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Vagus nerve causing constant nausea?
44yr old male. I’m dealing with my second bout of 24/7 nausea. To clarify, it’s severe nausea and diarrhea…no vomiting. First lasted 10 days (5/7 - 5/16) and this second one is on Day 5 (6/6 - present). Between the two bouts I’ve made 4 trips to the ER. They just give me fluids, say all my bloodwork is normal and send me home. I was prescribed Flagyl during one of those trips and had a severe reaction to it where it made me have shingle-type pain and depression. Was referred to a Gastroenterologist and had a colonoscopy and EGD. Everything looked ok except for a little Gastritis, Esophagitis and Diverticulosis on May 17, 2023. All the doctors I’ve seen here in the northwest corner of Alabama tell me I’ll be fine and send me home. My Gastro doc says he’ll refer me to wherever I think I need to go because he says it’s not making sense to him either. My mom sees a Neurologist at UAB Medical in B’ham, AL due to having Myasthenia Gravis. I’m looking at trying to get a referral to him. Why? I think maybe there is the possibility of having damage to my vagus nerve…or something pressing on the vagus nerve. Do you think this is a possibility or can you offer a better suggestion of what is going on with me? I’m at a loss and I can’t go to work and enjoy time with my family. *Side note: At night I can sedate myself with phenergan and zzzquil and sleep most of the night (6 hours) not nauseated, however, I wake up extremely nauseated and “fuzzy” headed. I also can’t lay down during the day because the nausea is too great. Sitting up is bad but not as bad as lying down and standing up is bad but not as bad as sitting straight up. Only meds I take daily are Valsartan 320mg, Tadalifil 5mg and Nexium. Please help me figure this out. I know there are people out there with far greater issues and I pray for them and hope they get answers too, but if anyone has an answer to my issue…I’m listening. Thank you very much!
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@hus. It’s certainly worth a try by changing your diet. Would you let me know how it works for you?
I will. I’m on day 9 of taking Nexium twice a day and eating very bland foods. Each day has been better than the previous.
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1 ReactionHus I am sorry to hear you have been suffering but have you considered a naturopathic doctor, which is thinking outside the box of traditional healthcare? You can most likely find one at UAB in Alternative Medicine or search on web. As a retired healthcare professional (RN) I doubt it’s your vagus nerve causing your GI problem. You stated you had an adverse reaction to Flagyl and the following is from WebMD.
Common side effects may include: depression, trouble sleeping, feeling irritable; headache, dizziness, weakness; nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, stomach pain; diarrhea, constipation; unpleasant metallic taste;
rash, itching; vaginal itching or discharge, pain during sex;
mouth sores.
Although for most folks these symptoms subside after a few days to weeks you may be an outlier. Good luck
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2 ReactionsHave you tried adding stretches and exercise like flow yoga? Those things probably help reset and relax the vagus nerve. It’s worth a try and should cause no harm. Also, if possible, see if one of your medications is responsible for the issue as a side effect.
I have close to the same issue. I get nauseated a lot, also get diarrhea, heart palpitations, and lightheadedness. I have a bone spur in my neck from a lot of grand mal seizures (fell with each one). I have found diaphram breathing helps. I also take Phenergan when it gets really bad. I hate the feeling and creates a panic attack. I thought it was related to my gut, but I have been reading about the vagus nerve and it explains a lot. I have been listening to binaural beats, which is a certain frequency that helps with parts of the body. I usually listen to 528 hz. Also, look up Vagus Nerve exercises on YouTube.
I get nausea often or queasiness. Don't throw-up but feel real bad. I carry Zofran (ondansetron) with me now all the time and it seems to stop the nausea pretty well. I take it maybe a couple times a month. It does cause constipation if you take too much. All my digestive issue started in April 2021 after I got my covid shots. I got very sick, throwing up and remained queasy for 3-4 weeks straight. I've been to 4 or 5 different G/I docs since then really no good advice. But I'm able to get the zofran prescribed when I run out. I've had some episodes where I feel like I am blacking out - triggered after eating. I have had some comments indicating possible problem with the vagus nerve, but haven't found anyone that wants to dig into it.
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4 ReactionsI get constant nausea, usually when I have to have a bm. Everything shows up fine, I had a colonoscopy and an upperscope done. I think it is my vagus nerve. I stopped taking Phenergan cuz it makes me so sleepy; I have ondansetron now. I listen to binaural beats and isochronic tones that help as well. There are YouTube videos that have Vagus Nerve exercises.
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1 ReactionIt does not hurt to do the vagus nerve exercises. Google them. Try IBGard from Amazon. Get one pack and see if it helps. It also helps with diarrhea. After you tried that and didn't work, Cut dairy, wheat and sugar and see if this helps. There is a med called Baclofen. It is used for muscle spasms. Ask your doctor. When I took it, caused one of my eyes go dark, so they stopped it. You might not have that side effect. If your doc prescribed it, ask him if you can start with half dose of 10 mg, and go up to 10 mg. Elderly have more side effects. Good Luck. Hope you feel better soon.