How to fix an upset stomach?

Greetings. I’m 31. Up until about four or five years ago, my health was practically non-existent as a concern. At 6'2", I maintained a decent weight, stayed active, and generally didn't give my physical state a second thought. Then, five years ago, I hit a major breaking point. It triggered a long period of nightmares, and the fallout resulted in a chronic issue: waking up every morning with excess saliva and acid reflux. Initially, it wasn't a massive deal—I'd just deal with it and move on with my day. But things spiraled quickly. My appetite vanished, replaced by a genuine aversion to food. I've lost significant weight and now find myself constantly fighting off infections due to a weakened immune system. I've tried various medications; they help somewhat, I suppose.

However, I’m starting this thread because I believe it deserves its own space. It might help others dealing with similar struggles, whether it's eating disorders or anything else like my situation. HOW DO YOU RECOVER A DESTROYED STOMACH? What should I be eating? What should I drink? Does exercise play a role, and more importantly, what should I stay far away from? I suspect there must be certain foods that actually strengthen a stomach worn down by constant vomiting. To be blunt, I see no difference in my digestive health now compared to four years ago. Even after cutting out milk and rarely touching chocolate, nothing seems to improve.

A quick note: no one in my family deals with anything like this. Their standard advice is "just eat some bacon or have a shot of whiskey and you'll be fine." They are wrong. I am genuinely looking for advice because I feel like I'm hitting a wall. I'm physically weak, and I need an intervention. I know there are no miracles; I'm not expecting a fix in a week. It could take months or even a year, but I truly want to get better. Thanks.

P.S. I sincerely hope this doesn't get merged into a larger thread. This is simultaneously a psychological issue, a gastric issue, an immunity issue, and a weight issue. Please bear with me for at least a week or two.

Jeffrey Watson14 said:Greetings. I’m 31. Up until about four or five years ago, my health was practically non-existent as a concern. At 6'2", I maintained a decent weight, stayed active, and generally didn't give my physical state a second thought. Then, five years ago, I hit a major breaking point. It triggered a long period of nightmares, and the fallout resulted in a chronic issue: waking up every morning with excess saliva and acid reflux. Initially, it wasn't a massive deal—I'd just deal with it and move on with my day. But things spiraled quickly. My appetite vanished, replaced by a genuine aversion to food. I've lost significant weight and now find myself constantly fighting off infections due to a weakened immune system. I've tried various medications; they help somewhat, I suppose.

However, I’m starting this thread because I believe it deserves its own space. It might help others dealing with similar struggles, whether it's eating disorders or anything else like my situation. HOW DO YOU RECOVER A DESTROYED STOMACH? What should I be eating? What should I drink? Does exercise play a role, and more importantly, what should I stay far away from? I suspect there must be certain foods that actually strengthen a stomach worn down by constant vomiting. To be blunt, I see no difference in my digestive health now compared to four years ago. Even after cutting out milk and rarely touching chocolate, nothing seems to improve.

A quick note: no one in my family deals with anything like this. Their standard advice is "just eat some bacon or have a shot of whiskey and you'll be fine." They are wrong. I am genuinely looking for advice because I feel like I'm hitting a wall. I'm physically weak, and I need an intervention. I know there are no miracles; I'm not expecting a fix in a week. It could take months or even a year, but I truly want to get better. Thanks.

P.S. I sincerely hope this doesn't get merged into a larger thread. This is simultaneously a psychological issue, a gastric issue, an immunity issue, and a weight issue. Please bear with me for at least a week or two.

First off, please list your diagnoses, what kind of medical workup you've had, and what specific medications you've been taking.

The diagnosis: no ulcers, just a sensitive, exhausted stomach. Internally, everything looks fine—at least according to what the endoscopy could show.

I’ve been taking Emanera tablets, though I never went more than 40 days straight before taking a break.

In general, I haven't done much to address this. I actually just started seeing a psychologist recently. But when it comes to fixing my stomach, even the specialists didn't have much to offer. Hopefully, things turn around better here.

