constant belching...gerd causing aerophagia?

[wassupwassabi]

In early March, I started to get really nauseous after eating food.  Then about 2 weeks later, in addition to the nausea, I started producing gurgling-sounding belches which I feel in my chest and throat.  This belching would occur for hours after I ate anything.  I would "belch" every few seconds and it continued for several days, at which point I went to see a doctor.  The doc thought it was due to GERD (even though I hadn't had frequent heartburn) and gave me prilosec.  After using it for 2 weeks, my symptoms hadn't improved, so I had blood tests and stool tests done; the blood tests showed elevated bilirubin but otherwise normal (doc thought it was Gilbert's), and stool was normal.  Then I got referred to a gastroenterologist.  Took Aciphex for 2 weeks, also with no effect on the belching.  I also began to feel pain in my chest a lot and felt some difficulty breathing.  
I had an upper GI done then and it showed no stricture or hiatal hernia, but showed moderate reflux.  
Then he put me on Reglan (5 mg doses) and I got off Aciphex.  Reglan originally helped a bit but got less effective.  After about 2 weeks, the belches started to cause a burning in my throat.  In addition, Reglan caused very painful dry mouth so I stopped using it.
In early May, I went home to see my family doctor.  Then, I got on Protonix and reduced Reglan to 2x/day at most.  Like with Prilosec and Aciphex, I didn't have any heartburn but I still had constant belching, nausea, and feeling of chest tightness.  I don't think the chest tightness is a cardiac problem; I'm 21 years old, non-smoker, 150 lb, plus I had an EKG (normal).  I went to see another GI doc and had several more tests done:

Endoscopy - showed mild inflammation around lower esophagus and in stomach, biopsies were negative.  I'm surprised there was any inflammation because I didn't have any heartburn.
Stomach emptying scan - 86 minute halftime (doc said under 90 min was normal)
Chest x-ray and CT scan of chest and upper abdomen - normal
Esophageal manometry (results aren't in yet)

The belching/chest tightness now occurs all the time.  I belch well over 1000 times a day, even though I eat very little.  The only way to make it stop is to lie down.  The specialist said that since PPIs and Reglan haven't done very much I should consider having stomach surgery to fix it.  I went to get a second opinion and the doc noticed that a large amount of air was going through my esophagus when I breathe (not swallowing!), he said that's the only way I could be belching to such an extent.  Belching doesn't stop even when I breathe through my nose or clench a pencil between my teeth, techniques to control aerophagia.  I'm literally inhaling air into my stomach when I breathe and constantly belching it and I don't know how!  So frustrating!  Why? Does this mean both sphincters are busted?  Would a fundoplication help or would I likely have gas-bloat?  And would stretta or enteryx be effective/safer to try? Advice?

[chadly]

I wanted to mention that my mom's problem deals with irritable bowel syndrome.  She has never had a problem with burping.

[chadly]

I'm 22 years old and I started burping excessively back in June of 2003 up until present day.  In Feb. of 2003 I had a bad case of the flu which I later cured with prescribed medicines.  Then in March I had a case of the shingles on the rear left side of my head which was also cured by a prescription.  I did start doing things slightly differently in my normal lifestyle back in the early months of 2003. I was working out every night and afterwards I would drink down about 3-4 cups of water quite quickly.  I felt good after I was cured of the flu and shingles and felt back to my normal self.  I think the flu weakened my immune system which lead to me getting shingles so soon after.  

Once the burping started in June I went to see my doctor.  At first, my doctor thought I had heartburn which I did not have.  He prescribed me to try Zantac 150.  I ended up taking two Zantac (Acid Reducer) 75 pills but no changes with the burping.  I also tried the chalky chewable reducers which included Maloxx Max and no changes.  I also tried Maximum Gel Gas-X tablets and still no changes.  

In April of 2004 I went to have a upper GI barium x-ray and I tested negative.  I also had blood tests done for H. Pylori along with stool sample tests done and still all my results came back negative.

With my burps I would describe them as dry and quiet most of the time.  I have gone for about 24 hrs. without eating or drinking anything and there are still no changes in my burping.  I don't really have a set pattern but it does seem when my mind is occupied or I am keeping really busy at something I don't even realize them at all.  I noticed though that almost immediately after I eat or drink anything (even water) I will burp.  The burping has been with my everyday since 2003.  

