nausea and fullness

[tsmill]

I have had feelings of fullness and mild nausea after meals and generally late in the afternoon/early evening for two years. (In the meantime I've had a baby and she is 15 months old--I'm still nursing her).  It's worse when I eat fatty foods, and it has definitely affected my appetite--I don't usually want to eat dinner.  In December after a physical my GP sent me for an upper GI (barium swallow) and he called me to say that I have reflux.  I don't have heartburn, which I understand to be the main symptom of reflux disease.  He put me on Zantac, because it is safe when you're nursing.  I've taken 150 mg in the morning and 150 mg at night for a month, and it hasn't helped.  He wants me to take 150 mg in the morning and 300 mg at night.  Is nausea/fullness even a symptom of GERD?  Could it be something else entirely?  Should I be investigating this further by seeing a gastroenterologist?  Anything else I should be doing?  Thank you!

[Kevin Pho, MD]

Neasea and fullness can be indicative of GERD.  

Other possibilities can be a mass, ulcer, esophageal dysmotility, or gastroparesis.  

An upper endoscopy would be a more comprehensive test.  More specialized testing, including the 24-hr pH study +/- esophageal motility studies, or a gastric emptyingn scan, can all be considered.

I would consider a gastroenterology evaluation.

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.
kevinmd_b

[jono]

It might be worth getting a Ultra sound to look for gall stones. Have something similar but with pain for 9 months I have been finally diagnosed with gallstones and so have looked for all the information on it. What i have seen is that it worse when you eat fatty meals, Does not always follow the text book symptoms and is common enough with pregnancy have a look on the internet should not be to hard to find.

good luck

J

[parttime]

To answer your question from an old reflux girl - Nausea and fullness are symptoms of reflux.  Zantac probably isn't the best medicine to use, but since you are nursing there probably isn't much else to take.  Try to eat small food four to five times a day.  For diet, I don't know how you eat, but stay away from raw vegetables and food that usually gives gas like dairy and raw veggies.  As well, if you drink soda, drink small sips of it often, or try not to drink it all.  Decaf hot tea will help relieve the feeling of fullness.  Good luck

[Duchess47]

I have just been diagnosed with Gastroparesis.  This is another name for slow stomach emptying. Since my stomach muscles do not contract properly the food which should leave my stomach after a certain amount of time, stays there instead. This causes, bloating, feeling of fullness very quickly, nausea, constipation.  I have IBS and GERD also.  For IBS a high fiber diet is great but for Gastroparesis it's the worst thing.  That is why a proper diagnosis is neccessary.  Gastroparesis can be caused from diabetes and hyperthyroid.  I have neither and so I will be having more testing to try and find the underlying cause.  In the meantime, eating small meals throughout the day, staying away from sugar and fats is the diet I am on now.  Good luck

[mesquitelady]

Your comments have been so helpful.  I've had chronic nausea for past 4 months after 65 years of super health. Took all tests -- colonoscopy, endoscopy, ultra sounds for all organs, heart tests -- clean as a whistle, with only an "inflamed stomach" (no h. pylori).  Driving me crazy, weight loss continues, which I do not need.  Nausea is constant.

Allergic to Zantac. Prilosec sometimes helps, but recently  started getting nausea with it.  Now trying acupuncture which helps for 2 days, but nausea ultimately returns. Also, stomach feels like it has been kicked.  Docs say, "stress" (it's in your head).

Am learning to eat small amounts when I can, usually breakfast & lunch.  Dinner time - sight or smell of food intensifies nausea. Applesause has been my mainstay; it goes down when nothing else will. Bread also works.  No vomiting, jst feel I want to vomit all the time.

Am trying meditation and visualization techniques to relax.  I thought I was alone, until I read these posts.

[bloat41]

Hi!  I recently had gallbladder surgery-laproscopic.  Since this surgery I have had bloating, constipation and fullness with nausea.  I went for a CT Scan on Friday.  I am looking for answers as to why I could be having this when I didn't have any of these signs prior to the surgery.  The surgeon looks at me as if I am crazy and states it is not a complication of the surgery instead it is some other underlying problem.  Has anyone heard of other's who have had their gallbladder removed and having the fullness and nausea with constipation?

