Thyroid Thursday Episode 3: Hypothyroidism And Post Meal Fatigue
Do you ever get really tired and fatigued after a meal? Could it have anything to do with your hypothyroid condition?
It sure could! Even if your TSH is normal.
When you eat, your liver and gallbladder release bile salts to support digestion. If you have cholestasis or are taking bile salt supplements , the increased bile salts in your blood can suppress TSH resulting in reduced T4 production and slowed metabolism causing you to be extra tired 40 minutes or so after a meal.
How does this happen?
Research shows that after you eat a large portion of bile salts are reabsorbed by the intestines and enter the blood. Blood levels of bile salt levels peak 30 40 minutes after you eat. This elevation of bile salts is mirrored by a drop in TSH and T4. This may be part of an innate response to slow us down just a bit after a meal to give our body time to properly digest our food.
If however you have cholestasis, are consuming ox bile supplements, or already have low TSH and T4 levels you may see a significant increase in post meal fatigue. The longer the process goes on, the worse the fatigue and other hypothyroid symptoms may get.
Ive found ox bile to be a great support product for those with gall bladder problems. But, we do have to be cautious when using ox bile with hypothyroid patients. If you have post meal fatigue you need to consider bile salt suppression of TSH a possible mechanism.
Food Allergy And Intolerance
Food intolerance is widespread more than you think. Up to 20% of people have a food intolerance and the vast majority dont know they have it.
Food intolerance is a difficulty digesting certain types of food. The most widespread type of lactose intolerance .
The intolerance often results in a deficiency of a defect in the digestion or absorption of certain types of food or food constituents. As a result, food accumulates inside your digestive systems and causes symptoms as stomach gurgling and sick feeling.
Food allergy is another type of food reaction that causes stomach gurgling and sick feeling. Food allergy is different from food intolerance.
The allergy is an immune-mediated response to a food that can cause more severe symptoms. The symptoms of food allergy are not confined to your gut. Extra-intestinal allergic conditions such as skin rashes also develop.
Consult your doctor or dietitian if your stomach keeps gurgling or you feel sick after consuming certain types of foods or drinks.
The summary and differences between food intolerance and food allergy are in the table below:
Vomiting On A Regular Basis
Vomiting is not a symptom of IBS. When people who have IBS experience nausea and vomiting, it is not because of their IBS.
There are many health conditions that can cause vomiting.
If you experience frequent vomiting, tell your doctor. If you are having uncontrollable vomiting or are vomiting up blood, see a doctor at once.
Vomiting that does not happen with other signs of disease could be a condition called cyclic vomiting disorder . If you have vomiting without other symptoms, talk to your doctor.
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When Should I Seek A Doctors Help
You should seek a doctors help right away if you have any of the following signs or symptoms:
- severe pain or cramping in your abdomen
- red blood in your vomit, or vomit that looks like coffee grounds
- sudden, sharp stomach pain that doesnt go away
- vomiting for more than an hour
- feeling extremely weak or fainting
- difficulty breathing
- fever
You should seek a doctors help if you have any signs or symptoms of dehydration, which may include
- extreme thirst and dry mouth
- urinating less than usual
- dark-colored urine
- sunken eyes or cheeks
- light-headedness or fainting
You should seek a doctors help if you have any signs or symptoms of malnutrition, which may include
- feeling tired or weak all the time
- losing weight without trying
- abnormal paleness of the skin
Questions Your Doctor May Ask About Abdominal Pain That Get Worse After Eating
- Have you experienced any nausea?
- Any fever today or during the last week?
- Have you lost your appetite recently?
- Have you been feeling more tired than usual, lethargic or fatigued despite sleeping a normal amount?
Self-diagnose with our free Buoy Assistant if you answer yes on any of these questions.
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Viral Or Bacterial Infection
Ever heard of someone catching a stomach bug? This is just that: If youve caught a viral or bacterial infection, your whole body is going to go through it. You might experience nausea right after eating, generally lasting 24 to 48 hours, but you may likely experience a whole slew of other symptoms, too, like fever, muscle aches and joint pain.
It generally affects your whole body, says Dr. Lee. This comes on quick and it usually goes away on its own.
Bad Eating Habits And Food Intolerance
Faulty food habits can result in constant nausea and burping. For example:
- Eating too fast leads to excessive swallowing of air during eating.
- Taking while eating.
- Over-consumption of foods that cause burping and nausea, such as alcoholoand caffeine.
- Habitual drinking of carbonated beverages.
Also, Some may have an intolerance to certain types of food. Food intolerance is a widespread condition. And it may present with a more severe type of reaction called .
Bad eating habits, food intolerance, and food allergy can cause constant nausea and burping.
