Loss of appetite and vomiting

Stomach infections, food-related illness, gastritis, medicines, migraine, pregnancy, and other conditions can cause vomiting with reduced interest in food. Abdominal pain, diarrhoea, fever, headache, dizziness, or a new medicine may help point toward the cause. Vomiting itself can irritate the throat and stomach, making food seem unappealing even after the original trigger improves.

The colour and contents matter: green vomit, blood, or material resembling coffee grounds needs urgent assessment. Repeated retching may also cause small streaks of blood, but this still deserves medical advice.

Take frequent small sips of water or an oral rehydration drink. If vomiting settles, restart with small amounts of bland, familiar food and increase gradually as tolerated. Rest, wash hands carefully if infection is possible, and avoid alcohol. Do not take anti-vomiting or anti-inflammatory medicines without checking that they are suitable for you.

Seek urgent care if you cannot keep fluids down, pass very little urine, feel faint or confused, have severe abdominal pain, a stiff or swollen abdomen, blood or green material in vomit, black stools, or severe headache with neck stiffness. Children, older adults, pregnant people, and people with chronic illness may need earlier advice.

Ask what cause is most consistent with the timing and accompanying symptoms, how to replace fluids, whether a medicine may be responsible, and when normal eating or work can resume.