Unexplained Nausea And Gas

[mkoven]

Hi everyone,

Since late July, I've had ongoing nausea and gas. It's really bad in the morning after I eat-- no matter what I eat. And then it's tolerable if I eat absolutely NO fat. As soon as I have any fat, I feel really nauseated and gassy.

I'm not pregnant. My hida scan and ultrasound of my gallbladder were normal. All bloodwork is normal. Eight months ago I had a normal upper gi endoscopy--before the current symptoms started.

I've had intermittent gastroparesis in the past, but this feels different. I am able to eat and digest fiber-- just nothing oily/greasy.

I see my doc (pcp) again on Wednesday. Ir eally don't want him to conclude it's psychological, just because he doesn't have an answer. I feel like docs love slapping the hysterical female tag on me if the answer isn't immediately forthcoming.

the symptoms are ongoing, but very specific. I suppose if I get used to wanting to throw up breakfast and then resign myself to a completely fat-free diet ( means no meat, fish, no oils, even olive oil, nuts, etc--- really hard if you don't make prepare all your own food.), I could deal. But I'm quite miserable every morning with this. Every time I try a little fat, I predictably feel really gross, gassy, and have to struggle not to throw up.

Can those gallbladder tests be wrong? What else might cause these symptoms? BTW, I also have eds.

[flop]

Do you have reflux / heartburn / acid coming up?

Have you tried any over the counter indigestion remedies at all?

Fat is much harder for the GI tract to digest as it has more steps to be broken down and absorbed than other food types. Fat doesn't get digested in the stomach, it had to wait until it gets to the duodenum and gets mixed with lipases (special enzymes that break down fats) secreted in bile from the gall bladder and other enzymes from the pancreas.

Flop

[mkoven]

I get a little reflux premenstrually, but not too bad. This doesn't really feel acidic...

[juliegee]

Hmmm. What about a bacterial overgrowth? Since you have a history of delayed gastric emptying, this may be an issue. My son can sometimes overcome one with 2 doses of Culturelle (probiotic) daily. If it's bad, he takes Xifaxcin (prescription.) It's very effective and has none of the horrible side effects of the older Flagyll.

Another thing that comes to mind is a possible problem with your pancreas. Maybe get your amylase level checked (bloodwork.) When I had pancreatitis, I couldn't eat any fat and had similiar issues AND a whole lot of pain.

Best of luck. Let us know what you find out.

Julie

[pat57]

Gall bladder- maybe? I think the gall bladder breaks down fats????????

[Tanzanite]

Have you had any tests for things like Coeliac (Celiac) Disease?

[mkoven]

thanks for your ideas-- bloodwork for pancreas was normal. Gallbladder tests have been normal. Of course, normal is good-- but I feel really gross. I had a tiny tiny bite of cheese cake yesterday at someones' birthday, and felt nauseated and awful for the whole day after...

[pastordari]

Your symptoms sound just like mine when my gallbladder decided to stop working.

Given that your hida was normal, I have no other exlanation.

My ultrasound was negative, but the hida showed the lack of gb function.

Hope you feel better!

Dari

[juliegee]

Bacterial Overgrowth. Google to learn more. Some GI's treat based on symptoms alone. Xifaxcin is the best treatment. Many folks with intermittent gastroparesis can suffer from these occasionally. the "bad" bacteria in your gut may be out numbering the "good" bacteria- causing your symptoms. Check it out!

Julie

[LindaJoy]

Just my two cents, but my gallbladder tests were normal for years, yet, I continued to have bouts that lasted longer and longer, of getting pain in my right side, getting sick after eating, (gas and all that), etc. I finally couldn't take it anymore, and I found a surgeon who said, "I know your gb tests are normal, but I still think it's your gallbladder, so we're going to take it out." Risky, yes, but was my gallbladder bad, yes. By the time of the surgery, I was yellow, skinny, my gb was sticking out like a fist through my side, and I was in so much pain, I traveled with a heating pad and pain meds. The surgeon said my gallbladder was swollen and covered with fat and scar tissue.

Those tests are not always accurate. I don't know that taking out your gb, just in case, is the answer at this point. I just wanted to tell you my experience.

Oh, and I just found out that I had a Sphincter of Oddi Dysfunction (SOD), that actually caused my gb to go bad, I think. Anyway, the SO is an area that opens into your small intestine. If it narrow or blocks, it can cause back up. (This was going on along with my gallbladder problem, but no one knew it.) Eventually, SOD will cause pancreas problems, as it has with me. I had to have an ERCP to open up this area. The pain feels the same as gallbladder pain, symptoms after eating the same. Unfortunately, the only way you can tell if you have SOD is with an ERCP, which is very risky. The two best docs in the country for this information and for the ERCP is Dr. Freeman, in Minnesota, and Dr. Lehman, in Indiana. I saw Dr. Lehman, who did my ERCP within three hours of meeting him. I feel a lot better, except for the pancreas damage I sustained by allowing the SO to go too long.

(I hate to even mention it, but have you heard of FOD's? They're a form of metabolic disorder in which people have trouble digesting fats. There are numerous tests for them. They're a pain in the rear to diagnose, from what I understand. But, they're something to consider, as well.)

In other words, it could be a number of things. If it gets too bad, I would recommend talking with a specialist who LISTENS. It's taken me years to get to the SOD problem and get it taken care of, but I'm glad I hung in there and finally found help. You hang in there, too. I, too, had the "it's all in your head" diagnosis, over and over. Well, after two surgeries and problems found, it definitely wasn't in my head!

Hope this didn't confuse or frustrate you too much. I know tossing angles in all directions where health is concerned can lead to frustration. I don't mean to do that. Just some things to consider. I hope you find someone to help soon. I know what it is to suffer this discomfort.

Lindajoy