The symptoms and differences between food intolerance and food allergy are illustrated in the table below.
| Food intolerance | |
| Difficulty digesting certain types of food . | An immune-mediated reaction to certain foods or food components. |
| Causes acute or chronic diarrhea, nausea, burping, and abdominal pain attacks. | Usually causes acute attacks related to the ingestion of offending food. |
| Intestinal symptoms: diarrhea, extensive gas, bloating, and abdominal pain, nausea, burping. | Intestinal symptoms are the same . |
| No extra-intestinal symptoms | Extraintestinal symptoms like rashes, urticaria, swollen lips, face, or severe life-threatening allergic reactions. |
| The severity of your symptoms is proportional to the amount you eat from the offending food. | Even trace amounts of the offending food can produce severe symptoms. |
Common offending foods:
Common offending foods:
- Some vegetables and fruits.
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Treatment For Nausea And Fatigue
There are some things you can do to ease nausea in general, including getting plenty of fresh air, drinking ginger or peppermint tea and eating smaller meals. Read more about natural remedies for nausea.
And if you have really bad nausea, a doctor may give you medication, known as antiemetics, to help you stop feeling sick.
Fatigue can often get better with general measures like getting more high-quality sleep. But while these strategies can help your symptoms, the best treatment for nausea and fatigue usually depends on the cause.
Feeling Tired After A Meal Is Completely Normal
If you feel tired after a meal, theres a good chance its just your body responding to all of the biochemical changes caused by digestion. In other words, its completely normal.
However, if the symptom is disruptive or changing your lifestyle habits doesnt seem to help, it might not hurt to talk to your doctor or to seek help from a dietitian.
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Is It Possible That I Have Pots And Was Incorrectly Diagnosed
This is entirely possible. Given how common POTS symptoms are and how unfamiliar many doctors are with this condition, diagnostic mishaps happen. POTS is frequently misidentified as chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, myofascial pain syndrome, anxiety disorder, ADHD, irritable bowel syndrome, myositis, etc. It is also possible that you have both POTS and one of these conditions, which may complicate the diagnosis. Sometimes people with POTS are told that its all in your head, implying that the cause of their symptoms is psychological. If you feel like something is physically wrong, dont hesitate to seek a second, and even a third or fourth opinion.
COVID-19 and POTS: Is There a Link?
Although many people recover quickly from COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, others who recover may continue to experience symptoms for months. Researchers are still determining the cause of these extended symptoms, but some COVID-19 “long-haulers” may actually be dealing with POTS.
Why Do You Have Headaches And Nausea After Eating Causes And Treatment
Indeed, most people must be familiar with headaches and nausea after eating Halloween candies or thanksgiving dinner. The problem is not that serious. But why do you get nausea and headaches after eating something?
You may feel dizzy and nauseous due to low blood pressure, high sugar levels, or food intolerance. However, if you have nausea, fatigue, shakiness, or headaches after every meal, then your body may be in trouble. There is a problem with digestion and absorption of the food youre eating.
In order to stop the symptoms and ensure that you digest your food properly, it is crucial to determine what is causing them. Lets find the reason and how to cure headaches and nausea after eating in this postprandial headache guide.
Table of Content
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Nausea After Eating: 12 Common Causes With Treatment
If youve been feeling nauseous after every meal you eat, itll make total sense if you hate dinner time. Asides from the abdominal pain, constant release of gases, uneasy stomach, and lightheadedness, you feel unpleasant and want to vomit.
Surprisingly, it doesnt always have to do with the food you ate. In fact, its possible to feel nauseous at any time during the day.
Luckily, nausea is not a disease. Instead, nausea is a symptom of many diseases Its your bodys way of trying to tell you something is wrong. Contrary to popular belief, nausea is a protective function of your immune system Only if you didnt have to feel green and sick in your stomach afterward.
Naturally, once you can find out the cause of your nausea and treat it, your nausea will disappear with it, and youll be able to enjoy your meals without worrying about throwing up or feeling sick.
Many factors could trigger your nausea. It could be your medications, pregnancy, diabetes, drinking too much alcohol, food poisoning, overeating, or even stress.
Regardless of the source of your nausea, most of the time, nausea after meals is pretty harmless. However, in some cases, experiencing nausea can signal something serious, like a heart attack or cancer.
Due to the many factors that could trigger nausea, you must know what is causing you to feel nauseous after eating. In this article, well take you through all the possible causes of your nausea and how to deal with it. Lets dig in!
How Is A Pots Diagnosis Made
Problems with the autonomic nervous system can be difficult to diagnose. The standard test for POTS is the tilt table test. During the test, you are secured to a table that tilts from being horizontal to almost a 90-degree angle. The test measures your hearts response to switching from laying down to standing up. Some people with POTS faint during this test, even if they rarely faint standing up.
Although the test seems straightforward, many things can interfere with it. Its important that a POTS specialist oversees it. Its best to work with a doctor who has diagnosed and treated patients with POTS. This could be a cardiologist, a neuromuscular specialist or another doctor.
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Your Health Questions Answered
- Answered by: Healthily’s medical teamAnswered: 22/06/2021
Yes, even though stress feels like an emotional and mental issue, it can sometimes cause physical symptoms like nausea and fatigue. If this is the cause of your symptoms, you may find they improve when you take steps to manage your stress levels. Aside from doing your best to reduce the source of your stress, you may also find that stress-relieving activities, like spending time with friends and exercising, make you feel better.
