Gross logistics
February 10, 2025 9:35 PM Subscribe
A person I care about faints when he vomits. He is struggling with optimal logistics in light of this, and seeking ideas. More awful details inside!
So the first problem is that he immediately knocks over whatever bowl or receptacle he has vomited into, causing a mess. Our best idea so far is an airplane-style bag, but are there other ways to minimize that?
Second problem is, as he has just experienced in a very horrible way, sometimes one has a both ends situation and one ends up falling forward from the toilet into the vomit and/or hitting one’s head on the bathroom floor. This is both dangerous and wildly disgusting. Our best idea so far is to lie down in the bathtub, but perhaps someone has a slightly more dignity-saving option?
Third problem is, avoiding drowning in the vomit one has fallen into. My vote is for lying on the side, but taking all solutions.
Not sure if anyone has dealt with this or just is more creative than we have been so far. It’s so disgusting and the falling part is scary. Please help my loved one navigate this more safely and less grossly in the future!
So the first problem is that he immediately knocks over whatever bowl or receptacle he has vomited into, causing a mess. Our best idea so far is an airplane-style bag, but are there other ways to minimize that?
Second problem is, as he has just experienced in a very horrible way, sometimes one has a both ends situation and one ends up falling forward from the toilet into the vomit and/or hitting one’s head on the bathroom floor. This is both dangerous and wildly disgusting. Our best idea so far is to lie down in the bathtub, but perhaps someone has a slightly more dignity-saving option?
Third problem is, avoiding drowning in the vomit one has fallen into. My vote is for lying on the side, but taking all solutions.
Not sure if anyone has dealt with this or just is more creative than we have been so far. It’s so disgusting and the falling part is scary. Please help my loved one navigate this more safely and less grossly in the future!
I am in no way an expert and hopefully some EMT or other experienced Mefite will have some suggestions. But my first thought was the recovery position on top of a beach towel or other easily washed surface (maybe a yoga mat?), with a vessel by their head, maybe with an emisis bag resting inside.
This is a person who needs to have a care team, so ask them if you can talk to those people about ways you can help or if you can advocate for better care.
posted by Mizu at 10:53 PM on February 10 [2 favorites]
This is a person who needs to have a care team, so ask them if you can talk to those people about ways you can help or if you can advocate for better care.
posted by Mizu at 10:53 PM on February 10 [2 favorites]
Oh several of my family members have Vasovagal Syncope caused by vomiting, which is probably what this is, and it's definitely A Thing. I do second why this comes up regularly -- is there some underlying things that makes your family member vomit so regularly? Can they pursue Zofran and/or an investigation with a doctor? Regular vasovagal syncope is also something a doctor can help with. An otherwise healthy adult should not be vomiting regularly but of course not everyone is otherwise healthy, so...
That said: get on the floor. Already be down, whenever possible. Fainting can't hurt you if you're already down. The bathtub is great, and there's no loss of dignity. I personally prefer just lying on my side or stomach on the bathroom floor (pressing your forehead against a cold tile floor when you're about to faint just hits different) but, you know, whatever is the most comfortable...
Third: is this person living alone? If so, and this remains a regular issue that cannot be helped with a doctor, I think the concept of this person not having support for instances like this may need to be re-thought.
posted by brainmouse at 10:56 PM on February 10 [6 favorites]
That said: get on the floor. Already be down, whenever possible. Fainting can't hurt you if you're already down. The bathtub is great, and there's no loss of dignity. I personally prefer just lying on my side or stomach on the bathroom floor (pressing your forehead against a cold tile floor when you're about to faint just hits different) but, you know, whatever is the most comfortable...
Third: is this person living alone? If so, and this remains a regular issue that cannot be helped with a doctor, I think the concept of this person not having support for instances like this may need to be re-thought.
posted by brainmouse at 10:56 PM on February 10 [6 favorites]
For the airplane-style bags, get the ones that contain something that turns the contents into a gel, to further minimize spills.
This sounds horrible, though… I hope you'll find something to minimize how often it occurs.
posted by demi-octopus at 10:58 PM on February 10 [1 favorite]
This sounds horrible, though… I hope you'll find something to minimize how often it occurs.
posted by demi-octopus at 10:58 PM on February 10 [1 favorite]
This style of emesis bag is very simple, portable, and sturdy. It can be carried easily in a backpack or purse. (Also seems a lot sturdier than the classic airplane-style bag, although I haven't actually interacted with one in decades so not sure what they're like now.)
