Have you tried sleeping on an incline with your head 10 or so inches higher than the lower portion of your body? There are wedges out there for that. Just pillows won't work.

I'm thinking that you probably have esophageal reflux that is made worse by laying flat all night. If you have even a small hiatal hernia (weakened area in the valve between the esophagus and the stomach) that allows stomach fluids/acids to travel back up into the esophagus (reflux), causing acid burn and nausea.

Anyway, I hope this information is helpful. If you haven't done the wedge/sleep thing, it might really help. I will also do some research to see if I can find any more info.

http://www.medhelp.org/HealthTopics/Nausea.html

http://www.medhelp.org/forums/mentalhealth/messages/30401.html

http://www.medhelp.org/forums/gastro/archive/1340.html

http://www.medhelp.org/forums/gastro/messages/36292.html

http://www.medhelp.org/forums/gastro/messages/30160.html

http://www.health911.com/remedies/rem_motion.htm


Edited by BarbaraTaylor on August 14 2005 at 6:26 PM

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BarbaraTaylor, ARNP, CAP

My suggestions are not intended to replace consultation with your physician.

Please click the green accept button if you find this answer helpful. A bonus and positive ratings are always appreciated.

Here is the general protocol for assessing and treating chronic nausea. It can commonly happen after mono believe it or not.

Was all of this done for you?

1. Initial evaluation
   • History
   • Symptom duration, frequency, and severity
   • Characteristics of vomiting episodes
   • Associated symptoms
2. Physical examination
   • Test for weight loss and dehydration
   • Vital signs/blood pressure
   • Abdominal examination, including checking for distention, visible peristalsis, abdominal or inguinal hernias, areas of tenderness, examination of epigastrium
   • Extremities examination, including finger nails
   • Inspection of teeth
   • Neurologic examination, including assessment of orthostatic hemodynamic changes, examination of cranial nerves, fundoscopic examination, and observation of gait
   • Evaluation for anxiety or depression
3. Blood tests
   • Complete blood count
   • Erythrocyte sedimentation rate
   • Electrolyte and standard chemistry profiles
   • Pregnancy test
   • Serum level of thyroid-stimulating hormone
   • Serum drug levels testing for toxicity in patients taking digoxin, theophylline, or salicylates
4. Diagnostic evaluation
   • Abdominal x-ray
   • Upper gastrointestinal (GI) barium study
   • Upper gastrointestinal and small bowel follow-through (SBFT)
   • Enteroclysis
   • Abdominal computed tomography (CT) with oral and intravenous contrast
   • Ultrasonography
   • Gastric emptying scintigraphy
   • Esophagogastroduodenoscopy
   • Electrogastrography (EGG)
   • Antroduodenal manometry
5. Evaluation for central disorders
   • Magnetic resonance imaging for intracranial lesions
6. Evaluation for psychogenic causes
   • Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory instrument

[Note: Testing should be guided by the results of patient history and physical examination.]

Management/Treatment

1. Assessment of fluid and electrolyte status
2. Fluid replacement
3. Dietary modification, including consumption of frequent small meals, reduction of the fat content of meals, avoidance of indigestible or partially digestible material, and elimination of carbonated beverages
4. Antiemetic agents, such as phenothiazines, antihistamines, anticholinergics, dopamine antagonists, serotonin antagonists, butyrophenones, cannabinoids, other substituted benzamides, steroids, and benzodiazepines (see Table 5 of the technical report for a list of agents)
5. Prokinetic agents, such as cholinergic agonists, dopamine antagonists, and erythromycin

Edited by nursehope on August 14 2005 at 7:13 PM

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