Symptoms
People with CVS will go through a regular cycle of feeling ill, recovering, feeling well and then feeling ill again.
This cycle is made up of four phases:
1. Prodrome phase:
2. Vomiting phase:
3. Recovery phase:
4. Well phase:
The cycle tends to be regular and predictable: the same symptoms, starting at the same time of the day, for the same duration each time although cycles can sometimes change. A sufferer may also be light-sensitive during an attack, as well as sound-sensitive and, less frequently, temperature- or pressure-sensitive. Some sufferers also have a strong urge to bathe in warm or cold water. Some sufferers report that they experience a restless sensation or stinging pain along the spine, hands, and feet followed by weakness in both legs. Some of these symptoms may be due to dehydration rather than the underlying cause of CVS.
Other symptoms of cyclic vomiting syndrome may include one or more of the following:
This cycle is made up of four phases:
- prodrome phase
- vomiting phase
- recovery phase
- well phase
1. Prodrome phase:
- feeling that an episode is about to start
- intense sweating, Pain and nausea for a few minutes to a few hours
2. Vomiting phase:
- retching and vomiting that often starts in the night or early morning
- vomiting up to 5 even 8 times an hour for at least one hour, for up to 10 days
- may not be able to move or respond
- other possible symptoms: intense abdominal pain, diarrhoea, fever, dizziness, headache, sensitivity to light, extremely pale skin, drowsiness or unresponsiveness, drooling or spitting excess saliva
3. Recovery phase:
- vomiting and retching stop, and nausea subsides
- recovery is gradual or immediate
4. Well phase:
- a period of little or no symptoms – until the prodrome phase starts again
The cycle tends to be regular and predictable: the same symptoms, starting at the same time of the day, for the same duration each time although cycles can sometimes change. A sufferer may also be light-sensitive during an attack, as well as sound-sensitive and, less frequently, temperature- or pressure-sensitive. Some sufferers also have a strong urge to bathe in warm or cold water. Some sufferers report that they experience a restless sensation or stinging pain along the spine, hands, and feet followed by weakness in both legs. Some of these symptoms may be due to dehydration rather than the underlying cause of CVS.
Other symptoms of cyclic vomiting syndrome may include one or more of the following:
- retching—trying to vomit but having nothing come out of your mouth, also called dry vomiting
- pain in the abdomen
- abnormal drowsiness
- pale skin
- headaches
- lack of appetite
- not wanting to talk
- drooling or spitting
- extreme thirst
- sensitivity to light or sound
- dizziness
- diarrhea
- fever
