Belching or is it a slow hiccup?

• By Tani
• Posted July 6, 2008 at 5:38 am

I have had that sensation from time to time, but usually I get something different but similar. I call it my gurgle. When I inhale, air bubbles out causing a gurgling sound in my throat. Sometimes there is a lot of pressure with that too. I find it very difficult to burp, but at times the gurgling of slow releasing of air from my stomach (or through my feeding tube) can happen for hours at a time. It also happens most frequently when under stress or anxious. I've had the air get trapped before like you are describing and unable to come out. It feels like it's stuck on its way out and is very uncomfortable.

I don't understand it really. Usually I wait it out. From what I've read this can be a symptom of either the GP, hiatal hernia, or upper esophageal motility disorders. I have all of those issues so it is hard to figure.

Sometimes Gas-x or similar products help with this. Is he on a feeding tube? Possibly venting could help the release of air before it starts trying to escape up and out. Has he had any esophageal tests done? I wonder if it could have to do with a motility disorder that includes the esophagus. That can cause many uncomfortable feelings in the chest and throat area.

It seems so difficult to find help with these issues. Encourage your friend to keep trying various Dr's until he finds help. So many Dr's seem clueless about motility issues. I know the answers are out there, if we keep persisting.

I hope your friend is able to find a solution to his problem quickly. This is all distressing to deal with, but I do believe answers are out there.

Keep us posted on how your friend is doing. If he would be willing, encourage him to read and/or join the group. It is so nice to know and read that you are not alone with all of what you are going through.

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• By mphotographer
• Posted July 6, 2008 at 8:27 am

I like Tani, find it difficult to burp, but have not had it get caught in my throat like your friend. I find that it occurs mainly when I've eaten too fast or after a large smoothie. I agree with Tani also in that it must be part of the GP symptoms, that everything is shutting down (i.e. stomach emptying, bowels moving, etc.). I too have a hiatal hernia and mild esophagitis. The exterior part of my throat is very sensitive to touch (i.e. shirt collars, the sheet at night) and at times I feel like pills get stuck in my throat-very weird, but at least it doesn't "hurt". as Tani said, it might be very helpful for your friend to join our group. I hope he gets some answers and doesn't have to quit his job-mphotographer

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• By Kate1
• Posted July 6, 2008 at 8:36 am

Hi, Peter. I'm sorry to hear about your friend having such a hard time. I don't have a great answer to your question, but I wanted to mention that since I developed GP, I also started to get very strange hiccups (often after trying to eat). They are more clearly hiccups than what your friend seems to be experiencing, but they are very painful and they aren't quite normal. Each hiccup is slower than normal and sounds different... I wish I could explain it better, but I can't. Whatever it is, eating seems to trigger it and I have not yet mentioned it to my doctor (I can't always remember everything while I'm there!). Has his doctor had any insight into this problem? Does he feel as though he has found a good doctor to treat his GP? It can be really hard to find a doctor who understands motility disorders and who is really willing to listen and be proactive with treatment.

I agree with Tani that your friend should check out this site and maybe join if he hasn't already. There are many people here who have so much to offer. I don't know what I would have done over the past 6 months if I didn't have this site to come to for support and advice. It's good to know that you are not alone, and that often with even your strangest symptoms, there is someone out there who can relate.

I hope your friend is able to find some answers. Oh, and another thing I have read a lot about here is people having all kinds of chest sensations with their motility problems- from feeling like something is stuck in their throat (which I have experienced off and on over the years and has caused me great anxiety when I had it- turns out it was due to a combination of increased acid reflux and motility problems- but it was very scary!), to feeling a "suffocating" feeling when they lie down (due to pressure from an overly full stomach, I believe), to chest pains (sometimes from esophageal spasms or other GI issues). My point is, strange throat and chest sensations seem relatively common, and although they should be checked out by a doctor, it might help his anxiety to know that many other people experience similar things. I know it helped my anxiety a lot.

Good luck. I hope you find some insight from others on this site!

Kate

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• By alphabubo
• Posted July 6, 2008 at 9:36 am

Dear Peter,
I am not sure if it is the exact same thing, but ever since a nissen fundoplication surgery to treat acid reflux disease in 1995, I have had trouble with what feels like a combination of a belch and hiccup which produces a strange, and sometimes embarassing sound and can also get caught uncomfortably in the throat and then a little bit painfully released. The nissen fundoplication is supposed to prevent someone from being able to belch, but it seemed that the problem ironically started right after. I too notice that it gets worse after eating sometimes or just when my stomach feels full, even if it is just bile. Despite taking Nexium twice a day, it does not seem to have gotten much better. I think that in my case it may be due to the fact that my esophagus barely works or contracts at all such that things can easily go both in and out of it, but I am not sure. I wish I had some better ideas to offer you, but when I have mentioned it to my doctors, they have never seemed to make a big deal about it. I hope though that your friend may find some answers that will help to bring him much relief. I truly wish you both the best of wishes.

Warm regards,
Bobbiejo

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• By JenD
• Posted July 6, 2008 at 3:06 pm

Before getting my tubes and significantly decreasing the amount I take in by mouth I felt like I was constantly belching. I could also feel the constant pressure that your friend describes. It was worst after eating but happened a lot of the time even in between meals. I did a lot of apologizing for the burps and explaining about GP and how it had something to do with my constant belching. I also understand what you mean in that it doesn't really feel like a "normal" burp either.

After getting my g-tube, j-tube and parenteral nutrition I no longer have this symptom except if I try to eat a bit and then I feel the pressure and let open the g-tube in the bathroom or even do a constant drain on the g-tube with a foley bag. Once the tube drains the "burps" come out with it and then I am fine. I think this is why sometimes they call the g-tube a "burp" valve for those of us who don't have functional tummies.

This probably doesn't do much to help your friend if he doesn't have a g-tube, but do let him know that this is definitely a symptom of GP that a lot of us have dealt with and he is not alone. Sometimes an H2 blocker like Nexium or protonix will help a bit. He might also benefit from a prokinetic drug like domperidone...it has helped me a lot. I would not recommend reglan or similar drugs due to the severe neurological side effects. Reglan severely damaged my brain nearly 13 years ago and I still suffer from generalized dystonia because of it.

Good luck to you and your friend.
Take care,
Jen
http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/jenelle

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• By mariel
• Posted July 9, 2008 at 1:40 am

hello PETER

i don't have GP but my father has suffered from this irritating HICCUPS/BELCHING. short hx my father was fine until he had his gall ballader removed 6/07, he ended up in the hospital close to 3 months. while there he was constantly hiccuping. to this day he is doing it. i thought he was doing well for about 11 days no hiccups/belching/cough. but he started again, i think it is related to GERD. my dad is on TPN but he can tolerate eating foods. before he would eat then in a couple of days vomitt. right now i think because of his reflux he ends up vomitting. my dad says he feels something in his throat. i read the responses and they say this is sometimes what to expect, sore throat, hiccups, etc. they docs give him thorazine for the hiccups i don't really know if it works.

how is your friend doing? is your friend on any meds? what have the docs said about his hiccups? my father says he is tired of the constant hiccuping and @ times the burning in his chest.

our family is lost it trying to figure out what to do and to provent these awful HICCUPS/BELCHING.

my thoughts are with your friend....
MARIEL

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