Concern About Persistent Nausea and Vomiting
Lately, he has been experiencing ongoing feelings of nausea, a lack of hunger, and severe heartburn, which has made him anxious about eating. He recently shared that he vomited a whole donut he had eaten two days prior. Does this indicate that his body is struggling to digest food properly? He’s 16 years old, assigned female at birth, stands at 5'6", and weighs approximately 135 pounds. Should I be worried that he might be unwell?
Answers (1)
7/20/2025, 5:50:33 PM
OpenHealth AI
It sounds like you are genuinely concerned about your friend's well-being due to persistent nausea, vomiting, and heartburn, which can certainly be distressing. These symptoms might signal underlying digestive issues but can also be linked to other conditions. While there’s a possibility that it could be related to something specific like Crohn’s disease or thyroid disorders, many less serious causes are also possible.
Explanation:
Nausea and vomiting can result from various factors, including:
- Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD): This could explain the severe heartburn.
- Gastritis: Inflammation of the stomach lining which can occur after eating certain foods.
- Food intolerance or allergies: Certain foods might cause digestive upset.
- Anxiety and stress: Emotional factors can also play a significant role in gastrointestinal symptoms.
The vomiting of food that was eaten two days prior suggests that something is preventing proper digestion.
Next Steps:
-
Monitor Symptoms: Keep a detailed record of food intake, symptoms, and any patterns (e.g., specific foods that trigger nausea or heartburn).
-
Hydration: Encourage drinking clear fluids to prevent dehydration, especially if vomiting continues. Sips of water or electrolyte solutions can help.
-
Diet Adjustment: Suggest avoiding rich, spicy, or greasy foods that may worsen symptoms at first. Eating smaller, more frequent meals may also help manage nausea and encourage eating.
-
Consider Relaxation Techniques: If anxiety is contributing, practicing deep breathing or mindfulness exercises may help reduce stress, which can alleviate digestive symptoms.
-
Seek Medical Attention if Needed: If symptoms do not improve in a few days, or if there are additional concerns like severe abdominal pain, rapid weight loss, or prolonged vomiting, seeking medical attention would be wise.
Reassure your friend that these symptoms can often be managed effectively, and with the right approach, they can find relief. It’s important to take care of themselves, and there are ways to address these symptoms without feeling overwhelmed. Let me know if you would like more specific strategies or have additional concerns!
Related Questions
Inability to Sneeze: Potential Neural Communication Issues
Hello. I’m seeking assistance to comprehend my situation and explore possible remedies. I’m a 25-year-old male working as a software engineer and currently not taking any medications. For the last two years, I have experienced an inability to sneeze. This issue first arose following two significant incidents involving exposure to neurotoxic substances, which led to a variety of neurological symptoms. 1) **Vitamin B6 Toxicity**: Over a span of 4-6 weeks, I received seven intramuscular injections of a B-complex vitamin, each containing 100mg of Vitamin B6 in the pyridoxine form. Shortly after beginning these injections, my health rapidly declined, and numerous symptoms emerged. Research has identified pyridoxine as potentially neurotoxic, with recent documentaries and studies — particularly from the Australian community — raising awareness about this condition. In response, Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) has taken steps to restrict the sale of B6 supplements and to lower their permissible amounts. For more insight into the seriousness of this issue, you can find several informative short documentaries on the ABC News YouTube channel. 2) **Insecticide Exposure**: While undergoing the B6 treatment, I also encountered a concerning situation where I inhaled toxic insecticide fumes. Not realizing the danger due to nasal congestion from a minor illness, I sprayed a considerable amount of insecticide in my room. It was only after I started coughing that I realized I had been breathing in these harmful fumes. It occurred late at night when I was already feeling unwell, and I opted to go to sleep shortly afterward. Both incidents occurred in September to October of 2021, after which I began to experience an alarming array of around twenty symptoms affecting my sensory, motor, and autonomic nervous systems. I developed severe numbness and tingling in various parts of my body, involuntary muscle movements, ataxia, facial numbness accompanied by a loss of muscle volume in my face due to nerve damage, and symptoms that resembled diabetes such as excessive thirst and fatigue post-meals. Other issues included rapid heart rate, skin lesions, an inability to sweat, extreme muscle weakness, and significant psychological symptoms, including emotional numbness and anhedonia. Virtually every area involving nerves seemed to be impacted. Now, 18 months later, I’ve made considerable progress, with most of the symptoms easing, but I still struggle with the inability to sneeze. Recently, after experiencing a flu, I noticed that my body failed to sneeze about 90% of the time. I feel the urge to sneeze starting deep in my lungs, traveling to the tip of my nose, yet it rarely culminates in an actual sneeze. Instead, I feel pressure released in alternative ways, sometimes sensed as pressure in my head, and occasionally, I experience tears running from my eyes and nose when the sneezing sensation arises, yet no sneeze follows. Despite waiting a year and a half for recovery and seeing improvements in my larger nerves, these specific bodily functions remain unresolved. A recent electromyography (EMG) and nerve conduction study (NCS) conducted two weeks ago returned normal results, which aligned with my awareness of the recovery in my larger nerves and muscles during this period. Through my research, I’ve discovered that the trigeminal and cranial nerves play a crucial role in initiating a sneeze, suggesting the presence of a signaling issue. I would greatly appreciate guidance on this matter.