Don't hold your breath thinking you'll see any real progress here—you should probably just stick to those therapy sessions of yours; maybe your shrink can actually help you out for once.🙂
Most illnesses that act like this? They’re all in your head anyway.

True enough, but does anyone actually have practical advice on nutrition? I’m facing a two-front war here: the psychological side, which I'm tackling, and the dietary side, where I am completely out of my depth. I'm still waiting for some suggestions regarding what to eat. Thanks, 🙂

If anyone has leads on who to contact regarding this issue—what kind of specialists actually provide solutions, or even a specific recommendation—feel free to reach out via DM.

The stomach is controlled by the autonomic nervous system—basically, the part of your body that doesn't take orders from your conscious mind. Your emotional state can actually trigger the release of digestive juices, which include water, mucus, salts, enzymes, and IBM. Since our emotions directly impact how these glands function, keeping things steady is key. Specifically regarding the stomach, we really need to find ways to dial back stress, aggression, depression, anxiety, and especially anger.

It might also be worth upping your intake of fiber and cellulose through plant-based foods to help with intestinal peristalsis. This process is what keeps everything moving along, pushing waste through the digestive tract toward elimination.

Jeffrey Watson14 said:The diagnosis: no ulcers, just a sensitive, exhausted stomach. Internally, everything looks fine—at least according to what the endoscopy could show.

I’ve been taking Emanera tablets, though I never went more than 40 days straight before taking a break.

In general, I haven't done much to address this. I actually just started seeing a psychologist recently. But when it comes to fixing my stomach, even the specialists didn't have much to offer. Hopefully, things turn around better here.

Well, what exactly are they supposed to tell you when the tests come back clean? If the results say you're healthy, then there's nothing to "fix."
You can always check out the weekly meal plans provided by Pfizer.

I think it’s mostly psychological. I deal with anxiety, so I get it—I lost 5 pounds in just seven days because I couldn't keep anything down. Nausea, vomiting, the whole deal. I eventually sorted it out with my psychiatrist and some antidepressants. You might not need that route, but that was my experience. Lately, I've been convinced something is wrong with my stomach, though I suspect I'm just manifesting physical symptoms from the stress itself.
Sorry if I'm off-topic!

Betty Bishop7, not at all—I appreciate you sharing your experience.

For me, this isn't some temporary flare-up; it's chronic. It’s been four years now. It's exhausting. I just finished a bowl of chili—something I used to love—and now I'm sitting here feeling nauseous.

I'm still looking for actual ways to strengthen my stomach. Or am I supposed to believe there's no such thing as restorative food?

Someone suggested a glass of red wine from a vineyard in Napa daily might help. They also told me to cut out carbonation and skip milk entirely. That feels like surface-level advice. If anyone here has dealt with bulimia—whether personally or through friends or family—I could really use some real insight.

Jeffrey Watson14 said:True enough, but does anyone actually have practical advice on nutrition? I’m facing a two-front war here: the psychological side, which I'm tackling, and the dietary side, where I am completely out of my depth. I'm still waiting for some suggestions regarding what to eat. Thanks, 🙂

I’ve got the exact same diagnosis as you. The only difference is I haven't actually thrown up yet, though I definitely deal with that acid reflux situation where it feels like it's crawling back up my esophagus during a burp.
So, I was dealing with this absolute nightmare of a symptom cluster—constant pain, burping, acid reflux, and that raw, "wounded" feeling in my stomach. Honestly, if I ate even one thing slightly off, I’d end up with this massive lump in my throat for days, making it nearly impossible to swallow. After a few days of trying to recover, I decided to just take matters into my own hands and booked a gastroscopy with a private specialist. This guy is supposedly top-tier, and frankly, I went in fully expecting him to find at least two ulcers or some other disaster lurking in there. But nope. Everything turned out perfectly fine. He actually had me watch the monitor to prove how healthy my stomach and duodenal linings looked. As he was pulling the scope back through my esophagus, he kept pointing out how flawless everything was. Just a total non-event.
So, his official diagnosis? Apparently, I’ve got this hypersensitive, super-reactive stomach, which basically means I have to watch every single thing I put in my mouth like it's a crime scene.
Since I've seen a few posts floating around lately about mental health being the root cause of gut issues, I feel like I should weigh in. In my case, that’s just not how it works. My stomach doesn't act up because I'm stressed or spiraling; it gets "wounded" exclusively when I eat certain foods. It's purely a physical reaction to what's on my plate, nothing more.

