stomach virus -- icky topic, sorry

Twilight · December 12, 2007

There is some nastyness going around here and I'm wondering. (and yes I do have a call into my team to see what they say)

I know we are supposed to avoid vomiting. I know the damage it can cause. What do you do if you get this stomach bug. I was very nauseas last night. I heaved a couple of times (sorry... TMI I know) but never actually vomited. I had a saltine cracker to try to settle my stomach and it helped a little.

Today I am very sore but not in pain. I hope I didn't cause any damage. Any suggestions from others' docs. Had I been severely ill I would have gone to emergency to stop the vomiting, but after a couple false starts I went to bed and today I feel better. I just want to be prepared in the future and know when to really start worrying.

What have you all been told?

Steph

sewenup1 · December 12, 2007

There is some nastyness going around here and I'm wondering. (and yes I do have a call into my team to see what they say)
I know we are supposed to avoid vomiting. I know the damage it can cause. What do you do if you get this stomach bug. I was very nauseas last night. I heaved a couple of times (sorry... TMI I know) but never actually vomited. I had a saltine cracker to try to settle my stomach and it helped a little.

Today I am very sore but not in pain. I hope I didn't cause any damage. Any suggestions from others' docs. Had I been severely ill I would have gone to emergency to stop the vomiting, but after a couple false starts I went to bed and today I feel better. I just want to be prepared in the future and know when to really start worrying.

What have you all been told?

Steph

Steph,

You probably haven't done any harm, but I would ring and speak to your Dr just to be sure - at least that way he will be able to reassure you if nothing else.

Danna

Fanny Adams · December 13, 2007

My doctor gave me 2 types of anti-nausea medicine to take home. One is Metoclopramide, which is for general nausea, to be taken up to 4 times a day if necessary. The other is Ondansetron, which is a wafer to be put under the tongue in "emergencies" only. He was very insistant that I don't let myself get to the point of heaving, and apparently the latter stops the urge instantly. I haven't needed to take either yet (4 days post-op) but I'm hanging onto them for possible future problems.

You might want to talk to your doctor or chemist about anti-nausea medicines. Better to have them on hand and stop the heaves before they begin, than to let it get to the stage of needing a trip to the ER.

Twilight · December 13, 2007

Thanks Fanny,

I am going to talk to my pcp if I don't get a satisfactory answer from my surgeon's PA. I wasn't quite satisfied with what the nurse told me yesterday.

I do NOT want to damage my band and I will do what I need to do. I'm sure my pcp will give me something if I need it.

Nice to know what I'm talking about though so thanks for the info.

Steph

Twilight · December 13, 2007

Just an update --

I talked to my surgeon's nurse yesterday and she said it was not a problem to vomit. I didn't think she knew what she was talking about because that isn't what everything else I've been told or read said. She was hemmin and haahing so it didn't seem like she was using a voice of authority. She claimed that's what the PA told her, but I'm thinking I was fed a like there.

So I called my coordinator and she told me to see my pcp and have the prescribe compozine suppositories (forgive the spelling but that's what it sounded like). I told her what the nurse said and that she said she was going from the PA's word and that I was a bit disconcerted that I was being given conflicting info and didn't know what to do. I made it very apparent that everyone should get on the same page and that I WAS NOT happy.

So....don't puke! Do what ever you have to to get something just in case. That was the coordinator's main point. Like she said, it will be Christmas morning and you will need something. No one to get a script from, nowhere to fill it. I'll take her word and have my doc prescribe something for me.

Thanks for all your help guys. I hope you learned something from all of this. I did.

Steph

meghan1983 · December 13, 2007

I threw up twice the day of my surgery when I got home. It hurt like hell, but when I told my doctor he didn't seem overly concerned about it. I was freaking out, he just wanted to make sure that I could swallow Water with no problem... Don't know if that's helpful.. but that was my experience.

Meghan

~Sheila~ · December 13, 2007

My Dr has given me like a years supply of suppositories, in case anyone around me gets sick or if I get sick. For anti nausea. He said to just keep them on hand, in the fridge.

Maybe ask your dr for something like that? I know suppositories are the last thing anyone wants, but it might help.