Paging Dr. DL...

start journaling about what you eat and when - see if there is anything in common

it could be in your head too. are you stressed out right now? I had a month straight of random vomiting and my doctor sent me to a psychologist and it turned out to be psychosomatic.

Nope, not stressed, R1.

Keeping a food journal is a good tip, thanks.

I diagnosed my partner's gall bladder problem at least a year before the Kaiser Permanente doctors decided to finally check his gall bladder. Guess what! The violent vomiting was because of his gall bladder. I TOLD YOU SO! Gall bladder finally removed and no more trips to the ER for the last 2 years. JESUS!

It's either your gallbladder or your spleen. You didn't mention any heartburn so it doesn't sound like acid reflux.

I had a bout of mono that left my spleen enlarged and pushing against my stomach for weeks - at the worst point I could barely keep down a slice of bread, and lost 10 lbs in a week. Glad to be over that.

You have cancer!

Did you a lose a dildo up beyond your fundament?

You're pregnant, OP!

Seriously, I think you should get back in to see your GP as soon as you can. This doesn't sound normal (not saying it's a grave issue, just that something is clearly out of whack in your body). The best advice I can give you is to prep for your appointment by writing up a log of approximately when this happened, what you ate, etc. It's harder for a doctor to brush you off that way.

Could be chronic pancreatitis. Ask to have a fecal elastase test done.

Admittedly I have a family history of GI cancers, but I would definitely be going to a specialist to figure that out. Gallbladder, pancreas, liver, colon - blood tests and even a CT scan.

If you're constipated as well, it might be an intestinal blockage. My BF had this and I was on clean-up duty. Awful! Same symptoms. He vomited like 18 times in one day and went to the hospital. He eats too much, gets bloated and his stomach becomes hard like a rock. They pumped his stomach and put him on a liquid diet until things got back to normal. If he eats lightly he's fine.

Possible hiatal hernia?

R11 , my husband had that with the symptoms mentioned by OP.

you need to see a specialist Gastroenterology. Someone who deals with all the shit that's been mentioned in this thread. If it's required your internist ought to refer you. You need tests. And definitely keep a journal of what you eat and how long between meals and when you eat. So if you eat something at 7 AM, then don't eat all day except for snacks, then eat a huge meal around 6 PM and get sick that says something doesn't it. My cousin had to learn to eat regularly, very small amounts every two or three hours.

The suggestions for a food diary are the right place to start. Stay off webmd and the other “be your own doctor” web sites. You’ll paralyze yourself with fear.

Odds are, it’s something easily treatable. The food diary will turn your doctor in the more likely direction. So, what happens? First, don’t stress yourself out which just makes everything worse. Occam’s razor applies: the simplest explanation is the more likely cause.

Often, it is something that your body resolves on its own. Minor. Issues can be diagnosed with endoscopy with is wholly painless. That’s a super easy procedure done under anesthesia that’s utterly, completely and totally painless. Let’s say you have an ulcer which can cause vomiting. Those are treated with a course of antibiotics over a couple of weeks and problem solved.

When there’s blood present in either vomit or stool, it’s more serious.

Thanks for the information everyone. I'll definitely start with a food diary beginning tomorrow. Simple idea, yet I never would have thought of that because this seems so random and I'll make an appointment with my GP for a follow up, just to be safe.

Interesting, R10. I don't think I'm constipated yet my stomach is fairly distended this evening. That's the only other symptom I have now that I think on it a bit more. I can sip on some water to keep hydrated, but I'm afraid that if I ate anything right now I'd get sick again.

Thanks again.

also try six small meals.. basically snacking on a specific food at a time to see if there is a trigger. A GI specialist is a good plan

AIDS

Ask your Dr. if it could be gastroparesis, too.

You need to record these vomiting spells too, OP. That has to be part of your food diary. The fact that your stomach is distended means something is triggering this.. Get thee to a doctor. Either get a referral from your internist or self refer, but don't waste time.

Can I have your stuff?

OP make sure you stay hydrated. Small sips, but drink gatoraid and water. Slowly. GInger tea too. slowly. No ice. And see if you can get a prescription for the nausea until they get to the bottom of this. I don't know if this is wise or smart, but the pills they give you for motion sickness, like dramamine might help. Have you tried any over the counter stuff to settle your stomach? HAs it helped? I'd be very careful since you haven't figured out what's going on, but it might help. Ask the GI doctor. A good GI doctor won't write a prescription until he runs some tests and does a full examination.

No, R17. Too much AYDS.

mmm Zofran, makes you feel all warm and sleepy

OP I've had this problem, but only at breakfast, for a couple of years. Not every day, but on average about 2-3 days a week. I usually eat an egg (fried in butter) with 2 pieces of wheat toast for breakfast, along with a cup of coffee. When it happens I am usually at least 3/4 of the way through when I start getting nauseated. I have to stop eating and just wait it out. I have yet to actually vomit, but I've come close to it. But it never happens at any other meal.

