I think you are correct in that. Try the doctor-mediated gastro site. I am not sure if there is a charge, but it may be easier to have her read a response from a doctor than it would be to get her to see one. good luck
Firstly, thank you everyone for your comments. The answer to the pepper question - no, she does not eat much pepper. I like spicy food so since she met she has probably increased her intake of red chillies and the like but this is a problem she has had since her early teens. To a certain extent it appears to be heriditary too since her father has similar symptoms but tends to pretend they don't exist.
The most visible thing to me is the sheer degree of discomfort she suffers when she is late for a meal or has to eat fast. I don't like missing meals but like most people I can manage to contain myself. With her it is almost as bad as not being able to breathe.
I am not sure just how much of a role her tendancy to stress herself out plays here. She often breathes in through her mouth but does not take kindly to being told so. Perhaps the advice needs to come from a medical professional, not from me.
By any chance does your wife eat a lot of pepper? Black pepper is a form of fungus and can cause a lot of gas in the gut which can cause bloating, pain, and intestional distention (hard stomach) especially if they have problems passing the gas. The gas will take away the desire to eat and cause audible rumbling as the gas moves around. This noise isn't a problem, just noisy. When she eats something else, the food and gasses move and she will feel relief. Other foods that will cause this type of gas problems are broccoli, cucumbers, and bell peppers among others. Try Beano.
This may be a long shot (and hopefully it is) but some of those symptoms resemble ovarian cancer.
When I was pregnant, I would eat a meal, and feel bloated and full before I finished.
Later, when I read about the symptoms of ovarian cancer, I found it striking how the symptoms resembled the gastrointestinal problems of pregnancy.
I think that may have to do with the various hormones that the ovaries give off when you are pregnant, which apparently happens also when there are tumors on them.
To rule out this possibility, your wife should see her gynecologist for a thorough checkup.
There is a blood test for ovarian cancer.
If she can eat a great deal but doesn't gain weight, she may have a fast metabolism. Sometimes this is due to an overactive thyroid.
I hope she can find some answers.
The only other suggestion I have is to try taking digestive enzymes with meals, and see if that helps.
Wishing you the best,
Carol