[Canyon711]

I started out of the blue with the nausea a couple months ago. It comes and goes. I also have slow stomach emptying but I take a drug called Motilium for it which has been available everywhere but in the US for over 30 years and is bought over the counter in most countries. It helps the stomach empty faster therefore helping relieve acid reflux and bloating. I would never recommend a med for someone that has a known disease like Gastroparesis so you would need to talk to your Gastroenterologist. Mine is aware that I use it and if not he would suggest Reglan but it has more side effects and is very expensive and does the same thing. Now I have been diagnosed with IBS so I really am in a fix because it causes spasming in the colon which is not much fun so I can't use the Motilium for the stomach as it increases the spasming in the stomach. Wish I had one or the other because now I am not taking anything but if you have only the delayed stomach emptying the Motilium works well.

[Mabon]

Hi I need some help.  I have had a condition since september of 2005.  I am 20 years old and have always been an athlete and ate right and never did drugs,alcohol,or smoke.  I am a complete health nut.  I always had my five fruits a day and veggies.  
  Here is how it all began...
         I had been on a low carb diet for the summer time in 2005.  Then I had gone through a period of 3 weeks where I never moved a bowel.  I finally told my mother and she was horrified that I had waited to tell someone so long.  So she rushed me to my physician.  The doctor said try colace.  I tried it and it only worked once.  Then weeks went by and I started getting intense abdomen pains. The pains were in the upper and lower quadrants of my abdomen.  Finally I had an appointment to see a gastroenterologist who said ohhh don't worry I am not going to bother with tests it is just ibs.  So he said eat plenty of raisin bran and come back to me and I will be like a therapist and just to calm you down when you go through these periods of constipation.  So I increased the raisin bran and still nothing, now I just had gas all the time. Then I thought to myself maybe I have an allergy.  I monitored my food for a week.  I stopped my milk products and boom I had a bowel movement.  Then it stopped again.  Finally, I went and got a second opinion.  This time the new doctor did all the tests the endoscopy which revealed I had an ulcer and then a colonoscopy was performed but had failed.  I had been so blocked up that even with the procedure prep she was only able to get half way up.  
   Finally, the worst set in recently where I had been so blocked up and nothing was working, and my ulcers had been bad and I had been going to the hospital on a once a week basis.  Each time I went to the hospital they just said o it is just an ulcer. Then I tried another hospital and this time insisting that it is worse than an ulcer and worse than constipation.  Still they want to dope me up and give me laxatives.  Laxitives by the way don't work for me I have tried them all.  I have tried double doses and triple.  I have done colace,senekot,mirolax,the squeeze bottles,the liquid bottles,the exlax and so on.  My mother spent hundreds of dollars on different brands,and types. Then just a week ago my body totally shut down.  I had gone into my spasms of where my stomach just squeezed and pushed out so hard I thought someone was inside me trying to get out.  The constipation was bad and at its worst.  I hadn't gone in 9days.  I was rushed to the hospital.  Finally the doctors at this hospital did their jobs and did all the bloodwork and tests needed.  and I even got a colonoscopy.  The four days in the hospital before the colonoscopy they loaded me up on approx 5 laxatives and no food and no water and just and intravenus.  Finally after the four days I was releaved all I would have every other hour during the four days was laxatives taken orally and drinking them and swallowing the pills and finally I was cleaned out.  But still the doctors said we are baffled we don't know what is wrong.  I am still taking a laxative twice a day.  I am in search of desperate help because again the laxative stopped working so now I am in my pains and cured of the ulcers but not the pains of the constipation.  We don't know what to do.  Doctors just tell me to see someone else and someone else and no one helps me.  I don't want to end up in the hospital for another four days and go through the clean out again.  Someone please someone help me.

