Best friend, age 72, in nursing rehab aftercare from surgery 2 months ago. She is constantly nauseous. Any helpful tips?

I would hope this has been explored by the Dr in charge of her care. 2 months seems to be a long time to be in Rehab just because of a surgery? Has she talked to her specialist? You know she can request to go to the hospital if she feels something is not right. Rehabs are not prisons. You have rights.

She is being followed in rehab about this inability to tolerate nourishment, and I would imagine all the arsenal available to use for nausea is being explored. If you are a friend you likely have no access to what the medicines are.

You say she is due to have another procedure to "reverse" the first. Makes me think that she has had some surgery involving intestinal tract? Can you tell us a bit more about her general condition, and what surgery she has had?

You have some good advice below.

When I was nauseous after surgery a good friend who does reflexology offered to give me a treatment - I'm a born skeptic but I can't deny that the next day I was actually hungry. It can't hurt to investigate some alternative therapies.

Have pain patches been tried?

So sorry for your friend. It seems like she is really not helping herself. Does she have memory issues that are keeping her from making good decisions?

Pain meds are usually taken with some food--even if it's only a couple of saltine crackers.

Zofran is excellent for nausea, but can cause constipation, so sometimes the cure is worse than the disease.

If she can get her pain under control, the nausea might also subside. It's a tricky road to walk--keeping the pain manageable, not upsetting an already tender tummy.

Maybe she can have a shot of something for the pain, then when it's better, she can do something orally and stay on top of the pain.

Has she been offered anti nausea medications? Zofran is one, there are others. Pepto-Bismol can help to coat the stomach prior to taking meds.

Maybe she'll eat some outside food .