So, I just got back from seeing my gastroenterologist. Oh, and I totally forgot to mention—turns out there wasn’t any HP bacteria present. Anyway, the doctor gave me this massive list of dietary restrictions, and honestly, it's kind of hilarious how specific he was. It felt like he basically banned everything I actually enjoy eating. If I were to touch even a tiny amount of half this stuff, I'd be stuck trying to fix my stomach lining for days. According to him, raw fruit is a total no-go—specifically apples, bananas, and citrus. If I want fruit, I have to eat it cooked, like in some sort of compote. Same deal with veggies: nothing raw except maybe some green salad. That means absolutely no garlic, red onions, raw peppers, or cucumbers. Everything else pretty much has to be boiled or steamed. Then there's the protein situation. Bluefish is off the table entirely, but white fish is fine. But the real kicker? Sugar. He was adamant about avoiding sweets, especially the heavy hitters like Nutella or those Mars bars. Ideally, I should cut out all sugar because it triggers such intense acidity. And don't even get me started on soda or sugary drinks; it's strictly water from here on out. The only exceptions are compotes or herbal teas that are supposed to be soothing for the gut—he mentioned chamomile tea specifically helps heal a wounded stomach lining. The hierarchy of acid triggers is pretty clear: sugar is the biggest offender, followed closely by fats. So, I'm supposed to steer clear of anything greasy or processed, like bacon or deli meats. I can drizzle a little oil on a salad, but that's about it. It’s a lot to manage, but hey, if it keeps the acid levels down, I guess I'll be living the bland life for a while.
My doctor basically told me to stop overthinking it and just listen to my own body—figure out what works for me and run with it. For instance, I’ve realized that white bread is actually my best friend. Most people swear by rye or whole grain, but for my sensitive stomach, those things are absolute killers. So, I stick to white bread, usually having a slice with every meal because it helps soak up all that excess acid. My go-to setup is pretty simple: some white bread, cooked veggies, and some light, easy-on-the-stomach chicken. I’ve definitely messed up a few times, though. One time I accidentally ate something with even a hint of garlic in it, and man, let me tell you, it was a total disaster. 😲 I dealt with some nasty stomach issues a few days back—basically couldn't eat anything without feeling miserable. Constant burping, and I had this constant "lump" sensation in my throat that made swallowing feel like a chore. It took a few days of recovery before I could actually get back to eating normally. This whole thing flared up again once after I ate some sardines and a bit of raw cabbage (which were just minor slips following a gastroscopy, honestly). Look, I have my own little system for fixing my stomach when I mess up like that. Since I’m pretty careful most of the time, this only happens a few times a year, but when it does, I make a simple batch of kid-style cream of wheat with milk. I’ll eat tiny portions throughout the entire day, and after a couple of days, everything settles back down. Now, full disclosure: milk isn't great for you in the long run because it can irritate the stomach lining. My gastroenterologist actually explained that we don't even absorb the calcium from milk properly because of something else in there—phosphorus, I think, but don't quote me on that—which basically lets the calcium just float around the stomach and irritate the walls. Seriously, ever since I stopped drinking milk on an empty stomach in the morning, I felt significantly better. As for the cream of wheat trick, the wheat dilutes the milk, making it okay for short-term use to soothe things after an irritation. Just don't drink straight milk, especially not on an empty stomach. It also reminded me that coffee is a huge no-go. I don't touch it at all. If you absolutely *must* have it, try diluting it with a little milk and definitely wait until after you've eaten something—even if it's just a piece of toast. The biggest thing with stomach health is what you put in there first thing in the morning; that's when it's most vulnerable. Personally, I always start my day with some white bread and a decent slice of ham (stay away from those heavy, greasy deli meats). Once that's down, my stomach is ready for a real meal. Avoid greasy breakfasts like heavy omelets, stay away from anything overly spicy, skip the cigarettes entirely, and avoid fried foods. Honestly, you're much better off basing most of your diet on boiled or steamed foods.
Oh, one more thing—if you're dealing with stomach acid issues, you really need to focus on balancing out acidic foods with alkaline ones. Just do a quick search online for what counts as alkaline; basically, the more alkaline stuff you eat, the better. For example, potatoes are alkaline. Personally, if I just wolf down a steak, I’ll be reaching for some Tums pretty much immediately after lunch. But, if I balance that meat with an equal amount of potatoes, my acid levels stay steady and I don't even need the antacids.
Also, try eating smaller meals more frequently throughout the day instead of hitting one massive meal. And whatever you do, don't eat anything heavy at least 4-5 hours before you head to bed.
I think that’s pretty much everything I can think of off the top of my head.😁

