burping

[kahill]

I HAVE HAD CONSTANT BURPING  (DEEP LOUD BURPING, EVEN AFTER DRINKING JUST WATER) AND NOW I HAVE BEEN REALLY SICK TO MY STOMACH FOR THE PAST FEW DAYS. THE BURPING AHS BEEN CONSTANT FOR ABOUT A WEEK NOW BUT IT HAS COME AND GONE IN THE PAST. BUT NOW I'M REALLY CONCERNED BECAUSE ALONG WITH THE BURPING I AM REALLY NAUSEAUS. I HAD A PAP THAT CAME BACK OKAY IN APRIL. BUT NOW FEAR THAT IT COULD BE OVARIAN CANCER AFTER LOOKING UP SYMPTOMS ONLINE! CAN YOU PLEASE HELP ME???

[Kevin Pho, MD]

Burping can be caused by a variety of disorders.  This can include GERD, irritable bowel, delayed gastric emptying or atypically an ulcer or inflammation of the upper digestive tract.

You can consider workup for upper GI diseases with an upper endoscopy or upper GI series.  

More specialized testing, including a liver/gallbladder ultrasound or a gastric emptying scan, can be considered if the initial tests are non-revealing.  

If the tests continue to be negative, treatment for irritable bowel syndrome can be considered.

If ovarian cancer is a concern, a transvaginal ultrasound can be obtained to evaluate the ovaries.

These options can be discussed with your personal physician.

Followup with your personal physician is essential.

This answer is not intended as and does not substitute for medical advice - the information presented is for patient education only. Please see your personal physician for further evaluation of your individual case.

Kevin, M.D.
http://www.straightfromthedoc.com

[wassupwassabi]

I have the same problem for 6 months, I have uncontrollable belching all the time, and eating/drinking anything makes it exponentially worse me belch every few seconds.  The doc told me it was GERD but I didn't have any heartburn, so they kept giving me stronger PPI dosages which didn't do anything, until I then tried to lower my dosage and then started getting heartburn :(

Anyway, a gastroenterologist found that when I breathe in, a lot of air goes down my esophagus and into my stomach; he has no idea why I have this "air sucking" problem but he says it's the only way to have that much belching.  Get your doctor to listen to your esophagus and stomach with a stethoscope when you breathe in and out to see if it's this weird form of aerophagia that is the problem.

[kahill]

Has your doc doen all the labs and test to determine that??? Cuz that seems a bit strange to me. I've never had this problem before...why would it start all of a sudden???? I've even cheered at the college level and never had a problem swallowing air. I mean maybe thats true but accompanied now with feeling sick to my stomach seems a bit strange. I don't have anby heartburn. Those are the only two symptoms I have except everything I eat seems to go right thru me immediately! We'll see. I just hope I'm not over reacting.

Best regards,
Kelly

[yoshi]

from yahoo-
Medical conditions that may cause burping

Burping or belching is most often caused by swallowed air, usually while eating or drinking. Less commonly, burping may be caused by a medical condition.

Gallstones or another problem with the gallbladder may cause burping that is worse after eating and occurs with pain in the upper right abdomen that spreads to the back or shoulder.
Gastroesophageal reflux (GERD) may cause burping and heartburn that gets worse when you bend over or lie down.
An ulcer may cause persistent burping, indigestion, and pain that comes and goes in the upper abdomen.
A tumor may cause burping that occurs with nausea, decreased appetite, and persistent abdominal discomfort and fullness after eating.
Other conditions that may cause burping include:

Slowed movement of food through the intestines (motility disorders).
Blocked passage of food through the stomach or intestines (bowel obstruction or gastric outlet obstruction).
A large collection of undigested material, such as food, hair, or swallowed objects in the stomach (gastric bezoar).

[Bonkers2]

Have same symptoms as many others.  Burping nonstop and wake up in the middle of night with chest pain and burping.

Diagnosed with GERD, Hiatal Hernia and Mild Gastritis.  Prevacid helps acid but does nothing for burping.  Have had gas pains bad enough that feel like a heart attack.  MD and Gastro MD both pretty useless on this issue.  

Have cut out ALL caffeine and try to limit meal size.  Carbonated beverages like champagne are like having a death wish . . . will not touch them again.  Very frustrating that after endoscopy, colonscopy and various medical consultations no more insights from physicians.

Wondering?  Has anyone tried liquid aloe drinks?  I am about to try.  

Also, does fasting provide relief?  

Finally, are enzyme pill helpful or hurtful.  Dietician gave me some and tried 3 one day and felt very ill - but might try again if they help.

Bonk

[tinag]

this burping is interesting sounds like an epidemic !
i am 40 and burping since may.   i am wondering and have not found any relation yet if my gastric bypass has anything to do with this.   I am post op since july 2000.  i had a gastroscopy in june that showed nothing.  he says i don't have the anatomy to have a hiatal hernia but when i read the symptoms it sounds like it to me.   i have a 3cm ovarian cyst, went to see gyn today who laughed at the idea that burping is related to anything gyn.  i burp so much that my throat is sore at times.  i do have ibs as well.   i will keep reading and hoping that someone has a solutioin for us all that are burping.  i have been on protonix, prevacid, aciphex, and a couple of others.  i have more burning, no acid, just the burping that sometimes makes it hard to even catch my breath.

