2. Nausea and Vomiting: Beyond the Common Upset Stomach
You’ve had your bouts of nausea before, perhaps after a hearty meal or a rocky boat trip. But nausea associated with autoimmune gastritis is a different beast altogether. It’s not just feeling sick; it’s a constant sensation of queasiness that almost feels like a permanent resident in your gut. This isn’t the nausea you can shake off with a glass of ginger ale; it’s persistent and often accompanied by vomiting.
What’s especially intriguing about this form of nausea is how it contrasts with other types of gastrointestinal issues. In most instances, nausea is a prelude to vomiting—a body’s natural response to expel something it perceives as harmful. However, in autoimmune gastritis, the nausea is less about expelling toxins and more about a system thrown out of balance.
As the immune system attacks the stomach lining in autoimmune gastritis, it affects the stomach’s intrinsic ability to churn food and mix it with digestive enzymes. The outcome? Food stays longer in the stomach than it should, leading to an uncomfortable, bloated feeling followed by nausea and, often, vomiting. The human body doesn’t like substances to stay put for too long, especially not in a place as dynamic as the stomach.
The consistency of this symptom differentiates it from other types of nausea. If you’ve ever felt seasick or nauseous from a rollercoaster ride, you know that the sensation ebbs away after a certain period or once the triggering activity ceases. Not so with autoimmune gastritis. The nausea persists, often indifferent to any changes in environment or lifestyle habits.
And here lies the rub: the persistent nature of this nausea often leads people to assume they have developed a more common gastrointestinal problem like GERD or even food poisoning. However, when nausea persists beyond the usual timelines for such conditions, it’s time to consider that autoimmune gastritis could be the underlying issue. This isn’t the standard gut upset you can remedy with a quick fix. (2)
