Your Pals on Nausea
Anti-Nausea Suggestions from Your Pals
The Technicolor Yawn, Praying to the Porcelain Goddess, Yodeling Groceries – call it what you want – Nausea and its close cousin, Vomit, are relentless foes when given space to flourish. Sometimes, we experience nausea during post-surgery recovery; it’s a natural by-product of a healing digestive system. Other times, anxiety provoked by upcoming scans or monitoring appointments gets us queasy. And then there are the side effects of chemotherapy or immunotherapy that leave us sick to our stomachs because, well, that’s what those treatments do.
Keeping the Waves at Bay
On a recent thread in the PMP Pals Facebook Group, Pals worldwide shared their personal non-medication favorites for keeping that “Call to Ralph” on hold. Our overall consensus? Get ahead of it. It’s much easier to quell a puking urge than a Tummy Riot. These suggestions below are just that – suggestions. If you need medication like Zofran (Ondansetron), Reglan (Metoclopramide), or Phenergan (Promethazine), work with your medical team to get those meds in your nausea toolbox now. Bottom line: don’t suffer and don’t wait. Nausea and vomiting can quickly turn into a medical emergency. Have what you need on hand.
Tips From Your Pals
Here are just a few of our over-the-counter solutions that you can find in the grocery store, pharmacy, or online:
- Liquids: maraschino cherry syrup, pickle juice, decaf tea, Pepto-Bismol
- Candies: GinGins ginger candy, lemon drops, mints, Werther’s, any hard candy that makes you feel good
- Tablets & tinctures: apple cider vinegar tablets, smelling scents like lavender oil, peppermint oil, or isopropyl alcohol, Bonine or Dramamine tablets
- Edibles: saltines & crackers, medical marijuana (smoked, vaped, eaten) like Wyld gummies with Indica, ginger ale, bitters & soda, anti-nausea lollipops
- Physical: roller ball on solar plexus and neck muscles, counting breaths, Seabands acupressure wrist bands, walk outside in fresh air, cold compress on your forehead
Here’s what your Pals had to say about nausea:
“Not sure this will help at all as it is a very different approach. I get nauseous when my body gets tight, especially my neck which then travels to my solar plexus. I have a small ball that I roll on my tight neck muscles and do some gentle neck stretches. I then attempt to lightly roll the ball into my solar plexus to try and relax it. This all has to be gentle or it gets tighter. The other thing I do is counting my breath. I find focusing on my breath also helps relax me and therefore helps with my tightness. I hope you feel better.” ~ Lindsey W.
No Urge vs. Fighting Purge
- Eating smaller, more frequent meals
- Avoiding spicy, greasy, or strong smelly foods
- Opting for the blander menu (bananas, rice, applesauce, toast)
- Waiting a few hours after eating before brushing your teeth
Do you have an anti-nausea suggestion? Email us and we’ll add it to this list. NOTE: This post is not intended as medical advice. Please consult your physician or medical team for more information and guidance.