[NotGivingUpNever]

I have a very similar problem to yours, only that mine started more than 10 years ago. My problem is excessive belching and pain in the upper ubdomen and lower chest, specially between the lower ribs. Both symptoms are constant (24hrs/day) although I do have periods with more or less intensity. The days of high intensity I can hardly continue with regular life. I've been to many doctors in different countries, and have undertaken many tests. Actually almost all of them. Upper GI, endoscopy, X-Rays, lactose, breath, blood, etc...All of them with negative results. Only lactose appeared to be positive but I tried a diet with no milk at all and didn't help. I also tried to keep a pencil between my teeth for several days in case I was swallowing air unconsciently.
Some doctors thought it was aerophagia, others GERD, dispepsya, IBS, psicological or stress, wrong diet, etc. I was prescribed Omepradex PPI but it didnt help. I never experienced heartburn
before, however when I tried to stop taking that drug I had unstandable levels of acidity and heartburn. This year I decided to do a more thorough research by my own and try to find the solution considering that serious diseases have been discarded already through appropiate medical tests.
I don't have a good advice to give you at this point. I can just encourage you not to give up, to trust yourself, to do your own research and to keep looking for options.
Maybe if we share potential factors that we all have in common, it could give us some more clues to the causes?
I'm a computer scientist (means I'm sitting in a chair most of the day) ---> Position related?
Last thing I remember before it started was a soccer game a played and carrying some heavy weight---> Musle problem?, spin cord problem?
I used to have asthma when I was younger ---> Related to some asthma medicine I took for long time?
I use to have a heavy carbohidrate diet when I was younger, although never was overweighted ---> Previous diet consecuences?
Keep us posted. I will do the same if I find any solution to this
problem.

[tinag]

i sit at the computer all day as well.   i am in tears right now so tired of the burping.  my throat is sore.  i just don't know what to do or where to go.  i feel some tenderness between my breast right at the top of the v shape of what i think is my rib cage.  i wonder if that is something?

[yoshi]

I have tried aloe drink,it does not do anything for me.
Have you tried apple cider vinegar tablets??
or how about eating a red delicious apple?

[yoshi]

how about chewing gum?the motion of chewing may offset the burping

[Irene Beh]

I also having the same problem of burping too much everyday.  Sometimes I even find it difficult to burp even I can feel like its going to come out but can't manage too.  No pain but just feeling uncomfortable.  I don't know what to do as well. I'm having this problem for almost a year plus.  I'M ONLY WORRIED ABOUT OVARIAN CANCER AS WELL coz my mum died of peritoneal ovarian cancer 5 months ago.  I've been to my gynae many times and he's already fed-up of me.  I did endoscopy, colonscopy, abdominal ultrasound almost two years ago and it was negative. I did my paps last Dec. was normal, and I did my D&C on Dec. 2003 and it was normal.  On 19.9.2005, I did a vaginal ultrasound (got endo cycts and PCOS) but that should not be the caused. Now I'm only sitting here worry about OC & don't know what to do.

[Kees]

In my case for 7 years I’m burping, type of food dependent (carbs and fats worse than veggies and proteins). From what I observed I thought that the gas came from the stomach, After intestinal surgery I had (March 2005), the very same symptoms aggravated; and I actually heard ‘up going sounds of gas’ from my intestine, immediately followed by a burp. More prominent a sensitive (lower) abdominal area (bloating); gentle pushing around the navel would generate an involuntary burp. But also all kind of daily activities, where abdominal muscles are involved (changing a light bulb, bending forward, lifting etc.), would generate involuntary burps. And the smell of some foods (like salmon) up to 5 almost 6 hours after a meal… So after 7 years it turned out the gas comes from the intestine in my case!

I think the MD in this forum rightly suggests that - after all ‘common’ causes have been excluded and available tests are negative - irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) can be considered. IBS is a functional bowel disorder. For those of you for which, after all other possible causes are excluded, this diagnosis of IBS or functional bowel disorder could apply… Read the following! Until very recently I didn’t know that the handling of intestinal gas could be impaired and thus (why not?) could lead to excessive burping! Retention and possibly backflow of intestinal gas has been investigated in patients which are diagnosed with IBS or Bloating.

Functional bowel disorders are classified, according to the Rome II diagnostic criteria (see http://www.romecriteria.org/documents/GUTII/ibs997.pdf): “Few studies adequately separate bloating from IBS and other functional disorders (…)” It is worthwhile reading this document! In my case: I didn’t and don’t have any stool changes or problems at all. So for me, strictly speaking, IBS would not apply. Perhaps Functional Abdominal Bloating (which also mentions belching as possible symptom) is the appropriate diagnosis?

Two good sources of information, in my view, respectively on IBS and on Intestinal Gas:
1. Booklet on IBS by GESA (Gastroenterological Society of Australia). Quotation:
“Other functional gut symptoms are more common in IBS sufferers than the general population. These include heartburn, dyspepsia, globus, nausea and excessive belching.” (http://www.gesa.org.au/members_booklets/ibs/IBSGUIDELINES.pdf).
2. Article on Intestinal Gas - Belching, Bloating, Flatulence. (http://www.medicinenet.com/intestinal_gas_belching_bloating_flatulence/article.htm)

What is known about intestinal gas and related symptoms, where all other possible causes have been excluded? There is relatively little research done on gas, bloating, and belching in those patients. BUT THE HANDLING OF INTESTINAL GAS (the ‘gas dynamics’) CAN BE IMPAIRED IN THESE PATIENTS. Authors of University Hospital Vall d’Hebron (Barcelona, Spain) have published a lot on ‘gas’ and ‘gas dynamics’ over the years. Some relevant articles:

‘Intestinal Gas Dynamics and Tolerance in Humans’ (1998)
J Serra, F Azpiroz, J-R Malagelada
Gastroenterology, 1998;115:542-550
(free abstract: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=retrieve&db=pubmed&list_uids=9721151&dopt=Abstract)
Intestinal gas is partly swallowed and in part originates from a series of chemical reactions of the foodstuffs within the gut. Most gases diffuse easily across the intestinal blood barrier, the resulting intestinal gas load is then transported and evacuated per anus. The small intestine does not contain much gas, because normally it passes through very rapidly to the colon. In some clinical conditions abdominal complaints (such as bloating, borborygmi, cramps, and sometimes distention) are attributable to altered dynamics of intestinal gas. However, in most cases it remains uncertain whether the symptoms are due to a gas overload, an impaired intestinal handling of gas, or a poor tolerance and increased perception. This study showed that intestinal gas handling in healthy subjects is a dynamic and efficient process. Intestinal gas tolerance is normally high, because expeditious gas transit and evacuation prevent gas pooling and symptoms. When this protective mechanism fails or is overcome, abdominal symptoms, predominantly bloating, and distention may develop.

