Anyone can experience occasional vomiting, which is usually caused by a temporary gastrointestinal illness. In some cases, however, vomiting occurs on a frequent basis, and something else may be causing it. For example, pregnancy is among the most common causes of frequent vomiting. Migraines and certain medications may cause it as well. While many causes of vomiting can be fairly innocent, a person may do well to contact a doctor to rule out underlying conditions, as it can also be a symptom of a more serious medical problem.
One of the most common causes of frequent vomiting is pregnancy. Many women develop morning sickness, which causes them to feel nauseated and vomit, in the early months of pregnancy. Morning sickness may be caused by changes in hormone levels during pregnancy as well as pregnancy-induced sensitivity to smells. In most cases, it isn’t harmful to a pregnant woman’s health, though it is unpleasant. If a pregnant woman vomits so much that she is unable to retain nutrients to support her health and her developing baby, however, she may need medical intervention.
In some cases, migraines are at fault when a person has frequent vomiting. A migraine is a severe type of headache that develops when enlarged blood vessels stimulate chemicals in the brain to wrap around the brain’s arteries. When these chemicals wrap around the arteries, they typically cause inflammation and pain. In addition to the often-debilitating pain a person may experience during a bout with a migraine headache, he may also experience nausea and frequent vomiting; some people may have diarrhea as well. If a person has frequent migraines, he may also experience frequent vomiting.
Medications are another common cause of frequent vomiting. In some cases, vomiting is a frequent side effect of a medication, and patients who take it are advised against taking it on an empty stomach. In other cases, however, a person may develop vomiting because of a medication that does not have vomiting as a typical side effect. If the person has to take the medication on a regular basis, he may experience frequent vomiting.
When a person experiences frequent vomiting, he may do well to contact his doctor for advice. A doctor may want to examine him and rule out serious conditions that may have vomiting as a symptom. If the patient is being deprived of essential nutrients, a doctor may need to intervene as well. At the very least, a doctor may be able to offer recommendations for ways to reduce vomiting frequency.
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Oceana
Post 5 |
I had frequent nausea without the vomiting for about a month before discovering what was wrong. I would have these waves of extreme nausea wash over me, and I would be sure I was about to vomit, but it wouldn't happen.
I had also been urinating a lot more frequently than usual. After several weeks of this, I awoke with lower back pain. Suddenly, I vomited.
I went to my doctor, and he told me that I had a urinary tract infection. It had spread to my kidneys, so that was why I had lower back pain and vomiting.
Antibiotics made it go away. If I ever feel like this again, I won't wait so long to see a doctor. Those weeks of miserable nausea could have been avoided. |
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StarJo
Post 4 |
@anamur – That sounds about like what happened to me when I got rotavirus. I was only nine years old, and it was a violent illness.
I started out vomiting, but I also got diarrhea. I was having to throw up and use the toilet every few minutes. My parents knew that I would quickly become dehydrated like this, so they took me to the hospital.
While waiting in the emergency room, I kept having to run to the bathroom and vomit. When I did get a room, I had to keep puking into a bedpan until they could get me some medication.
I received a shot of something to stop the vomiting. If I hadn't gone to the hospital, I probably would have died in a few days. |
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simrin
Post 3 |
My five week old daughter is vomiting a lot, basically after every feeding. The doctor said that I shouldn't worry, that it will probably resolve itself, but I'm not so sure. Is frequent infant vomiting really normal?
I am breastfeeding, and I've started to think that my daughter might have a food intolerance. I'm not sure which foods she might be sensitive to though. Should I try to cut out some foods from my diet and see how she reacts?
I know infants might spit out some milk during and immediately after feedings. But my daughter vomits consistently after each feeding and seems relieved to have done so. I don't think that's normal, right? |
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fify
Post 2 |
@anamur-- Poor you!
I had frequent vomiting for like two years, but because of a completely different reason than you. I had stomach bugs! I used to get acidity, heartburn, nausea and vomiting every single day! The vomiting wasn't extreme as you had it when you got poisoned. It was more like the food not wanting to stay in my stomach.
I used over-the-counter anti-acids and nausea medications for years until my new doctor had me tested for stomach bacteria. I tested positive for a bacteria called helicobacter pylori! It explained all of the symptoms I had been getting for the past several years.
I took large doses of antibiotics for about a month to kill the bacteria. My vomiting completely disappeared as soon as my treatment was over. |
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anamur
Post 1 |
The only time I had frequent vomiting was when I got food poisoning while traveling overseas. I ate some chicken for dinner at a small restaurant in Egypt. I didn't have any symptoms for several hours, it all started after I went to bed. I woke up with horrible nausea and started to vomit. The vomiting didn't stop until the next day and I was hospitalized in the morning. I had vomited so much that I was vomiting stomach bile in the morning.
They drew some blood from me for testing and found out that it was a food-borne illness. I was poisoned from the chicken that had gone bad. The doctor said that even if the restaurant was hygienic, foods like chicken can spoil really fast in hot weather.
I was given IV fluids along with antibiotics and medication for the nausea. I also had to rest in bed for several days to gather my energy again. I was actually lucky because some people have nausea and diarrhea when they get food poisoning and dehydration becomes inevitable. I only had vomiting, if I had gotten both symptoms, I don't know what would have happened. |
