Brief Answer:
Have to be investigated

Detailed Answer:
Hi XXXX! Good morning. I am Dr Shareef, a general surgeon answering your query.

With your history of frequent eating from outside specially the fast food, the first thing that comes to my mind is that you may be intolerant to some of the components of the food you eat. An example is a gluten induced enteropathy and lactose intolerance. There may not be any physical findings on clinical examination, but they are diagnosed by detection of antibodies to gluten in various kind of tests performed. The best way is to see by yourself if any particular kind of food precipitates your symptoms. Gluten enteropathy is not very uncommon, but is under diagnosed due to lack of suspicion of the disease. This problem may be confirmed by the endoscopic biopsy of intestinal mucosa.

If I were your treating doctor, I would also go for a routine stool test for ova and cyst as you might have acquired an intestinal infection by eating from outside. A course of appropriate antibiotic would relieve you of your problem.

If intestinal infection is excluded, I would go for an ultrasound of the abdomen followed by the endoscopy of the intestines as stated to above, to rule out very many intestinal disorders giving rise to similar symptoms. I do not want to confuse you by giving you the details of each.

Till then, I would advise you for a proton pump inhibitor, and a probiotic drug to control the diarrhea and an anti emetic for controlling the nausea.

The most important amongst all is the prevention of such problem. For this, you need some life style modifications like daily routine exercises depending on your medical fitness, and avoiding so far as possible eating from outside. You should carry your food from home, which should include plenty of roughage, and enough liquids.

I hope I have answered your query upto the extent that you can now discuss with your family physician/ER on this, and get yourself investigated accordingly for further management. If you have got any other doubt, please do not hesitate to ask.

Thank you for using XXXXXXX for your health query. Good luck. Dr Shareef.

---

Brief Answer:
Yes, it could.

Detailed Answer:
Hi XXXX! Good afternoon.Thanks for a fast response.

Yes. Metronidazole can cause nausea and vomiting in some who are not tolerant to this drug specially so in ladies. This drug if taken in empty stomach can also cause gastritis, resulting in burning feeling in the stomach. But it is a common drug fora condition known as amebiasis which is not uncommonly seen specially in those who eat frequently from outside.

So as I told you earlier also, prevention is the best cure, and so try to avoid eating from outside.

Wishing you an early recovery. Dr Shareef.

---