posted
Hi everyone...I have been experiencing bouts of nausea today so bad that I can barely swallow. I am on the TPN so I will not dehydrate or become malnourished which is a relief, but I still would like a break from this unrelenting nausea.
I wonder if I am more nauseous because I am eating very, very little food. My best friend was anorexic when we were teens and she said when she would eat very little food she would become nauseous from an empty stomach. I am also having more loose stools and I think thats a consequence of my body trying to adjust to the TPN. Ugh..does anyone have any suggestions for some symptom relief? It is miserable and I would like to feel even marginally better. Thanks. Jess.
Posts: 870 | From ct | Registered: Nov 2012
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posted
I haven't tried that, that's a good idea. Yeah its just so hard to eat when you have less than no desire for food and you are so nauseous and crampy and UGH....Well, thank the universe for the TPN though because at least it is providing weight stabilization. I just want relief from feeling like I have food poisoning/the worst stomach flu ever 24/7. Thanks. Jess.
Posts: 870 | From ct | Registered: Nov 2012
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posted
The grated ginger helps me. Grate about 1 tablespoon in a cup of hot water. If you tolerate that, go up to 2 tbsp.
-------------------- --Lymetutu-- Opinions, not medical advice! Posts: 96222 | From Texas | Registered: Feb 2001
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glm1111
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 16556
posted
Ginger that tutu suggests is good. I was also wondering if you are drinking enough water? Can you eat soup? Getting fluids into your tummy by mouth will help balance your electrolytes.
When I had no appetite, I would try and stimulate my appetite by visualizing different foods and it really worked. It can stimulate your senses.
Feel for you Jess.
Gael
-------------------- PARASITES/WORMS ARE NOW RECOGNIZED AS THE NUMBER 1 CO-INFECTION IN LYME DISEASE BY ILADS* Posts: 6418 | From philadelphia pa | Registered: Jul 2008
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lululymemom
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 26405
posted
When i first became symptomatic I had such extreme nausea i lost 30 lbs.. I had nausea everday for 2 months. The only way i could eat anything was to take gravol and i did everyday for 2 months. Eventually I was given domperidone and that helped alot.. I know theres been some controversy about the use of that drug but you may want to inquire about it.
Bartonella henselae 1:100 Posts: 2027 | From British Columbia | Registered: Jun 2010
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sammy
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 13952
posted
Jess, there are many different formulas for TPN. You may need a consult with nutrition to get a specialized recommendation for you.
I know that diarrhea can be greatly reduced to near normal BM's when working closely with nutritionist (at least in my hospital experience, I imagine the same can happen outpatient too).
The nausea might also be a sign that your body needs more calories, carbs or protein? That would be another good question for the nutritionist. I know that they could again adjust your type of TPN, rate, and dose to find what makes you feel GOOD and continue to gain weight at a proper rate.
Call your doc after the holidays and ask for a referral. Hopefully they will be able to work your case in quickly based on need.
You are brave and strong and beautiful. You are going to get better and overcome this!
Hugs my friend Posts: 5237 | From here | Registered: Nov 2007
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Razzle
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 30398
posted
What foods are you trying to eat? Could these be upsetting your system? If you are trying to eat small amounts of foods that are aggravating your gastroparesis, then it makes sense the nausea is bad...
For me, the nausea from having an empty stomach was nowhere near as bad as nausea from gastroparesis being upset by something I'd eaten. High fat content or fried foods, high fiber foods, leafy greens, raw fruits & veggies, etc., are what would bother my stomach.
Things that tend to settle my stomach include potatoes (especially oven french fries with salt on them), breakfast cereal (crispex, rice chex, etc.) eaten dry out of the box as a snack, saltine crackers, toast dipped in herbal tea (ginger is good, as is mint medley), etc.
And before the anti-yeast posts start appearing, I acknowledge that these "stomach soothers" (and the high sugar stuff posted below) *might* (but are not guaranteed to) promote yeast if a person has an existing yeast issue.
However, I have never had a yeast issue while on abx and eating these foods, and I just had another test showing (again) that markers in my blood for yeast are at normal levels and not elevated (elevated would indicate possible candida overgrowth).
Ok, back to the question at hand...
Another contributor to nausea for me while on TPN was if the infusion rate was too high. I figured this out when I had to get IV meds given via IV push, which is an injection through the PICC given very quickly compared to the infusion rate of the TPN...I actually became overcome with nausea and dizziness when this IV push med was given, and it had to do with the contrast in osmolarity or osmolality (can't remember which) between the IV medicine and my blood. But basically it triggered a histamine release and that triggered really severe nausea for me.
Some other tips I find helpful for dealing with nausea:
Don't think about food if it nauseates you to do so.
Sipping ginger tea is a nice thing to do, but if you can't handle it, don't do it.
Remember, your focus is on getting your body stabilized nutritionally. You aren't there yet because you're still vomiting. This tells me your stomach has not had enough of a break from food, and/or you have some infectious issue causing the nausea, and/or you have been eating something that is bothering your stomach for some reason, and/or there is something else going on ("stomach flu," etc.).
