Good drink choices include water, juice, diluted sports drinks, and seltzer. Try to avoid very sugary drinks like soda. These might taste good, but they can make your vomiting and diarrhea worse. [2] X Trustworthy Source National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases Health information from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, a division of the U. S. National Institutes of Health Go to source
Be careful not to bite down on big ice cubes. This could hurt your teeth, and you only want to deal with one problem at a time!
Older children can have sports drinks too, but give younger children an electrolyte replacement drink like Pedialyte instead. There are also electrolyte replacement ice pops available in supermarkets. This is a good choice for younger children who don’t want to drink the formula.
If you have a serious stomach virus, it’s possible that you’ll have problems tolerating dairy even after the virus passes. This is normal, and should pass within a month. [7] X Trustworthy Source National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases Health information from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, a division of the U. S. National Institutes of Health Go to source
Remember that you should still be drinking, even if you’re feeling nauseous. It’s more important to get enough fluids than to eat. It’s possible that you’ll still have diarrhea after the nausea and vomiting pass. It’s okay to start eating even if you have diarrhea, as long as you don’t feel like food will make you nauseous.
Good foods that shouldn’t make you nauseous include crackers, bread, toast, plain cereal, bananas, rice, and chicken. Stick with these until the queasiness is gone. Avoid fatty or greasy foods, as well as concentrated sweets. [11] X Expert Source Roy Nattiv, MDBoard Certified Gastroenterologist Expert Interview. 18 December 2020. Don’t overeat either. Even if you eat bland foods, eating too much could trigger more nausea. Stick with small meals and bites.
You have a better chance of avoiding more nausea if you stick with bland foods like bread or plain rice. When your nausea passes again, try having another meal with these bland ingredients. Keep your portions small as well. If you’re eating too much, your nausea could come back too.
In most cases, the worst symptoms of the virus only last 1 day. You can probably start returning to your normal activities the following day, although you’ll still feel pretty run down.
If your vomiting is so bad that you haven’t kept any liquids down for 24 hours, then call your doctor as well. You’re at a high risk for dehydration. If your baby is sick, call your pediatrician if they’ve been vomiting for a few hours straight.
Symptoms of dehydration include dark urine, excessive thirst, dry mouth, infrequent urinating, weakness, and dizziness or lightheadedness. An early sign of dehydration is dark yellow urine, so if your urine looks too dark, try to drink more before the dehydration looks worse.
Your doctor might also prescribe an antispasmodic to help with stomach cramps. [19] X Expert Source Roy Nattiv, MDBoard Certified Gastroenterologist Expert Interview. 18 December 2020. Doctors usually won’t recommend these medications for children. Antibiotics won’t help to get rid of a stomach virus, so doctors won’t even try these. You can also ask about over-the-counter pain relievers like acetaminophen to help if you have pain or fever. However, avoid ibuprofen, which can irritate your stomach. [20] X Expert Source Roy Nattiv, MDBoard Certified Gastroenterologist Expert Interview. 18 December 2020.