wearygardener19 said:I’ve got the exact same diagnosis as you. The only difference is I haven't actually thrown up yet, though I definitely deal with that acid reflux situation where it feels like it's crawling back up my esophagus during a burp.
So, I was dealing with this absolute nightmare of a symptom cluster—constant pain, burping, acid reflux, and that raw, "wounded" feeling in my stomach. Honestly, if I ate even one thing slightly off, I’d end up with this massive lump in my throat for days, making it nearly impossible to swallow. After a few days of trying to recover, I decided to just take matters into my own hands and booked a gastroscopy with a private specialist. This guy is supposedly top-tier, and frankly, I went in fully expecting him to find at least two ulcers or some other disaster lurking in there. But nope. Everything turned out perfectly fine. He actually had me watch the monitor to prove how healthy my stomach and duodenal linings looked. As he was pulling the scope back through my esophagus, he kept pointing out how flawless everything was. Just a total non-event.
So, his official diagnosis? Apparently, I’ve got this hypersensitive, super-reactive stomach, which basically means I have to watch every single thing I put in my mouth like it's a crime scene.
Since I've seen a few posts floating around lately about mental health being the root cause of gut issues, I feel like I should weigh in. In my case, that’s just not how it works. My stomach doesn't act up because I'm stressed or spiraling; it gets "wounded" exclusively when I eat certain foods. It's purely a physical reaction to what's on my plate, nothing more.