***@****

[sandyss]

Yes I had my gallbladder removed in August 2005, and to this day I still have nausea!!  I have had x-ray cat scan ultra sound and keep getting told there is nothing wrong. I was also told I could have an intolarence to fat that would cause alot of the stomach complaints.  I know what you mean it is very depressing to fill sick like that all the time.  It took them 3 months and 25 pound lose to diagnose my gallbladder. I now am on anti depessent and anti- anixiety medication. I also have been told that it can take up to 2 years to recover from this ordeal. Hand in there I keep getting told it will get better, I pray every day to my Lord to heal me noone else seems to be able too!!

[wasaskinneygurl]

I am a 37 year old female who weighed 87lbs before I was diagnosed with gastroparesis. For about 1 year now I have had major bloating resulting in looking 3 or 4 months pregnant. I had the gastric emptying scan done and learned I have gastroparesis. I am wondering if I will ever have my flat stomach back. At times I am so full but yet so hungry. My weight goes up and down and it seems like I feel terrible most of the time. Does anyone else have this problem? This is the most miserable problem ever! I am taking Erythromycin and I think I'm getting immune to it. I've been on it for 2 months or more now. My doctor says this is curable but everything I read says it isn't. I just wonder if I will ever feel normal again and be able to wear my midriff baring clothes again. Please someone tell me there is hope! Thanks!

[wasaskinneygurl]

By the way, I am a very small boned person that has never weighed much. I could always eat what I wanted when I wanted. I constantly hear rumbling in my stomach, am bloated (really bloated),have naseau along with gas. I put my weight on my last comment and didn't want anyone to think I was anorexic or anything like that. I'm just a small person. If someone has any suggestions please let me know. It seems like if I don't eat my stomach will go down a little bit but not a lot. Not eating is horrible too. I don't know what else to do.

[weakstomach]

I kind of have had varying diets throughout the years.  Sometimes eatting plenty and sometimes eatting about what a normal person should. *never not eatting.  Anyways I had surgery in the summer on my jaw and wasn't eatting much for about a month.  Also I find when I'm away at school I don't eat as much as I do at home and its not as healthy as what i eat at home (at school I usually eat pizza and pop everyday for lunch and dinner).  My question is, is it possible for your stomach to shrink?  Also I find when I eat, especially bread, I feel really really full until I drink something is there something wrong?

[Moi126]

I have had chronic nausea for 3 1/2 years. I've had every test
there is and everything is normal.  I rarely vomit but feel like I need to most of the time. Had gallbladder removed.  I take phenergan which helped quite a bit at first but very little now.
I don't have any bowel problems.  I tried Zoloft but the nausea got worse and I stopped.  I had great hopes it would help.
Maybe I didn't take it long enough but was scared when it made the nausea worse.  I have to say, it ruins my life.  I am a 70
year old female

[Moi126]

I wondered if anyone out there has had success with Zoloft
for Nausea???

[myproblem]

I had refulx and didn't know it either. Mine is due to espohageal dysmotility. I use prevacid, and it works great for me. I don't know if it is safe for nursing, but within a few months you'll be done nursing and can try it then. My daughter nursed until 21 mos. She just refused to give it up. I am a fan of nursing a child as long as they want, but keep yourself in mind too.

[wasaskinneygurl]

Is anyone out there gaining weight with gastroparesis? It seems like everyone can't keep anything down. I don't have that problem at all. Just wondered!

[Mabon]

Zoloft for nausea? That is an antidepressant if anything it would only increase it I would think?

[What'sWrongWithMe?]

I am a 39 year old female that began experiencing abdominal problems after an emergency C-section during the birth of my twins. It has been 7 years now and my symptoms are getting progressively worse. About 4 years ago I saw a GI Doctor and had a colonoscopy (and the other one that goes down your throat) along with an MRI and ultrasound. After everything came back negative, they labeled it as IBS causing my discomfort. My symptoms are as follows:

nausea (which is worse after eating)
upper abdominal discomfort/pressure
water retention
distended/bloated abdomen
belching
constipation
Feeling of fullness after a small amount of food

It is getting to the point that the Zelnorm my doctor prescribed isn't even helping. Anyone have any ideas what other tests to have or what might help?