‘Intestinal gas distribution determines abdominal symptoms’ (2003)
H Harder, J Serra, F Azpiroz, MC Passos, S Aguadé, J-R Malagelada
(free download: http://gut.bmjjournals.com/cgi/content/abstract/52/12/1708)
Quotation from this study: “Our data (…) explain gas related symptoms in patients with functional gut disorders. Abnormal gas transit and possible gas backflow in these patients may result in altered distribution of intestinal gas and symptoms …”

‘Origin of Gas Retention and Symptoms in Patients With Bloating’ (2005)
B Salvioli, J Serra, F Azpiroz, C Lorenzo, S Aguadé, J Castell, J-R Malagelada
Gastroenterology, 2005 Mar;128(3):574-9
(free abstract: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15765392&dopt=Abstract)
Patients reporting abdominal bloating exhibit impaired tolerance to intestinal gas loads. The aim of this study was to identify the gut compartment responsible for gas retention. In 30 patients predominantly reporting abdominal bloating (24 with irritable bowel syndrome and 6 with functional bloating) and 22 healthy subjects, gas was infused into the intestine for 2 hours while measuring rectal gas outflow. Conclusion: In patients reporting bloating, the small bowel is the gut region responsible for ineffective gas propulsion. In the upper gut, large quantities of gas are physiologically generated from chemical reactions. CO2 is produced when acid is neutralized by bicarbonate in pancreatic, biliary, or duodenal secretions. A meal could generate approx. 1½ liter CO2 per hour. Given its high diffusibility, most CO2 generated during normal digestion is absorbed along the small bowel, but still may theoretically overflow an incompetent intestine and become symptomatic. It is suggested in this study that the handling of normal, physiological loads of gas is impaired in these patients and leads to symptoms.

‘The role of intestinal gas in functional abdominal pain’ (1975)
RB Lasser, JH Bond, MD Levitt
The New England Journal of Medicine, September 11, 1975;293:524-6
(free abstract: http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/abstract/293/11/524)
This study showed among other things, that more gas (infused in the small bowel) tended to reflux back into the stomach in patients (with complaints of excessive gas, abdominal pain and bloating) than in healthy individuals. But fasting patients didn’t have more gas in the intestinal tract than fasting controls. The authors suggested that complaints of bloating, pain and gas may result from disordered intestinal motility in combination with an abnormal pain response to gut distention rather than from increased volumes of gas.

In my case I have encountered in the Netherlands so much sceptical Gastro MDs, who would diagnose it as aerophagia. Probably because the belching and globus sensation were main symptoms and more prominent than the (lower) abdominal symptom of bloating. Can we, people with excessive belching in this and other threads, in some way ‘get to together’? I don’t exactly know how; but all these individuals, suffering this disabling condition… Any suggestions or reactions to tj.***@****.

[NotGivingUpNever]

Kees, thank you for the very helpful info!
Once again, I find many similarities between my case and yours.
Count me in for your "Getting-togehter" idea. I think it might end up being a way to a solution. I thought in some sort of website where we could share symptoms, written material, experiences, brainstorming, etc. We could then maybe group ourselves by set of symptoms and conduct some sort of trials. Hopely we can find assistance of professional researchers to do this or later on. I will write you to your e-mail.

[lost corner]

I have some of the same symptons. This has been going on for years. Wake up with a pain in my chest which moves sometimes to the middle of back. Burping will relieve the pain for an instant.  This will go on all day when I have an episode. Sometimes I feel nauseated.  All test have come back normal.  Prilosec doesn't help. Have tried over the counter phazyme, it doesn't help either.

[Kees]

Yes,

Looking forward to your email... We have to start in some way... Willing to help/participate very much, time and energy enough. But I'm not really good in constructing a website...

[heyitsme]

"Me too". I have had really bad gas for the past year. Gastro claims its Acid Reflux after endoscopy, but I don't really have any heartburn or acid issues that I notice and Aciphex doesn't seem to help my burping at all (even seems to cause more flatulence). Interesting enough, I am a computer programmer as well! Is there some crazy connection? I mean it seems to me that many people work desk jobs these days, why do we seem to have this problem more?

I often times feel lightheaded too, and sometimes I swear its related to my gas. Doctor's so far have been little help. I tried cutting out soda entirely and I have tried eating mostly salad, and neither really helped. Phazyme and Tums seems to help some, but not enough to make me feel normal.

Seems like there are enough of us with this problem, not sure what could be done, but it would seem that something could be accomplished.

[lost corner]

Had another episode last night. The day went well.  About six o'                        clock took two tums.  Went to bed about nine and the burping started in.  Lump in my throat and loud hard burping.  Took a reglan, omeprazole and two phazyme.  Then laid very still with my head on two pillows.  Got to sleep ok and this morning I have mild  burping with pressure in my chest. Something that helps with the severe pain is oxycodone which I take for neck and back pain.  These episodes come more frequently as cool weather sets in.  In the spring and summer months I never have one.  I am very physical in those months and am less active in fall and winter months. I have more stress in spring and summer months. So I don't think that is an issue, which the Dr. has suggested. I don't eat late at night either.  I really don't have the heartburn.  It is a  hard pain.  Like Kahill there have been times when I drink water and as I swallow a lump will go down and then there is the hard pain which starts and have even vomitted at times. Luckily I had a mild episode last night.  Last time I went to the Dr. she commented that air could be the cause.  Seems like its more complicated then that to me. I am going to start a journal of what I eat and how much and when I have an episode.  Maybe I can pin point something I do or eat that tiggers these episodes.

