endoscopy every 6 weeks.  In this way, you will see exactly what food(s) are creating the eosinophils and you can stay away from it.  Much better than guessing, because it's possible to present subclinical symptoms if you just go by how you feel.   The alternative to that is a throat swallow of a steroid that coats your esophagus to prevent eosinophils from forming.  The steroid doesn't go throughout your body, it simply coats your throat, so not harmful, I'm told, to your system.  The doctor took biopsies of the esophagus, the stomach, and the small intestines.  She said the stomach mucosa was normal, but the esophagus was not.  The eosaphagus was inflamed and had creases in it, when it's supposed to be smooth.  She also said that the small intestinal mucosa was normal, and that's how she knows my child does not have cthey tell if it's celiacs disease.  Celiac's shows up in the intestines and causes problems when PEOPLE with CELIAC's eat gluten.  Gluten is in wheat, rye, and barley.  My child does not need to eliminate all gluten, just wheat, as wheat is one of the top 8 allergens.  90% of food allergies are reactions to the top 8 allergens: wheat, eggs, soy, dairy, tree nuts, peanuts, fish, and crustacean fish.  We started the elimination diet, and a month into it, our little girl is much happier.  We will have another endoscopy in 2 weeks, and if no eosinophils are discovered, then we know for sure that it's an allergy to one of the top 8, and we will start adding them back in one at a time.   I am so glad for that good doctor at the U of M.   She is on the omeprazole for the duration of the testing, since everyone refluxes to some degree, and they want to make sure that if she also has GERDs, that the eosinophils do not confuse the food allergy testing.   But EoE can also inflame the eosaphagus to the degree that it causes her lower esophageol sphincter to not fuction correctly, so after that's healed, we'll be better able to tell if she also has GERD's, or just EoE.  I hope all this is helpful to someone out there.   

  • Posted

    Hi Jar0081, may i know which country you were from and have you heard of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)? If it is available in your country (which I think most have it) you may try to visit them. Your condition could be this (http://acupuncturetwincities.com/2011/08/lump-in-your-throat/) 

    I had similar symptoms and even though I am still having some of these symptoms, they have improved when i started seeing a TCM doctor and taking some herbal medicines. Btw I am from Singapore.

    Wish you all the best! 

  • Posted

    You have described my issue to the T.  Im still waiting on an appointment with a GI.  The best ive done so far is go 14 days without a gagging episode but there was no change that triggered it, just attending a book club so maybe the issue is anxiety related. I really hope a cure or antidote is revealed cause it has definitely changed my life. One benefit is that im losing weight (some of the docltors ive seen has said that losing weight may help) but after reading of the posts here, I doubt my weight played a part. Im literally on a diet of one bowl of steel cut oatmeal once a day.   I will keep you all updated on my progress, as of now, I guess I just stick to my naussea medicine and ginger chews from trader joes. Also ataying hydrated helped me 

  • Posted

    Hi there, I find this page very enlightening as I am also experiencing this and it really sucks the need to gag most of the time. I am from the Philippines and I feel like I am the only person suffering this. I was diagnosed with gastritis and anxiety. Currently taking Nexium and Atarax but I still feel like gagging when I think about it. As they say, it's all in the mind but it's just so hard to avoid thinking about it because it's ALWAYS IN MY MIND 😢 Have you guys found a solution or medicine for thia problem?

    • Posted

      Hi, I see this is from 2 years ago, but I was wondering if you ever got better? This is EXACTLY what I am going through. I am 16 and it really interferes with my high school life. I have anxiety and GI issues, but I've never had a therapist understand what I am struggling with as you described. It is ALWAYS on my mind and it is bothering me so much. I am feeling a bit hopeless, so if you ever figured out how to fix it, please let me know! Thank you! It's such a relief to see I am not the only one.

  • Posted

    I also have heard about the condition hyper gag reflex. I desperately thought of getting my gag reflex removed if it is possible. Or freezing them like forever. There are freezing gels or sprays used for oral sex but I am not sure if that is effective.
  • Posted

    I’ve found what has worked for me is allergy pills, nasal spray or at time peptide bismol which helps solidify the drainage in my stomach. I also have received a prescription for nausea when things were really bad. My appetite comes and goes but I’m just thankful that I’ve figured out what somewhat helps me. My condition definitely involves anxiety which causes the gag to be more extreme so I really have to figure out how to calm myself. Sometimes I put a little peppermint oil under my nose to dry out my sinuses and open them. And soft drinks give me comfort aswell. 
    • Posted

      Hello McKenna, what are you taking for your nausea?  My doctor gave me ondansatron. It does not work well for me. My stomach always feels sickly and I feel like gagging on and off now for about 7 months. I go to the gastroenterologist in September. :-)
    • Posted

      Hey Becca I also take the Ondansetron and it helps me when I’m really suffering. I went to the gastro this past December and they wanted to do a colonoscopy and endoscopy and a PH study but at that time I thought I would get off of all the medication I was on which included birth control and Prozac and I started to feel more manageable. And whenever I do get the gag it always seems to happen when my sinuses are draining or if I’m anxious. So if I take an allergy pill every other day and do nasal spray along with Colloidal Sikver spray, it seems to help. I also chew gum religiously and drink flavored sparkling water which helps me get that “chucky burp” feeling to settle and peppermint oil on my nose helps me calm down. Keep your mind active I know the discomfort is disheartening but just keep fighting it! You can do this.
    • Posted

      I also find that my gagging is worse when the dust is high which might cause the sinus buildup.
    • Posted

      Hello again,  I also have sinus drainage down the back of my throat which is when I noticed this getting worse. My PCP prescribed Flonase which doesn’t seem to do much good. I also have been taking Prozac for years. I am trying to keep myself calm and trying not to be anxious. I lost my husband last year to cancer. I know I have been very depressed and anxious since then. This gagging thing is new for me tho. I am finding it hard to eat as my stomach always seems to be upset. With diarrhea off and on. So I am thinking this may have a lot to do with my sinus drainage. 

      Thanks for bringing that up. 

    • Posted

      Yes, it sounds like it might have to do with that. I’m sorry about your situation I understand completely. Flonase seems to make me drowsy and with the Prozac is made me feel worse. When I got off of Prozac I started taking PoDiaPN which has vitamins and acids that’s help level hormone and body levels and is natural. It has done wonders for me. 

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