What do you do about puking at work?

[Anonymous]

My first baby, I was nauseous, but as long as I kept eating, I was fine - never puked once. Now I'm 7 weeks pregnant with baby #2 and I just puked into my trashcan at work. I'm fortunate to have my own office so when I felt the wave of nausea come over me I quickly shut the door. I was able to tidy up and dispose of the puke bag but if this becomes a regular occurrence, it could raise some suspicions. I've got a 15 month old and I know there will be not so nice comments about another maternity leave so I'm trying to keep it under wraps for as long as possible.

To make it worse, I went to the ladies room and I noticed purple dots all around my eyes - busted capillaries. Yikes, how do I explain that. I never wear makeup so heavy concealer would be too obvious and frankly too much work.

So, any tips on how to survive puking at work?

[Anonymous]

I was in the same boat. I didn't want people to know for as long as possible (my office is hardly family friendly) and vomited at least three times a day. I brought to work a stash of heavy duty bags so I wouldn't have to dispose of the office provided trash bags. I had broken caps around my neck and throat from the vomiting but no one seemed to notice (and they would have commented, believe me, had they). I bet it is more noticeable to you than anyone else. If someone does say something, tell them you have rocesea and have never really had problems, until now. My OB said that it was ok to take Tums and that did seem to help a bit.

Good luck. It isn't easy....

[Anonymous]

Thankfully I never actually did throw up at work, despite constantly feeling as though I might for a good six weeks! However, I always made sure to have a few of those blue doggie pick-up bags in my desk/purse, just in case, for both the office and for generally being out in public. Any small non-transparent bags would be just as good.

If you do make it to the bathroom to throw up, just keep flushing... My office next-door neighbor told me well after the fact that she was constantly in the bathroom just down the hall from us throwing up and I never once noticed - she doesn't think anyone else did, either. Maybe scope out a lesser-used bathroom, or at least one that your boss(es) don't use?

For the broken capillaries - same happened to me after a bout of food poisoning/norovirus right before Thanksgiving. I was the only one who noticed unless I pointed it out.

[Anonymous]

I had the broken capillaries and they were all red around my eyes - it looked like someone had been beating me! I did wear some powder concealer (less noticeable) and when I asked a few coworkers later if they could see them they said not at all...and I have super pale skin.

For the throwing up, I closed my door when it came on really bad, but eventually I had to take Zofran and that would get me through half the day, to the point that I eventually knew my "throw up schedule"...haha.

[Anonymous]

I wasn't planning to tell my coworkers or boss until we were out of the first trimester. We had so many holiday parties, however, and even though I have no problem with a sip of wine here or there, I am being conservative about drinking in the first trimester and my decoy glasses weren't really fooling anyone. I finally told my boss a few weeks ago, and it was a good thing because I threw up during my annual review!!!!!!!!!!!! (on second though, if I wouldn't have told him about the pregnancy, maybe he would have thought i was vomiting over my smaller than usual bonus!)

[Anonymous]

OP here - thanks for the ideas. I'm doing ok so far this AM...now if we can get the the holidays with out people figuring it out...

[Anonymous]

I felt like I had the flu for the first 14 weeks, vomited in the bathroom at work. I too was hiding my pregnancy. My problem wasn't the vomiting though, I would literally fall asleep when I sat on the toilet. I was so exhausted, I'd go in for a pee and wake up when someone would come into the bathroom. Then I'd go the garage and sit in my car but I was missing meetings because I'd sleep for hours at a time.

[Anonymous]

I would run to the bathroom, sit quietly on the toilet fully clothed and gagging until the bathroom was empty, and then do my thing... I also tried to use the bathroom on the next floor. I did tell my officemates from the beginning bc I needed their understanding and support, but no supervisor (though my immediate supervisor had guessed by the time I told).