[becko]

Ugh add me to the belching club as well! I'm a 31 year old female with 3 children; I just had my gallbladder taken out in April and have a hiatal hernia but not severe.  But I have always had a belching problem; I remember my mom taking me as a teen to the doctor -- they thought I was doing it on purpose for fun. But i really couldn't help it most of the time.  Now it has gotten much much worse-- I could belch very loudly on cue any second of the day-- there is always air trapped-- it hurts sometimes, and other times it is a relief..in the last few months, I have developed some chest "pain" almost like this one spot on the right side that just feels like if i belch it will feel better. But it doesn't-- i do notice it happens after eating or drinking but like you guys; the kinds of foods don't seem to matter-- enchiladas are the same as mashed potatoes; water is the same as diet coke. I was told i had dyspepsia back in the spring, when they did an endoscopy on me. He told me I needed to eliminate nuts, cheese, carbonated drink, raw vegetables- the list was a mile long and seemed rather broad in category-- we moved, and so I haven't gotten a GI dr or a family dr yet :( ...i do have an appt on the 24th with a new dr, and i want to know how to describe what is happening so i don't sound crazy ..Anyway I am concerned, because it is getting so much worse; I do notice more intestinal gas too which is fun ugh-- I really have to stifle belching when in public places- sometimes I do so silently etc-- the fullness is ALWAYS there-- there is always a need to belch at all times-- ugh!!!!! but it is getting more and more difficult to control- i just don't understand why i have so much of it and now i am having that discomfort in my chest which is alarming-- the back pain on the sides where i guess my kidneys are, and in my upper back, shoulders-- i feel sort of stiff etc like muscular when it happens- i 've gone to the er twice in the last ten years thinking i was having heart issues; i wasn't-- it's like an episode happens and involves all these parts of my body...I do -- Lately it has just been so awful that it is really affecting my life; I am feeling rather lightheaded and a little weird sometimes- sort of a strange feeling-- sort of jittery or something and not all there for a second- i can't explain it...i just want it to stop! help!!!!! I have taken nexium in the past, but like you guys it didn't help belching-and heartburn can be an issue but not nearly what the belching discomfort is-- thanks for reading if you got this far-- sometimes you just feel crazy going into the dr and describing all these symptoms which seem not to connect to each other...They did find an ovarian cyst during tests back in the spring too, but it was nothing to be alarmed over they said....have any of you guy worried about heart issues? I thought of lung cancer too :(-- it is scary to google isn't it? ugh

[Kees]

I had the lightheadedness about 6 years ago (during these past 7 years of symptoms). And it was related to the gas. I think that at some point when i'd feel throat or abdominal discomfort of the gas, I decided to deliberately burp/belch more. This helped to get rid of lightheadedness in my case.

[ALJCT]

Hello, I too for quite some time now have suffered from this BURPY sensation.  I spoke to my doctor about it and as many stated he said he thought it was aerophagia as well. So I searched what could be done about it. I found nothing to help. The more and more I have though about this condition it seems YES I am Swallowing air and making myself burp.  HOWEVER, only after I get this nagging sensation like there is something stuck in my upper stomach area or where my esaphagus and stomach meet. To relieve this "pressure" I make myself burp and it helps but at times I find myself constantly doing it to get rid of the pressure. I too have tried looking at what I eat, drink, etc.  I too suffer from heartburn and religiously take prilosec OTC and at times pepcid as well.  I often think I may have an ulcer located in the top of my stomach area that is causing this burpy sensation.  'Cause if I don't take the prilosec OTC I suufer from heartburn and pain burning in the same location as this pressure feeling.  I can't help but think all is related.  However, I also wonder if this condition started in someway or at sometime that I ate too much and have caused damage to my stomach or esaphagus.  I also find that if I slouch when sitting or the "pressure" feeling is worst and more often and if I sit upright and very straight I can get out a good burp and the pressure goes away. This too only complicates how I feel of the problem.  It is very embarressing at times and I have come to just tell people it is a medical condition. Thanks, for the forum, I feel better knowing I am not alone or just crazy.  Hope what I share is helpfull.

[Kees]

NotGivingUpNever and me, we would like to 'join hands' and get people with belching and other gas related problems together (experiences, resources, identifying the problem, solutions etc.) We have created a website www.gaspatients.org. It's only a draft version now, but shortly we hope to improve it.

[mj21]

Hello everyone-
I don't know if I should be elated that I finally found someone on the planet going through the same thing, or if I should feel sad for all of us to be experiencing this. It is comforting to know for the simple fact that I've been in and out of the doctor's office for the last 8 years and they all think I am crazy.

My experience started in 1997 when I was in college. I was sick for 2 years---barely could eat anything without feeling nauseas and burping constantly. I finally demanded an ultrasound and they found that I had gallstones and a tumor (ended up being benign, part cyst) growing on my spleen. At age 19 I had my gallbladder removed (and didn't fit any of the "normal" characteristics--I was not over 40, had never been pregnant, was not overweight-I couldn't eat for heaven's sake!)and my spleen removed. I was then diagnosed with GERD.

It all went away for a few years and then came back. I can go awhile with no bouts of it and then I can go months with terrible ones. For the last week I've been burping literally every couple seconds. It's the most uncomfortable feeling in the world. I actually had someone ask me about it at work. It's embarrassing, painful, uncomfortable. It's driven me to my laptop in desperation that I can research this and find a remedy. I want a good night's sleep!

