Skip to content

Nausea and Vomiting

Nausea and vomiting often happen together. They have many possible causes, from minor illness to treatment effects. Symptoms may be brief or persistent, and their severity varies.

Medicine used to treat Nausea and Vomiting

Zofran

Ondansetron

4 · 8mg

Zofran tablets contain ondansetron for nausea and vomiting, including after surgery. Film-coated and orodispersible forms come in several strengths and pack sizes. You see the price per tablet for each option.

FromUS$1.17/ tabletView

Key points

  • Vomiting is a protective reflex: it clears material that could be harmful from the stomach and upper digestive tract.
  • An episode may be acute, lasting under two days, or part of a recurring pattern.
  • Nausea, mouthwatering, abdominal pain, diarrhoea, fever and tiredness can accompany vomiting.

What may trigger it

Control of the reflex sits in the brainstem. It can be set off by gut irritation, inner-ear disturbance, circulating toxins, some medicines, anxiety or migraine. Food poisoning, motion sickness, pregnancy, chemotherapy and gut infections are recognised causes.

How it is treated

Treatment follows the underlying cause. For mild gastroenteritis or food poisoning, rest, clear fluids taken in small amounts and plain food are often enough. Severe cases may need intravenous fluids or antiemetic medicines. Ondansetron acts on serotonin signals and is used for nausea linked to chemotherapy or surgery. Zofran tablets contain ondansetron in 4 mg and 8 mg strengths. Pharmacy partners in India ship orders to Malaysia in discreet packaging.

When to get medical help

Go to an emergency department or call an ambulance if you vomit blood, coffee-ground material, green bile or faecal matter. Seek emergency care for severe or constant abdominal pain, a stiff neck with high fever, a severe headache, rectal bleeding or bloody diarrhoea, or chest pain with vomiting. Get immediate attention if vomiting lasts more than 48 hours, you cannot keep water down, you show signs of dehydration, or you are immunocompromised.

What the sources say

  • Nausea describes the sense that vomiting may follow; vomiting is the physical act of bringing food or fluid up. Neither is a diagnosis in itself. (MedlinePlus)
  • These symptoms are common, and in most cases they are not serious. (MedlinePlus)

Further reading

Last updated