Feeling nausea that comes and goes, lasting for a week or more is apparently a common problem for both men and women who participated in this discussion. The member who started the discussion is a female who had this recurring problem for a week but couldn't find any cause. She wondered if stress and lack of sleep could be causing nausea. She also asked:
Could this be a pregnancy symptom?
Nausea is one of the hallmark symptoms of pregnancy, especially the one experienced in the morning. Several other female participants joined the discussion wondering the same, although many of them claimed that pregnancy is completely out of the question. Others didn't believe that they were pregnant because they had had no other symptoms of pregnancy except for nausea. Also, many reported that nausea didn't occur only in the morning.
I feel nauseous mostly in the mornings but also off and on throughout the day.
This "on and off" behavior has been reported by the majority who participated in this discussion. Nausea would diminish or disappear for a day or two and the next day, it would start all over again.
Other complaints have been reported too, including vomiting, headache, gas, and belching. Some experienced stomach sickness after smelling particular things (food, garbage, etc.), while others felt sick even after just thinking about something unpleasant.
One participant said that lots of things can cause nausea. He/she also named a couple of them, including:
- Pregnancy, but usually you would have missed your period before nausea starts.
- Stress, especially if you have muscle tension in your neck, which can cause the headaches as well.
- Sinus congestion and drainage - The congestion will cause the headache, the drainage causes nausea.
- Vision problems, which certainly can cause a headache that, if it's bad enough, can cause nausea.
- Poor Diet and/or too much caffeine or a lack of, if you are experiencing withdrawals.
- Constipation will also cause nausea, headache, generally feeling bad off and on, some times hot sweats.
One participant reported being diagnosed with a stomach virus that caused dehydration. Other suspected that it may be the same thing causing nausea.
I'm really wondering what it is as I didn't think the stomach flu lasted this long.
The member who reported having a stomach virus reported feeling better after being prescribed with anti-nausea pills and after following a diet that included broth and probiotics. However, he/she felt better for only 2 days.
In all of the online research, I read something about sugar-free gum being a possible cause of nausea.
This participant added that he/she had been chewing sugar-free gum all the time because to prevent dry mouth from another medicine he was taking. He stopped chewing any gum and that apparently helped.
I think it's acid reflux too but I take Prilosec and I still feel nauseated.
Acid reflux can indeed cause nausea. However, if Prilosec (omeprazole) that belongs to the class of drugs known as proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) used to treat certain stomach and esophagus problems, didn't help, something other than acid reflux could be probably causing nausea.
Anxiety and depression were also mentioned as possible causes of nausea, accompanied by "milky taste in mouth" and loss of appetite.
Only one participant in the discussion got the definite diagnosis for his/her nausea and it was a kidney infection.
What do experts say?
Nausea is an unsettled feeling in the stomach that may be accompanied by the sensation as if you are going to throw up. It can range from mild stomach upset to severe discomfort, often accompanied by clammy skin and grumbling or churning stomach, where vomiting seems as though it could happen at any moment.
Nausea is not a condition but is rather a symptom of something else that’s happening within the body. Common causes of nausea include sensitivity to motion, certain foods or medications, food poisoning, drinking too much alcohol, stress, chemotherapy, and pregnancy (morning sickness).
Nausea is often a symptom of many medical conditions and diseases, mostly related to the digestive system. These include:
- Heartburn or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
- Gastroenteritis
- Peptic ulcer
- Gastroparesis, a condition in which nerves or muscles in the stomach that cause slow stomach emptying or digestion
- Dyspepsia, discomfort in the upper stomach that is not related to an ulcer
- Gallstones
- Migraine headache
- Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)
- Intestinal obstruction
Certain disorders of the central nervous system such as intracranial hemorrhage or infections may be associated with nausea, especially if they're accompanied by symptoms such as confusion, dizziness, or changes in memory.
Sometimes no physical reason can be found for nausea and we then call it idiopathic nausea which is usually chronic in nature.
When to call a doctor?
Nausea is common and not typically an emergency. However, you should call your doctor right away in the case any of the following occurs, with or without nausea:
- Vomiting for longer than 24 hours
- Blood in the vomit
- Severe abdominal pain
- Heart attack symptoms, including crushing chest pain, an intense headache, jaw pain, sweating, or pain in your left arm
- Severe headache and stiff neck
- Difficulty breathing
- Confusion
- Dizziness
- Signs of dehydration, such as dry mouth, infrequent urination or dark urine
- Black or tarry stools
- Blood in stool
- High fever
Diagnosis and treatment of nausea
Treatment of nausea will depend largely on the underlying cause. This is why getting an accurate diagnosis is important. Your health care provider will take your medical history, ask about your symptoms and perform a physical exam. The provider may also order additional tests, including blood and urine tests. Women may also have a pregnancy test.
Treatment of nausea may include plenty of fluids and a clear liquid diet or the BRAT diet (bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast). More severe nausea may require treatment with medications that may include:
- Anti-nausea medication, such as scopolamine
- Dramamine (dimenhydrinate), a motion sickness medicine
- Stomach-acid reducers, such as omeprazole
- Pain relievers for migraine, etc.
If nausea causes vomiting, especially if it's severe, you may need extra fluids through an IV (intravenous).
Natural remedies for nausea include ginger and peppermint tea.
Discussion highlights
What symptoms have been reported?
- I had continuous nausea for 2 weeks.
- I've been feeling nauseas on and off for the past week, then during the weekend I felt ok or I didn't notice it.
- Its Monday now and these nauseas feelings are coming back.
- I would get headaches along with them sometimes too, I'm not sure if it's related.
- I too have been having these symptoms for the past week.
Was there any diagnosis?
- Doctor said I had a stomach virus and was dehydrated - fast for 3 days, drink only broth take probiotic's and prescribed anti nausea pills.
- Hello, Before I start this I have had a cholosectomy in 2009 not for gallstones but pre prevention surgery due to within a year a double in size polyp- very weak sensitive stomach when it comes to smells tastes and I have had in the past am endoscopy and colonoscopy before 2009 only to be considered in the no mans land of IBS DIAGNOSED .I am currently 28 years old Okay so last Friday 11-22-2013 I woke up with sever cramping in my abdominal and pelvic area, the pain subsided and Immediately replace with nausea, I had my menstral cycle so I know I'm not pregnant.
- They told me it was viral and that it would take 6 days to leave my system the longest now I follow up with my PC that agreed with the ER it was viral.
- I just got out of the er with a kidney infection.
- I went to an urgent care place and they said since I had pain when pressing on the stomach and I was so weak from throwing up everything for a week they sent me to the er where they hooked me up to some fluids and after a urine test they said it was and infection in my kidney.
Verification Claims & Medical Studies
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I think it's acid reflux too but I take Prilosec and I still feel nauseated
https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a693050.html
In conclusion
Having nausea that comes or goes or is chronic is a reason to schedule an appointment with a physician in order to get the right diagnosis and treatment.