Coping With Persistent Fibromyalgia Nausea
We all have experienced it — that sick feeling right in the pit of your stomach, the dreaded nausea that often accompanies fibromyalgia. It may last a day, a week or even months. It can be sporadic, or for some, a daily occurrence that is yet another culprit threatening their quality of life.
While pain is something fibro sufferers seem to find the strength to push through, persistent nausea and its accompanying symptoms can become so intense we become afraid to venture beyond the walls of our homes.
Most often, nausea is not a lone symptom. It is accompanied by other symptoms that magnify its intensity and duration such as:
- Dizziness
- Vomiting
- Sweating
- Chills
- Feeling faint
- Heart palpitations
- Difficulty breathing
Nausea, especially accompanied by vomiting, can be strange, as its onset may simply be our body’s way of removing certain toxins or reminding us of food sensitivities. However, persistent nausea can be debilitating.
Between 40 and 70 percent of fibromyalgia sufferers experience symptoms of both chronic nausea and vomiting. Some days may be as mild as gagging while brushing your teeth, or as intense as vomiting at the whiff of food cooking in the kitchen. It's no wonder fibromyalgia nausea is sometimes compared to morning sickness; it can strike without warning anytime of the day or night.
What Causes Fibromyalgia Nausea?
Almost anything can trigger nausea for fibromyalgia sufferers. The many factors that trigger pain can also trigger nausea, as well as dizziness and the other symptoms mentioned. Fibromyalgia encompasses various conditions that can cause nausea themselves:
- Migraines – Studies show that more than 50 percent of people with fibromyalgia suffer from chronic headaches and migraines. Migraines can last for days and will most likely produce nausea, dizziness and vomiting because of constriction of nerves in the back of the head.
- Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) – Fibro sufferers who also suffer IBS experience cycles of diarrhea, cramping and constipation, all of which can trigger nausea and its associated symptoms.
- Disequilibrium – When your inner ear fails to balance your body through appropriate equilibrium, you will suffer nausea, dizziness and become lightheaded.
- Neurally mediated hypotension – This condition occurs after suddenly standing up after lying down or sitting down for an extended period. As you get up, your blood pressure drops suddenly, causing extreme dizziness, sweating, heart palpitations and nausea.
- Weak eye muscles – Have you ever felt nauseated while reading or while turning your head to view traffic while driving? This is yet another condition caused by fibromyalgia.
Diet
Diet plays a significant role for fibromyalgia sufferers. No two people are alike, but there are certain triggers common to most everyone. Things such as sugar, caffeine, dairy products, processed foods, preservatives and gluten can exasperate symptoms. If you are experiencing nausea, dizziness and or vomiting, avoid these as much as possible.
Stay hydrated and keep crackers on hand. Some form of ginger, such as crystallized ginger or even ginger ale, can help settle your stomach and reduce the nausea. Avoid citric fruits, juices and acidic foods.
Environment
If you are dealing with dizziness as well as nausea, try to minimize light, as well as avoiding florescent lights, bright lights and loud noises.
For most fibromyalgia sufferers, various symptoms have a way of robbing you of your sleep. Should you experience nausea, headache and other pains at bed time, it is so important to create an environment conducive to sleep. Even small nuisances like the light from a cable box or cell phone can hinder sleep.
During daylight hours, avoid smells that are offensive, strong, and that can trigger nausea. Much like a pregnant woman dealing with morning sickness, a fibromyalgia sufferer can be extra sensitive to smells, sounds and even certain motion. Be aware of your environment and do not subject yourself to unnecessary triggers.
Supplements
Research has shown that a common root cause for many illnesses and conditions has to do with “leaky gut." When the digestive system is out of sorts, the whole body suffers. Toxins build up, causing inflammation, malabsorption of vitamins, and a host of other issues.
A personal discovery for me was a liquid digestive supplement consisting primarily of magnesium and potassium. After a long stretch of pain and fatigue to the point of full adrenal fatigue, I began a daily regimen of a supplement found at my local health store that was blended for digestive health.
Within a week, my pain level was greatly reduced, nausea and headaches subsided and my energy began to return.
Magnesium’s benefit is substantial. Many use it through Epsom salt baths for pain and inflammation, but taking it orally in liquid form brought amazing results with all of my symptoms.
Stress
If the stress in your life causes your stomach to stay in knots, then nausea, dizziness and all the other accompanying symptoms will latch on and never let go. Find a way to let them go by taking necessary steps to reduce stress.
At the end of the day, or even in the middle of a flare-up during the day, take five minutes to write down everything going through your mind, whether it is productive thoughts and ideas, or thoughts of worry and stress.
Then, clear your mind of all of it. You will be surprised to find some of the pain has slipped away — the queasiness, nausea, dizziness and confusion have lifted!
Whether you choose traditional methods of reducing nausea and dizziness, pain and fatigue associated with fibromyalgia, or if you lean more towards the non-traditional methods that have been mentioned, make sure you keep the communication open with your doctor, your family, your employer and finally yourself.
Journal your thoughts, keep track of flare ups and triggers and listen to your own body. Your body tells you when something is wrong.
Nausea, just like the pain fibromyalgia sufferers deal with, is another indicator within the body to let you know when something is amiss. Do not ignore it and do not buy the lie that you simply have to deal with it.