Constant nausea, unless I don't eat. What's wrong with me?

Posted , 7 users are following.

I've been dealing with this issue for quite a few years, I am 18 years old and I believe started going through this pain since I was about 13. I've just recently seen a doctor (all he did about it was give me Zofran) because this is one of those hair-pulling problems I've been dealing with for too long. I tried to connect the dots, and since I was 11 I've had horrible panic attacks and anxiety. I was wondering maybe if that was the reason, or if it could be something else. Zofran helps to extent, when I want to eat I just pop one in my mouth 15 minutes after, once I feel the nausea twirling up. I would really just love the relief of eating and not feeling like s**t for 6 hours after one meal. Any help or advice would be awesome.

1 like, 10 replies

10 Replies

  • Posted

    Sounds like a lot of this might be emotional and I would go and get a second opinion and see a mental health doctor because I do believe a lot of this is anxiety and a family doctor usually isn't as good at that as a mental health doctor it wouldn't hurt just to get a second opinion and they may have better medications also my daughter was very anxious when we move to our new house when she was like 6 or 7 years old and had to start school she would break out in terrible hives and they put her on Atarax and she took that for a long long long long time she is now grown up and has seven children of her own but that's what it took she had to see a mental health doctor

    • Posted

      That's awesome!! It warms my heart and gives me hope to see posts like these. I'm happy for her. Thank you for your response smile

  • Posted

    I had several days where I was pacing back and forth, couldn't sit down, and was just in a really bad way with constant anxiety/panic. I noticed that I had nearly constant nausea. This made me even worse by thinking something was wrong with me. My digestive system basically shut down as well, as I had no appetite, and was constipated. If I didn't eat until the hunger pangs stopped, i didn't feel as nauseous. Once I was able to bring the anxiety down, over a day or so, the nausea lifted, and my appetite came back.

    A constantly high level of anxiety can definitely cause nausea. Have you ever noticed it go away during periods where you weren't extremely stressed. Or maybe, as soon as you wake up in the morning?

    Also. I know you're young, but have you ever asked a doc for an anti-anxiety med? Something like Xanax or ativan? This would be a way to test if it gets better when your anxiety lessens. 

    • Posted

      That's basically my situation. I've tried so many times in the past but my parents would never take me or do anything to help me, but now that I am an adult and got my own insurance this time I was telling myself I need to just do something now that I have the opportunity to. It's enlightening to know I'm not alone, thank you for your response smile

    • Posted

      Be very careful with ativan or any of the anxiety drugs because they are very addicting talk it over with your doctor first to see if there is something that is not as addicting. Xanax is also very addicting just go in and discuss the different options before using high addicting meds at your age
    • Posted

      I'm completely aware of that, I've thought long and hard about that as I've been hesitant about it and think if it really comes down to me having horrible anxiety take it. My boyfriend has a past with abusing Xanax, and I've been addicted to other pills in the past and I'm sick of that life. I've been clean for awhile and just wanna get my life on track and use whatever is best for me. I'm also going to let my doctor know about those things, there's no such thing as too many questions and information haha. Thank you for your concern and reply!!

  • Posted

    Hello Destiny, this is Bori. Have you considered a naturalist or homeopathic practitioners ? You might have better results. Consider it !
  • Posted

    Yes, please,

    try psychological counselling first as you know yourself best and have the best experience with your symptoms, from how when where.

    Anxiety is never helpful especially if horrible panic attacks.

    As Mirtazapine binds on the same receptors like ondansetrone (anti-nausea zofran),

    but with some other impacts (anti-depressant), too,

    this can be tried at evening (as it makes sleepy).

    Many report a very positive effect with this.

    Medication trials are frustrating and long, if they don't work, but they are diagnostic, too.

    I have to say though,

    as I am a very advocating mum for my daughter who is sick to the core and loves her school and all started with physical exercise and intraabdominal more pressure,

    that we were put into the psychological draw straight away (school absenteeism and such BS) 

    once appendicitis, cysts were ruled out as if docs were not listening to symptoms and refusing to help the massive pain, that omitted sleep, the oh so important sleep. Meditation, music, distraction, forget it, it didn't do a thing.

    She has

    severe physical compressions of veins, arteries, duodenum and most likely the coeliac plexus nerves (can't be seen in imaging, but compressed artery in area and symptoms give clues).

    We are HAPPY with these findings

    as the constant

    'it's in your head, just enjoy life and see a psychologist and psychiatrist, surely some stress just manifesting in vomiting, nausea and very localised severe pain, that is not IBS like, but surely just a manifestation of ongoing symptoms as a worry' ... a pain that was there from the start and is plain micro ischemia,

    were very unhelpful.

    There are especially after eating,

    physical disorders causing nausea

    called MALS/Dunbar and/or (mild) SMAS/Wilkie (severe Wilkie is obvious and you don't have that),

    which are constantly ending up

    in the psychological draw first spending also 1000sUSD on naturopathic tests and supplements (we have been there, plus acupuncture, one tries a lot of course).

    'Gastroparesis' is another, but is like fever, a symptom without naming the cause. Sometimes post viral, sometimes as plain as missing digestive enzymes, sometimes yet due to SMAS, food unable to make it out of stomach in time.

    They (MALS, SMAS) can be easily ruled out with ultrasound (if they know what they are doing) and special MRA (exhaling vs inhaling) as no psychological counselling will ever make them go away

    and weight gain (! talking 10kg/20pounds) the first thing to try to help conservatively with visceral fat pad.

    I find huge power in knowledge,

    it will never cause anxiety in us

    as some docs believe, if you look for something, this caused anxiety in patient and hence would be sick.

    There might be those people too, it did not apply for us at all, in contrary, being dismissed and forgotten of rare existing diseases, was the worst. 

    The 'one shoe fits all' approach is simply not working for everyone.

    Docs yet do not see this still.

    If you even know to suffer anxiety, I think that is a good first line to address and looks promising.

    If not, please don't forget my few possibilities, that docs commonly forget. We are currently at least 2000 patients in one forum only, all having the same story of dismissal and ignorance in the medical world.

    Hopefully psychological counselling, maybe a good antidepressant, meditation (some form of relaxation),

    food diary,

    food triggers, maybe digestive enzymes and probiotics,

    maybe relaxing Japanese acupuncture, a tea that you enjoy,

    will do the trick for you and has no real physical issue (that is not killing one! don't be scared, it's just hard to live with and can be cured) underlying.

    I just don't want to forget to mention also real physical possibilities in the overwhelming 'anxiety' or 'IBS' explanation world, that I am sick of hearing as it delayed our diagnosis and help sooo terribly much.

    Best of luck,

    all will be good!

     

  • Posted

    I would try distraction techniques such as a hobby or light exercise such as walking or swimming to calm your anxiety.  This is a much better alternative to taking strong medications which can be toxic.
  • Posted

    I would suggest one thing that might help, if you are not already doing it,try it for 3 days and see if it helps. Immediately after each meal start walking and I mean faster than normal walking, you can walk inside your home and if there is not much space you can walk in circle. Walk for 5 to 15 mins if possible. Your symptoms are either of Anxiety or Gastroparesis.

Report or request deletion

Thanks for your help!

We want the community to be a useful resource for our users but it is important to remember that the community are not moderated or reviewed by doctors and so you should not rely on opinions or advice given by other users in respect of any healthcare matters. Always speak to your doctor before acting and in cases of emergency seek appropriate medical assistance immediately. Use of the community is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and steps will be taken to remove posts identified as being in breach of those terms.