Your PH medication may cause nausea. Vomiting is how our body gets rid of food it thinks should not be in the stomach. Sensors in the stomach walls help detect possible toxins and prompt your stomach muscles to contract and expel the stomach’s contents. 

Contact your health care team if you experience any of the following:

  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
  • Loss of appetite
  • Feeling over-stuffed without eating a large meal

Nausea and vomiting can be important warning signs about changes in your health. When vomiting is routinely caused by your PH medication, the main danger is loss of fluids and minerals (magnesium, calcium and potassium). This can cause dehydration, weight loss and an electrolyte imbalance. If too much fluid is lost, the situation can become dangerous and intravenous fluids and electrolytes may be needed to reverse the imbalances.

Ways to avoid nausea:

  • Some PH medications should be taken with food or taken within a certain time of eating. Some absorb best when taken with protein. Make sure you understand how your medicine should be taken in relation to food. Talk with your medical team, and other patients, about tips and tricks for avoiding nausea. Adjust the reminder of these suggestions to fit your needs.
  • Eat smaller, more frequent meals. Avoid large meals or drinking large amounts of liquid at once.
  • Avoid greasy and fatty foods. Fat causes food to remain in the stomach longer, increasing the chance you may vomit.
  • When you feel nauseated, nibble on high-carb foods such as crackers, pretzels, dry toast and soft bread.
  • Cold, non-acidic liquids often help to settle a stomach (try small sips of ice water, ice chips, iced herbal teas, iced tea and small tastes of fruit sorbets).
  • Sit up when you eat and don’t lie down immediately after eating.
  • Avoid any food that you know causes gas or makes you burp. Avoid carbonated beverages.
  • Place a cool item such as an ice pack or cool washcloth on the back of your neck.
  • Open windows and let in fresh, cool air. Stale or smoky air makes nausea worse.
  • Smell an alcohol wipe or rubbing alcohol (don’t ingest).
  • Keep your teeth and tongue brushed, your teeth flossed and your mouth rinsed to prevent bad flavors and odors.

When to call your medical team

If these measures don’t help, contact your medical team. They may be able to provide a prescription medication to help with your vomiting. Or they may need to assess whether your symptoms are signs of heart failure or are caused by something else other than a medication side effect.