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Lifelong issues with certain flavors, food textures and chronic nausea

zombiesarepeaceful

Bluelighter
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Oct 2, 2006
Messages
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Alright, I'll try to make this make as much sense as possible. TLDR: Many flavors and textures make me sick and I have chronic nausea that has gained control of my life, and I need to brainstorm ideas to manage the nausea.

As a child, I remember feeling nauseated quite often. At that age I didn't quite fully realize what triggered it, but it was certain flavors and textures that would make me feel sick. I didn't always puke from it but I wouldn't feel good. Rich flavors such as chicken, fish, creamy foods, highly seasoned foods, bbq sauce....I could go on. But you get the idea. Then certain textures like mashed potatoes, pudding, beans, anything soft like those things triggered a sort of gagging and nauseated feeling when eating them (even when eaten slowly or diluted to be less thick). Add to that the fact that I got motion sickness very easily, and I felt sick a lot of the time as a child. It was a bit less as a teen since I had learned by then what foods triggered it, but if I ate the wrong foods or tried to force myself to tolerate certain flavors or textures I'd be miserable.

Fast forward, I'm 28 years old now. Now it seems like it doesn't even matter what I eat, I always feel nauseated, even if I haven't eaten. The list of foods/flavors that makes me feel sick has grown unfortunately too. It's ruling my life now. I've tried Zofran and various antihistamines to control the nausea. Antihistamines make me too drowsy for them to be a viable solution when I need to function like a normal person (hydroxyzine helped the nausea the most out of the antihistamines but knocked me out). Zofran doesn't even touch my nausea anymore. I got this thing called a Relief Band, which sends electrical impulses to the nerve in your wrist that has some influence on the stomach. It helps some, it takes the edge off but it doesn't allow me to eat like a normal person. I still have pretty bad motion sickness, which sucks because it seems like most adults aren't bothered by motion sickness. It happens if I'm a passenger in a car (but I'm fine if I'm the driver), or on a bus or a train, etc. It's really frustrating because I'd like to travel and don't always want to drive myself but it's a tough hurdle to climb. The motion sickness is what I got the Relief Band for but I've yet to really put it to the test for that purpose.

I just want to feel like I'm not alone in this shit, too. Most people are busy enjoying all these flavors and shit and eating food with relatively no issues. Then there's me, staring at food and enjoying the smell and I might even enjoy the taste, but if my stomach didn't enjoy the taste then I'm gonna feel nauseated and eventually puke or just be miserable for hours while fighting the nausea. Half of the food I buy or make to eat goes in the trash. It's really frustrating, no one else seems to have such a bad problem and so no one understands. It's really affecting my mental health in a bad way.

So, does anyone have this severe of an issue with flavors/textures and chronic nausea? Any suggestions for remedies for the nausea? I've tried CBD, but it's too expensive to keep trying to find a dose that helps. I've tried weed for the nausea and it does help, but weed gives me panic attacks. I'm running out of options and while I'm not actively suicidal or anything, I'm not seeing very many options left and I just keep falling further and further into depression because of this chronic nausea and eating problem.

P.S. Yes I've seen a gastroenterologist in the past, and just started seeing one again. I have GERD and severe chronic heartburn which wasn't really an issue until around June 2017. I'm taking Nexium and was just started on Carafate for the stomach irritation. They aren't sure if I have an ulcer or anything so a endoscopy is scheduled for November, as well as a gastric emptying study. I don't have insurance (and don't qualify for Medicaid) but luckily I qualified for 100% financial aid through the hospital so my visits are covered, for now.
 
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I have this issue. I have severe GERD, a repaired hernia, a wrap placed in my stomach, gallbladder removed and I still suffer chronic nausea. I can no longer vomit so I dry heave every single day. It?s miserable. I see gi in November but I know it?s going to be a run around... I?ve tried all the medications with minimal help. I?ve done all the tests. They just simply don?t know what?s wrong.
 
Sounds like a vagus nerve disorder triggered by association... not sure how you'd go about fixing it.
 
I had the gastric emptying test done (where you swallow this radioactive dye and they xray you every 1/2 hour until your stomach reaches a certain % of emptiness) and got the results. They said my stomach empties too fast, much faster than the average. Then the dr messaged me to say that could be causing some of my problems. So I still have the endoscopy to go, next month. Hoping that may help them to find some of the answers. I'm trying not to lose hope, I really am.
 
