u.s. Department 

of health and

human services

National Institutes

of Health National Cancer Institute

Managing Radiation Therapy Side Effects

What to do about feeling sick to your 

stomach and throwing up 

(nausea and vomiting)

What are nausea and vomiting?

Nausea is when you feel sick to your 

stomach, like you are going to throw 

up. Vomiting is when you throw up. 

n Drink enough liquids each day to 

prevent dehydration (loss of too 

much water from the body). 

n Ask your doctor or nurse about 

medicine that will help. Learn how 

you should take the medicine. 

Take these steps to feel better:

Take your anti-nausea medicine.

n Talk with your doctor or nurse about 

the best times and ways to take your 

medicine.

n Tell your nurse if the medicine is not 

helping. There are different kinds of 

medicine, and one may work better 

than another for you.

Try tips to settle your stomach.

n Eat foods that are easy on your 

stomach. See the list on the other 

side of this sheet.

n Eat 5 to 6 small meals instead of 3 

large meals each day.

n Eat and drink slowly.

n Don’t lie down right after eating. 

Instead, sit up for a while.

Avoid some foods.

n Don’t eat greasy, fried, or spicy foods 

if you feel sick after eating them.

n Don’t eat foods that are too hot or 

too cold if they make you sick to your 

stomach.

n If the smell of food bothers you, ask 

others to cook for you. Then let the 

food cool down before you eat it.

“I asked my doctor questions to make 

sure I knew when to take my medicine. 

The medicine really helped me.”

u.s. Department 

of health and

human services

National Institutes

of Health
How can we help?

National Cancer Institute’s Cancer Information Service

Phone: 1-800-422-6237 (1-800-4-CANCER)

Web: www.cancer.gov

Online Chat: www.cancer.gov/livehelp

NCI has a series of 9 Radiation Therapy Side Effects Fact Sheets at:

www.cancer.gov/radiation-side-effects

Managing Radiation Therapy Side Effects: Feeling sick to your stomach and throwing up (nausea and vomiting)

Try these tips on treatment days:

n Learn the best time for you to eat and drink. 

Some people find that it helps to eat a small 

snack before treatment. Others avoid eating 

or drinking right before treatment because it 

makes them feel sick.

n Listen to music or an audiobook before 

treatment, to help relax.

Questions to ask your doctor 

or nurse:

1. What problems should I call you about?

2. How should I take the medicine to prevent 

nausea and vomiting?

3. How much liquid should I drink each day?

4. What foods should I eat?

5. What foods should I avoid or have less of?

6. Could you give me the name of someone 

who can tell me about acupuncture and other 

things that may help prevent nausea?

NIH Publication No. 11-6105

Revised December 2010

These foods and drinks may be easy on your stomach until you feel better:

Soups (clear liquids) Drinks (clear liquids) Meals and snacks Fruits and sweets

•	 Clear broth,

such as chicken, 

vegetable, 

or beef

•	 Clear soda, such

as ginger ale, that 

has gone flat or 

lost its fizz

•	 Cranberry or

grape juice

•	 Oral rehydration

solution drinks, 

such as Pedialyte®

•	 Tea

•	 Water

•	 Chicken—broiled

or baked, without 

the skin

•	 Crackers

•	 Cream of wheat or

rice cereal

•	 Noodles

•	 Oatmeal

•	 Potatoes—boiled,

without the skin

•	 Pretzels

•	 White rice

•	 White toast

•	 Angel food cake

•	 Canned fruit, such 

as peaches and pears

•	 Gelatin (such as

Jell-O®)

•	 Popsicles and

sorbet

•	 Yogurt