Adults Children Mean age of diagnosis 29–34 years old 3–7 years old Mean duration of episodes 3–6 days few hours to 4 days Mean Inter-episodic duration 1–3 months 1 week to 1 month Presence of Prodrome phase common common Recovery time lasting several days lasting hours to days<unk>  universal up to 6 times an hour universal up to 6 times an hour Abdominal pain common (57-70)% common (68-80)% UGI Complications common (38%) common (22-32)% Headaches common common Fever not common not common Dehydration needing IV fluids common common with longer attacks Family history with migraines common (30-70)% common (40-89)% Psychiatric disorders common common Inter-episodic nausea/pain common rare Mitochondrial DNA disorders not reported reported Cannabis use reported not reported Unpleasant triggers common (67%) common harder to pinpoint Sufferers may vomit or retch 6–12 times in an hour and an episode may last from a few hours to over three weeks and in some cases months, with a median episode duration of 41 hours. Stomach acid, bile and, if the<unk>  is severe, blood may be vomited. Some sufferers will ingest water to reduce the irritation of bile and acid on the esophagus during emesis. Between episodes, the sufferer is usually normal and healthy otherwise but can be in a weak state of fatigue or experience muscle pain. In approximately half of cases the attacks, or episodes, occur in a time-related manner. Each attack is stereotypical; that is, in any given individual, the timing, frequency and severity of attacks is similar. Some sufferers experience episodes that progressively get worse when left untreated, occurring more frequently with reduced symptom free phase. Episodes may happen every few days, every few weeks or every few months, for some happening at common uniform times, typically mornings. For other sufferers, there is not a pattern in time that can be recognized. Some sufferers have a warning of an episodic attack; they may experience a prodrome, some documented prodromal symptoms include: unusually intense nausea and pallor, excess salivation, sweating, flushing, rapid/irregular heartbeat, diarrhea, anxiety/panic, food aversion, restlessness/insomnia, irritability, depersonalization, fatigue/listlessness, intense feelings of being hot or chilled, intense thirst, shivering/shaking, retching, tachypnea, abdominal pain/cramping, limb paresthesias, hyperesthesia, photophobia, phonophobia, headache, and dyspnea, heightened sensitivity, especially to light, though sensitivity to smell, sound, pressure, and temperature, as well as oncoming muscle pain and fatigue, are also reported by some patients. Many sufferers experience a full panic attack when the nausea begins and continue to panic once the<unk>  has begun. Medications like Lorazepam, Alprazolam, and other benzodiazepines are prescribed by their doctors and instructed to take immediately at the onset of any of their<unk>  symptoms and/or triggers. Some prodromal symptoms are present inter-episodically as well as during acute phases of illness. The majority of sufferers can identify triggers that may precede an attack. The most common are various foods, infections (e.g., colds), menstruation, extreme physical exertion, lack of sleep, and psychological stresses, both positive and negative. A sufferer may also be light-sensitive (photophobic), sound-sensitive (phonophobic) or, less frequently, temperature- or pressure-sensitive during an attack. Some sufferers also have a strong urge to bathe in warm or cold water. In fact, many people who suffer from<unk>  experience a compulsion to be submerged in hot water, and end up taking several baths during the duration of an episode. For some the psychological compulsion to be in hot water is so extreme that they cannot stop themselves from taking very long baths in near scalding hot water several times per day. For some of these people, they may have just finished taking a lengthy bath in extremely hot water and immediately feel this compulsion again and end up taking another bath right after drying off. Some sufferers experience insomnia, diarrhea (GI complications), hot and cold flashes, and excessive sweating before an episode. 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 or hypokalemia from excessive<unk> , rather than the underlying cause of<unk> .
Cyclic vomiting syndrome
Cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome
Ichthyoallyeinotoxism
Geophagia
Bloom syndrome
Aerophagia
Jamaican vomiting sickness
Mallory–Weiss syndrome