What helps with nausea? (nothing to do with motion sickness)

[justplaingoofy]

My husband had surgery on his knee yesterday and he is sooooo sick from the anesthesia. I know that the pain meds should be given with food, our problem is, is that he is nauseaus.!!!alot

His MD gave him a prescription for Compazine 10mg, and today I called the MD back because it wasn't working for him. He gave him Zofran 4mg every 6 hrs. and he is still very sick!!!!

He is never one to complain, but he is so incredibly miserable. All I know to do is to have him lay down perfectly still and try to work on his breathing. we've also tried Gingerale and ginger snaps all day. The problem is that he can't eat much, so he isn't taking his pain meds for fear of even more stomach issues.

Can anyone suggest anything?? please??

 

[MeanLaureen]

Looks like you are doing a lot of the things I do. Mostly breathing really deep - in through the mouth and out the nose. Also try flat coke. Stir as much carbonation out of it as possible.

 

[ForTheLoveofDisney]

I'm really very sorry for what your DH is going through. I also just recently had surgery and was nauseas and even vomiting after the surgery.

My doctor had to prescribe Phenegran for me. It is a suppository but it works for when you can't keep anything down. It definately made me feel 100% better. I don't know if Phenegran is only if you're throwing up but he prescribed it for me before the surgery so that I would have it on hand afterwards and I had to use it twice.

Perhaps this could help?

Good luck.

 

[alliecats]

I know Zofran is supposedly the new hot-stuff anti-nausea drug, but I have to agree Phenergan is the way to go. I had a bad stomach virus in December and Zofran didn't even take the edge off. DH had one last week and Phenergan helped him so much. I think Phenergan is probably one of mankind's greatest inventions. Plus it makes you so sleepy that he won't really realize if he is nauseated! Good luck, there is nothing worse than that.

 

[Barb D]

Another vote for Phenergan. I used it after my surgery last summer, and I also use it when I'm having a bad migraine with nausea. It works, and fairly quickly.

 

[justplaingoofy]

I appreciate all these votes for phenergan, but I can't call the md to get another rx until tomorrow. Anyone know of anything else that helps?

Thank you for the poster about stirring out the bubbles in the soda. i just did that and he is just looking at it...willing himself to drink it!

Ohhh this is my 1,000 post!

 

[lovedvc]

You can also buy coke syrup in the pharmacy. It will coat the lining of his stomach. If you can't find it I would try like another poster said take the carbonation out of soda, but I would try Pepsi instead of coke, it's thicker and smoother.

Good Luck I hope he feels better soon.

 

[Nancy]

Can't offer any more advice but I also get really sick after being put under. If he ever has to have surgery again make sure he mentions that fact so they can do something about it before hand. They give me some drug that really dries me out big time, I hate the cotton mouth feeling but it does help keep the quesy stomach at bay. I still get nauseous but I no longer throw up for hours afterwards.

 

[justplaingoofy]

Can't offer any more advice but I also get really sick after being put under. If he ever has to have surgery again make sure he mentions that fact so they can do something about it before hand. They give me some drug that really dries me out big time, I hate the cotton mouth feeling but it does help keep the quesy stomach at bay. I still get nauseous but I no longer throw up for hours afterwards.

Believe it or not, we spoke at length with the anesthiesologist about this. Because last Jan. he had his other knee done and had the same problems. They used less meds this time. They primarily used a local on his knee. (he wanted to stay awake to watch it) but they said they wanted to put some meds (Versed) into his IV to relax him. He was in and out for his surgery. After surgery they mixed up a combo of 3 drugs that they put into his iv line for the nausea and it obviously wore off last night. Last surgery this lasted for 3 days!

Sorry to sound like such a downer I feel so bad for him because he never complains!

 

[Buckalew11]

Phenegran.

Personally, I think they should write a script for it when you have any surgery because so often and so many people get so very sick after surgery. At least you'd have the scrip if you needed it (which you do right now!!)

My DH has hand 2 surgeries on his elbow and was very naseated and sick after both. Phenegran saved him!! Thank God his best friend is a doctor.

 

[alliecats]

Ahhh, sorry. Hopefully tomorrow he won't need it anymore. I get nauseated a lot from sinus issues. If I don't have any meds, it sometimes helps to suck on old-timey lemon drops. Candy, yellow drops with the slightly sugared coating (not Lemonheads). You can get them at any drug store or grocery store.