Gastroparesis can absolutely be what is causing your symptoms. That?s a good thing, kind of. At least you have answers. It is treatable and prognosis is good.
 
If the nausea is due to a sensory input issue, you could perhaps be somewhere on the autism spectrum :) (I hope so for your sake, sure being autistic can have it's downsides but IMO it is a far, far finer way to be all in all. Autism is wonderful as a set of neurological wetware to be born with, it truly is in so many ways a fantastic way to be. I'm a Kanner's autie (classic autism) myself, and I have that sort of food reaction, I just CANNOT eat vegetables, any of them, although mcdonalds fries don't count and neither does mashed potato when mixed in thoroughly with a beef cottage pie seasoned with a bit of cured fly agaric in the meat, but all other veg, I just can't do i t, I can't eat it without throwing up from trying to force myself. Other food things have come and gone since I was a lil' sprog, but vegetables, are one that has been a constant, I just have a violent, visceral aversion to their tastes, their textures, their smells, the smells of them cooking, even the way certain of them look is enough to make my gorge rise in protest. But actually cooking and eating, or just eating of them, I just cannot do it, and I don't see the slightest chance of it ever being possible for me to eat vegetables. I love many if not most fruit, even eat limes like others eat a satsuma orange, but I cannot BEAR vegetables. Melons of all kinds, sure, gourds, no, tomatoes, no also, although tomato paste in a pizza is acceptable, same in chili con carne that I make with beef steak and steak mince, fly agaric, peppery boletus, and a blend of many other spices and seasonings, fungal, herbal, seeds and leaves.

Mangoes, litchees, longans, rambutan,loquats,fresh,juicy granadillas and passionfruit, mangosteens, Iove 'em all,same with lots of other fruit, but vegetables are just NO,same for fruit that tastes and or smells like tomato, such as horned melons, I cannot BEAR horned melons, expensive, look pretty, but the green bag-like sacs of juice and pulp around the seeds smells just like tomatoes, and it turns my stomach. I almost puked the first time I tried a horned melon, expecting, well, some sort of exotic melon,but no, it was like a huge super pricy garish spiky tomato! absolutely foul, although I managed to spit it out and wash my mouth out with my nose held, before it could make me vomit, without having swallowed anygood rule ofthumb for me s 'is it green inside?' if it is, or if it's some sort of tuber or root, I cannot eat it.

No way, no how. I don't even want to be in the kitchen while they cook, I'll leave, or put on one of my gas masks, if I am to tolerate the stench, to make sure I can't smell it past the canisters of my respirator mask intended for scrubbing organic gases and vapours, alkaline gases like NH3, methylamine, acid gases like hydrogen halides, NOx, SOx, plus covalent reactive compounds like interhalogens and bromine, horned melon though is foul, like tomatoes are.

So the gas mask with the least good fit, serves me well,my older gas mask, for things like that where health and life ain't at stake, but my stomach contents are=D

Sometimes, the only thing you can do is find foods you do like and eat them, if it's an autie or aspie sensory thing.

Some if such aversions can be trained away in some people, I trained myself to like coffee, I used to HATE coffee, I still despise coffee with milk in it, same with tea, although I love tea when black and served with honey and a little lime juice or lemon squeeze and slice in the cup. But I enjoy coffee now, after repeatedly challenging myself to drink black espresso coffee, made with freshly ground dark roasted beans, uhtil eventually i came to like it. But my ahborrence of vegetables is just far, far too beyond dislike, its too strong and basically hardwired into me. All I can do is avoid the foods which trigger such a response to begin with, It is just FAR too strong, some of these, ifnot most or all true autie/aspie sensory things, to be programmed past. Just too intense and powerful to train away like me with liking coffee as a little kid, that was a dislike but not a sensory integration nightmare. Those, expect to keep them and just have to avoid the foods you cannot bear. IF that is the case. Just shun them utterly, you might have to. I do.

