This petition asks that CVS gains the status of a disability. This would greatly benefit

- Patients

- Awareness

- Research

- Treatment

- Carers

We need more awareness of this awful debilitating illness. CVS is a illness which affects the daily lives of sufferers and the people who care for them.

What is Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome

Cyclic vomiting syndrome (CVS) is an idiopathic disorder characterized by recurrent, stereotypical bouts of vomiting with intervening periods of normal health .Although it appears to primarily affect children, it is being recognized increasingly in adults.

Unfortunately, causes and cures are unknown. Many sufferers (usually young children, but adults as well) spend days in hospital each month. CVS isn’t recognised by the HSE as a disability, making it difficult for sufferers to be treated Other countries recognise CVS as a disability (e.g. Italy).

Symptoms

Vomiting is far from rare, as most people can testify. However, CVS is very different from the normal vomiting we are all familiar with in people who are ill, eat too much or suffer motion sickness. The most obvious thing is that the vomiting doesn't stop and the pain is unbearable. Some of the symptoms of CVS are...

- Severe and constant, unrelenting nausea

- Onset of vomiting is most commonly during the night or early morning

- Repeated vomiting, peaking at up to 5-6 times per hour maybe more

- Retching, often violently

- Pallor, often extreme paleness of the skin

- Headache/ Migraine

- Severe abdominal pain

- Low grade fever

- Diarrhoea

- Vomiting episodes may repeat with regular spacing of days or weeks

- Lethargy or unresponsiveness

- Dizziness

- Excessive salivation, and/or spitting

- Perplexing " or unusual behaviours

- Anxiety

For more information, please see the websites of the UK & US Cyclical Vomiting Syndrome Association (CVSA)

CVSA-UK

CVSA-USA

Irish support group for CVS

www.seeryamanda.wix.com/cvsireland