[Mabon]

To: What's wrong with me?


It seems you have the same problems I have.  I wouldn't think it has anything to do with your c section.  I am 20 years old and am going through a similar situation.  If I were you I would keep a diary of every test you get.  So far I have had an endoscopy,colonoscopy,3 catscans,spinal x ray,and 3 other general x rays...Everything is negative.  I have given so much blood to be tested which also came negative to any diseases and such.  Just keep your head up high and keep looking for more opinions.

[wasaskinneygurl]

I hope you had insurance for all those tests! I have only had the nuclear medicine test to see how fast my stomach empties. I don't have any insurance and if you knew what I spent just trying to find different things to eat and on prescriptions. It is terrible! I did order some stuff online for this gastroparesis and it's from another country. (I'll try anything at this point!) If it works I will let everyone know! I can't fathom having to deal with this the rest of my life. It's just the most uncomfortable deal ever!

[wasaskinneygurl]

If anyone is having bad bloating problems like I am having Peppermint Capsules seem to give some relief. I am also on Zelnorm. I'm still bloated bad but these capsules seem to help for me. Hope this helps someone!

[labryga]

I have similar symptoms I have not been able to explain for 2 years now. I find that everytime I eat dinner I feel like I suddenly get nauseous within 10 minutes after I eat. It's gotten to the point where I always think I must have food poisoning. But I know thats unrealistic. I did have my gallbladder removed 5 years ago when I was 22, 2 months after my daughter was born. I have no idea if that has anything to do with all of my stomach ailments, but this nausea drives me crazy! It usually doesn't happen after breakfast or lunch just meals in the evening.
I dont't usually experience heartburn either. Can anyone relate to this evening nausea, sometimes it wakes me up at night and I actually do throw up.

[What'sWrongWithMe?]

This is probably going to sound crazy, but in the last few weeks I have found relief from my symptoms (described in my post above) by drinking something called Naked Smoothies. I know it's a funny name (they are called Naked because they are all natural) and they have a pound of fruit in every 15.2 oz bottle. Anyway, I have no idea how it can be helping my symptoms other than the fact that they help to rid your body of toxins, but I am feeling MUCH BETTER after drinking 2 of these smoothies a day for the last 3 weeks. You might give it a try. They are in the produce Isle.
Best Wishes to you all.

[Msfullness]

Hi I had gallbladder surgery five months ago, and have also suffered with bloating, severe constipation, and nausea. In addition to a great deal of pain. I found out through CT that I had a small belly hernia, but doctors did not think that would explain the symptoms.  I tried numerous laxatives and was convinced that I must've aquired some blockage.  That didnt show in CT however.  I then tried fiber, water, prune juice which gave only minor relief.  I have found someting just recently that is helping me and I want to share with all of you fellow sufferers.  While shopping I came upon a lady demonstrating Yakult (a cultured milk product).  She said it help with digestion, and it does!  I researched the product before taking it and found it has good reviews and is being studied for its beneficial qualities.  From cancer to flu resistance, ect.  The main ingrediant is lactobacillus casei shirota (a probiotic) better than an antibotic (antibiotic) bc it doesnt remove helpful bacteria.  I love this stuff!  I drank my first bottle after being in agony bloated to the point of well you know.  When I woke up the next morning I noticed my tummy had decreased, and I was able to have a bm.  I had two more the next day after meals, and it resulted in a great reduction of my symptoms.  Im hoping it will continue to get even better.  I read that it takes a couple of weeks to help regulate the digestive system, but I already feel the benefits.  I am so happy I just wanted to share this.  I will still try to find out what my underlying cause it, but I am more hopeful now knowing that I have found something natural that is helping me.  I had my gallbladder taken out after a year of agony.  I didnt have stones.  I had a diseased gallbladder discovered through hida scan.  The last thing I or anyone should have to endure yet more agony.  Hope this helps :)