Nausea and hyperventilating after eating large meal… what could this be?!

Mental health
1

Hi folks, hope you’re all doing well. Any advice here would be greatly appreciated. Short background: I’m 32, male, work full time and live with my fiance. I have suffered with diagnosed GAD since I was young child and I’m currently taking 100mg Sertraline once per day and 80mg slow release Propranolol once per day.

Recently I have been experiencing really scary episodes of nausea and near-fainting after or during meals (particularly after large meals like lunch and dinner).

It doesn’t happen every time, but it has happened five times in the last few months and I’m terrified of it happening again.

It follows the same pattern each time:

  1. Sudden feeing of dread and need to go to the toilet (first 2 or 3 minutes)
  2. Heavy breathing like I am going to pass out or faint. Not being able to control my breathing at all. Total feeling of dread like I’m going to die. Lightheadedness, hot flush, tingling in fingers and head, clammy skin, sweating (this stage can last 20 minute or more).
  3. This culminates in violent retching, but no actual vomiting (usually about 5 minutes).
  4. Finally able to get a breath and nausea subsides, then the violent trembling starts, lasting about 5-10 minutes before it stops suddenly and the cycle begins again.

This can vary in intensity, but I generally go through 3 or 4 cycles of this before I am able to calm down. I then invariably sleep for hours as I am so exhausted.

I have never experienced anything like this before. And it ONLY happens after or during a meal. It puts me off food for days after it happens.

Has anyone else experienced anything similar?

Thank you

2

Hi there,

Yes, I experience the exact same symptoms every time I need a bowel movement.

Really odd dread feeling, followed by sweating, shaking, hyperventilating but shortness of breath at the same time, fast heart rate, sometimes nausea. It really feels like I will die. Then I poop and after about 20 mins aprox it all settles and I feel ok.

3

It’s so odd… I just wish I knew if it was purely my anxiety/panic or if it is something more sinister that is happening!! It only seems to happen to me when I have a particularly full stomach, like after a meal or during meal. Then it doesn’t seem to calm down until my stomach has emptied a bit!

4

I know, it’s so scary. If I was told I’m fine and it’s anxiety I could somehow deal with it, but doctors don’t seem to think it is anxiety but have no explanation.
Have you looked into Dumping Syndrome? Hiatal Hernia?

5

I’ll have to get back to the doctors. But they didn’t seem to be interested at all last time. It actually feels awful and makes me so scared of eating. Even when I know I’m hungry.

6

this happens to me sometimes. in fact it did today except i thought i was having a heart attack instantly nauseous and just a sick dread feeling . it was right after a particularly heavy and greasy lunch

7

It’s the worst feeling. Wanting to vomit, but can only retch. Hyperventilating. but feeling like I’m about to pass out cold. I just can’t work out if I am genuinely nauseated, or if it’s a panic attack, or if it’s something more serious. Doctors are unwilling to do any tests due to my history of anxiety.