I CAN'T get past it at all, it is more deep and ingrained, more powerful than a dislike or non love of a foodstuff. No more than I can train myself not to gag at the stench of hypochlorite solutions pet HATE of mine just like say, cabbage cooking is, I just can't do it. A healthy attitude to this sort of thing is, IMO 'plenty more fish in the sea'

(and lots of 'em are full of mercury because the NTs of our species are dreadful industrial polluters :p
 
Hi OP, I just read through your post and the replies with my boyfriend and we both wanted to respond as we can relate to 100% of what you are saying between the two of us. Question- have you ever used alcohol as a way to make it easier to eat or be around food especially in social situations? Did the doctors explain that the antihistamines they were prescribing were to treat the nausea from a psychological point of view and not a physical food allergy? Have you ever seen or considered talking to a therapist about these issues? Both my boyfriend and I suffered for years with undiagnosed eating disorder type issues that mirror what you experience. Both of us experienced persistent, chronic nausea especially around food & social situations. He was misdiagnosed for years with only acid reflux/heart burn instead of addressing the real reason behind both of our nausea/ food aversion issues: ANXIETY.

Of course we are not doctors but we did wake up every single day for years with debilitating nausea that was disruptive to and actually controlling of every aspect of our lives. (This was before we knew each other, not caused by one or the other, just both delt with the same weird issues that no one else has ever understood.) I would strongly encourage you to seek out and at least consult with a mental health professional in regards to these issues. With the right combination of therapy, antidepressants and benzodiazepines we both finally found relief and no longer have to deal with these issues on a daily basis.

Don't give up! You have at least 2 people who understand completely what you are going through and who have "made it out the other side" so there is hope you will feel better one day (hopefully soon!)
 
Hi OP, I just read through your post and the replies with my boyfriend and we both wanted to respond as we can relate to 100% of what you are saying between the two of us. Question- have you ever used alcohol as a way to make it easier to eat or be around food especially in social situations? Did the doctors explain that the antihistamines they were prescribing were to treat the nausea from a psychological point of view and not a physical food allergy? Have you ever seen or considered talking to a therapist about these issues? Both my boyfriend and I suffered for years with undiagnosed eating disorder type issues that mirror what you experience. Both of us experienced persistent, chronic nausea especially around food & social situations. He was misdiagnosed for years with only acid reflux/heart burn instead of addressing the real reason behind both of our nausea/ food aversion issues: ANXIETY.

Of course we are not doctors but we did wake up every single day for years with debilitating nausea that was disruptive to and actually controlling of every aspect of our lives. (This was before we knew each other, not caused by one or the other, just both delt with the same weird issues that no one else has ever understood.) I would strongly encourage you to seek out and at least consult with a mental health professional in regards to these issues. With the right combination of therapy, antidepressants and benzodiazepines we both finally found relief and no longer have to deal with these issues on a daily basis.

Don't give up! You have at least 2 people who understand completely what you are going through and who have "made it out the other side" so there is hope you will feel better one day (hopefully soon!)

Yes, I have used alcohol to make it easier to eat before. Back before alcohol irritated my stomach (it used to help my nausea a lot, then I guess over time now it's just physically irritating to my stomach). It made it less stressful to eat. It didn't kill my nausea from flavors and textures, but it dulled it a bit.

I have talked to a therapist about these issues before. He suggested that it might be partially anxiety related, as I do have pretty severe anxiety issues that come and go. Since this nausea issue started as a child before I had the psychological issues, I think it's at least partially physical and then exacerbated by psychological issues.

I have never been tested for autism. I was diagnosed with adhd, panic disorder, GAD and major depressive disorder. I've seen therapists off and on throughout my life, currently not seeing a therapist at all or taking any psych meds. I was seeing a new psychiatrist recently but I didn't feel like I was making any progress with her as far as meds so I quit seeing the therapist and psychiatrist completely. It's a common cycle with me. I can't afford to see a new shrink because I have no insurance and can only see places that take charity care through my local hospital, or have a very low sliding scale fee. I know what meds worked the best for me in the past but most drs are hesitant to prescribe it, which makes it difficult for people who legitimately have certain conditions to get effective treatment. It's frustrating, and that's why I don't bother pursuing treatment on a consistent basis. It's draining for my wallet and it's draining emotionally, to keep trying to gain access to the most normal effective treatment for adhd and getting shot down most of the time. Probably because many low income clinics just flat out don't prescribe any controlled substances. Idk. /rant

I have the endoscopy this week so I hope it finds some answers. I don't understand how normal people manage to eat food without constantly worrying about "will this make me nauseous?"
 
I know exactly what you mean about not being able to imagine what it's like for "normal people" who don't have to worry about the nausea.