Whenever I go to sleep or lay down horiztonally the burping stops.  It only happens when I my upper body/torso is upright/vertical.  One odd thing I notice though that only seems to happen when I lay down to go to sleep at night is I can hear my stomach or other lower internal organs making different rumbling noises.  The noises that your stomach usually makes when you are hungry or digesting.  After a bit they do stop or I fall asleep.  

I don't really have any other symptoms than the dry burps.  I rarely do have a feeling where my stomach does feel bloated.  I did try clenching a pencil between by teeth (the aerophagia test) and is does seem like the burping stops or at least slows down.  I can only hold a pencil in my mouth for so long.  

Some other things that I have tried are taking Digestive Papaya Enzymes and they did not make any noticeable difference either.  I even ordered Tahitian Noni Juice online and tried drinking that but no difference either.  

My Mom currently has food intolerance problems herself.  She is on a strict gluten free diet.  She even had her gallbladder removed but that did not help her our much until she went on the diet.

That's about all I can think of for now.  I'm glad I found this form and I hope everyone finds relief.

[chadly]

I forgot to add that it does seem that after I eat or drink even after the initial burp that comes almost immediately afterwards.  I do tend to burp more than when I have not eaten or have drank anything for a while.  After about 20-30 mins. from eating the burping does seem to subside some.  The are still usually dry but may sometimes have the taste/smell of the food I ate recently.  

I am not overweight and when I have my blood pressure is also healthy.

[Phil Patrick]

Hello, I'm 29 years old and have been on Nexium for about a year to control my acid reflux and I have been fine.  For about a month now I have been extremely bloated, and belching constantly especially If I'm hungry.  I even have trouble sitting down because the pressure gets so bad around my waist.  Sometimes I experience tighteness in my chest, gurgling, difficulty in swallowing and a bad taste in my mouth.  A H.Pylori test was done last year and was negative, there isn't any heartburn, and I still have a relatively large appetite.  After I eat I usually feel better.  Recently I have also been slightly constipated and have been expelling less gas.  Thought maybe I had IBS.
Does anyone know why I can burp for 20 minutes straight without stopping, which usually relieves the pain?  Can I be swallowing too much air and not realizing it?  Any oponions would be great.

[samster]

Wow - glad I'm not the only one out there.  I've been experiencing excessive and repetitive belching for about 4 years now.  It started shortly after 9/11 and a doctor told me then it was just stress related and it would subside.  The belching did subside for awhile but has recently returned and lasts in spurts of a few days.  For me, the burps are very tiny and feel like the precursors to a larger burp...except they don't stop even after a larger burp.  

I have to wonder if there's a bit of mind over matter going on with me though because I can be having a burping spell while I'm all alone, but once I'm in the company of others or in my yoga class, the burping subsides and once I'm back alone it starts up again.  Does this occur with anyone else?  

Like a lot of the people on this post, I'm also young - 27 year old female, healthy, and a vegetarian.  I don't seem to have any other symptoms like others on this post though - no excess bloating, naseau, etc.  I haven't talked with a doctor or had any tests done yet and it doesn't seem like there are any doctors out there who have a clue about this.  If anyone does come across a diagnosis and/or cure, I'm sure we'd all love to hear it.  

Thanks.

[kezzira]

Hello all,

I never would've thought there would be so many out there with this belching problem. I've had this problem for 10 years now, with a diagnosis for H. Pylori in between and have tried various regimens of medications. Nothing has really worked so far. The closest thing however, was traditional Chinese medicine when I was in Asia. The DR took my pulse for 2-3 minutes straight in silence and told ME what my sypmtoms were, starting with "you have stomach pains when you wake up in the morning..." He prescribed a combination of herbal and western (I believe) medication combination that were pre-packed in "capri-sun" like pouches that you microwave or boil  and then sip from a straw once a day. The treatment is for 2 weeks and you follow up and see how much longer the treatment is going to take by your medication's response. Unfortunately, I only had one session worth and I had to come back to the States. But it did get rid of my gastric problems for couple of years! However, the problem has since regained strength and I would have to start allover with another regimen of wester medication until my next trip to Asia. I wish there would be a clear answer to this...