Nausea at night

[RedTeddy]

Hi all, besides my ongoing stomach pain (7 months now) I have suffered alot with nausea. It was really bad a few months ago but got a bit better on it's own, it got down to every other day in short bursts and was manageable.

It's now back but starts just before I go to bed and if I wake up to pee in the night and don't feel nauseous I do by the time I've got back into bed. I also wake up suddenly at night sometimes like I'm going to be sick. I don't know if it's stomach acid causing this, I usually manage to sit up before I feel anything in my throat. I was told I had GERD a few months ago and had to take Omeprazole for a few months but I'm not on it now, the only thing I take is Gaviscon Advanced before bed as instructed by my GP. I've heard peppermint tea can help with nausea but I'm worried it might increase my acid reflux.

So far I haven't been officially diagnosed with IBS but have seen a private Gastro Consultant who sent me for a sigmoidoscopy, which came back clear. I have also had a pelvic ultrasound which was normal. I've done the FODMAP diet, but no intolerances were identified. As I get alot of pain in my pelvis I'm due to have a laparoscopy (to check for Endo) joint with a cystoscopy. I should be having these done in the next few weeks, maybe my nausea is due to extra worry about the procedures..? But why at night, I'm having pain all the time so it's on my mind all the time. I'm so peeved off just now I feel like I'm on a merry-go-round of pain, I just want to get the hell off! A pain free life is like a dream just now, I can't remember my life now without pain and it makes me feel so sad, I mean is this how it's going to be..? I know I'm not alone on here which I why it's so great to talk to people who understand and swap advice - so any help with nausea please!

[Andann]

Sounds like Gerd to me . J often get that with stomach gas between 2 and 4 am. Have to sit up, walk around. Sometimes gaviscon works sometimes I suck a peppermint, peppermint tea is pleasant but doesn't seem to work. I keep away from onions, leeks and garlic and anything fatty, eat at least 3/4 hours before bed. I used to be on many of the equivalents of omeprazole but after many years it wasn't doing anything but caused polyps in my stomach. They say to have lots of pillows....but one slides down in the night. You'd have to sleep upright really to avoid this. Oh and I have a hiatus hernia which is the main cause of this problem. Do you know if you have this?

[RedTeddy in reply to Andann]

Hi Andann, I tried sleeping on 3 pillows last night but it was killing my back - you can't win. I ended up throwing one of them on the floor. I'm not aware that I have a hiatus hernia, sometimes I feel like the pain is moving up into my chest, does that ring any bells with your symptoms?

[edwangy]

I thinks I could of wriiten part of this! I don't have reflux but have constant lower abdominal pain most days. I get the odd day when it's not so bad but most of the time it's unbearable. I've been to A&E 3 times, had blood tests, stomach x-ray, urine tests, but still nothing after 2 months like this, I'm having a colonoscopy next week hoping they'll find the cause. I really know how you feel, I think of being pain free is like a dream, and wonder sometimes where this will all end, it really get's me down. Let's hope they find what's going on with us. Good luck with your tests.

[RedTeddy in reply to edwangy]

Thanks Edwangy, I think we can all relate. It's the endless pain isn't it, everyday, and the constant worrying as it seems so difficult to get answers. I wish I'd of had a colonoscopy (can't believe I'm saying that) I had a sigmoidoscopy, similar but only the colon and first bit of the bowel. I should really have pushed the Gastro consultant for a colonoscopy, but in his opinion he didn't think it was required.... let's hope he was right.

I had an email last night at 10pm from my Gyno consultant saying he had booked me in theatre on the 13th October my laparoscopy and cystoscopy, another 5 weeks of pain and worrying but still I'm grateful to be having it even though I'm paying to go private as there's no way I could wait a year on NHS. Good luck with your colonoscopy and like you say let's hope we get some answers so we can get our lives back!

[Hobima]

It sounds like GERD / IBS . I have a lot of these symptoms, I’ve had camera “up” and “down” with no real results - just told it was dyspepsia. I’ve been on Colpermin, buscopan and esomeprazole. I don’t like taking this kind of medication long term so I looked for natural alternatives. I now take probiotics , turmeric capsules and the juice of half a lemon in a glass of water first thing in the morning on an empty stomach. The lemon juice really helps with the bloating and I’ve read that if you introduce the acid then it stops the stomach producing too much of its own . The thing I had most success with that kept me pain , bloating and nausea free was a gluten free , vegan diet . Trouble is that is really hard to maintain in the long term. I believe a lot of it is to do with balancing hormones - if you are being checked for endo this could also be a part of it. My 21 yr old daughter has endo and hormone problems which also come with a side helping of IBS ! She was told they usually come as a package.

I hope you get some answers soon .

[RedTeddy in reply to Hobima]

Hi Hobima, that's a package I don't want! I had the camera down about 3 years ago way before my recent problems and they didn't find anything. To be honest I would like it doing again but I feel afraid of asking my Gastro consultant for fear of being branded a hypochondriac. I'll wait until I have my laparoscopy and cystoscopy next month and see what comes of that. If they are all clear then I'll have to go back to Gastro. I just bought some Colpermin this week but haven't tried them yet as I'm worried the peppermint oil will increase my acid reflux. I've tried Buscopan before but it didn't seem to do anything. I used to drink lemon and honey but stopped, maybe I should give it a go again. I tried the FODMAP diet with no obvious intolerances but I am trying to stay gluten and lactose free where I can just in case it may help. I feel for your daughter suffering with all this at only 21. I'm glad you've found a routine that helps you, hopefully I'll figure something out too.

[farmergiles]

Try a couple of teaspoons of cider vinegar in a glass of water before going to bed.

[RedTeddy in reply to farmergiles]

Hi farmergiles, that's interesting... presume it works for you. I'm worried about acid reflux but to be honest it's either that or nausea, so it's a case of take your pick and which one I can tolerate most.

[Andann]

Another antidote that may or may not help with nausea is fairly strong ginger tea, made with fresh ginger. Or some medication from your doctor. I once had an experience when travelling (and presumably a bit anxious) and after 2-3 days of almost constant nausea I went for a walk in a beautiful garden and at the end of it ginger tea was served and the nausea disappeared within a few minutes. I'd say probably a combination of the 2 experiences. Sometimes yoga and abdominal breathing can help too.

[RedTeddy in reply to Andann]

Thanks Andann, I'm not keen on the taste of ginger. But to be honest it's nothing compared to the nausea so I'll definately give it a go. I do already do breathing exercises but I probably need to do more before bedtime which I will try tonight.

[Andann]

Well good luck. Something has to work.