Gastrointestinal strangeness.

[bankside]

So I'm stumped.

• Vague abdominal discomfort many hours of the day but often fine.
• Discomfort often improved by urination or defacation, even in the absence of the normal sensations of needing to pee or poo.
• Intermittent moderate soreness in specific areas of the abdomen above and below the navel that resolves quickly.
• "Constipation" No real difficulty in using the toilet but the frequency has changed from clockwork regularity (once after every meal it seemed like) to once every 24-36 hours.
• Bloating. Absolutely evident when lying on stomach. Burping excessively. Loud noises of digestion from within.
• Occasional off-taste or metallic taste at the back of the tongue.
• A developing case of heartburn along with the other symptoms prompted a trip to the doctor. Upper GI radiography came back with no concerns. Was given a short course of proton pump inhibitors which resolved the heartburn with no recurrence.
• An H. Pylori test has been ordered but I have to be off the PPI apparently before they can do the test.
• No change in appetite or response to my usual favourite meals.
• The other symptoms continue.

And I'm not the only one in the house. My partner has pretty much exactly the same thing, with near-simultaneous onset. We're also both just getting over a cold, which seemed in every way like a common cold from an everyday rhinovirus.

Strangely, both of us went through a wave of dread and feeling of mortality in connection with the other symptoms that we discovered was mutual on later discussion. Neither of us are prone to worrying about past health occurences, and when we both spoke about it after the fact, it seemed so out of place for our attitudes toward illness that I wondered if that feeling might itself be a symptom.

I live in a province with notoriously lax inspection standards (there is a ban on exports of Alberta beef and packing plants are being closed down for inspections), so I had considered the possibility of having eaten contaminated beef. But I understand that usually results in diarrhoea or vomiting and there's been none of that.

And so what is this? H. Pylori infection? Isn't that common and usually problem-free?

[Benvolio]

The excessive burping and heartburn suggest gastroesophageal reflux disease, GERD, in which the valve which holds food and gas in the stomach weakens. I suggest you google it and compare symptoms. The inhibitors will reduce stomch acid and heartburn, but not cure the problem.
It is often associated with hiatal hernia which might cause some of the other symptoms. A portion of the stomach protrudes up through the esopageal opening in the diaphragm. Again, take a look at google.

[bankside]

Thank you; I did consider that, except the heartburn was almost an incidental symptom that has gone away. It disturbed me when it occurred because it seemed that things were getting worse rather than better.

It also doesn't explain why it would develop so suddenly in both of us.

[Benvolio]

Both GERD and hiatal hernia may result from overeating, and therefore, in theory, could affect roomates simultaneously.