I have also been to 3 doctors. They tell me I just have GERD. I've been on almost every acid reflux drug you can be on. Protonix helped the most---but like you all of you----the heartburn isn't the worst of it---it's the burping. I can't take it anymore! I am also on the reglan, which hasn't done anything. I've had the endoscopy, gastric emptying scan, upper and lower ab. ultrasounds and done the Barrium swallow. They tell me nothing new.

They also tell me that I must have bad eating habits. I have been a vegetarian since I was 6 years old. I eat a very low fat diet. I don't eat a large amount of chocolate or drink a lot of coffee. I never drink carbonated beverages. I eat 5 small meals a day. I drink alcohol very rarely. I don't understand what more I can do? I still want to enjoy life a little.

The only thing that I can deduce from this is that it's either IBS or maybe it is caused my tumors or cysts. This all came on for me when I got the one attached to my spleen. It went away for awhile and then came back and its the exact same symptoms of when I had that one.

How many of you have had your gallbladder removed?
Wondering also if it gets worse for the women the week before your period?

Thank you to the crew that started the new website. I am going to jump on that one as well. Thank you all for sharing your thoughts...at least I can lie in bed knowing that I might not be crazy after all.

Keep me posted.

[liejian]

Wow truely this is a burping epidemic. I am also a computer scientist and had excessive gas for a while. Just today though I seemed to have started burping nonstop (a few times a minute) for the entire day. I have no idea what is causing it. Usually when i have these burping bouts, it only lasts about 15 min and I am fine but today it seems to be running hours. I was a bit concered so I looked it up online. Just to throw more clues into pot:

1. i work out religiously, about 3-4x week for the past 8 yrs
2. i sit at a desk job for 10 hrs /day
3. i have recently started drinking 4 cups of coffee/day
4. I drink about 1 soda /day
5. I eat a lot of rice

TODAY SPECIFICALLY:

6. I ate some pasta today with spagetti sauce (tangy) from this place: http://www.fooddial.com/Content/Restaurant/212_777_FOOD_x4728.asp
7. I drank 2 cups of coffee w/ half and half
8. I ate a large thing of soba noodle last night before going to bed
9. had a slice of pizza from
http://www.fooddial.com/customListing.asp?r_name=pizza%20supre

I wonder if it's the pasta sauce that causes it?? hmmm

That's my 2 cents

[mj21]

Anything tomato based is a bad idea. I don't eat pizza anymore because of the sauce, marina on pasta, etc. I bet that's what caused it for you.

Have you been drinking coffee/soda for a long time? I don't drink of any that because it makes it a lot worse. Not sure if this is the case for you---but if it doesn't go away you might think about cutting that out to see if it improves.

[sfmm]

My gastroenterologist suspects that I am "sucking air" as well.  I have never heard of this problem, but googled "apple cider" today and found all of you! I have been burping constantly for the past year, with no prior history of stomach problems.   Mine, like some others I read here, came on very suddenly (after Thanksgiving weekend 2004). I have no heartburn, but do have nausea. I do not notice a difference with what I eat or drink, but do notice that if I go too long between meals it gets worse.  I too sit behind a computer all day long and have suspected that my desk posture might have something to do with this.  I have pain on the mid/lower right side of my back.  When I try to take deep breaths, they are followed by big burps - but why did my body all of a sudden forget how to breathe??  This is frustrating - but maybe we can piece something together that the doctors have not been able to?

[ALJCT]

sfmm, I too have noticed that if I skip a meal or get very hungered my symptoms increase, and I too have had the nausea. I have also noticed a pain in my back but I have always gone around poping my fingers, back and neck. But here lately it seems my "fits" are gitting worse.  Once I start, it gets hard to stop. I have even noticed too that after I eat and have them I may burp up some food, yes that sounds gross I know but I want to share for hopes of helping toward a solution. My wife is really starting to get worried and she gets mad and says there is more than just swallowing air, because they can just come out of nowhere. My sister thinks it may be the body trying to correct itself in someway.  She mentioned something about a friend of hers that started these coughing fits and then found out the doctors found like a heart papatation and said she was caughing when her heart would start messing up. So she thinks that sounds similar in case with my pressure in my chest and pain in the back and the nausea.

Somthing else I forgot to mention too in my first post is I wondered once if it may have been started by increase in medication s I was having to take.  6 to 8 pills morning and night.  I got to where when I took them (I'd take them all at once) I would get these nasty tasting little burps. I asked the doctor back them if I it could be a problem taking them all at once but he said no.  Just another thought out there.

I amd begining to wonder if there could be something related to what my sister is thinking.  Would be curious to be hooked to a portable EKG machine for a few days to record and see if buring went in hand with any irregular heart activity.

[Kees]

In the archives of this forum, in threads on belching, more people mention tightness in the chest, deep inhalation/breathing leading to a burp etc. Also the case with me.

In my case I'm 100% certain it’s not air swallowing, as has been proved by barium swallows of the oesophagus. Moreover, recently an abdominal x-ray showed considerable amount of gas in my small intestine, while normally it should contain not much gas, because it should either be absorbed/handled in the small intestine or it should pass rapidly to the colon.

How about the often used theory that burping is due to sucking air in the oesophagus? The following could be relevant and point towards an intestinal gas problem, and not sucking air.

