I have been having this problem and hope someone can shed some light on this. For the past month or so I have had a constant gurgle
that rises from my stomach up through my chest. It sometimes feel like my stomach is a bubbling fountain. I don't have heartburn, but I do feel like I have to burp. I have been taking medication for colesterol for about a year, but this problem has recently started. Additionally I'm getting a fluttering feeling in my chest. I recently had a stress test nad echo cardiogram and there was no indication of heart problems.I recently started taking a new medication called Niaspan and the Dr. feels this may be causing the problem. Can anyone shed som light on this? Thanks!

Hi, I too have been having this problem. I am on no medication at all. It seems to start in the top of my stomach directly below the middle of my rib cage. It at times, seems like it growels up through my lungs and everywhere. I have to belch a lot to relieve some of the pressure from it. I have also had the fluttering feeling in my chest that you described. I don't know if it has anything to do with this condition, but I have recently been experiencing slight joint pain and occasional shortness of breath. Please let me know if you find out what is causing it.

Dear Kat28,

Thank you for your reply. What you descirbed is exactly what is hapening to me. In fact, you have described the sensation much better than I. No one seems to definately know the ultimate cause of our problem. I do know from reading other medical sites that the symptoms are not unique. Some blame it on hiatal hernias, others to GERD and yet others say they are experiencing heart palpataions. I have tried to blame it on my medication, but I don't think that is the answer. I feel that some of the problem is stress. Also, I do feel somewhat better after I eat something. Hoping you feel better. Pk054. PS. If you hear of anything new, feel free to contact me via e-mail at pk054@aol.com

Dear PK054, Thanks for responding. Just wanted to let you know that I am now experiencing tenderness in the part of my stomach where the gurgling starts and off to my upper right quadrant. It has began to seriously concern me. Someone suggested to me that they had had similar symptoms and believed it to be an ulcer. They recommended that I not let my stomach get empty and to start taking pepcid. They said that this had almost completely relieved their symptoms for a year now. I, like you, have been under a great deal of stress and have noticed that my symptoms seem to get better after eating sometimes. I do feel however, that this is something that I need to have checked do to the tenderness that I am experiencing. I feel that it could possible be my gallbladder or appendix. It will probably be a while but good or bad, I will let you know what I find out.

Dear Kat28,

Nice to hear from you again and sorry to hear that you're not feeling so well. I still have the(our) condition and have been told that it is digestive related. The Doc told me to try zantac 75, but that really didn't help. The next thing they want to try is an upper GI. I, too get pain and pressure in my chest, but doc feels this has nothing to do with my heart, but rather is gas pressure. Your appendix is too low for the pain you describe. Wishing you well and contact me at pk054@aol.com.

Best,

pk054

Hello again pko54. Just wanted to let you know that I went to the dr. and he didn't tell me anything!!!!!! He however prescribed a zantac based acid reducer. I have done some research and I am 99.9% sure that I have an ulcer. My symptoms, I have found, can be controlled as long as I keep something in my stomach at all times. If I go without eating, I get very sick. The gurgling has stopped for the most part. Just wanted to let you know that in my past post when I said that I was tender in my upper quadrant, I meant the upper part of my stomach. I haven't experienced any of the chest pains that you're talking about other than palpatations every once in a while.(Unless you're talking about the pressure you feel that you have to burp to relieve, I have that) It does sound like yours is being caused by gas, it'll do it. I think that our conditions sound very similar and think that we could both have an ulcer. I hear that they have a breath test to check this now. I think that you eat some pudding and drink a mixture that they have and blow into a bag and it detects the bacteria that causes ulcers. I am going to see another dr. for a deffinate answer. I will keep you posted and I hope you get to feeling better. Take care.

[This message has been edited by kat28 (edited 03-27-2001).]

[This message has been edited by kat28 (edited 03-27-2001).]

Dear Kat28,

Nice to hear from you again. I know how frustrating Dr.s can be. I too was prescribed Zantac and it did very little for me. The latest diagnosis seems to be my condition is being caused by stress. I must note that I have been under an abnormal amount of stress lately. It is interesting to note that I too, feel much better after I eat. The Dr. did suggest that I eat smaller quantities, but more often. This has seemed to help. In any event life will go on. I know this is not a "chat" board, but I did notice that you are from NY. I was born and raised in NY (Kingston) and worked for many years in NYC. Stay well and thanks for writing.

Paul (pk054)

Dear PKO54, Hello, I hope that you are doing well. I apoligize for taking so long to reply again. I have been to another doctor and have been taking Nexium for several weeks and have been doing very well with it. I can't tell that there's anything wrong most of the time. I also tried Prilosec but it didn't work very well. I really like the Nexium. I too was under a tremendous amount of stress and devistation due to a terminal illness and eventual loss of a most dear loved one. I wish you great health and hope you are able to find out what may be causing this. God bless.