Vomiting on sitting up

[Mumptie]

Husband now nearly 5 months in hospital after Covid having been 5 weeks sedated. Now on a general ward. Has damaged kidneys but managing without dialysis. Needs to move to intensive physio but is struggling to sit up for long as is constantly vomiting. Physios say he has to work through it but it is very difficult. Anyone else had similar or has suggestions of how to manage?

[LeopardGecko]

My husband was in hospital for 5 and a half months - the final 3 weeks in a rehab centre. My husband said he was sick a lot in hospital. He said there were times early on when sitting up he felt very dizzy and disorientated and this made him feel sick. He said the movement from lying down to sitting up with the physios felt really quick and this made him feel sick.

No real suggestions I'm afraid. Maybe the physios could try slowing down a little to see if that helps your husband.

[ROMM53]

Almost identical situation with my husband, right down to the timeframe. He’s also vomiting ++ off and on, and sometimes finds engaging with physio really difficult because of it.

My husband is on thrice daily anti sickness meds, which are hit / miss to be honest with controlling vomiting. I think it’s cyclizine and /or ondansetron.

his Drs/ nurses /physios are all in agreement though, that as his physical movement increases, his gastrointestinal system will “wake up” and the dyspepsia/ vomiting /constipation/ nausea /diarrhoea etc are to be expected in a long-ventilated ITU patient. (I wondered if Covid had affected his GI tract).

The dieticians are involved. I think chewing ++ is meant to help, and he’s been told to drink lots of water. Flat ginger ale helps a bit, ritz crackers & soup seem to be the mainstay.

It’s really tough to see how much weight he’s lost and how wretched the nausea makes him.

Does your husband have a NG tube in still or is he eating normally now? Maybe if he had his antiemetic 60 mins before his meals it would then help with his physio ?

[Mumptie in reply to ROMM53]

Not had NG tube for 6 weeks. Seems to be due to the length of time in bed.

[Sepsur]

I can’t give you any handy hints I’m afraid, the first few days awake were horrid - felt paralytic drunk if I had to sit or be upright - did vomit too - eventually my blood pressure stabilised and I got my land legs again.