gastrointestinal symptoms..what can it be?

Question

sour/irritation in stomach, chest discomfort, back ache, wierd taste in mouth, loose stool

I started with this feeling around 5 yrs ago. my doc told me it was GERD. so i took the medication but never followed a GERD diet. Most mornings i feel with a pain in my chest specially in middle of torso and stomach irritation. ive had 2 ekg(negative)everything normal, Upper GI (negative) minor small intestine inflamation only. im overweight. do you think this could be GERD . like my doc says?

Answer 1

Hi DJ. GERD is not a 'true diagnosis' because it does not tell you WHY you are refluxing. To solve your problem you must get to the underlying cause(s) of your symptoms.

I will give you a few common possibilities and then suggest an excellent book to help you understand the many causes of upper GI symptoms and how to treat them.

First, you sound like you are suffering from a Hiatal Hernia. This is a herniation of part of the stomach through the 'hiatus' of the diaphragm into the chest (the mediastinum). These are very common and can be the cause of your chest discomfort, back ache and stomach irritation. Did your upper GI show any signs of a hernia? If not, you can still have this problem. A good Chiropractor can do many things to treat/reduce the herniation and to relieve the associated back pain.

Your loose stools and small intestinal inflammation suggest the possibility of Celiac Disease, CD, (this can also cause GERD).

CD is an autoimmune disease that damages the lining of the small intestine. It is caused by an allergic reaction to certain proteins in wheat, rye and barley called glutens/gliadins.

CD is VERY COMMON, but rarely diagnosed by medical doctors. Approximately one person in every one hundred has this condition, and recent research suggests that nearly one in 25 have antibodies to glutens/gliadins in their bloodstream. Medical doctors rarely diagnose this condition because it is a nutritional disorder with no available medical treatment (i.e. drug therapy). The only treatment is to absolutely avoid all sources of glutens/gliadins in the diet.

With your symptoms your doctor should have ordered specific blood tests for CD. If your doctor has not done this, you need to find a more knowledgeable doctor. Demand a referral to a Celiac Specialist.

Other common food allergies are also a potential cause of your symptoms. You may need to find a health care provider that has special training in this area to help you evaluate this possibility (Naturopathic Physician, Chiropractor, Certified Clinical Nutritionist, or Medical Doctor trained in 'Functional Medicine' or 'Environmental Medicine'.

Another possibility is too little stomach acid (hypochlorhydria). This may sound paradoxical, but 'acid reflux' is often really 'bile reflux' which burns just like acid. Decreased stomach acid production is very common and presents with symptoms that feel and sound like 'excessive acid'.

Lastly, a condition called Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO) could be the source of your suffering. This condition is common, especially if you have ever used acid inhibiting drugs (e.g. Nexium, Prilosec, etc.). In SIBO, the small intestine becomes overgrown with toxic bacteria that can produce all kinds of 'hard to explain' symptoms.

If you are still with me, here is the book I highly recommend. It is written by Sherry Rogers, M.D. - an expert in nutritional and environmental medicine, a medical researcher, and teacher of other physicians. The book is called: "No More Heartburn". It is available at Amazon.com.

Best wishes and good luck.

Answer 2

It sounds like Gerd.....I have pains in the chest shortness of breath..stomach ache..back ache and neck gets very sore...plus other symptoms.....I have had all the tests like 5 ekgs,Holst test,stress test,4 blood tests.chest x ray,neck x ray...all came back fine..I have had the camera in the esophagus and i do have gerd..I .Was on meds and it was making it worse...so i got off them at the moment....So i am trying to diet...and trying to give up the smokes but not easy when i seem to stress out over my health.....hope this helps.. .

Answer 3

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Answer 4

what can i do at home to help me, will this affect my kidneys or not.? i have a sleeping Staphylococcus Infection. will this Bacterial overgrowth Wake up my sleeping Staph Infection, or not? Mrs. Edna Jones