Poor thing, that is miserable

 

[eclectics]

If he could keep a few Saltines down, I find those to be helpful. They soak up the excess acid in the stomach.

 

[indigoxtreme]

Ginger is good as well. Ginger ale over crushed ice. They also make ginger suckers for women with morning sickness. Hot tea with lots of sugar. But tell DH to sip anything, do not swallow a full mouth of anything. Less is more with nausea. Also Pepto Bismal helps alot with Nausea. Crackers as mentioned earlier. I have a lot of stomache problems which can lead to severe nausea. all of the above help and when you can call md and get the phenogren. Hope he gets better

 

[Nancy]

Believe it or not, we spoke at length with the anesthiesologist about this. Because last Jan. he had his other knee done and had the same problems. They used less meds this time. They primarily used a local on his knee. (he wanted to stay awake to watch it) but they said they wanted to put some meds (Versed) into his IV to relax him. He was in and out for his surgery. After surgery they mixed up a combo of 3 drugs that they put into his iv line for the nausea and it obviously wore off last night. Last surgery this lasted for 3 days!

Sorry to sound like such a downer I feel so bad for him because he never complains!

3 days! yikes! And I complain about my 6 or 7 hours of being sick. I hope he feels better soon.

 

[LuluLovesDisney]

Ginger is good as well. Ginger ale over crushed ice. They also make ginger suckers for women with morning sickness. Hot tea with lots of sugar. But tell DH to sip anything, do not swallow a full mouth of anything. Less is more with nausea. Also Pepto Bismal helps alot with Nausea. Crackers as mentioned earlier. I have a lot of stomache problems which can lead to severe nausea. all of the above help and when you can call md and get the phenogren. Hope he gets better

Yes!

I have a glass jar full of candied ginger from the health food store for when I feel nauseated. It usually helps. The sipping is excellent advice. If you swallow a lot of air, it encourages burping which will worsen nausea or make you throw up. Flat ginger ale or coke syrup over ice is good, too- but definitely FLAT soda only.

This might help until you can get a prescription.

Another thing you can try is a gentle massage. Don't rub, don't put a lot of pressure, but just gently lay your hand on the stomach area and breathe slowly.

Powerade or Vitamin Water is good, too.

I like pretzels (the goldfish ones are good) and saltine crackers when I can finally keep something down, too. The salt is good to replenish your salts. Nothing with fats, spices or acids at all.

Also, try to keep any strong smells away- no cleaning products, food cooking, perfume, candles, etc. They will often make it worse. Some people have improvements with a light peppermint scent, though. My parents cooked bacon one morning while I was sick. I still have not forgotten what that smell did to me.

I hope he feels better soon!

 

[HaleyB]

I know there is a pressure point people swear by for morning sickness, maybe it would work for him. I can not recall where the preasure point is... maybe someone on the family board would be able to recall it, or try google...

Poor guy. Also the food with pain meds is mostly just to prevent an upset tummy. If he can keep them down better without eating he should go for it.

 

[LuluLovesDisney]

I know there is a pressure point people swear by for morning sickness, maybe it would work for him. I can not recall where the preasure point is... maybe someone on the family board would be able to recall it, or try google...

Poor guy. Also the food with pain meds is mostly just to prevent an upset tummy. If he can keep them down better without eating he should go for it.

I forgot about that.

If you make a fist and squeeze it a few times, you will notice two lines sticking out parallel to your arm- I don't know if they are tendons or what, but the pressure point is in between them about three fingers down from your wrist. This is where the pressure point is that Seabands uses.

 

[ead79]

There is an over-the-counter anti-nausea medicine called Emetrol, but I didn't have that much success with it (though I know some people do). As soon as you can get ahold of the doctor, I agree with the others that Phenergan is a life-saver! Also, I was once given Taigan (sp?) as well. Also, ginger ale and saltines might help settle his stomach a bit.

 

[justplaingoofy]

Thank you very much to everyone that took the time to help last night!

Last night I switched him back to the Compazine instead of the Zofran and he was able to eat something and take his pain meds. I did the "stirring bubbles out of the gingerale", breathing, and I looked online and found some info re: Benadryl is also indicated for nausea! who'd have thought?

Between two percocets, 10mg of compazine, and 25mg Benadryl he finally got some sleep

Feels pretty good today (he has been able to eat, therefore he can take his pain meds!)

Thank you again everyone!!

 

[indigoxtreme]

Glad things are better for him..