Self-Care Pocket Guide • Stomach Upsets and Other Gastroestinal Problems
Nausea and Vomiting

Overview

Common causes of nausea and vomiting are viral infections (the "stomach flu"), drinking too much alcohol, bacterial infections (including food poisoning), motion sickness, and intolerance to certain foods or medications. Inner ear problems, pregnancy, stress, sinus drainage, migraine headaches, increased pressure on the brain due to head trauma or meningitis, and other health conditions—some minor and some serious—can also cause nausea/vomiting.

Signs and Symptoms

• Feeling like you're going to vomit
• Throwing up the contents of your stomach
• Dry heaving

Self-Care Measures

• For motion sickness, take an OTC anti-motion sickness medication.

If you are nauseated, but not vomiting:

• Eat small amounts of dry foods like toast or plain crackers.
• Sip clear liquids.

If you are vomiting:

• Stop eating solid food.
• Every hour, for 12 to 24 hours, drink 4 to 8 total ounces of clear, non-caffeinated liquids such as water, sports drinks, broth/bouillon, diluted fruit juice or flat ginger ale or sodas, but sip only 1 to 2 ounces at a time. Avoid acidic drinks like lemonade or orange, grapefruit and tomato juice.
• Suck on ice chips if nothing else will stay down.
• For fever, take an OTC analgesic with acetaminophen only. Other types of analgesics may irritate your already upset stomach.
• If necessary, take an OTC antinausea medication.
• Four to 8 hours after the last time you've thrown up and when you can keep clear liquids down, start eating small amounts of bland foods like crackers, toast, Jell-O, rice, noodles, or other easily-digestible, non-irritating foods.
• If you throw up your birth control pill within an hour of taking it, use a back up method of contraception—such as condoms—until your next period starts, but keep taking your pills on schedule.

Red Flags

CALL THE UHS 24-HOUR NURSE ADVICE LINE 475-NURS (475-6877) IF ANY OF THE FOLLOWING OCCURS:

• Nausea/vomiting following a recent discontinuation of long-term steroid use.
• Vomiting within one hour of taking any prescription medication.
• Severe dizziness or a spinning sensation.
• Pain in one or both sides of your back with fever and/or shaking chills.
• Yellow discoloration of your skin or the whites of your eyes.
• Signs of significant dehydration including: dizziness, especially when you stand up; dry mouth; decreased urination and/or dark yellow urine; mild confusion; or weakness.
• Nausea/vomiting lasting more than one week.
• Inability to hold down any fluids for more than 24 hours.
• Fever of 100.5 degrees F (38 degrees C) or more or fever that lasts longer than 72 hours.

CALL 911 OR GO DIRECTLY TO AN EMERGENCY ROOM IF ANY OF THE FOLLOWING OCCURS:

• Signs of a heart attack including: pain, pressure or tightness in your chest; pain that spreads to your arm, jaw, or neck; or pain that is associated with shortness of breath, irregular heart beat, profuse sweating and/or significant weakness—especially if you have a personal or family history of heart disease.
• Nausea/vomiting following a recent injury to your head.
• Severe headache and stiff neck with fever or shaking chills.
• Vomiting large or repeated amounts of bloody or coffee-ground-appearing material.
• Severe difficulty breathing or severe dizziness, weakness, confusion or stupor.
• Severe abdominal pain (being doubled over or unable to stand up) or severe pain associated with a hard abdomen.