Chronic Nausea. Can't Find A Diagnosis.

[eagles83]

Dear Doctors,

I have chronic nausea for 12 years now and no doctor has been able to give me a diagnosis. I'm male, 31 years old, caucasian.

I often vomit, expecially in the morning or after taking a nap.

It can happen on empty stomach (vomit gastric fluids) as well as on full stomach.

I feel air trapped in the stomach and throat, that don't go away. I often have sensation of stuffed nose which increases the nausea if I don't manage to burp consistently.


Everything started with sudden and recurrent diarrhea, which was accompanied after few months with this chronic nausea and vomiting.
Diarrhea now is recurrent (once a month maybe) but not as unbearable as the nausea which has been chronic since.

I'm able to keep it under control thanks to Zoloft (prescribed by psychiatrist). I know it could be anxiety but I refuse to think it's just that, and I hope to have suggestions on possible other causes, so please don't give me "it's just anxiety" answer.

Some doctors says it's Gerd, done gastroscopy three times already: there was always an excess saliva shown and only in the last one (two years ago) there were signs of minimum erosion of esophagus and hiatal hernia.

Prolonged gerd treatment (ppi) didn't solve the problem at all.

I've also had a colonoscopy which showed great excess of mucus (the preparation for this exam was done properly by the way and while preparation I had tremendous shivering all the time).

Excess mucus has never appeared in normal stool test.

I have excess thirst, I have nasal congestion since I can remember.

I'm allergic to oat grass.

I don't have celiac disease (done duodenum biopsy)

I don't have helicobacter (done gastric biopsy twice)

Sometimes I have muscle twitches.

I snore loud and my partner told me I stop breathing for a fraction of time and then I swallow air (something like a "lion roaring")

Lately I'm having back pain on both sides, a minimum pain which sometimes becomes like "bubble pushing from inside"

Probably lactose intolerant but with lactose free diet the symptoms are always present.

Numerous blood works and exams showed:

No Diabetes (a recurrent problem in my family),

Cmv igg positive, igm negative

Rubella igg positive, igm negative

Ureaplasma infection bladder and prostate in the past (treated with antibiotic, still have polyuria from time to time)

Proteinuria

amylase and lipase slightly over normal levels

Brain MRI is normal

Gallbladder and liver ducts are normal (done MRI), no apparent stones

I'm surely forgetting something else right now.

Please somebody give me a hint, a suggestion, something.

I want my life back as it was before.

Thank you very much for reading through this, any help is greatly appreciated.

[silverfox67]

     Food Matters on Netflix.  Watch it.

[eagles83]

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[eagles83]

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[eagles83]

It's an interesting suggestion and I thank you for it. I've read your link.

Three years ago I had surgery because of my deviated septum and ipertrophic turbinates. I felt much better for a couple of months, with moderate nausea, but then it all started again.

Maybe the stuffy nose is another symptom along with nausea.

Thank you very much

[RockRose]

I think it might be related to your stuffy nose.  Usually chronic nausea doesn't have anything to do with the stomach itself -

Best wishes.

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-the-connection-between-sinus-infection-and-nausea.htm

[eagles83]

Thank you all for answering.

Any other suggestions?

[Momof3Gramof2]

Coffee can be a real irritant if you have esophageal or digestive issues. I would expect your doctor would not recommend drinking it. Too much carbonation is also bad news for an esophagus with lesions. Drink water, not sodas or juices...acid is baaaadddd for you.

[Momof3Gramof2]

I, too, had lesions in my esophagus and GERD. I was prescribed Dexilant 60mg daily, which heals the lesions. I still take Dexilant and have had no GERD in a long time. Since you have run the gamut of testing, I wonder if you have food allergies. There is a simple way to test yourself: Start keeping a ledger/list of everything you eat and drink throughout the day. Keeping it in columns  like a spreadsheet (on computer if you have Excel or other spreadsheet program) labeled for each day is helpful. Each time you feel nauseated look at what you have eaten over the past 24 hours...after a while, you may see common denominators appearing in your lists. After a week, if you see items that correlate with the time of your bouts of nausea, circle them. Continue with this, and you may find more foods. Include condiments such as mustard, onions, mushrooms, or anything you add to your diet daily. This has worked for lots of people. There is lab testing for food allergies but it is horrendously expensive, and you can help your doctor by keeping this ledger.

Allergies run in my family: My mother got hives from mustard; I developed severe "cluster headaches" similar to migraines, which brought not only pain but severe nausea and blurred vision at times. It was determined I was allergic to tomatoes, mushrooms, chili powder, corn, and onions.  The remedy was to cut every one of them out of my diet for six months. Then reintroduce one of them at a time; if it brought a reaction, toss it again and try another. After months of trial and error, I can now eat all of them again EXCEPT mushrooms.
Everyone is different and everyone gets different reactions from things.

It is worth a try.....and I wonder if you have seen a dietitian or nutritionist? They may be good resources for you. Good luck.

[eagles83]

I actually drink 3 or 4 espresso a day, i've tried withdrawal for a couple of days but no significant improvement.

A kinesiologic doctor diagnosed me with candida, i've done natural treatment for months and i felt really better in terms of intestinal problems, but the nausea is always there.

thanks for your suggestion.

[Caryopteris]

If you have never had a trial off coffee (assuming you drink it), it is worth a try.  

Are there any foods you eat consistently that you just might have a problem with?  If there is any food you eat every day and it's your mainstay, try turning your diet upside down by eliminating this food and see how you feel.  

[eagles83]

thank you so much for answering, i really appreciated it

i was thinking about gastroparesis or perhaps addison disease

bless you

[silverfox67]

  Wow... you certainly have a problem.  I am so sorry.  
    I find that taking acidophilus every morning before breakfast helps.  It replaces the bad bacteria with good - as we kill off the good with the bad when we take antibiotics.
    Also, I take a good enzyme or a Pepsin Hydrochloric acid tablet just before eating.  The enzymes help by breaking down the proteins and the hydrochloric acid helps me digest my food.  it seems that some of us just don't make enough acid and the doctors prescribe ppi's which eliminate acid even more.
     When we can't digest our food, it rots in our stomach and urns into gas.  That leads to burping, flatulence,  and other digestive uncomfortable feelings.  
      I have about eliminated bread all together - I eat a corn tortilla from time to time - but generally I stay away from grains as these seem to cause more gas problems.  (not to mention what yeast does to you - bloat).
      I also take a tablespoon of Diatomaceous Earth (food grade) in a glass of water each day.  This is just in case I should happen to swallow any bugs or parasites during the course of daily life...lol
     I hope this information was helpful.  Wishing you the best.

P.S.   After trying all the above, if it doesn't work, perhaps a fundoplication surgery is the answer.