Whether it was the latest stomach bug or a bout of food poisoning, most of us are unfortunate enough to have had at least one epic vomiting episode. And if you’re like me, you’re probably queasy just thinking about it. For most of us, vomiting lasts a day or two and might be followed by a few days of nausea, but then we move on with our lives.
For people with a disorder called cyclic vomiting syndrome (CVS), unpredictable episodes of severe vomiting can go on for days and recur at least multiple times a year, sometimes as often as several times a month. In 1882, Dr. Samuel Gee first noticed the syndrome in children 4 to 8 years old, and for years afterward it was thought to primarily affect children, but recent research shows that it may be just as common among adults.