Lower Lip Abscess in a Young Child
My four-year-old is dealing with a lower lip abscess. What began as a small crater on his lip last Sunday rapidly progressed to a pus-filled lesion by Monday night. By Wednesday evening, we managed to see a pediatrician who admitted him for intravenous antibiotic therapy. Since being hospitalized on Wednesday night, he has been receiving Sulvacil through an IV. A general surgeon evaluated him yesterday but chose not to perform an incision for drainage, stating that managing a lip wound would be quite challenging at his age. Currently, I'm feeling uncertain about the progress of his condition, as the abscess appears to still contain pus. It seems to swell and then reduce in size only to fill up again. Despite this, my child remains lively and has a good appetite, though he does experience discomfort when trying to chew. I’m left wondering if we are observing any tangible improvement, or if it might still be too soon to judge the situation?
Persistent Vomiting and Confounding Endoscopy Findings
I'm struggling to articulate my situation adequately, but I'll share everything and hope not to overlook any details. I'm 16 years old, standing at 5 feet 7 inches tall, and weighing 140 pounds. My blood tests have returned normal results, although I do have slightly low vitamin D levels, and my stool samples have come back clear. My current medication regimen includes 30 mg of Vyvanse, 20 mg of propranolol taken twice daily, 300 mg of gabapentin at night and 150 mg in the morning, and I recently began taking 25 mg of amitriptyline a week ago. Since I was about four or five, I’ve experienced unusual digestive issues, such as diarrhea, stomach cramps, constipation, and acid reflux, with the most alarming symptom being unexplained vomiting. Daily abdominal cramps and constipation are common for me, and surprisingly, these symptoms don’t seem to be influenced by my diet or activities. Around the age of five, I started to vomit inexplicably, particularly during times of excitement like the Super Bowl, birthday celebrations, or, most notably, vacations. When I turned 12, my condition worsened significantly after contracting COVID-19. I started experiencing dry heaves or vomiting almost every morning, which led to frequent school absences, severe migraines concentrated mostly on the left side of my forehead, and worsening stomach troubles. Living in Washington, I consulted numerous specialists at Swedish, including both an allergist and a gastroenterologist. The allergist suspected mast cell disease and prescribed Cromolyn, which unfortunately did not provide any relief. The gastroenterologist suggested that I had an issue related to my "lizard brain" and advised me to “find a hobby.” I also visited a cardiologist due to low blood pressure, where I was diagnosed with neurocardiogenic syncope. Recently, I convinced my general practitioner to refer me to a children’s hospital, where I underwent an endoscopy. To my surprise, the procedure revealed food remnants in my stomach despite having fasted for over 11 hours beforehand. Both the anesthesiologist and gastroenterologist expressed some skepticism regarding my fasting claim. I'm reaching out in search of any recommendations or insights. This ongoing illness has reached a point of frustration for me, and I desperately want to uncover its cause. The gastroenterologist who performed the endoscopy mentioned a possible gut-brain disorder, but this diagnosis is still quite vague. I am preparing for my next consultation and would appreciate any feedback. We have suspect cyclic vomiting syndrome for a while, but now I’m starting to wonder about gastroparesis as well. Honestly, I feel like this situation may have turned me into somewhat of a hypochondriac.
Understanding a Nodular Finding on My Appendix: Seeking Clarity
I'm a 22-year-old female, standing 4'9", with a background of EDS and anxiety. Recently, on January 30, 2026, I visited the emergency department due to kidney discomfort, which turned out to be a kidney stone. While reviewing my CT scan report to recall the size and location of the stone—still lodged and proving quite troublesome—I stumbled upon a mention of a nodular area on my appendix. This detail was not brought up by my doctor during my visit. Although I suspect it may not signal a serious issue, I'm curious if this is something I should discuss further with my primary care physician. Can anyone clarify what a nodular finding on the appendix means? I came across some information suggesting it could indicate a tumor, but I’m aware that online medical searches can often lead to misunderstandings. Any insights would be appreciated!
Dealing with Esophageal Cramping and Heartburn while on Oral Minoxidil
Hello everyone. I’m a 37-year-old male who frequently experiences alopecia areata, particularly during stressful periods at work. Recently, my dermatologist recommended oral minoxidil in 2.5mg capsules to speed up my hair restoration process. Since I began this treatment, I’ve encountered several side effects, including elevated heart rate, dizziness, shortness of breath, heartburn, and esophageal cramps, albeit not all at once. Most of these issues have subsided, but the cramps and intermittent heartburn persist. I find the cramps tend to occur after meals, accompanied by a sensation as if I can feel the food moving through my esophagus; this uncomfortable feeling can linger for hours before fading, only to return with my next meal. The discomfort isn’t severe enough to incapacitate me, but it can be quite bothersome, with some days being better than others. Should I consider halting the medication, or should I wait until my next scheduled appointment to discuss this? I live in a rural area, making it difficult to find sooner availability, as the next appointment isn’t for another month. I appreciate any advice you might have!