Chronic Sour Stomach, Breath, Burping, Tummy Rumbling

I may not have GERD. I do not have medical insurance. I've had the following symptoms for 8 months... First I noticed that I was burping up air, alot of air, and often, every few minutes, or every 20 minutes, less if I haven't eaten in 6 hours or more. And I have very loose stools, always. I have very sour taste in mouth, and bad breath as well. I can hear my stomach rumbling, very often, it never seems to stop. No pain, little discomfort. I have lost a bit of appetite simply because when I eat, my burping increases for hours. I've tried all sorts of different diet. What can I do at home while waiting to get my insurance fixed? I eat alot of tums but it doesn't help. I am 26 year old male, and weigh 154 pounds.

[Ratnakar Kini, MD]

Hi,
The possibilities are -
1. Irritable bowel syndrome with functional dyspepsia
2. Malabsorption syndrome

Take PPI and probiotics. Consult a Gastroenterologist for evaluation.

[John987]

You could get some over-the-counter omeprazole or brand name Prilisec OTC and see if it makes any difference.  You might need to take it for a couple of weeks to see. It will reduce the acidity in your stomach, and should be taken before bedtime.  GERD can have a few different symptoms.  Obviously, you need a good diagnosis as your symptoms don't fit neatly with GERD and sound a bit like an infection.  After you get insurance, see a gastroenterologist to be sure.