I'm honestly not familiar with the gel kind that demi-octopus mentioned, but it sure sounds like a useful idea, especially when there's dizziness and fainting involved. A little googling brought me to this option, which is basically the same convenient form factor as the bare-bones version I linked above, but plus a small bit of chemical inside that turns the bodily fluids into a gel.
posted by cnidaria at 12:32 AM on February 11 [2 favorites]
I'm honestly not familiar with the gel kind that demi-octopus mentioned, but it sure sounds like a useful idea, especially when there's dizziness and fainting involved. A little googling brought me to this option, which is basically the same convenient form factor as the bare-bones version I linked above, but plus a small bit of chemical inside that turns the bodily fluids into a gel.
posted by cnidaria at 12:32 AM on February 11 [2 favorites]
(Also, nth-ing that this sounds scary and hazardous, and I hope your loved one can get additional medical help to manage this situation)
posted by cnidaria at 12:33 AM on February 11
posted by cnidaria at 12:33 AM on February 11
If the both-ends situations come with enough warning to make this feasible, side lying on a bathroom floor while wearing Depends and holding a barf bag might not be super dignified but it's a whole lot safer than a face-plant off a toilet onto a tile floor.
The hospital-style barf bags linked above, the ones with the inbuilt plastic ring that holds them open, are way way better than the hideous paper lunch bags that the airlines all seem to have settled on.
posted by flabdablet at 3:36 AM on February 11 [2 favorites]
The hospital-style barf bags linked above, the ones with the inbuilt plastic ring that holds them open, are way way better than the hideous paper lunch bags that the airlines all seem to have settled on.
posted by flabdablet at 3:36 AM on February 11 [2 favorites]
I would focus on finding an intervention that stops them from vomiting.
posted by NotMyselfRightNow at 4:17 AM on February 11 [1 favorite]
posted by NotMyselfRightNow at 4:17 AM on February 11 [1 favorite]
As a non-medically trained random internet person I worry about aspiration of vomit with someone living alone. I realize doctors and nurses are more qualified to decide if that is a valid concern.
posted by forthright at 9:10 AM on February 11 [1 favorite]
posted by forthright at 9:10 AM on February 11 [1 favorite]
Agreeing with everyone that this absolutely sounds like a situation that needs some more medical attention; frequent vomiting and fainting in any capacity is incredibly dangerous!
That said, i'd be covering my bathroom floor with puppy pee pads (useful for so much more than puppies!) Available in bulk and (relatively) cheaply, they absorb liquid, they make the floor so much easier to clean when all you need to do it bunch it up when soiled and throw it in the garbage, and are mildly more comfortable than the floor itself.
posted by cgg at 9:25 AM on February 11
That said, i'd be covering my bathroom floor with puppy pee pads (useful for so much more than puppies!) Available in bulk and (relatively) cheaply, they absorb liquid, they make the floor so much easier to clean when all you need to do it bunch it up when soiled and throw it in the garbage, and are mildly more comfortable than the floor itself.
posted by cgg at 9:25 AM on February 11
Is the person being treated with medication/chemotherapy that causes vomiting? Vomiting happens, but shouldn't be a common thing with no reason.
If vomiting+fainting is common, there should be some medical attention; this is not sustainable.
When I've been ill, knew I might puke, I'd go to bed with a towel and lie on my side. Towels absorb well, and you can jam it in a plastic bag to take to the washer.
posted by theora55 at 2:36 PM on February 11
If vomiting+fainting is common, there should be some medical attention; this is not sustainable.
When I've been ill, knew I might puke, I'd go to bed with a towel and lie on my side. Towels absorb well, and you can jam it in a plastic bag to take to the washer.
posted by theora55 at 2:36 PM on February 11
My suggestion would be:
* Lay a towel down on the floor
* Put puppy pads on top of the towel
* Try to vomit onto the puppy pads. Not sure of the best position to do this, but possibly a hands and knees type position. Maybe "puppy posture" from yoga?
posted by kinddieserzeit at 4:57 PM on February 11
* Lay a towel down on the floor
* Put puppy pads on top of the towel
* Try to vomit onto the puppy pads. Not sure of the best position to do this, but possibly a hands and knees type position. Maybe "puppy posture" from yoga?
posted by kinddieserzeit at 4:57 PM on February 11
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Is he going through a medical situation, chemo treatment, or something similar that causes inevitable frequent vomiting? And have all the available antiemetics been tried and ruled out?
Then--has this fainting situation been brought up to his care team? It's not normal and would seem to raise concerns for other conditions.
Finally, I'd say yes to the airplane-style bag. Emesis bags are cheap and plentiful online, and the top openings are small enough to not cause a huge mess if knocked over a bit. Sending good thoughts to you--this sounds really difficult.
posted by knotty knots at 10:32 PM on February 10 [4 favorites]