Many of the HIV medications currently available can cause nausea.

Nausea and/or vomiting maybe the result of medication, treatment, therapy or infection, it is important to find out what the cause is and to see your doctor if it continues for more than a couple of days.

Nausea, and occasionally vomiting usually improves after a few weeks on treatment.

Anti-sickness (anti-emetic) pills taken regularly in the first few weeks will help. If one does not work, it is worth trying others that are available. Some anti-emetics work by emptying your stomach more quickly and others by stopping the signals to your brain that make you feel sick. If the nausea never improves and you may need to change to other anti-HIV medication.

If you are taking abacavir and you are feeling nauseous or vomiting, then contact your clinic straight away to rule out a hypersensitivity reaction.

Domperidone (Motilium) – 10–20mg every 4–8 hours. Suppositories 30–60mg every 4–8 hours are also available.

Metoclopramide (Maxolon) – usually 10mg 3 times a day. Other slow-release versions can be used twice a day - Maxolon SR and Gastrobid Continuous; they should not be used in anyone under 20 years old.

Prochlorperazine (Stemetil) – usually 5–10mg, 2–3 times daily. A special preparation is available called Buccastem – 1 or 2 tablets are placed between the upper lip and gum and left to dissolve; not having to swallow more pills is useful when you are feeling sick.

Haloperidol – 1.5mg daily or twice daily where nausea is severe. Particularly useful as can be taken at night to avoid early morning nausea.

Where other medications and lifestyle changes have failed then medications for the side effects of chemotherapy may be used; including Granisetron, Ondansetron and Tropisetron - these are highly effective.

If changing your medication is not an option and the nausea is continuous, then the following recommendations may help.