involuntary regurgitation

[Gabby]

I'm 21, and for four years I have experienced reflux from my stomach to my mouth, usually within an hour after eating.  It is preceded by an uncomfortable feeling in my chest.  It occurs with both food and liquid, and does not usually taste acidic because it is soon after I eat.  Sometimes though, something I ate many hours before comes up, and it is very acidic.  I'm worried that food shouldn't be staying in my stomach for so long.  I do not have any other complications.  I have had a barium study, which showed nothing, and the doctor suggested it was stress.  But I know it isn't stress, and it has occurred for years.  I just don't know what it is.  I'm worried that it is damaging my esophagus as well.  Should I get an endoscopy?

[rufinito]

A related discussion, help was started.

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I HAVE INVOLUNTARY REGURGITATION AND CAN'T SEEM TO GET HELP IN FINDING OUT WHY. I HAVE HAD SURGERY FOR GERD AND HAVE HAD THE GALLBLADDER, PANCREAS ULTRASOUNDS, ENDOSCOPY, MOTILITY, 24 HOUR PH, AND STOMACH EMPTYING TESTS WITH ALL RESULTS BEING OK.I AM SCHEDULED FOR ANOTHER UPPER GI SINCE I HAVEN'T HAD ONE AFTER SURGERY. I HAD THIS PROBLEM PRIOR TO SURGERY AND WAS TOLD THE THE LSV WAS NOT CLOSING PROPERLY AND THEREFORE THE SURGERY. WHILE IN THE HOSPITAL, RIGHT AFTER SURGERY, I HAD A REGURGITATION JUST AS BEFORE.MY SURGERY WAS DONE IN FEB. 1999 AND ONE YEAR LATER, MY PROBLEM IS WORSE THEN BEFORE. I HAVE NO ACID OR HEARTBURN WITH MY REGURGITATION. IT CAN HAPPEN AT ANY TIME WITHOUT WARNING OR I GET A FEELING THAT ITS GOING TO HAPPEN WITH A TASTE AND DRYNESS IN MY THROAT AND MOUTH.THE REGURGITATE NEVERS GETS TO MY MOUTH BECAUSE THE MINUTE IT HITS MY THROAT, MY THROAT LOCKS UP AND I'M GASPING FOR AIR. THERE ARE TIMES WHEN I HAVE TO FORCE MY MOUTH OPEN IN ORDER TO BREATH. IT'S A SPASM-LIKE EXPERIENCE THAT IS VERY FREIGHTENING. MY FAMILY DOCTOR AND THE SURGEON ARE BAFFLED. THE SURGEON SAYS I HAVE NO REFLUX BECAUSE OF THE 24 HOUR PH TEST AND THAT I HAVE NO HEARTBURN. I DONOT HAVE HEARTBURN BUT I DO HAVE SERIOUS REFLUX/REGURGITATION.
I CAN DEAL WITH THE DAYTIME REGURGITATION BUT MY MOST SERIOUS PROBLEM IS WHEN I GO TO SLEEP OR START TO DOZE OFF. IT SEEMS THAT THE MINUTE I START TO DOZE OR START TO BECOME UNCONSCIOUS WITH SLEEP, THE REGURGITATION BEGINS. I HAVE TO WAKEUP AND SWALLOW TO CLEAR MY THROAT. MY ESOPHAGUS IS IN REVERSE PERISTALSIS AND GOING A MILE A MINUTE. I HAVE TO WAIT FOR THIS TO SUBSIDE AND TRY TO SLEEP AGAIN. THIS WILL HAPPEN AGAIN AND AGAIN MOST OF THE NIGHT OR UNTIL I FALL ASLEEP. MY WIFE SAYS THAT I HAVE THESE BOUTS EVEN WHEN I'M ASLEEP AND I DON'T EVEN KANOW ABOUT THEM. WHEN I DO FINALLY FALL ASLEEP ITS AFTER 2-3 HOURS OF REPETATIVE REGURGITATION. THERE ARE NIGHTS THAT I DON'T SLEEP BECAUSE IT WILL NOT STOP. I TAKE A SLEEPING PILL FINALLY TO GET SOME SLEEP.I AM 62 YEARS OLD, A WHITE MALE AND FEEL GOOD EXCEPT FOR THE ABOVE.I HAVE HAD PRILOSIC, PREVACID, AND PROPOLSID. I DO NOT TAKE ANY OF THESE NOW SINCE THEY DO NOT HELP.
YOUR INPUT ON THIS PROBLEM WOULD BE APPRECIATED. THANK YOU.

[Ellen]

Have had a colon resection (5 yrs ago) Since that time I have had 3 episodes of what seemed to be food poisoning.  Sever stomach cramping (upper, left side of abdomen) , nausea and, about 6 hrs. later, violent regurgitation..lasting another 5-6 hours.  I'm now told it could be a result of scar tissue from the surgery. ....contracting without cause, resulting in a closing of the lower stomach -small intestinal tract.  Hence, the intense regurgitation.  Sound familiar to anyone?  Is there a way to short circuit the cycle?????Help!!!

[heath]

I am a 27 year old male. I have hardly ever been sick one day in my life. Recently I took some arthymicine for my infected wisdom teeth and had what I thought to be a terrible panic attack. Over the next couple of months I started to feel like my esophagus was swollen from between my chest all the way up through my throat, and continued to have small panic attacks. I also started on a couple of occasions to vomit a small portion of my food about an hour after I eat. I have even had some sharp pains below my rib cage. I had a sonogram and upper GI, which showed nothing but a small gallbladder polyp. I'm going to see a gastro doc in a couple of weeks, but until then I suffer. I was prescribed propulsid, but after the FDA warned against taking it I'm not going to. Anybody have a idea what might be wrong with me?