So, I just got back from seeing my gastroenterologist. Oh, and I totally forgot to mention—turns out there wasn’t any HP bacteria present. Anyway, the doctor gave me this massive list of dietary restrictions, and honestly, it's kind of hilarious how specific he was. It felt like he basically banned everything I actually enjoy eating. If I were to touch even a tiny amount of half this stuff, I'd be stuck trying to fix my stomach lining for days. According to him, raw fruit is a total no-go—specifically apples, bananas, and citrus. If I want fruit, I have to eat it cooked, like in some sort of compote. Same deal with veggies: nothing raw except maybe some green salad. That means absolutely no garlic, red onions, raw peppers, or cucumbers. Everything else pretty much has to be boiled or steamed. Then there's the protein situation. Bluefish is off the table entirely, but white fish is fine. But the real kicker? Sugar. He was adamant about avoiding sweets, especially the heavy hitters like Nutella or those Mars bars. Ideally, I should cut out all sugar because it triggers such intense acidity. And don't even get me started on soda or sugary drinks; it's strictly water from here on out. The only exceptions are compotes or herbal teas that are supposed to be soothing for the gut—he mentioned chamomile tea specifically helps heal a wounded stomach lining. The hierarchy of acid triggers is pretty clear: sugar is the biggest offender, followed closely by fats. So, I'm supposed to steer clear of anything greasy or processed, like bacon or deli meats. I can drizzle a little oil on a salad, but that's about it. It’s a lot to manage, but hey, if it keeps the acid levels down, I guess I'll be living the bland life for a while.
My doctor basically told me to stop overthinking it and just listen to my own body—figure out what works for me and run with it. For instance, I’ve realized that white bread is actually my best friend. Most people swear by rye or whole grain, but for my sensitive stomach, those things are absolute killers. So, I stick to white bread, usually having a slice with every meal because it helps soak up all that excess acid. My go-to setup is pretty simple: some white bread, cooked veggies, and some light, easy-on-the-stomach chicken. I’ve definitely messed up a few times, though. One time I accidentally ate something with even a hint of garlic in it, and man, let me tell you, it was a total disaster. 😲 I dealt with some nasty stomach issues a few days back—basically couldn't eat anything without feeling miserable. Constant burping, and I had this constant "lump" sensation in my throat that made swallowing feel like a chore. It took a few days of recovery before I could actually get back to eating normally. This whole thing flared up again once after I ate some sardines and a bit of raw cabbage (which were just minor slips following a gastroscopy, honestly). Look, I have my own little system for fixing my stomach when I mess up like that. Since I’m pretty careful most of the time, this only happens a few times a year, but when it does, I make a simple batch of kid-style cream of wheat with milk. I’ll eat tiny portions throughout the entire day, and after a couple of days, everything settles back down. Now, full disclosure: milk isn't great for you in the long run because it can irritate the stomach lining. My gastroenterologist actually explained that we don't even absorb the calcium from milk properly because of something else in there—phosphorus, I think, but don't quote me on that—which basically lets the calcium just float around the stomach and irritate the walls. Seriously, ever since I stopped drinking milk on an empty stomach in the morning, I felt significantly better. As for the cream of wheat trick, the wheat dilutes the milk, making it okay for short-term use to soothe things after an irritation. Just don't drink straight milk, especially not on an empty stomach. It also reminded me that coffee is a huge no-go. I don't touch it at all. If you absolutely *must* have it, try diluting it with a little milk and definitely wait until after you've eaten something—even if it's just a piece of toast. The biggest thing with stomach health is what you put in there first thing in the morning; that's when it's most vulnerable. Personally, I always start my day with some white bread and a decent slice of ham (stay away from those heavy, greasy deli meats). Once that's down, my stomach is ready for a real meal. Avoid greasy breakfasts like heavy omelets, stay away from anything overly spicy, skip the cigarettes entirely, and avoid fried foods. Honestly, you're much better off basing most of your diet on boiled or steamed foods.
Oh, one more thing—if you're dealing with stomach acid issues, you really need to focus on balancing out acidic foods with alkaline ones. Just do a quick search online for what counts as alkaline; basically, the more alkaline stuff you eat, the better. For example, potatoes are alkaline. Personally, if I just wolf down a steak, I’ll be reaching for some Tums pretty much immediately after lunch. But, if I balance that meat with an equal amount of potatoes, my acid levels stay steady and I don't even need the antacids.
Also, try eating smaller meals more frequently throughout the day instead of hitting one massive meal. And whatever you do, don't eat anything heavy at least 4-5 hours before you head to bed.
I think that’s pretty much everything I can think of off the top of my head.😁

Pure nonsense.

Jeffrey Watson14 said:Betty Bishop7, not at all—I appreciate you sharing your experience.

For me, this isn't some temporary flare-up; it's chronic. It’s been four years now. It's exhausting. I just finished a bowl of chili—something I used to love—and now I'm sitting here feeling nauseous.

I'm still looking for actual ways to strengthen my stomach. Or am I supposed to believe there's no such thing as restorative food?

Someone suggested a glass of red wine from a vineyard in Napa daily might help. They also told me to cut out carbonation and skip milk entirely. That feels like surface-level advice. If anyone here has dealt with bulimia—whether personally or through friends or family—I could really use some real insight.

