Allow yourself to rest. Resting propped up in a seated position with the head elevated at least twelve inches above the feet is ideal. Remain in this seated rested position for a minimum of an hour, or until you are no longer experiencing nausea. Do not lie down all the way.
Sleeping on your side with your head raised can ease symptoms and keep you from choking on your vomit, if you're unable to make it to the bathroom in time.
You should sleep elevated and on your side when feeling nauseous. While it does not matter which side you lay on, sleeping on your side can reduce your chances of choking if you were to vomit in your sleep.
If you've been vomiting, the first step is to let your stomach rest. After you stop throwing up, don't try to eat or drink anything for 15 to 20 minutes so you can allow your stomach time to recover. Sit quietly and avoid lying down when you are having a vomiting episode; moving around can make nausea worse.
Do not eat or drink anything for several hours after vomiting. Sip small amounts of water or suck ice chips every 15 minutes for 3-4 hours. Next, sip clear liquids every 15 minutes for 3-4 hours. Examples include water, sports drinks, flat soda, clear broth, gelatin, flavored ice, popsicles or apple juice.
Avoid eating and drinking for two hours after the last episode of vomiting. Start with small amounts of clear liquids, such as water, ice, popsicles, sports drinks, clear broth or Jell-O for the first 24 hours. Avoid alcohol, caffeinated beverages, and fruit juice.
After your vomiting stops, you may feel weak and lethargic. This is quite common and happens because you haven't eaten in a while. Vomiting may also have left you dehydrated. You also lose electrolytes and salts when vomiting.
Vomiting is a symptom, not a disease or condition. Vomiting can be classed as acute (a short term isolated attack) or chronic (ongoing or recurrent). Gastroenteritis and food poisoning are the most common underlying causes of sudden vomiting and usually clear up without treatment in a couple of days.
You may not know you're contagious at first. The flu can cause you to be highly contagious one day before symptoms develop and up to seven days after becoming ill. Likewise, if your symptoms are digestive (nausea, vomiting and/or diarrhea), stay home until you're feeling better.
Second, just before throwing up your body produces extra saliva, which helps protect your teeth from the strong acid. Third, the vomiting process releases chemicals in your body to make you feel better. So that “I feel better” feeling after throwing up is not just your imagination — it's your biology working.
Seek immediate medical attention
You have signs or symptoms of dehydration — excessive thirst, dry mouth, infrequent urination, dark-colored urine and weakness, or dizziness or lightheadedness upon standing. Your vomit contains blood, resembles coffee grounds or is green.
If you've been vomiting for more than two days (48 hours), it may be time to seek medical help, especially if you have any of these additional symptoms: Blood or what looks like coffee grounds in your vomit. A high fever. Stiff neck.
Strange colors: Vomit may look bright red or dark (like coffee grounds) if it contains blood. Meanwhile, bile -- a fluid made by your liver that helps with digestion -- can make vomit look bright green. Both are cause for concern. Blood could be a sign of an ulcer or an irritation in your GI tract.
Contrary to how yucky it may feel, it's not great to brush your teeth right after vomiting. It's best to swish water around your mouth with a touch of baking soda after vomiting. We recommend waiting at least 30 minutes before brushing. Brushing immediately after rubs the stomach acid on teeth.
Many of us will try to prevent vomiting if we're feeling nauseated. But if you're feeling ill, it's best to let yourself vomit naturally.
Mouthwatering — your mouth will often start to water if you are about to vomit. Abdominal pain — pain anywhere between the bottom of your ribs and pelvis, and stomach cramps can both happen alongside vomiting.
First, most of the time your brain will give you that sick feeling to warn you that something is going to happen. Second, just before throwing up your body produces extra saliva, which helps protect your teeth from the strong acid. Third, the vomiting process releases chemicals in your body to make you feel better.
The banana, rice, applesauce, and toast (BRAT) diet may help treat diarrhea, stomach flu, and other stomach complaints. But, many health professionals no longer recommend it as a treatment option due to the risk of nutrient and calorie deficiencies.
Green or yellow vomit, also known as bile, is produced by the liver and stored in the gallbladder. The release of bile occurs when an individual is vomiting on an empty stomach or is suffering from bile reflux.
Coughing, lifting, sneezing, laughing, straining and vomiting will all create sudden stress on the opening of the bladder, leading to leakage. These moments of bladder weakness are also called “stress incontinence.”
If you're vomiting, you may wonder if it's serious and needs medical attention. There are two main reasons to consider going to your nearest ER: It's a sign of a serious medical condition. You vomit so much that it causes complications.
Speak to your GP if:
you're unable to keep down any fluids because you're vomiting repeatedly. you have signs of severe dehydration, such as confusion, a rapid heartbeat, sunken eyes and passing little or no urine. you've lost a lot of weight since you became ill. you experience episodes of vomiting frequently.