Needless to say last night was not my most comfortable night, 4 hours later and 7 or so more times (stomach was empty after the 3rd "wakeup" call). If I sit still I'm fine but my stomach now feels very uncomfortable and even somewhat slightly painful, I'm just assuming its because of constantly throwing up. Now I have never experienced anything like this nor heard of anyone thats has either, so what the heck could of caused this?
Vomiting or involuntarily discharging stomach contents are definitely not a pleasant experience. At times it can mean that something did not settle well with your stomach and it will usually subside on its own. But vomiting can also indicate a more serious condition and the underlying causes were confusing for many discussion participants.
Anyone know what is wrong with me?
I hope this isn't a sign of a neurological problem, has anyone figured out what this is?
Many people experiencing this problem reported it happening during the night without any prior symptoms or change in their diets. It usually occurs a couple of hours after falling asleep, initially feeling nauseous or queasy followed by bouts of vomiting.
Every time it's happened I've gone to bed feeling perfectly ordinary but will wake up and be sick.
Participants have described painful cramps alongside an overall irritated feeling in the stomach.
With vomiting being the main symptom, users have reported other signs that may be present as well, such as:
- heartburn
- headache/migraine
- dizziness
- hot flashes
- cold sweats
- diarrhea
- sore throat
- weakness
- burping
- coughing
- bloating
- sleeplessness
- light-headedness
- vivid dreams
- high body temperature
- dry heaving
Even though many users reported feeling perfectly fine the following day, some described a lingering stomachache and/or cramping. Eating three to four hours before going to sleep (thus allowing enough time for proper digestion), keeping a glass of lukewarm water close by and propping your head while sleeping seems to alleviate the symptoms. This could suggest acid reflux as the culprit.
Some users report keeping food diaries and learning about their food triggers as a way to avoid sudden vomiting in the middle of the night, which could also suggest Celiac disease being the main cause.
What do the experts say?
Vomiting refers to the involuntary expulsion of one's stomach contents. Sudden, repeated attacks (episodes) with severe nausea and vomiting are a characteristic of a gastrointestinal (GI) disorder called Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome or CVS. These episodes can last anywhere from a few hours to several days, and during one, you may vomit several times an hour leaving you to feel very tired and groggy. CVS episodes tend to repeat the same characteristics — starting at the same time of the day (usually early morning hours) and having the same duration and intensity as the previous ones. Between attacks, vomiting is absent and nausea is either absent or significantly reduced.
Initially described in children, Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome can affect people of all ages. Although the causes have yet to be determined, some experts have suggested conditions which may contribute to the disorder such as gastrointestinal problems, hormonal issues. migraine associations and gene mutations. Cyclic Vomiting episode triggers may include:
- emotional stress
- anxiety, or panic attacks, especially in adults
- drinking alcohol
- infections (flu, cold, or chronic sinusitis)
- motion sickness
- temperature extremes of hot or cold
- intense excitement before important events, especially in children
- lack of sleep
- physical exhaustion
- menstrual periods
- eating certain foods, such as chocolate, cheese, and foods with monosodium glutamate (MSG)
- allergies
- periods of not eating (fasting)
CVS is typically diagnosed once other conditions and illnesses have been ruled out using lab tests, upper GI endoscopy, and imaging tests. However, delays in diagnosis seem to be less frequent in children (1,9 years) than in adults (7,9 years). Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome is usually misdiagnosed as gastroenteritis, gastroesophageal reflux, food poisoning, recurrent flu, or eating disorders.
Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome has four stages (prodrome phase, vomiting phase, recovery phase, well phase) and how doctors treat it depends on each stage. Your doctor may:
- prescribe medicines (depending on the phase these may include medicines for nausea, migraines, anxiety, pain or antacids)
- treat health problems that may trigger the disorder
- recommend
- staying away from triggers
- ways to manage triggers
- getting enough sleep and rest
During the well phase, knowing and handling your triggers can help prevent Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome. Learning how to reduce and manage stress and anxiety, avoiding foods or food additives that trigger episodes, treating infections and allergies as well as getting enough sleep and rest is highly recommended.