Now I see you added more—beans are actually some of the toughest stuff on a sensitive stomach. In that category, only lentils or split peas are worse (if I ate those for a couple of days, I'd be out of commission), whereas chickpeas or navy beans are usually fine.
Almonds are also really good for you.
As for wine, I don't know from personal experience since I've never touched alcohol in my life, but I've heard/read that it causes acidity.
Regarding milk, like I mentioned before, it isn't nearly as harmful (compared to everything else I listed) if you have it combined with something or after a meal. You should drink less of it, but it won't cause massive damage. The main thing is not to drink it consistently on an empty stomach, because then all that calcium settles on the lining and makes it more sensitive and less resilient.

vividsailor7 said:Pure nonsense.

And why did you pick out just one part of the sentence when I explained that it specifically refers to milk on an empty stomach? The rest of the explanation about the calcium came straight from my gastroenterologist. I don't blindly trust anyone, so I brought this up because I noticed a huge difference myself. It went like this: before I knew that, I was drinking milk every single morning on an empty stomach. After the doctor's advice, I switched to soy milk (the "calcium-free" kind), and I can't even describe the turnaround my stomach had just from that change. For a while, I stuck to soy and everything was great. However, soy is expensive, and once I was short on cash again, I went back to cow's milk and my stomach became hypersensitive all over again. Eventually, I stopped drinking milk altogether, and since then, everything has been fine. You might think it's nonsense, but my doctor was right. Case closed.

wearygardener19 said:Why on earth did you cherry-pick just one fragment of my sentence? I clearly explained that this specifically applies to drinking milk on an empty stomach! My gastroenterologist was the one who gave me the breakdown regarding calcium. Look, I don't just take anyone's word for it blindly, but I’m sharing this because I felt a massive difference firsthand. Here's the deal: before I knew better, I was drinking cow's milk every single morning on an empty stomach. Once I followed my doctor's advice, I switched to soy milk—specifically the kind labeled "calcium-free." I can't even begin to describe the absolute relief my stomach felt just from that one change. For a while, everything was perfect. But soy milk isn't cheap, and when money got tight, I went back to dairy, and predictably, my stomach sensitivity came roaring right back. Eventually, I cut out milk entirely, and now everything is fine. You might think I'm talking nonsense, but my doctor was right. Case closed.

I'm not even going to get into the whole calcium absorption debate because it's way too controversial right now.
What you're describing is lactose intolerance, plain and simple. It has nothing to do with Calcium. This is a functional issue, not an organic one.

vividsailor7 said:I'm not even going to get into the whole calcium absorption debate because it's way too controversial right now.
What you're describing is lactose intolerance, plain and simple. It has nothing to do with Calcium. This is a functional issue, not an organic one.

Clearly, I’ve been living under a rock. I was fully convinced that lactose intolerance was primarily an issue with your gut, rather than being fundamentally rooted in the stomach without actually causing any direct damage to the intestines themselves. 😕
I’ve spent my entire life consuming milk and dairy products without ever running into any side effects—aside from that one specific issue we already talked about. I still eat them today, but I make sure I never have them on an empty stomach, and honestly, I don't run into any trouble at all.
The only real issue I ran into was taking it on an empty stomach. It hits the stomach lining pretty hard, so that’s where the negative effects showed up—it never messed with my gut or anything, though. My digestion stayed perfectly normal and I didn't deal with any cramping at all. The only downside is that if you keep taking it without food for a long stretch, it starts to "burn" a bit in your stomach. Everything played out exactly how my doctor said it would.

It’s an interesting situation when you’re dealing with full-blown heartburn symptoms but the endoscopy comes back completely normal. Lucky you!
I wasn't trying to be negative when I suggested it might be psychological. That's just how my body reacts to stress, though I know everyone is different.

Most of this sickness comes from being stuck in a toxic headspace. Just get your life together and try thinking on the bright side for once.

If I didn't have enough self-control, I’d be puking my guts out every single day and just blaming my stomach while it's basically in a coma, instead of actually looking at what's causing the mess in the first place.

Look, I know everyone's different, but you've gotta learn how to deal with things. Your issue isn't really your stomach—it's clearly something else. Maybe just grab some meds for nervous stomach? Sometimes that actually helps.