Firstly, I noticed over the years that, immediately after experiencing strong pulling, nausea-like uncomfortable sensation in my throat, there's sometimes an extra involuntary reflexive inhalation, immediately followed by an explosive belch (like throwing up)... This is not sucking in air into the stomach while inhaling, as is suggested sometimes by gastro MDs! I found a source (with a more neurologic/reflexive process description of gastrointestinal matters) which describes exactly what happens when you vomit, and e.g. food is transported back up in intestine (if not from the stomach) etc. Part of that reflexive process is a deep inhalation, which probably does a 'clearing-up' or so in the intestine when there's something 'stuck' there or has to come up out…

Secondly, at www.medhelp.org/lib/cancernet/303510.htm on ‘Impaction’ it is written: “When abdominal distension occurs, movement of the diaphragm is compromised, leading to insufficient aeration (…)” I think this could explain very well why it’s hard to take a deep inhalation (through the nose – so no eating of air possible). I suspect that if there is a more than normal amount of gas in the (small?) intestine, and possibly visible abdominal distension, that the diaphragm its movement is compromised (it ‘meets’ something that is obstructing) and gas is pushed/burped out.

I suspect that many burping people who mention this breating problem, have in fact a motility or handling problem of intestinal gas. I refer to my previous comment in this thread, and to contributions in the thread 'gerd... causing aerophagia?' which can be found in this forum under 'Archives' ---> 'General'.

[sfmm]

I think you are right - this does sound like a motility problem.  Like several of us here, I have burps 4-6+ hours after I eat that are a nasty version of my last meal (yuck!).   The food should be long gone by then.  I never thought of the problem as being small intestine, because I also have no "lower abdominal" symptoms.  I definitely have that distention in that triangle area where the ribs meet (is this the diaphragm?) and can "push out" a burp if I press there.  Has anyone tried Zelnorm?  Isn't that a motility drug?  Another theory I read - an overgrowth of bad bacteria that could be causing these symptoms (or the root of the lack of motility?) - has anyone tried probiotics?  I already went through an endoscopy and am slated for the barium next to rule out a diverticuli in the esophagus - I think I may ask to try the motility drugs first.  I re-read your original entry; I sympathize with your experiencing these symptoms for 7 years, but definitely appreciate your insights for the rest of us!

[Kees]

I have the same experience of pushing at that 'triangle', inducing a burp. I tried quite a lot of probiotics but in my case it didn't improve symptoms. Zelnorm (Tegaserod) is - from what I understand - a 'serotonine [5-HT] type 4  [5-HT4] receptor antagonist' used to treat people with IBS-C (constipation predominant symptom), but also tried on people with Functional Dyspepsia. I haven't tried it yet, but people suffering from what is considered as GI motility disorders seem to benefit from it. I have been taken an antidepressant (Remeron) for some months (60mg) and it had definitely some beneficial effect on the burping. Remeron contains/is a 5-HT3 receptor antagonist. Also a natural medicine Caprylic Acid helped a little bit in my case.

In June I had an abdominal x-ray. Last week I showed it to an ‘alternative’ MD who does acupuncture. He mentioned that there was definitely quite some gas visible in my small intestine. Normally (as is said in the literature), gas is either already absorbed/handled along the small intestine, or propelled towards the colon. So that’s why the small intestine in a normal, healthy individual contains little (or no?) gas.

The radiologist who evaluated the x-ray in June had not mentioned that gas in the small intestine, but had written there was definite ‘coprostatis’ which is in English ‘fecal impaction’ (hard faeces, usually elderly or people on certain medical drugs can have this condition). But I don’t have any bowel movement problems at all, at least I'm not aware of it! But apparently he saw a certain pattern of gas, faeces and fluid that made him draw this conclusion. For December 23 I have another appointment with the gastroenterologist because I would like a little more clarity and explanation about this abdominal x-ray.

Keep us informed about the Zelnorm, whether it helps!

[nmissoni]

I have chronic pancreatitis, but after ERCP, the doctors did not found any abnormal situation. But I have burping and gas and pain on the upper part of the stomach. Can't be GERD or Pancreas Insufficiency because the pancreatic enzymes are eliminated on the duodenum, make sense, but after all kinds of test they couldn't declare any diagnostic. This drives me crazy; I have seen over 7 doctors I had done 3 CATSCAN, ERCP, and nothing.
Did someone here have the same problems after pancreatitis?

[mj21]

This is astonishing to me that there are so many of us experiencing this, over several years, and yet not one of the Gastro doctors can nail it down. I was just at the doctor last week. After all the tests that I've had over the last couple years he says it comes down to a couple options: 1) that it could be gastroperisis (delayed gastric emptying). I did that test--the delayed gastric emptying one--and it showed that I didn't have that. They put me on Reglan anyway and I don't feel it's done anything. 2) He said that it could be the lack of my gallbladder and some how having bile come back up? and 3) He said that I could take antidepressants and that might help. Taht shocked me as I do not want to take them and I don't feel depressed at all. However, after reading this thread and seeing that someone else is taking them and that they have helped, I might consider it.
Thanks for posting everyone. I check back every now and then and I think that maybe we are going to be able to nail this down with combining everyone else's symptoms.

[KetKet]

Add me to the list.... It's hard to say how long this burping has afflicted me. Maybe 2-3 years.

I am a 25 year old woman, with no previous health problems. I am 130lbs.

These are my symptoms:
Within a minute of eating or drinking anything from a small meal, snack or just a glass of water, I start burping profusely. The burps start, and continue with barely seconds apart. This can last for an hour to many hours.

Usually, I burp all day long. I go to sleep burping, and I assume that it subsides while I sleep, but I do have some trouble some times going to bed, due to constant burping as I try to fall asleep.

The burping affected me more negatively over time. When this symptom first appeared, I was burping regularly but it was bearable, just annoying. Now, I can barely breathe when I burp, due to the frequency of the burps. It hurts my throat, chest and sometimes start to hick-up because of my inability to breath smoothly.

My tummy usually feels very stressed out, and tense. Like it's not painful, but full and strained, very tight. I would call it abdominal discomfort. Sometimes my tummy grumbles...

The fact that I burp so much after eating or drinking anything, makes me think twice before I reach out for a snack or drink. I am worried it will start to affect my interest in food. I don't want to starve because of this burping....