Propulsive vomiting means something is triggering a reflex in response to something. You need to find out what. In the mean time, at least ask the internist if he can write a prescription for something that fights nausea and vomiting. I remember when one of my sisters had morning sickness and she had it all day and couldn't stop puking, her doctor gave her something to stop it. Same with people who get stomach flu. They have something for this. But you really need to see a specialist even if taking the medicine helps. treating symptoms won't do much good in the long run.

"I... mentioned this to my GP who didn't seem too concerned".

If you told him about this in as much detail as you've shared here then you need to find a new doctor.

OP here again. I just made an appointment with my GP for this Friday, I'll ask for a referral. I'm not too worried but I'd like to resolve it as soon as possible and find out what's going on with my system.

R25, your post triggered my memory. The last time (before yesterday) this happened, I was eating a fried egg sandwich and yesterday I had half a tin of salmon on toast.

I think my GP wasn't too concerned because when I last saw him it had only happened a couple of times, R27 and resolved fairly quickly. He's usually pretty good about investigating issues and/or sending me to a specialist if need be.

If this is happening at breakfast: Do you have allergies or sinus drainage? Often mucus drains during the night and then sits in the stomach where it really isn't "processed'. Add food and the stomach can't deal with it.

Yes R29 that's entirely possible. I have thought that my morning nausea might be sinus related. I suffer from a bad post nasal drip and have to take Benadryl almost every night. I think the salt in my breakfast may break up some of the phlegm that has accumulated during the night and that might be what causes my nausea.

Maybe it's the bread.

Adding my signature to those who suggest that you ask your PCP/GP to do some blood tests for enzymes - that could indicate if it's pancreatitis.

The most likely guesses have been indicated above - pancreatitis (which can be more likely if you consume moderate to heavy amounts of alcohol), gallstones, or a blockage.

Don't delay talking to your doctor - as it is, those specialists are usually booked months in advance. You'll want to try to solve this in an appointment or two rather than having to deal with a late night ER visit (I say this from experience).

Good luck, gurl.

[quote] The last time (before yesterday) this happened, I was eating a fried egg sandwich and yesterday I had half a tin of salmon on toast.

Those are both relatively fatty items. Could be the bread, but thinking it might really be a gallstone issue.

At the risk of asking an indelicate question, OP, do you ever have moments where you, uh, really REALLY need to poop? Or is it always vomiting?

Yep, bile duct or gall bladder. Maybe pancreatitis. You need a gastroenterologist to do some tests.

It could be anything, OP. I was vomiting on and off for 3 months. I had an ultrasound, an endoscopy, a “smart” pill test. The only thing unusual was the fecal fat, so they diagnosed me with chronic pancreatitis. At the end of the three moths, as I was counting the number of pills I had left before needing to see my dr for refills, I made a discovery. Turns out CVS had put a bunch of Fiorinal in my Soma bottle. Both pills were white, they were exactly the same size & shape and they both had V on them - that was where they differed. The V on the fiorinal had a hook on it. I’d been taking the Soma for years so I never thought the vomiting was coming from my medication. I took Soma every day, but there were some Soma pills in the bottle, so I don’t know how many times I accidentally took Fiorinal thinking it was my regular medication.

I’m very sensitive to certain types of medication, like opioids. No dr ever had to worry about me getting addicted to opioids because they make me puke my guts up. It turns out that one of the ingredients of Fiorinal — I’m gonna guess the Butalbital — was someth8ng I was sensitive to.

I have medical insurance, so I didn’t pay anything for my tesate, but imagine if I was someone without insurance, or with shitty insurance, who had to pay $ for ultrasound, endoscopy, smart pill and lab tests all due to a medication error at CVS.

And there are a bunch of reasons why you might have your vomiting problem - gallbladder, bile duct, intestinal obstruction, gastroparesis, hiatal hernia or it could be somatic. But if you’re on any kind of medication, check the pills, to this day I can’t figure out how this med error happened.

R35 Somebody at the pharmacy may have stolen your Soma and substituted a look alike. It happens.

You have GERD. Stop chewing gum & biting your fingernails & look into Aloe & Amish cures. The pharmaceuticals to treat this will cut decades off your life.

It sounds like you could be possessed. Please speak to your priest as he may be able to help by performing an exorcism. In the meantime, get a St. Benedict medal to ward off evil.

OP stop taking those sinus pills every night. Try coating your nose with Vicks so you can breathe. And in the morning, would it be difficult for you to try hot water with lemon juice before you try to eat anything? I just know after 20 yrs of hot lemon water I feel fine. I wait two hours before I eat breakfast. I work from home most days so I can get away with that.

My cat does the same thing, OP. You have a hairball.

R34 you have obviously never had or seen anyone have an attack of pancreatitis. The abdominal pain comes on very rapidly and is so bad that you can not even walk.

Thanks R39 but hot water and lemon will not do anything toward stopping the constant post nasal drip I suffer with during allergy season. I've tried it all and Benadryl is the only thing that dries me up, at least temporarily.

I have Crohn’s disease and go through periods of the exact same thing at the start of a flare up. Keep a diary and get thee to a doctor and make sure the doctor takes you seriously.

