Extreme nausea for last 4 months

[AJ125]

Doctor,
I am a 33 yr. old female, a teacher, and healthy my whole life. But, I have been experiencing extreme nausea for the last 4 months. I have gone from 120 lbs to 93 lbs in this amount of time. The intense nausea started early February when I started Yaz birth control. I have only recently started taking birth control. Over the last 6 months, I have changed birth control brands 5 times, and also was on Tramadol for 2 months. I know the tramadol made me slightly nauseous. But I took Yaz before tramadol, and the most severe nausea started before starting Tramadol.

I've been off of Tramadol for 17 days, and off of any birth control for 22 days. Yet I still have nausea as intense as it was when it started in February. I can only nibble slowly, and sip water slowly, or the urge to vomit arises. Nausea is constant all day, and extreme when I don't sip water slowly. I'm scared, feel like I'm starving, lethargic, dizzy. I was in the emergency room due to dehydration 2 weeks ago, and at my doctor last weekend. She was confused. I had my period less than a month ago.  

Is it normal to still have nausea this intense more than 2 weeks after stopping both meds? Was the multiple changes in birth control the reason for most of my nausea? How much longer do you think this intense nausea will last?

[Kevin Pho, MD]

Hormonal changes brought on by various birth control agents can lead to nausea.

I would also investigate potential GI causes.  A stricture, mass, gastroparesis, liver or gallbladder disease can lead to nausea.

I would consider an upper GI and/or upper endoscopy, as well as imaging the abdomen with an ultrasound or CT scan.

If the GI workup is non-revealing, you can consider neurological causes as well, including a brain CT scan or MRI.

These options can be discussed with your personal physician.

This answer is not intended as and does not substitute for medical advice - the information presented is for patient education only. Please see your personal physician for further evaluation of your individual case.

Kevin Pho, M.D.

KevinMD.com
Twitter.com/kevinmd

[Debbie1804]

My friend had th same thing, she had gall stones, they took out her gall bladder and she is all better.