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chronic regurgitation

I have a son who started regurgitating everything but Treetop apple juice since 3/16/08. He has lost over 200 lbs.and looks like a skeleton. A gastroenterologist has not been able to find anything wrong. He is very worried and they are thinking of putting in a "j-tube" . I have watched my son eat a cracker and regurgitate it right back up. He cannot drink water (but can eat a few ice chips and keep them down), milk, coffee, alcohol, any other juice or liquids and keep them down. The same with food, except a sour type of candy. Does anyone have an idea about what is going on or who he needs to see? I do not think he can lose much more weight then he has lost already.
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Avatar universal
I am 14 and have the same thing but I went to the doctor and they took blood tests and I had a TSH level of over 100 and I don't know if this has anything to do with the regurgitation but the throwing up in my mouth really *****. Nothing stays down and if nothing goes in still stuff comes up
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Avatar universal
I don't think they will see him, he is 25. When he was 8 he was seen at Denver Children's Hospital for GERD. I wonder now if it was something different. I have been trying to get him in to see a neurosurgeon, but they don't seem to think he has a problem. I am sorry to hear about you and your brother, that would have been embarassing
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Avatar universal
I am so sorry you are going through this!  I also, through research, have heard that it might be neurological.  Something about the nerve not firing correctly and causing mixed signals.  Have you thought about taking him to Childrens Hospital?  If you call the doctors and explain that he doesn't have insurance and that this is very serious and explain the weight loss, they might see him for free or for a portion of the amount they would charge with insurance.  Believe me, they can afford to help you.  As gross as this sounds, my brother and I just keep re-chewing our food till it stays down.  I have had it for so long that when I was at school it wasn't an option to get rid of it and I can't tell you how many times I got in trouble for chewing gum and I wasn't.  But I couldn't tell them that.  I was too embarrassed.  
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Avatar universal
Thank you for the response, He has been seen several times by a GI doctor. The dr. does not think he has any GI problems, but something that is making his GI act this way. His weight-loss in 8 months is over 150lbs. He was discovered to have a Chiari Malformation that might be the problem, but he has not seen a Neurosurgeon (he has no insurance) yet to determine if something could be done. In December 2008 the GI put in a J-tube to give him nutrition. I think he has lost all hope of being helped and is afraid of dying soon. His teeth have suffered greatly this year.
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Avatar universal
It could be his esophogeal sphyncter.  It can be corrected with surgery.  I have had this since childhood.  As far as keeping anything down.  Eventually, after several times of regurgitating, the food will stay down.  Nothing seems to keep it from coming up though.  We have just learned to live with it but it is damaging to teeth.  I hope this helps.
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