With most if not all of these suggestions the underlying concern is inflammation or an inflammatory process. Some diet choices:

Include plenty of these anti-inflammatory foods in your diet: tomatoes. olive oil. green leafy vegetables, such as spinach, kale, and collards. nuts like almonds and walnuts. fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, tuna, and sardines. fruits such as strawberries, blueberries, cherries, and oranges.

It could be food poisoning, do you live alone OP?

AIDS.

I’m not one of those posters who ask dying strangers to give me your stuff. I’d like to see photos first. Please oblige. You’ll need the photos for estate settlement anyway.

[quote] And in the morning, would it be difficult for you to try hot water with lemon juice before you try to eat anything? I just know after 20 yrs of hot lemon water I feel fine. I wait two hours before I eat breakfast. I work from home most days so I can get away with that.

Wait, what's this about? What is this treating?

See R11 - possibly hiatal hernia, or loose stomach sphincter. Too much stomach acid could be causing problems as well, a good Rx will take care of this.

The other possibility as already mentioned is gallbladder/pancreas. Or bile ducts. You need an endoscopy to check out your stomach and upper duodenum and ducts. An ultrasound will check for gallstones. A HIDA scan will check the ejection % of your gallbladder to see if its working or not; anything below 20% is abnormal and removal is recommended, even if no stones or sludge are present. Insist on this latter test if all else fails.

The heavy projectile vomiting is what catches my attention here.

SOmeone was complaining about upset stomachs due to sinus drainage and mucus curdling in your stomach during the night. I suggested hot lemon water in the morning first thing to help flush out toxins. It works. It's wonderful, I highly recommend it.

Please have your pancreas checked. My father had the same thing and that’s what it was. Long story short, he’s dead now. Not directly from pancreatitis, but that thing was fucked UP and the doctors didn’t discover it until it was too late.

I had the same symptoms 3 years ago and it was a large hiatal hernia. The kind of stomach hernia that must be surgically repaired. 100 percent better.

I'd vote for hiatal hernia too. Propulsive vomiting. Altho do hiatal hernias cause one to feel nauseous?

Hi, R33. It's almost always vomiting, I don't get the urge to suddenly have a BM often. I'll very occasionally have issues with BMs, but not often. It was another poster taking sinus pills, R39, I don't take any meds on a regular basis.

I'm an occasional drinker at best, so I don't know if pancreatitis is likely, but I will mention it to my doctor when I see him Friday. I don't have any significant pain, I'm literally feeling fine, then suddenly whatever I've eaten just comes up quickly and very forcefully. So far, this hasn't caused major issues in my life aside from missing an day or two from work, but I have a dinner invitation this weekend that I feel like passing on just because I don't need to suddenly projectile vomit while I'm out in public! Here in the privacy of my own home is bad enough. I almost wish I had other symptoms, at least that way I'd be able to sense when one of these vomiting spells is about to come on instead of being surprised by it. Like I said before I can usually make it to the bathroom but let's just say I'm grateful I have hardwood floors.

Also depends if you’re an easy vomiter. For me that would be a major sign of something significant. But others just throw up more easily. And having GI cancer genes, I would get to a GI specialist. I’m grateful to live in US with good insurance - can see a variety of GI specialists within a week and get scans and blood tests quickly.

Darling, sudden projectile vomiting in a public place will be the most exciting thing your fellow diners have seen in a long time. It would be a public service! Especially if you then act like nothing out of the ordinary happened.

So the consensus seems to be that you’ll be keeping your stuff, which is nice for you, I suppose. Congratulations?

It sounds like someone put a hex on you. Do you have any enemies who practice witchcraft, santeria, or voodoo? If you do then you have to do a protection and cleansing ritual.

R54 If you don't have an issue with "fecal urgency" I'm more likely to go with the others saying hernia. Obviously your doctor can tell you for sure.

one of your muscles is over reacting. Like there's a short circuit.

A hairball maybe?

Saw my GP on Friday and he agreed that whatever is going on needs to be investigated further so he's referring me to a GI.

I was feeling quite a bit better with no further vomiting episodes until about a couple of hours ago. I had a normal day, ate supper, went for a walk, relaxed, went to bed and got sick again. This time the vomiting didn't come right after or while I was eating though.

I woke up with that distinct, "I'm gonna puke" sensation which passed for a bit. I went to the washroom, had a bm (sorry!) and then the nauseous feeling, along with the hot and cold sensation, came on strong and I ended up emptying myself from both ends. This has never happened before and usually there's no warning.

I've managed to drink a few sips of water and my stomach has settled, though now I have the awful feeling of acid burn in my throat and nasal passage. Ugh. From what I remember, this is also the first time I've been sick like this twice in less than a week. Before this, the vomiting episodes were at least a few weeks to a month apart.

I'm still fairly convinced that this is nothing too serious, but I do want to find out what it is so that it can be stopped.

Dear Diary: Today I ate a whole container of butter-flavored Crisco with a spoon while binge-watching Gilmore Girls. I hate myself.

Where is VOTN when you need him?

R63 Do they still make butter flavored Crisco? Asking for a friend. Also, I vomited with my hiatal hernia until it was repaired. Yes, vomiting due to hiatal hernia is not uncommon. You need upper GI and Barium swallow.

I agree with R65. See? we just saved you $$$$