Digestive Health Stomach Flu How to Stop Throwing Up When You're Sick By Kristina Duda, RN Kristina Duda, RN Facebook LinkedIn Twitter Kristina Duda, BSN, RN, CPN, has been working in healthcare since 2002. She specializes in pediatrics and disease and infection prevention. Learn about our editorial process Updated on December 08, 2021 Medically reviewed Verywell Health articles are reviewed by board-certified physicians and healthcare professionals. These medical reviewers confirm the content is thorough and accurate, reflecting the latest evidence-based research. Content is reviewed before publication and upon substantial updates. Learn more. by Robert Burakoff, MD, MPH Medically reviewed by Robert Burakoff, MD, MPH LinkedIn Robert Burakoff, MD, MPH, is board-certified in gastroentrology. He is the vice chair for ambulatory services for the department of medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College in New York, where he is also a professor. He was the founding editor and co-editor in chief of Inflammatory Bowel Diseases. Learn about our Medical Expert Board Print Vomiting is awful. There's no denying it. There aren't many illnesses that make you feel worse than when you have some sort of stomach virus; you just want to know how to make it stop. Before you start treating your vomiting, though, make sure you know what is causing it. The right way to treat vomiting very much depends on the cause. If your symptoms are caused by a simple stomach virus and you are looking for ways to get it under control, there are steps you can take. This article will take you through them so you can stop throwing up and get to feeling better quickly. Verywell / JR Bee 1 Let Your Stomach Rest When you are treating vomiting due to a stomach bug, or gastroenteritis, 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. Giving the muscles in your stomach time to rest will lower the chances that you will vomit once you start eating and drinking again. 2 Drink Fluids Before Trying Food If you have not vomited again while you let your stomach rest, try to take small sips of liquid every five to 10 minutes. The best fluids to try include: Water Sports drinks (such as Gatorade) Electrolyte drinks (such as Pedialyte) for children Drinks such as sodas and milk should be avoided until you are able to begin eating your normal diet. If you are caring for a small child who is sick, be careful not to let them drink a lot of fluid all at once. It may be easier to keep an eye on those amounts by using a syringe or a spoon to give liquid, rather than a cup or baby bottle. If vomiting begins again after you started fluids, go back to Step 1. If you or your child can keep down small sips of fluid, slowly drink more with each sip. Causes of Nausea and Vomiting 3 Start on the BRAT Diet If you or your child is able to handle clear liquids without throwing up, you may be ready to start eating. Don't do this too quickly, though. Be sure you are able to keep fluids down for eight to 12 hours before trying to eat. If you feel like you can eat something by then, start with bland, starchy foods. Foods that are heavy, fat, or acidic—think tomatoes or oranges—should be avoided until you are better. You may have heard of the BRAT diet. BRAT stands for bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast, because these foods are good choices when you are sick. The BRAT guidelines can help you choose the right foods to stop throwing up. The BRAT diet suggests bland foods that are easy to digest when you have a stomach bug. Bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast are not the only foods that you can eat, but they are good examples so you will know where to start. If you start throwing up again after you try these foods, go back to Step 1. How to Treat Symptoms Using a Bland Diet 4 Start a Normal Diet If you are able to keep both clear liquids and bland foods (BRAT diet) down, you may be ready to move toward your normal diet. It will likely be a day or two after you have stopped throwing up before you fully return to it, though. Once you decide you can eat again, take it slowly even if you feel better. If you start to feel sick after eating but do not vomit again, go back to the BRAT diet. If you do start throwing up again, go back to Step 1 and call your healthcare provider. Recap So far, you've taken steps to treat your vomiting by drinking only clear liquids and then trying bland foods that won't upset your stomach. If you're ready for your normal foods, great, but go slowly. If you're still throwing up, then over-the-counter drugs and a call to your doctor may be your next move. 5 Treat Vomiting With Medications Sometimes, even when you do all the right things, the vomiting just won't stop. When this happens, you may need help to control it. There are prescription drugs that can help control vomiting. Depending on the case, a healthcare provider may decide that one of them will help you feel better. They may be used to keep you hydrated or replace the fluids you've already lost. Phenergan (promethazine) is an antihistamine that can also be used to control nausea and vomiting. It is not usually used in children. Zofran (ondansetron) was first used to treat severe nausea and vomiting after chemotherapy. It has fewer side effects than Phenergan and is often used to treat vomiting from other illnesses as well. Some over-the-counter (OTC) medications, like Pepto-Bismol, are sold to treat "upset stomach." They coat the lining of the stomach but don't really keep you from throwing up if you have a stomach virus. They also may contain bismuth subsalicylate and should never be given to children under the age of 12. If someone is under the age of 18 and recently had the flu or chickenpox, they should not take them either because of a chance of Reye's syndrome. Managing Vomiting and Diarrhea in Kids Summary You'll likely feel better after following these steps. Resting your stomach, sipping small amounts of fluid, and then eating foods that are "safe" for your stomach, will help stop most vomiting. But if these tips don't provide relief, call your doctor. You will most likely need to be checked for dehydration and to find out the cause of your illness. If you need medicine, your doctor will be able to choose the right one and help you on the road to recovery. Frequently Asked Questions How do you stop vomiting during pregnancy? Let your doctor know if you're experiencing morning sickness so they can help treat it. At home, try eating bland foods like crackers and toast, or foods with ginger, like candy or tea. If you have severe symptoms, call your doctor immediately. How do you stop vomiting after drinking alcohol? If you're nauseous the morning after drinking, you may be dehydrated. Try slowly drinking sips of water. In some cases, vomiting can be a sign of alcohol poisoning. Call 911 for severe symptoms such as seizures, confusion, or difficulty remaining conscious. Learn More: What Is Alcohol Poisoning? When to See Your Healthcare Provider for Nausea and Vomiting Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Gas pain? Stool issues? Sign up for the best tips to take care of your stomach. Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit 6 Sources Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Shields TM, Lightdale JR. Vomiting in children. Pediatrics in Review. 2018;39(7):342-358. doi: 10.1542/pir.2017-0053 Weir S-BS, Akhondi H. Bland diet. In: StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing; 2021. Silverman RA, House SL, Meltzer AC, et al. Bimodal release ondansetron for acute gastroenteritis among adolescents and adults: a randomized clinical trial. JAMA Netw Open. 2019;2(11):e1914988. doi: doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2019.14988 Nemours Foundation. Reye's syndrome. Reviewed February 2019. Harvard Health Publishing. 7 steps to cure your hangover. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. Understanding the dangers of alcohol overdose. Additional Reading American Academy of Family Physicians. Antiemetic medicines: OTC relief for nausea and vomiting. Updated April 21, 2020. Raucci U, Borrelli O, Di Nardo G, et al. Cyclic vomiting syndrome in children. Front Neurol. 2020;11:583425. doi: 10.3389/fneur.2020.583425