Nausea and Vomiting in Parkinson’s Disease

Patients with Parkinson’s disease may experience symptoms of nausea, leading to vomiting.
In this article, we will discuss the main causes and possible solutions.

Nausea can occur when the stomach slowly empties its contents into the small intestine—a condition called gastroparesis. For people taking levodopa, this is a real problem because the presence of food in the stomach slows the absorption of the drug, and the effectiveness of therapy may decrease. Basic dietary rules should be followed to avoid food stagnation in the stomach. We discussed the dietary principles  in a separate article .

The ambiguity of the problem lies in the fact that some medications prescribed for nausea block dopamine, which is unacceptable for the primary condition—Parkinson’s disease, so alternative strategies should sometimes be considered. You may be offered inhaled levodopa, which provides better absorption bypassing the gastrointestinal tract. However, it should be remembered that they can only be used as an adjunct, not the main therapy for Parkinson’s disease, and strictly as prescribed by a doctor.

Nausea often occurs as a side effect of levodopa therapy, appearing immediately after starting the medication. In this case, the attending physician may advise taking the medication with meals. If this remains ineffective, an increase in the dose of carbidopa may be suggested as indicated.

Sudden nausea and vomiting require your attention not only in Parkinson’s disease. Keep in mind that if these symptoms appear, especially with traces of blood against a background of complete well-being, particularly in the presence of gastrointestinal diseases (peptic ulcer, reflux esophagitis, liver cirrhosis), you should stop taking all medications as soon as possible and call an ambulance.

Good health to you and your loved ones!

V.S. Buzaev International Medical Centre ^®