Topic Overview

Many nonprescription and prescription medicines can cause nausea or vomiting. A few examples are:

• Antibiotics.
• Antidepressants.
• Aspirin, ibuprofen (such as Advil or Motrin), and naproxen (such as Aleve).
• Medicines used to treat cancer (chemotherapy).
• Opioid pain medicines.
• Vitamins and mineral supplements, such as iron.

If you think that your nausea or vomiting may be caused by a medicine:

• Call the doctor who prescribed the medicine to find out whether you should stop taking it or take a different one. An appointment may not be necessary.
• If you are taking a nonprescription medicine, stop taking it. Call your doctor if you feel you need to continue taking the medicine.