C. diff, SIBO and chronic nausea

very very sorry for your difficulties.

I have been in a number of support groups for difficult illnesses.

First of all...there is always hope. Many people have even been close to death with mysterious problems.

The most difficult illnesses to understand and solve, tend to surrender to time. Time is on our side.

We do more and more research, we learn new things, we try new things. We develop new coping skills, we get symptom reduction.

So, there is always hope, never forget that.

As far as nausea goes. First of all, everything happens for a reason. So, there is a cause. It does not come from nowhere. And, as far as psychological causes? That is really just spin... it is almost always a physical cause. True psychological problems causing major medical issues? Extremely rare.

You try and get in there and eliminate anything possible.

You said your period used to cause nausea. So, the endocrine system seems a likely cause. So, I would certainly go through testing from an endocrinologist.

Simple causes? Lack of hydration can do all sorts of things. And very very few folks truly hydrate optimally. Really have to get those 8 glasses of water every single day....every single day.

You can go through all the basics.

Getting enough sleep? Very very few folks do that. Whatever the medical problem, getting those 8 hours of sleep every single night? Can only help.

Check for allergies generally. And food allergies specifically.

Get assessed for acid reflux. Also, sleep apnea. Bad sleep at night can be a great strain on the immune system.

Don't think of a cure as some kind of one shot that fixes everything. Might be 20 different things that each, slowly improve your health, until the problem starts to fade away.

And, with those 20 different things, you might barely notice if any of them, individually, have any effect.

You can get in there and assess things. You take a diary for a few months, listing every single thing eaten, every single symptom you have.

And then, as you incorporate a change, you can watch the diary entries to see if the level of problem reduces.

Sometimes it can take a few months to even notice a slight change. But, over time...if you are scrupulous, you will notice the changes.

If your gastro guy hasn't found the problem...definitely get a second opinion. Find a better gastro guy, find the best gastro guy in the country. Not all doctors are equal. The very best in a field is a whole another level of understanding.

Best US Hospitals for Gastroenterology & GI Surgery

(from US News)
https://health.usnews.com/best-hospitals/rankings/gastroenterology-and-gi-surgery
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wish I had more for you, that is all I have for now. If I think of something that someone in the support groups mentioned, I will let you know...

Hello, I suffered from nausea without vomiting for 4 years after colon surgery. I was also diagnosed with gastroparesis. So, 2 years ago GI doctor prescribed Nortriptyline 25MG. I take it at bedtime and it has given me great relief. I gladly gave up the glass of wine that I usually had with dinner as you can't drink with this medicine. I feel so much better now and hope this helps you.

I don’t throw up and I’m constipated unless I take Miralax daily. I’ve lost at least 30 lbs in less than a year and I’m hungry ALL THE TIME. CONTINUOUSLY, throughout the night 24/7. I eat often because if I don’t I just get sicker because I’m so hungry. I’ve had no surgeries. This sickness just happened one day about a year ago and hasn’t gone away. I go to a G I doctor who has referred me to any and every doctor he can think of and no one has been able to diagnose it. Hopefully, I’ll get to come to Mayo and they can figure it out. Have you been to Mayo for help with your nausea? I take only the meds I have to take. 3 meds total. One of those is for acid reflux. Please tell me you think Mayo can help me. I would love to have my life back. Yes is the answer to your questions. I keep a very detailed journal. Thank you!!

That medication didn’t help my nausea. I’ve taken most every nausea medicine available and even Zofran doesn’t work.

Does the Compazine help your nausea?

Was Mayo not able to help you? The thought of living with this nausea and constant hunger is just too overwhelming.

Does your nausea limit your ability to enjoy life? It is unthinkable that this nausea will never go away!!!

@jananeedsmayo9

What has helped me is the RELIEF BAND. I buy it on Amazon and get the one with replaceable batteries instead of rechargeable. There is now cheaper versions that probably work just as well.

Other things that help is put cold cloths on your wrist .. another place to put a cold cloth is the back of the neck. You can also tap one of your wrist with your fingers.

You can also try smaller meals that are more easily digestible. You can look up lists of easily digestible foods on internet. Sweets and greasy foods can trigger nausea.

A big help would be to keep a journal. Notate what happens before the nausea hit. Did you eat? What did you eat? Did you take medicine? Which one? Were you taking a hot shower or out in the heat? Or maybe the cold? Were there other symptoms? What were they? Belly cramps? Bowel movement? Diarrhea? Headache? Backache? Other pain? Any other questions to answer should be written down and then talked over with your doctor/s.

I hope you find relief.

ZeeGee

For the nausea, dizziness, motion sickness feeling I had on and almost off for a year I was prescribed Zofran (Ondansetron), while in de hospital they added Benadryl, but these didn’t completely help.
My acupuncturist gave me Agastache Tummy Formula. It stopped the motion sickness symptoms immediately. The following day I didn’t take it and about mid afternoon I started being quiet again. Then I took it again, once again the symptoms stopped right away. From then I took it every day twice a day for about three weeks. Then I realized I felt almost normal with a little bit of IBS related pain here and there but almost imperceptible. After the 3rd week I reduced it to one a day for a week, then I stopped completely. If I feel nauseous now I just take half of a tea spoon or less, and it helps me immediately. Stopping the motion sickness symptoms has helped me to be more comfortable and go back to more activities and and an exponential improvement of my health. My acupuncturist and taking care of my emotional health with the help of my therapist have helped me tremendously. I can now say I am healthy, I am comfortable, I am happy, I am human again.

Thank you so much for hope and the information ❤️🙏🏻