# Which is worse: nausea/vomiting or cramping/diarrhea? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 27, 2011, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-is-worse-nausea-vomiting-or-cramping-diarrhea/579907 "2011-04-27T15:58:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2011, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-is-worse-nausea-vomiting-or-cramping-diarrhea/579907/1 "2011-04-27T15:58:35Z")
Obviously the worst is when you have them both at the same time, but when you only have one, which is worse? Let’s say you have to get up every 20 minutes to either throw up or have diarrhea, and the rest of the time you’re either queasy or cramping, respectively. Which is worse? ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2011, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-is-worse-nausea-vomiting-or-cramping-diarrhea/579907/2 "2011-04-27T16:14:22Z")
I am a person who is a “violent puker” so any amount of puking leaves me pretty wiped out. While diarrhea is no picnic, I’d rather have my insides sort of fall out than be violently heaved upwards. I had them both at the same time around Christmas. It was just…sad. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2011, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-is-worse-nausea-vomiting-or-cramping-diarrhea/579907/3 "2011-04-27T16:19:41Z")
My backside doesn’t have tastebuds, so it’s a no-brainer, surely? I haven’t thrown up in maybe 20 years and have a slight phobia about it. (Living with a wife with IBS, and now morning sickness, has kind of cured me to some degree!) Diarrhoea doesn’t really bother me though. ---
**Author:** ![norinew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/eb9ed0/32.png) [@norinew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/norinew)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2011, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-is-worse-nausea-vomiting-or-cramping-diarrhea/579907/4 "2011-04-27T16:22:34Z")
I voted that cramping/diarrhea is worse; this is because, with these symptoms, you’re stuck on the toilet. I don’t know about you, but after a while on there, my feet go to sleep, then it’s almost impossible to stand up again! At least with nausea/vomiting, you can lay in bed and be miserable with a plastic trash bin next to you! ---
**Author:** ![awldune](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c77e96/32.png) [@awldune](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/awldune)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2011, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-is-worse-nausea-vomiting-or-cramping-diarrhea/579907/5 "2011-04-27T16:22:36Z")
Not an easy call, but nausea is at least less painful. Cramping can be HORRIBLE sometimes. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2011, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-is-worse-nausea-vomiting-or-cramping-diarrhea/579907/6 "2011-04-27T16:26:16Z")
I would rather have diarrhea for a week than vomiting for a day. ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2011, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-is-worse-nausea-vomiting-or-cramping-diarrhea/579907/7 "2011-04-27T16:27:24Z")
Some people say they’re really bothered by vomiting but I’m not, so I voted cramping/the squirts as being worse. At least when you throw up, you get that “ahhh, that’s better” feeling, at least for a moment. Having both together is more-than-exponentially worse than one or t’other. \ I don’t know which way it’s comin’ out, but it’s _comin’ out!_" \ ---
**Author:** ![corkboard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@corkboard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/corkboard)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2011, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-is-worse-nausea-vomiting-or-cramping-diarrhea/579907/8 "2011-04-27T16:30:07Z")
Puking is worse. The bad thing about diarrhea is the feeling in my gut before I actually evacuate, but I actually find the act of expelling it somewhat satisfying. TMI? Maybe. My body violently objects to the act of vomiting, so the point that my throat closes up and I just can’t get anything out. So the feeling of nausea continues. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2011, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-is-worse-nausea-vomiting-or-cramping-diarrhea/579907/9 "2011-04-27T16:37:27Z")
I can read a book while doing the latter. The former, not so much. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2011, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-is-worse-nausea-vomiting-or-cramping-diarrhea/579907/10 "2011-04-27T16:41:16Z")
Diarrhea is a walk in the park. But the cramps caused by constipation? Accompanied by vomiting because the food has nowhere else to go? That’s kept me out of work for days. ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2011, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-is-worse-nausea-vomiting-or-cramping-diarrhea/579907/11 "2011-04-27T16:49:23Z")