[Erika]

I have just been diagnosed with gastritis and was taking pepsid now previcid. I have stopped vomiting since diagnosed, but unfortunately today it happened on its own. I also have panick attacks. I'm not sure if I am being diagnosed correctly. After taking medicine for the panick I still have dizzy spells and chest pain. Any suggestions? I am truly horrified.

[Nancy G. 12/7/99]

sometimes when I start to eat (ususally the evening meal) I get the feeling that the food is stuck somewhere in my esophagus. I feel the need to vomit even though i don't feel sick. Generally this condition lasts only a short while and I can finish my meal. Last night I continued to have this feeling all evening. I couldn't hold any thing down not even water. I was okay today.
I have had an endoscopy and the Dr. said everthing looked okay.
Just a slight pinkness at the end of my esophagus. I generally take Pepsid before I eat my evening meal .I would appreciate your comment.

[cori]

I am a 39 year old woman, who had an endoscopy yesterday.
I too had been experiancing reflux. And for the last few years have had severe burning feeling in my stomach when empty.
Dr. told me I have gastritis, and Barrett's Epithelium.
Awaiting biopies. I would suggest getting with a gastrologist asap.
Good luck!

[Carolyn]

I have gastroparesis and am on Propulsid and Prilosec and it has been 9 months.  I am about to the end of my rode hoping to get better and be a normal human again.  I vomit,have nauses,constipated,and lost 30 lbs. in the first month.  Been in the hospital 3 times and finally went to the Mayo Clinic to get an answer.  It has been very stressful since you worry what you do have and now that I do know, if I will ever be well again. I am doing visualiation, Meditaion and hyponise plus working with a gastro doctor.  I was doing better but now I'm back vomiting and stomach looking like I've got a watermelon in it.  I relate to the women who By wrote about her condition.  She sounds like me I just wonder if she is better or what is going on with her condition.

[Terry Earls]

I have just a few (problem dumb question)  I have had trouble with food coming back up and this terrible heavyness between the breast after I eat.  I have to forse myself to burp to relieve this feeling.  Which returns shortly.  I have a barren test and that shows nothing.  My question is I have 3 open heart surgerys could there be scar tissue that is causing food maybe not to pass to my stomach correctly?  Just was wondering.

[Sheila]

Ml   The gastric emptying study is very easy and painless. There is a 60 min one and a 4 hour one.  For the short one you drink a breakfast drink with radiographic markers in it and lay on the table still for an hour while they track the food to see how fast your stomach empties it.  The 4 hour one you eat scrambled eggs with the markers in them and stand infront of a machine for 2 min. every hour. No iv's, no tubes. I recommend it. I've had both and that was how I was diagnosed.  sheila

[HFHSm.D.-Gastro-rf]

Dear Gabby,
If you have reflux of gastric contents into your mouth and this symptom has been present for an extended period, then you should see your doctor.  He will ask you questions regarding chest pain, aspiration (food going into the lungs), pneumonia asthma, voice hoarseness, all of which are signs of esophageal reflux.  If your history suggests reflux, then the doctor will most likely, treat you with a drug that inhibits acid secretion (e.g. H2 receptor antagonist such as Tagamet or proton pump inhibitor such as prevacid.  If symptoms persist despite treatment or if the drugs can not be stopped because of recurrent symptoms, additional tests will be needed.  An endoscopy will assess the extent of esophageal damage.  To determine the cause and frequency if reflux, your doctor may order a gastric emptying tests aas well as an esophageal motility study and 24 hr pH probew test.

To reduce your concerns regarding this problem, you should see your doctor.

[ML]

i have also had gastric problems resulting in severe weightloss, and was hospitalized for an extensive length of time due to dangerously low weight and severe depression. i had ect treatments because i would not respond to antidepressants. i am now home and have gained some weight but i am having great difficulty eating. i become nauseated after eating, but rarely vomit. i have reflux, bouts of gastritis and occasionally diarrhea, but more often severe constipation. i had gastric studies about a year ago, and nothing was found to account for my symptoms. at that time the gi specialist suggested anorexia, but it isn't that i don't want to eeat, i just really feel bad after eating and as a result my appetite vanishes. i am taking prevacid 1 time daily and remeron for sleep and also recently started taking compazine spanule for the nausea, but without much affect. i gained the weight through hyperalimentation therapy ( tube feeding) and i still have the iv line in case the dr. feels the need to resume treatment. i have only been off the therapy for 2 weeks and my weight has been up and down, but remains within 5 lbs. i do not want to resume the therapy but am afraid thats what will happen. i have had all tests except for delayed emptying, and i'm not sure about that one. how is it done? i have been having a real problem with lower abdominal bloating, to the extent that i look 6 months pregnant, with some gas but not enough to account for the bloating. i am confused and at the end of my rope. i feel the dr.'s are attributing it in part to depression but i believe the depression resulted from feeling so bad for so long with no relief. now i am terrified that the depression will return as well and i don't think i would make it through it again. i also have chest pain, a squeezing feeling that comes and goes but never lasts longer than 20 minutes or so, sometimes going into the left shoulder. i have had ekg and stress test, both normal. i would appreciate any suggestions anyone has to offer no matter how far fetched or unusual. i'm desperate.    thanks in advance  ml

[Sheila]

Have you had a gastric emtying study?  Have they considered gastroparesis?  I suffered reflux disease for 5-6years with regurg and reflux. after surgery for the reflux I was diagnosed with gastroparesis, it is aslowing of the stomach emtying or no muscle movement. Food stays in the stomach longer. This is just an idea, not a diagnosis!