Persistent vomiting and nausea
Posted , 4 users are following.
Hello, i am a first time poster.
Since May of 2019 i have experienced fairly consistent nausea and vomiting. i have consulted a doctor and had various tests completed. my liver and kidney functions came back fine, i had a test that looks for ulcers in the stomach (i'm not sure what its called, you take a pill and blow into a balloon) which also came back fine. i have had several blood tests with full blood counts etc, all were fine except for iron (very low, nothing new and have taken a few courses of iron supplements with no side effects) and low b12. my GP had put this down to heavy periods and my vegan diet. i was tested for coeliac disease and IBS, both were fine.
other things to note is - i am on a seizure medication (lamotrigine as a mood stabilizer), amitryptaline and a contraceptive pill. i have been on all of these medications for 5+ years with no side effects or issues.
the nausea and vomiting seems very repetitive, most instances occuring at 3am or 5am. majority of the time its extreme nausea/gagging with often no vomit or sometimes a very small amount. other times it can be one large vomit and lots of gagging.
my doctor unfortunately doesnt know what this could be and im running out of options. cyclic vomiting syndrome has been mentioned, however i dont believe i fit any other symptoms of this disorder.
the nausea is beginning to get worse and has had an impact on my diet, as the nausea often becomes so bad.
i have tried not eating past 8pm to encourage better digestion before bed, i have tried a nausea medication (maxalon)
if anyone has any ideas or possible ways to increase appetite or minimise nausea that would be amazing.
0 likes, 4 replies
vicky60291 emilyml
Posted
Hi , you mentioned taking maxalon this medication unfortunately doest work for everyone , actually it can cause opposite effects .. pepto bizmo is a better option . Before bed drink 1 cup of 100% pure grape juice ,no sugar added , and a great stomach soother . You can also drink a cup of hot ginger tea ,another ole fashion stomach remedy .
vicky60291
Posted
By the way , congrats on your good reports !
carl078 emilyml
Posted
You appear to have a number of things going on, but what strikes me first is low B12. Has it been corrected? This is normally achieved with a series of injections. AND IS URGENT.
Low B12 is poorly understood by doctors, more especially its effect on the digestive tract. The digestive tract is subject to constant wear through friction and must be repaired every day. Without B12 the body cant repair itself. The whole digestive tract becomes inflamed and you can develop all sorts of other problems through malabsorption of other vitamins.
The main food source of B12 is fish, meat, eggs, dairy and fortified breakfast cereals. There are plant sources of B12, but adequate intake on a vegan diet is difficult to achieve. A vegan diet might be contributing to your iron deficiency, as will heavy periods.
Most doctors are taught to look for macrocytic anemia, when diagnosing B12 deficiency, but this is often the last symptom to present. B12 deficiency is easily treated, but is serious if it isn't.
You must go back to your doctor. You might be best advised,, in the long term, to seek the advice of a nutritionalist, if you intend to follow a vegan diet in the future. My advice would be to abandon the vegan diet, if thats conscionable for you. It is often advised that vegans supplement with oral B12, to maintain adequate levels.
Look up B12 deficiency to gain a better understanding.. If you do that you will know more about it than 99% of doctors. You might have to be persistent with your doctor. HE/SHE most likely won't know that a third of all initial presentations of B12 deficiency are gastric, a third are neurological and a third are macrocytic anemia.
ONE REASON I RARELY CONTRIBUTE TO FORUMS IS THAT NO ONE EVER SEEMS TO REPORT ON THEiR OUTCOME, WHICH IS NOT HELPFUL.
emilyml carl078
Posted
thanks for your response carl078.
i currently take supplements for my b12. my low b12 began after the sickness (i get regular blood tests to ensure my levels are good for all nutrients). this is the first time my b12 has been low in my entire vegan life and it only just fell below the normal levels. all the risks surrounding my diet or b12 have been thoroughly explained by my doctor. i have very much done my own research surrounding b12 since receiving my results and have done everything i can to increase that number.
i understand what youre trying to say, however i would rather be sick all the time, get dementia and die from my lack of b12 than what i would eat an animal derivative.
i'd like to thank you for your abrupt response, it has been noted.