Vomiting. I’m one of the lucky souls who always experience a vaso-vagal (sp?) reaction when nauseated, long before the actual emission finally occurs. So for me, nausea/vomiting is a profoundly disabling and horrible experience. Given a choice of miseries, I’ll take dire rear. . ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2011, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-is-worse-nausea-vomiting-or-cramping-diarrhea/579907/12 "2011-04-27T17:04:22Z")
I will do virtually anything to avoid vomiting; I bet I haven’t puked in 20 years or so. But the Hersheys? As long as I’m at home (and not, like, at work), bring 'em on. Just let me grab the NY Times Sunday crossword and a pen first. mmm ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2011, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-is-worse-nausea-vomiting-or-cramping-diarrhea/579907/13 "2011-04-27T17:09:48Z")
One advantage of vomiting is that your lips won’t get so sore and irritated from constantly wiping them that it hurts to sit down. ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2011, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-is-worse-nausea-vomiting-or-cramping-diarrhea/579907/14 "2011-04-27T17:30:51Z")
Vomiting. I’m also a violent puker. It comes out fast and hard. If I throw up twice in one day then my back is sore for the next couple of days. Throwing up after the back is already sore from throwing up cracks my back and I can feel some of the muscles being pulled super tight and then my back is sore for a week. ---
**Author:** ![Suburban\_Plankton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suburban_plankton/32/219_2.png) [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2011, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-is-worse-nausea-vomiting-or-cramping-diarrhea/579907/15 "2011-04-27T17:54:44Z")
Cramping and diarrhea are painful. I can deal with pain. Nausea is…something else, that I can’t wrap my head around. I’d rather do almost anything that vomit. ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2011, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-is-worse-nausea-vomiting-or-cramping-diarrhea/579907/16 "2011-04-27T17:55:56Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > One advantage of vomiting is that your lips won’t get so sore and irritated from constantly wiping them that it hurts to sit down. This is again a time when I say my Ace Bidet (under $100 and easy to install) makes my life so much better. ---
**Author:** ![Wile\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2011, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-is-worse-nausea-vomiting-or-cramping-diarrhea/579907/17 "2011-04-27T18:11:38Z")
I have to agree with vomiting being worse, like others I hate to vomit. I lost track of how long it’s been, a few years maybe, but I tip my hat to those 20 year non-vomiters. I find being nauseous more disabling than cramps. You’re afraid to move, lest it lead to vomiting. You’re afraid to sip water or take medication because you might not be able to keep it down. Then there’s the taste of vomit and that awful feeling when it feels like it’s gone through your nose. I’ve been through IBS like episodes and lactose intolerance before I knew what it was. As someone else said, at least the act of evacuating helps a little with the cramps and you can actually take something for it without having the medicine come back up. ---
**Author:** ![Ponch8](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponch8/32/9883_2.png) [@Ponch8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponch8)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2011, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-is-worse-nausea-vomiting-or-cramping-diarrhea/579907/18 "2011-04-27T18:16:14Z")
Nausea/vomiting is much worse for me. ---
**Author:** ![mozchron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c2a13f/32.png) [@mozchron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mozchron)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2011, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-is-worse-nausea-vomiting-or-cramping-diarrhea/579907/19 "2011-04-27T18:21:22Z")
Not to be TMI, but I got sent to the emergency room for diarrhea a couple weeks ago - got 2 full IV saline bags for severe dehydration. (vital stats at admittance: - BP: 92/50, heart rate 126 beats/min) Of course, same thing happened to a friend recently from convulsive vomiting. I think both options are equally good 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![alice\_in\_wonderland](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alice_in_wonderland/32/176_2.png) [@alice\_in\_wonderland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alice_in_wonderland)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2011, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-is-worse-nausea-vomiting-or-cramping-diarrhea/579907/20 "2011-04-27T18:40:26Z")
Vomiting is much worse. For me at least, diarrhea is a somewhat contained discomfort. I mean, cramps suck but at least I can sit on the toilet and listen to music and knit. Vomiting is such a full body thing for me that I can’t do anything other than lay on the bathroom floor and feel sorry for myself. The worst, of course, is sitting on the toilet with diarrhea while puking in the bath tub. That’s just redonkulous in its suckitude. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-is-worse-nausea-vomiting-or-cramping-diarrhea/579907.md?page=2)