It's embarrassing in public, and makes it really hard for me to work and concentrate. Sometimes while working and experiencing intense burping, I have to stop everything and lay down, or sometimes I just get really pissed off...

I have tried changing my diet. Removing gluten, or lactose or whatever. It makes no difference what I eat. I even fasted for a while, but alas, I was still burping.

I do get bouts of burps sometimes when I don't eat. If for example I have not eaten all day, I may start burping in the evening and it just won't stop.

I do get light-headedness when burping.


Here is what I don't have:

I don't experience heartburn ever
No acid reflux ever
I never feel nauseous or need to vomit
I don't experience flatulence
I have never had major pain
I am never constipated or ever have diarrhea


Here are some of my habits:

I work on the computer on a full-time schedule
I am a vegetarian who eats fish, have been my whole life.
I have never had any health problems in my life.


If I think of anything more, I will let you know.
I am happy to see I am not the only one. This is a problem I just don't know what to do about. I tried over the counter gas medication, I tried eating really slow, I changed my diet several times. I just don't know what this could be.

My only problem is constant burping. I don't have ANY of the other symptoms that digestive and gastro conditions of any kind seem to describe.

I hope we can come to some understanding of what this may be.

Ketket.

[jis1953]

Add me the group.

For the past several months I have been suffering from chronic belching with no abdominal pain.  It happens most when I get up from a sitting or laying position.  It doesn't matter what I've eaten or how long it has been since I have eaten, the identical problem occurs. I have had problems with heartburn in the past, so I avoid spicy foods. I laid off dairy for three months and it didn't help the belching. I had an upper endoscopy and all they found was a small hiatal hernia.  I took Priloec for a month and it eliminated the heartburn but had no effect on the belching. I have noticed when I talk a lot I often have to stop and belch, which makes me think maybe I am taking in too much how.  If that is so, I wonder why I am suddenly doing that now at 52 years of age and what I can do about it. It happens most when I wake up from sleeping, even with tape over my mouth to keep it closed.

[DeeRaeG]

My problem is a little different, but would like to know if anyone has experienced this.  I started the burping about a month ago.  It is not constant - mainly after I eat or drink something.  The concern I have is that after burping, I get discomfort in my left upper chest almost to the side.  If I swallow, the pain goes away.  This happens almost everytime I burp, so now I automatically swallow.  Have not been to the doctor, but will probably go soon.  I might mention also, that I have been somewhat constipated during this time - don't know if this relates or not.  Would just like to know if anyone else has experienced something like this.

[Med Help]

test

[itiredofburping]

i am 53yo female with a history of gallstones.  my burping began a few months ago.  previous to my burping i had a gallstone problem but it passed so i thought i was out of any trouble.  i have put on 10 solid pounds since menopause in the last 2 years.  i am thinking this burping must be weight related.  i seem to have the problem at night when my body starts to digest the days food.  i have consumed trans-fatty foods more frequently in the past two years than previously. Less physical activity then in years past plus i sit at a computer all day working with little exercise.

  there you have it.  until reading this thread i thought i could attack my problem with weight loss.... i am going to continue with my food plan for reducing my weight, but it looks like my problem may not be going away soon. wow, bad news.  

  i feel pretty isolated knowing that if my lover spends the night i may be under the covers burping away uncontrollably.  this is not good news.  nothing else seems wrong... the same old same old basically, but this new rather distracting habit is starting to make me feel, well, odd.  thank you all for sharing your experiences, concerns and attempts at remedies. it truly feels good sharing this newest torment with people who understand.

[CT_burps]

I have been burping throughout the day (and night) for the last year or so and the intestinal motility thing sounds about right to me as well.  I am 26 years old, and I'm in good shape.  I have no noticeable bowel movement issues.  I get a bloated feeling, then I need to shift around until I hear or feel some sort of "release" followed by the sound of bubbles going up through my stomach and then out comes the burp.  I'm also at a full-time desk job in front of a computer and I catch myself with awful posture all the time.  Standing up doesn't make the burps completely go away, but it makes the process somewhat easier (as long as I can let it out without worrying about those around me).  

Now something interesting is that 3 of my friends have developed the same exact problem.  I hang out with 2 of them, both males, for the weekend about once a month and we have had plenty of occasions of excessive alcohol consumption, but besides that, I almost never drink.  I thought maybe the alcohol consumption was the problem, since it's something we all have in common, but I soon found out that my 3rd friend, a female, never drinks at all.  She has recently developed the burping problem, but I almost never see her, so I can't point out any obvious (unhealthy) similarities.  

I never thought my diet was that bad, but it does seem to effect my general digestive comfort.  I had an endoscopy done, and the result was a "slight redness."  I was prescribed Prevacid and Reglan.  I asked about the H. Pylori bacteria and he said he would test for that, but never gave me any response, so I assumed the result was negative.  I've had occasions of severe heartburn, and it was mostly due to the inability to burp out the gas after eating certain greasy foods, so the acid would feel like it was getting pushed back up by the gas underneath it.  

I've tried increasing the fiber in my diet to achieve 100% of the FDA recommended Dietary Fiber amount per day, improving my general diet, sleeping with cement blocks underneath the head of the bed, and I can't say it doesn't help at all, but these are definitely not cures.  They may have made me a healthier person, but the burping is still there.  It looks like my next research project will consist of google searches on intestinal motility and IBS.  I'll report back if I ever find an answer.  I wish our doctors knew something about this besides what they read in their med school text books.

[ALJCT]

Just an update.