So anything you can do to stop or decrease the nausea is good.
Do not worry about being on Lyme or Candida diets right now - this is counterproductive to getting you nutritionally stabilized.
I ate ginger candy and chewed a lot of chewing gum (loaded with sugar) once I began to be able to swallow anything again. This helped with nausea and helped me be able to tolerate more foods eventually. But I ate a LOT of ginger candy & chewed a lot of gum (Glee gum, made with real sugar)!!! Boxes and boxes!!! But it was the only thing I could handle eating without feeling sicker.
Something about the sugar helped me enormously.
After a couple months of doing all this sugar, I started to be able to tolerate other things finally.
Ok, other things that may help include homeopathy:
Homeopathic Bryonia - For "morning sickness"...i.e., feel like you will vomit if try to sit up first thing in the morning. Have the remedy by your bed and take it while still lying down, then wait about 5 minutes before trying to sit up...
Homeopathic Nux V. - For general nausea, diarrhea, indigestion, etc. Nausea is worse from thinking about or smelling food. Can be taken in conjunction with other nausea homeopathy remedies.
Homeopathic Ipecac. (NOT the drug store syrup!!!) - For severe nausea (i.e., feel like will be sick very, very soon!), with or without dizziness/light-headedness. Nausea is worse thinking about or smelling food.
Homeopathic Pulsatilla - For nausea associated with hormone fluctuations (e.g., during monthly cycle). The Pulsatilla patient has symptoms which are very changeable, much like Lyme!
Another thing to consider is that your infections themselves may be causing your increased nausea.
Are you able to do anything for detox beyond the fluids you are getting?
Are you maybe getting to little or too much fluids? Either can cause more nausea...
And yes, the TPN may need an adjustment to help with the diarrhea. I never had diarrhea on TPN, but my colon was stuck in "s-l-o-w mode" until more recently...
I hope this helps. At least discuss this with your doctors when you get a chance...they need to be aware of your symptoms and what is going on for you, more so now that you are on the TPN, because sometimes something subtle can signal something significant...
Edited to add:
Oh yeah, and I just remembered that the lipids in the TPN also caused me to have pretty bad nausea...and so I had to stop getting them as frequently to help cut down on the nausea from the lipids. I think I was actually allergic to something in the lipids, and they were unable to figure out what (I think it is the soy oil, but I'm not sure).
And in my experience, nausea from hunger isn't anywhere close to as much an issue while getting calories and nutrition via IV than when going without eating if there is no IV nutrition support.
-------------------- -Razzle Lyme IgM IGeneX Pos. 18+++, 23-25+, 30++, 31+, 34++, 39 IND, 83-93 IND; IgG IGeneX Neg. 30+, 39 IND; Mayo/CDC Pos. IgM 23+, 39+; IgG Mayo/CDC Neg. band 41+; Bart. (clinical dx; Fry Labs neg. for all coinfections), sx >30 yrs. Posts: 4166 | From WA | Registered: Feb 2011
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dbpei
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 33574
posted
Jess, I wonder if kefir might help with the diarrhea by replenishing the good bacteria as well as helping to coat the lining of your stomach. I make my own, but there are some very good flavored ones you can buy. I know they have some cane juice in them, but you don't need to worry about that now.
The other thought I had was digestive enzymes to take right before your small meals. They help to digest the food you eat and make us have less gastro symptoms.
You are a trooper. Hang in there.
Posts: 2386 | From New England | Registered: Aug 2011
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posted
Hi everyone..thank you all so very much for the responses...Razzle-once again yr post is amazing, thank you...This is just so frustrating cuz I am vomiting and having the loose stools and I just feel so nauseous and crampy all the time. I will call my llmd on wed when he is back from vacation to see if he can arrange an appt with a nutritionist.
I just cant eat..I went out with my best friend today and I ate one bite of an omelet and had to run to the restroom..its just terrible. I am grateful for the TPN cuz it is keeping me alive but these GI symptoms upset me so much and make me feel so sick. I just wanna feel human again, ya know?
Sammy, thank you so much for yr kind words. I don't feel brave or strong or beautiful, but it is so lovely to think of someone seeing me that way, so thank you.
I appreciate all of the help from everyone. It is good to know I am not alone with this at least. I just REALLLY wanna feel better soon. Thanks. Jess.
Posts: 870 | From ct | Registered: Nov 2012
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posted
Are you taking sachramycies boulardi probiotic? Any other probiotics?
I've heard it is good for diarrhea.
-------------------- Son, 26, Dx Lyme 4/10, Babs 8/10 Had serious arthritis, all gone. Currently on Valtrex Daughter, 26,bullseye 7/11 arthritis in knees, cured and off all meds. . Self:Lyme, bart, sxs gone, no longer treating. Posts: 496 | From Washington, DC | Registered: Jul 2010
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