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Vomiting and Diarrhea: How Sick is Your Child?

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Ask Dr. Lisa

Q: What should I do if I throw up shortly after taking a pill?

A: In general, if a medication is in your stomach for fewer than 20 minutes before you vomit, it's a good and perfectly safe idea to take another. (It takes that long for your stomach to start to break down the drug.) But before you reach for the bottle, try to figure out why you threw up. If the pill itself made you sick, ask your pharmacist if it's OK to take it with food, which may make it easier to stomach. But if nausea and vomiting are symptoms of the illness your doctor is trying to treat (such as a kidney infection), check in with your M.D. You may need an intravenous or injectable treatment instead.

Lisa Callahan, M.D. (drlisa@self.com), is the author of The Fitness Factor (The Lyons Press).