Well, last week I had an upper GI done and quite honestly I figured everything would come back normal like others have posted.  However, during the upper GI the doctor let me watch the screen and  I was diagnosed with a moderate sized Hiatal Hernia.  To me it looked to be about a third of my total stomach size. I also asled him about my pressure sensations and burning and burpyness.  He felt that it might be caused by the part that is herniated the lining may be raw causing the burning and that it may also be causing spasms which lead to the pressure and burpyness.  He also said that would explain why I get nausiated when drinking really cold liquids. I also had to go to my regular doctor this week for the offical results of the upper GI which he told me I had a large throat muscle and they do not know why.  He also said the upper GI should I had a motility problem which they felt was due to my diabetes.  He said they felt the nerves around the hernia also seemed affected which could cause me to have symptoms in my sternum area like pressure, heart palpatations or sharp pains.  And of course he explained my Hiatal Hernia.  He said they did not really recommend doing anything about but treat the symptoms and take acid blockers and the best thing I could/should do is loose weight. (I am over weight, I weigh about 352) He offered to refer me to a gastrointerologist to see if they could offer anything for more to help with the burpyness.  Considering all I didn't feel that would help much.  Just wanted to share what I have had done and what was said.  The only other thing that was recommended was I eat more but smaller meals through out the day rather than eating 3 solid meals a day.  It has seemed to help some.  Their thoughts were keeping lighter stomach but keeping something in it all day.

Additional notes/thoughts:
I find I tend to be better staying away from spicey and/or greasy foods. Uncooked onions really affect me. I also don't seem to be affected by the burpyness first thing in the mornings as bad as I am in the afternoons and at night.

Best wishes to everyone!

[CT_burps]

I know we probably have some unique situations to some degree, i.e. not everyone has a hiatal hernia, but based on the research I've done, not much is known in the medical literature about how to improve and essentially cure our problems.  I'm really onto the ideas about possible small-intestine motility issues, since I know that I don't have any problems further down with bowel movements or anything noticeable in my large intestines or colon, my lower-digestive system.  I'm imagining some sort of blockage or accumulation somewhere.  

I'm really looking for a simple cause, and hopefully this will lead to an answer.  I am too young and otherwise healthy to really believe that I have treated my body poorly enough to have caused some kind of disease.  My 3 friends are in the same boat as me.  I think this is a phenomenon that doctors have not caught on to, and it's probably due to some change in the western diet over the last 50-100 years that is unhealthy but perceived as "ok" in our view, or maybe some cultural change in our eating habits.  I see people around me with far worse habits in many of these areas, so it confuses me how this can happen to me, but genetics plays a part as well.  All of my friends and I with this problem are Northern European by descent...

I really think that this is nothing that a good "cleanse" and careful diet selection can't fix, but I don't know much about how to perform that cleanse.  The anatacids and proton-pump-inhibitors the doctors prescribe are not helping anything except the heartburn, and from what I read, they are really screwing with other system balances that might not be such a good idea.  I want to strike the problem at the root of it, and if none of the simpler efforts I apply make a difference, my last resort will be some kind of overall digestive cleanse, possibly through some carefully designed, safe fasting method, like an all-liquid, leafy green diet for a few days or more.  Beyond that, I will make more efforts to maintain a diet free of processed food.  

I have tried a digestive aid called gamma-oryzanol without much of a result.  I've also tried taking digestive multi-enzymes with Acidophilus (a pro-biotic) with each meal.  I've done this for about the last month, and have not noticed a significant difference, if any, although it is still probably beneficial.  I tried eating more greens like spinach, more fresh fruits.  It's possible I haven't given it enough time, but I haven't noticed a significant clear-up, although the regurgitation is definitely worse when I eat fatty, greasy food.  After stopping taking Prevacid and Prilosec, and maintaining a healthy diet for a few months, the burps have remained, but I rarely have heartburn, except for one memorable night, at 3am after having a Quizno's sub for dinner at about 7pm.  I learned not to do that again.  FYI, heartburn sufferers, if you crave the fatty, greasy foods, please, eat them early in the day.  Before bed will give you more problems by far.  I've learned this through experimentation.

One thing I want to try are these pills called Okra-Pepsin-E3.  Here is some info, albeit quite possibly unreliable, but a suggested read:
http://home.bluegrass.net/~jclark/small_intestine.htm

These supposedly cleanse the hardened mucus build-up in the small-intestine after taking one with each meal for about a month, suggested with high fiber diet.  From what I recall reading here, this mucus can build up from eating processed food much more often than fresh greens and fruits (check!), overeating (check!), eating too fast (check!), and it can prevent nutrient absorption beyond what digestive enzymes and probiotics (good bacteria supplements like Acidophilus) can repair.  The description on that web page seems convincing for our type of problem, but based on how many other supplements I've tried to no avail, I don't know whether I trust it to do anything.  Has anyone else tried this product yet?  Thanks.

[ichigo]

I have a similar burping problem and my doctor diagnosed me with Acid Reflux, even though I have no signs of acid coming through my esophagus or any pain associated with it. I've never had heartburn, I just burp CONSTANTLY.

I drink only water, I eliminate fast food completely, I stick to stictly turkey and lean chicken meals ... I just can't find a cause for this!

Interestingly, it became noticeable after I had started my Graphic Design program about a year ago and became glued to a computer for 8-10 hours a day.

What is it with computers and burping?!

[tkcover]

I noticed that all of these comments are dated in 2005, well it is now 2007 and i was wondering if anyone had any answers for why they had constant burping.  I am 19 years old and for the past three years, i have had painful uncontrolling burping.  I can not take it anymore, the burping takes place from the time i wake up to the time i go to sleep, i have even had people tell me i burp in my sleep.  I have not had a good nights rest in years and i throw up atleast once a month.  The burping is loud and very embarrasing.  it starts from by back and moves up to my throat.  I have been to many doctors and had many tests and the results have been negative.  If anyone has any answers i would be very grateful for some input.

[yaoyao]

A related discussion, burping was started.

[manghia]

A related discussion, bowels was started.