Why do I keep vomiting?

[LouLouT]

Hi,

Just over a month ago I was violently sick and my GP thought I had pancreatitis or gall stones. All tests came back normal. I increased my omeprazole tablets and even though I haven't been able to eat as much as I used to I have been feeling better. I had 4 straight days of less endo pain and less fatigue!!! I was on a high until yesterday afternoon when the pain returned with a vengeance.

I took my normal painkillers and had an early night but I woke up around midnight and was violently sick until around 4am. I was also bringing up a small amount of blood which worried me.

I saw the doctor today but they don't know what's making me unwell. I haven't got any signs of infection and I've been told to wait and see how I feel over the next 24hrs.

I'm just wondering if anyone else has experienced something similar and it turned out to be endo related. It seems to coincide with the end of my period which I find suspicious....

xx

[poppy75]

What painkillers are you on? If NSAIDs (ibuprofen, mefanamic, naproxen etc) it could be stomach lining damage or stomach ulcers from the painkillers. The omeprazole should help but if the damage is already done then stomach pain and vomiting (particularly with blood or 'coffee grain' type darkness) are the symptoms. Did you have a camera down your throat to look inside the stomach during investigations? Xx

[LouLouT in reply to poppy75]

Hi, thanks for responding. I take Naproxen and co-codamol and the omeprazole to help protect my stomach. I haven't had a camera down my throat, I had an ultrasound to rule out gallstones. I was thinking it could be a stomach ulcer, if it keeps happening I'll ask for a camera down my throat. Thank you!

X

[poppy75 in reply to LouLouT]

Yeah I take nurofen plus (as it's fast acting) and then codeine 30mg. I've done this for 15 years but only one and a half weeks each month. In the past year I've been on cerazette which has stopped my most severe, blacking out level pain but it's still at a level where I'm debilitated and more often. So due to that I've been taking ibuprofen more regularly. I then started with pains like a bad piercing stitch but in different areas of my stomach and constant reflux which makes me have an awful raspy cough. I haven't had the camera yet but the gp thinks NSAIDs stomach lining damage. I was on omeprazole and now ranitidine which has helped my symptoms more but it's a horrid catch 22 as even tramadol doesn't help my endo pain as much as NSAIDs, each time I eventually give in and take them the stomach issues flare up even tho im now on max dose Ranitidine. My thinking is as I always have had 3 weeks a month where I didn't take any NSAIDs the minor stomach lining damage they no doubt did had time to heal, whereas recently it's been more constant and proper damage done. It seems like with me once the stomach lining has been badly aggravated it will happen each time I take NSAIDs regardless of omeprazole or ranitidine. If it is possible for you I would try to stick with non-NSAIDs painkillers, but I know how difficult that can be. I'm starting gabapentin (nerve blocker) soon to see if that has any effect on my endo pain. So yeah, I'd definitely get that investigated. My friend's best mate has stomach ulcers and has vomited blood a few times. I know she is told to go to a&e immediately whenever it happens so if that does happen again do go straight there and tell them you're on NSAIDs. Xx

[LouLouT in reply to poppy75]

It's so difficult to find a balance. I used to be on 30mg of codeine but have managed to decrease the dose to 8mg codeine with 500mg paracetamol. I couldn't drive when taking 30mg codeine because it made me so spaced out so my GP agreed to a plan to bring the doseage down slowly. Since having the coil fitted and it finally settling in after 6 months it's massively helped my pain aswell. I still get severe pain but i don't get it as frequently as I used. And another plus is I don't really have periods anymore, I still get some pain, but I barely bleed at all!

I've spoken to my endo specialist about pain relief but she thinks Naproxen is the best painkiller to be on right now. I'll ask about alternatives that aren't NSAID'S at my next appointment. If I bring up blood again I'll go straight to A&E. I've managed not to be sick since but I keep feeling like I'm going to be. Hopefully things will settle down on their own. Trying to stay positive 🙂 and not blame myself for being ill again.

Thanks for all your advice 😊

Xx

[poppy75 in reply to LouLouT]

It's tough. I've spent the past few months trying to avoid NSAIDs to allow my stomach to heal but pain memory is a weird thing - I think of course I'll stick to codeine, paracetamol and tramadol...then it hits and im crawling up the walls with pain and have to take anti inflammatory painkillers. I'm not sure what the answer is - endo is inflammatory so obviously NSAIDs help the most but then they can cause stomach ulcers 🙄 And yeah I hear you re codeine - I am just zonked and only capable of staring blankly at the telly when I take them. It at least helps me sleep through the pain but it's no life . Whereas NSAIDs don't cause the drowsiness but have damaged my stomach. Infuriating. When you've found something that helps its hard to let go of that! Good to hear the coil is working well at least and yes do go to a&e if you vomit blood again. Xx