What Causes Gastroparesis
In most cases, doctors arent able to find the underlying cause of gastroparesis, even with medical tests. Gastroparesis without a known cause is called idiopathic gastroparesis.
Diabetes is the most common known underlying cause of gastroparesis. Diabetes can damage nerves, such as the vagus nerve and nerves and special cells, called pacemaker cells, in the wall of the stomach. The vagus nerve controls the muscles of the stomach and small intestine. If the vagus nerve is damaged or stops working, the muscles of the stomach and small intestine do not work normally. The movement of food through the digestive tract is then slowed or stopped. Similarly, if nerves or pacemaker cells in the wall of the stomach are damaged or do not work normally, the stomach does not empty.
In addition to diabetes, other known causes of gastroparesis include
- injury to the vagus nerve due to surgery on your esophagus, stomach, or small intestine
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Slice Lemon Or Almond
Lemon, oranges arent only delicious their smell can help quell nausea. For example, the scent of a freshly cut lemon can reduce nausea after meals, especially in pregnant women.
For example, in research on nausea, 100 pregnant women were given lemons to peel immediately they felt nauseated. About 9% of the pregnant women felt relieved immediately after inhaling the citrus smell of lemon.
Top tip: You can also try and scratch the back of the lemon, or you can slice a lemon when you feel nauseous. If you cant access a lemon, I recommend you carry around a small bottle of lemon essential oil.
What Is The Treatment For Fatigue
The treatment for fatigue depends upon the cause. Some treatments for conditions that cause fatigue include medications, antibiotics, vitamins, and exercise. Medical treatment of fatigue depends on the treatment of its underlying cause. Fortunately, many causes of fatigue may be treated with medications, for example, iron supplements for anemia, medications and machines to help sleep apnea, medications to control blood sugar, medications to regulate thyroid function, antibiotics to treat infection, vitamins, and/or recommendations for dietary changes and a sensible exercise program. Again, treatment of the underlying cause is the key to treatment of the symptom of fatigue.
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What Are Nausea And Fatigue
Do you feel nauseous and tired all the time, but dont know why? Nausea is an uneasy feeling in your stomach, like you want to be sick . And fatigue is when you feel really tired and lack the energy you need to do normal activities.
Feeling sick and tired often happen separately, but sometimes both can strike at the same time. This can be due to a number of things, including your diet and lifestyle, emotional and mental factors or a medical condition.
Many causes of nausea and fatigue are treatable, and the symptoms get better once youve addressed the cause. But sometimes, having nausea and fatigue at the same time can be a sign of a more serious condition that needs medical attention.
Watch Out Travelers: Jet Lag And Exhaustion Can Make You Vomit
On Thursday evening in Bern, Switzerland, Myanmars Nobel Peace Prize award-winner, Aung San Suu Kyi, discontinued her press conference after 15 minutes. Suu Kyi paused the questioning as a sickened look crossed her face. She grabbed a bag and vomited into it. She left the conference apologizing for the sudden eruption, um, interruption.
She began the press conference by noting she felt exhausted and struggled to adjust to the time difference. Can fatigue — plus a bad case of jet lag — really make you throw up?
A combination of exhaustion and experiencing a big time difference could certainly lead someone to vomit. This may be even more true if they are very warm or under a great deal of stress, says Dr. Rachel Vreeman via email. Vreeman is co-author of the book Dont Swallow your Gum!: Myths, Half-Truths, and Outright Lies About Your Body and Health and an assistant professor of pediatrics in the Children’s Health Services Research Program at the Indiana University School of Medicine.
Exhaustion causes a variety of symptoms, some more common than others. People suffering from a lack of sleep might feel tremors, headache, concentration problems, elevated blood pressure, achy muscles and psychosis.
According to an AP article, Suu Kyi experienced recent bouts of illness when traveling. The slight, 66-year-old political activist felt weak and threw up twice while campaigning for parliament.
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Bloating Or Fullness Fatigue Nausea Or Vomiting And Upset Stomach
- Medical Author: Carol DerSarkissian, MD
Reviewed on 6/15/2020
These symptoms and signs are usually common with conditions that have to do with the stomach or intestines. Some causes are indigestion, irritation of your bowels, or even irritation or an ulcer of the stomach. Try to drink plenty of fluids and pay attention to any foods that may be making the symptoms and signs worse. If the symptoms and signs are associated with heartburn, try an over-the-counter antacid. Call your doctor if you don’t get better after a day or two. In some instances, these symptoms and signs can point to something more serious. If these symptoms and signs concern you, it’s best to give your doctor a call right away.
While the list below can be considered as a guide to educate yourself about these conditions, this is not a substitute for a diagnosis from a health care provider. There are many other medical conditions that also can be associated with your symptoms and signs. Here are a number of those from MedicineNet:
