Antiemetics: What They Are and How They Help with Nausea and Vomiting

When you feel sick to your stomach or can’t keep anything down, antiemetics, medications designed to prevent or stop nausea and vomiting. Also known as anti-nausea drugs, they work by blocking signals in your brain or gut that trigger vomiting. These aren’t just for morning sickness or motion sickness—they’re critical for people going through chemotherapy, recovering from surgery, or dealing with severe stomach flu.

There are different kinds of dopamine antagonists, drugs that block dopamine receptors in the brain’s vomiting center, like metoclopramide and prochlorperazine. Then there are serotonin blockers, medications that stop serotonin from activating nausea pathways in the gut and brain, such as ondansetron. These are often used in cancer care because they’re strong and have fewer drowsy side effects than older options. Some antiemetics target the inner ear for motion sickness, while others calm stomach spasms directly. The right one depends on what’s causing the nausea—not all are made equal.

You’ll find antiemetics mentioned in posts about fertility treatments, where nausea from hormone shots can be a real problem. You’ll also see them tied to antibiotics, pain meds, and even TB drugs like ethionamide, which often cause stomach upset. If you’re taking something that makes you feel sick, there’s likely an antiemetic that can help. This collection gives you real comparisons, practical advice, and clear info on what works, what doesn’t, and how to use these drugs safely without overdoing it.