GER or GERD is another culprit to vomiting and nausea. Gastroesophageal reflux (GER) — tasting food or stomach acid in the back of your mouth which does not improve with medications and lifestyle changes may prompt your doctor to recommend testing you for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Consistent heartburn is the main symptom of GERD. Heartburn is a painful, burning feeling one can experience in the middle of the chest, behind the breastbone, and in the middle of the abdomen. Bad breath, chest or upper abdomen pain, nausea, vomiting, painful swallowing, respiratory problems, teeth erosion are other common GERD symptoms.
GER and GERD occur once a muscle that acts as a valve between your esophagus and stomach (lower esophageal sphincter) becomes weak or relaxes when it is not supposed to, thus causing stomach contents to rise up into the esophagus. Certain things can weaken or relax your esophageal sphincter, like:
- pressure on your abdomen from being overweight, obese or pregnant
- medicines (as those treating asthma, high blood pressure, allergies, painkillers, sedatives, antidepressants)
- smoking or inhaling second-hand smoke
- hiatal hernia
Treating and controlling GER and GERD may be done by introducing lifestyle changes, medicines, surgery or a combination. Losing weight and avoiding spicy foods and alcoholic drinks is a good way to start. Experts also recommend quitting smoking, not eating two to three hours before bedtime, sleeping at a slight angle and/or using over-the-counter or prescription medicines such as antacids, H2 blockers or proton pump inhibitors (PPIs). Your doctor may suggest surgery if your GERD does not improve with lifestyle changes or medicines. However, you are more likely to develop complications from surgery than from medicines.
Discussion highlights
What symptoms did users describe?
- once again, i woke up after about an hour and half of sleep by a horrible burning sensation in my throat and being nauseated.
- I will get nauseated so I will go hang out by the toilet.
- After I've thrown up my body seems to "normalize" and I feel weak but much better.
- followed by a migrane so bad i couldnt even look at the light my cell phone casted.
- I would find myself rolling around unable to sleep, having weird dreams, and just an overall irritated feeling in my stomach.
Other symptoms & signs
- Wake up knowing what is happening after the first few times, once I was able to just lay there and go back to sleep, I throw up for about 30-45 min, clean up refresh (brush teeth, mouthwash sip water etc.) Then sleep.
- He's still vomiting every 20-30min now even though there's not much to vomit anymore.
- About 30min ago he went to the toilet with an extremely bad diarrhea.
- I've been waking up early in the morning (around 3 or 4) every night for the past week, usually by intensly vibrant dreams with lots of color and movement.
- I will start getting very uncomfortable and cold sweating.
Relief for vomiting & prevention
- However, I'm going to suggest something a bit different: Eat the last of your food by 4 or so hours before bedtime.
- Just monitor what you eat and make a diary.
- The doc (acupuncturist) suggested that I stick to simple sugars like sugar cane or fruits instead of cakes, desserts, ice cream etc.
- Also, to avoid large meals before bedtime as the digestive tracts works about 3-4 hours after we fall asleep.
- GO GLUTEN FREE!
Medicines to use
After consulting a doctor or a medical professional users were recommended to use the following
- My doctor put me on anxiety medication.
- They told me i was constipated and needed to take laxatives.
- I started taking multivitamins and vitamin c pills to help me at least get the nutrients my body wasn't getting on its own.
- They ran tests on me and I ended up on antidepressants and acid reflux meds.
- The antidepressants weren't my favorite though so if you can just find someone to talk to I recommend that instead.
In conclusion
Vomiting as a one-time event is normally not a serious condition and it requires no medical attention. However, recurring vomiting followed by nausea and/or other symptoms may lead to serious dehydration, cause other problems or be an underlying cause of more serious diseases such as Esophagitis, Barrett's esophagus, Esophageal Stricture or Mallory-Weiss Tears. Therefore, it is very important to make an appointment with your doctor if you are experiencing recurring vomiting.