I have GERD. What is causing my stomach discomfort?

Question

Hello doctor,

I have three already diagnosed conditions, like GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease), Celiac disease, and hiatal hernia type II. I have recently quit smoking (I have tried quitting before), and my health got worse, not better.

Currently, similar to two years ago when I was free from nicotine, I find that after weekends filled with a variety of foods, I awaken during the night due to burps that have a foul, rotten egg odor. My stomach feels as though it is on the verge of bursting, and this discomfort persists for at least half a day after I wake up. It causes shame because the smell is disgusting, and it repeats every week. Please tell me, should I come back to smoking, because I never had this when I smoked?

Kindly help.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I read your query and can understand your concern.

It sounds like you are going through a very frustrating and uncomfortable situation. I can understand how discouraging it must feel to have your symptoms worsen after doing something positive for your health, like quitting smoking. The symptoms you describe are as follows

Rotten egg-smelling burps.
Bloating.
Discomfort after eating.

These are often related to excessive gas buildup and delayed stomach emptying, which can happen in people with GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease), hiatal hernia, and celiac disease. The rotten egg odor usually comes from hydrogen sulfide gas produced when food sits in the stomach too long or when bacteria in the gut break down certain foods, especially sulfur-rich ones such as eggs, meat, and some vegetables.

Interestingly, smoking sometimes masks digestive issues because nicotine speeds up stomach emptying and relaxes certain muscles in the gut. When you quit, your digestive system starts functioning more naturally, and underlying issues like reflux, hernia pressure, or bacterial overgrowth may become more noticeable.

You definitely should not return to smoking, since it increases:

Acid reflux.
Weakens the lower esophageal sphincter.
Worsens both GERD and hiatal hernia over time.

Instead, it would be best to discuss these recurring symptoms with a gastroenterologist, who might check for small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), gastric emptying issues, or food intolerances beyond gluten. Keeping a detailed food diary may also help identify trigger foods.

In the meantime, you can try the following things:

Eating smaller and simpler meals.
Avoid eating late in the evening.
Limit sulfur-rich or fatty foods on weekends.

I hope this information helps you.

Feel free to ask further queries.

Thank you.