throwing up

[cindykolanovic]

83 year old woman is throwing up 3 three hours now, water/bile but has not been drinking in the last 3 hours...what should we do for her

[Rhea45]

How long before you should take an elderly person to the ER? Our father just vomitted 4 glasses of undigested ensure and water that he had drunk over four hours ago (the ensure). Then he vomitted again about the same amount. He is in pretty much end-stage MS but likes to watch tennis, talk about Car Talk on NPR -- that is he seems to enjoy life but hates eating - and often has these bouts of emesis if he gets tense (his stomach spasms). Also -- we were hoping a feeding tube could be used to drip tiny amounts of fluid into his stomach in a very passive way over a long period of time (he HATES to eat or drink) even though he doesn't want to die -- but I had no idea that could make him vomit too??? Help!

[Rhea45]

How long before you should take an elderly person to the ER? Our father just vomitted 4 glasses of undigested ensure and water that he had drunk over four hours ago (the ensure). Then he vomitted again about the same amount. He is in pretty much end-stage MS but likes to watch tennis, talk about Car Talk on NPR -- that is he seems to enjoy life but hates eating - and often has these bouts of emesis if he gets tense (his stomach spasms). Also -- we were hoping a feeding tube could be used to drip tiny amounts of fluid into his stomach in a very passive way over a long period of time (he HATES to eat or drink) even though he doesn't want to die -- but I had no idea that could make him vomit too??? Help!

[roses07]

I hope you took her to the ER right away.  The elderly and young can get extremely dehydrated quickly and further complicate medical condition.  

[boron]

She has to drink, even if she vomits again. Clear water, or sport drink like Gatorade (it contains salt, which improves water absorption in intestine, but if she cannot go with a salty drink, than just water).

Does she have abdominal pain? Vomiting bile may be from intestinal obstruction - this is a dangerous situation, well, in this case she would fell vey bad.

Does she have any medical history, and why do you think is she vomiting now.

If she can't drink, or in intense abdominal pain, you should refer her right to the emergency.