My issues started when I was also young, 3rd grade, I stopped eating completely. I had to be hospitalized and given iv fluids and nutrients due to losing too much weight too quickly. After a while my throat muscles basically atrophied (sp?) And I had to learn how to swallow all over again...while fighting constant nausea. Even though I HATE vomiting to the point of it almost being a phobia, my bag reflex is super strong and just thinking about certain things can cause me to gag which then triggers my stomach muscles to contract PAINFULLY and I will get sick. Trust me, it sucks. When alcohol quit working I turned to opiates thus beginning an almost 15 year addiction I am still working on putting behind me. But the food issues have remained at bay as long as I take my medication regularly.

I have the exact same diagnosis as you except replace ADHD with Borderline Personality Disorder. I too do not have insurance and can not afford therapy. Looking back I have been the healthiest when I was taking my meds and going to therapy regularly, I wish this country made it easier for people like us to get the therapy and medication they need to live a normal productive life. *sigh*

Good luck with the endoscopy and please let us know what the results are! I'm thinking about you and sending you good vibes!

Emily
 
The only treatment I've ever heard of for excessive taste sensitivity is exposure: i.e. intentionally eating things that make you uncomfortable until you lose the association with nausea. Unfortunately, while this got me over my dislike of tomatoes, it tends to be too unpleasant for people who have a more severe case, like you.

Incidentally, the tomato thing happened originally while I was rolling. As such, you might consider SSRIs or even SSRAs like MDAI/IAP as adjuvant to exposure and see if that helps. Another possibility would be to familiarize yourself with the textures while drunk, which will blunt the sensations, but make sure to stay hydrated.

However, it's not clear that you don't have some additional physiological issue with your esophagus/stomach/intestine that is contributing to the whole mess, so I'd wait until that gets sorted out before addressing the tongue issue.
 
The test results from the endoscopy came back. I have no ulcers. I do have "chronic active gastritis", however. Basically a chronic inflammation of the lining of my stomach. I'd be willing to bet that it was caused in part by my many years of daily alcohol consumption. I'm not sure what my dr can do to help, if there's a long term cure for it or whatever. I haven't googled much about it because that would only freak me out probably. I see the GI doc the end of December to follow up about the results. The only info I know so far is just a vague summary of the test results that I got electronically. So now I wait, I guess.
 
Well, the gastroenterologist wasn't very helpful. He raised my dose of Nexium to 80mg a day which is the maximum dose. He reviewed what I've tried for my nausea and chronic heartburn and stomach irritation. Since the Zofran isn't helping anymore and promethazine isn't either, he said he doesn't really know what to do for my nausea. He suggested that my nausea might be aggravated by mental illness at this point and suggested that I try nortryptyline, a TCA. I'm against the idea of trying another antidepressant because I despise antidepressants and long acting psych meds like antidepressants. The side effects, the fact that they take forever to work and cause withdrawals when you try to stop taking them. I was doing great on Adderall back when I was being treated for ADHD, but as an adult it's been more difficult to find a dr to continue to treat my ADHD. I might try taking the nortriptyline after the holidays are over, idk.
 
Hey ZAP!

Good to see you're kicking, bud.;) I remember us both talking about your situation before and I hope you are keeping your nourishment in ( as I struggle with that specific too).

I rekon, the sensory issue with food could be defined as this - in posting that ( and this 'disorder' thing is such a hype imho; so ignore the dramatic label, as obviously its normal to you), no issue with feeding is dissociated from cognitive/emotional/other more intricate physiological aspects - so intellectually, homing in on just eating, or psychological issues, exclusively - isnt going to solve the problem; as they are all connected. Paradoxiacally, focusing on one area, e.g. a physical/psychological barrier, could help alleviate the stress on the other... so, this is about creating a symphony, where the conductor has to discern/intuit which is the most relevant player that will lead the overture - if ya catch my drift?!

If they're is some psychological manifestation that is prompting you to not eat certain foods - I would consider it. Go gentle on yourself and despite its apparent amorphic and confusing presentation; just be gentle with yourself, to train your mind and make work for your own, personal nourishemnt; as distinct from forcing your mind- as this is completely unethical to your psychological well being .<3

Now the physical/material food problem needs creative thought - how to assimilate the best nutrients to your system without triggering a rejection. I guess this one is up to your own clever mind - how to bypass the mind that both wants to protect you but also is afraid of hurting you - this is the enigma that needs a lot of warranted attention imo.

What do you think, yourself?
 
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