Hello. I have just started chemo and have really suffered with the nausea. My dr has put me on stronger meds. Just wanted to find out how other people deal with the nausea. Any tips, natural approaches. Does the nausea settle with each round? Or is that wishful thinking. Thank you x

Its really trial and error and what you feel you could stomach, everything was really bland, so I found it hard in terms of foods. Ginger is something else that is meant to help with nausea too. I sort of treated it like morning sickness at points strangely...tried crackers or salty things etc.,

Hi there @Jenpri i used a concoction similar to @primek I didn’t have too many issues with the nausea as the maxolon and or ondansetron worked for me and when I was on the taxol I took nexium for the reflux too and of course coloxyl and senna to avoid the constipation but I found that my franklin sparkling flavoured mineral water great for the tummy as the bubbles made me burp heaps and that helped with the icky gut feeling too. I couldn’t stand normal water it tasted foul but the lemon one worked a treat. I also had weird cravings as my taste was affected. I had to eat salty foods nothing sweet at all In the first week as that made me feel yuck so I would make a heap of beef chow mein with a stack of Veges in it and I would eat loads of that and that only. But if you feel really ghastly take yourself to the hospital and they can put you on some IV stuff that will help. Biggest hug. Margie x

Hey @Jenpri so sorry to hear about the nausea, I suffered it terribly through chemo also. They put me on Maxolon but that actually made it worse and they said in alot of cases people are allergic to it. The only thing that helped me through was Ativan, its not for nausea but it settled me enough to cope on the days that it was bad. I really feel for you as nothing I ate or drank helped alleviate it, only rest and time. What regime are you on? I did 4 FEC and that was the toughest and 8 Taxol, I dont recall nausea on that though but other effects. Definitely speak to your team asap that the nausea is bad that you need something else, dont put up with anything get on top of it quickly. Hugs Melinda xo

It really is difficult. It’s both physically and emotionally challenging.on days when the meds arnt hiding the nausea I drink peppermint tea, have warm baths and naps.i Remind myself the purpose is to kill the cancer cells and because it kills the healthy tummy cells as well I feel sick, but that it also means it’s having the same effect in the tumour and that is the purpose of having the meds. And that it won’t last forever - a couple of days and we feel better.its really tough though ! My nausea and side effects have gotten worse each treatment but it’s different for everyone hang in there !

Thanks Melinda. 3 rounds of Fec and then 3 rounds of something else. Can’t remember off the top of my head. I was on maxalon and it got so bad, they admitted me for a night. I’m now on cyclizive and zophran. The eating and drinking is tricky.

Chemo and nausea | BCNA Online Network

15 Replies

onemargie
Member
8 years ago
Hi there @Jenpri i used a concoction similar to @primek I didn’t have too many issues with the nausea as the maxolon and or ondansetron worked for me and when I was on the taxol I took nexium for the reflux too and of course coloxyl and senna to avoid the constipation but I found that my franklin sparkling flavoured mineral water great for the tummy as the bubbles made me burp heaps and that helped with the icky gut feeling too. I couldn’t stand normal water it tasted foul but the lemon one worked a treat. I also had weird cravings as my taste was affected. I had to eat salty foods nothing sweet at all In the first week as that made me feel yuck so I would make a heap of beef chow mein with a stack of Veges in it and I would eat loads of that and that only. But if you feel really ghastly take yourself to the hospital and they can put you on some IV stuff that will help. Biggest hug. Margie x
Jen79x
Member
8 years ago
Maxalon works great for me too - every 4-6 hours
Ativan is amazing to help me sleep - I think it takes the edge of the nausea and relaxes me :)
kezmusc
Member
8 years ago
Ondansetron worked pretty well for me (maxalon made me sick) plus a lot of ginger tablets (like travel calm or the blackmores version) Think I ate my body weight in peppermints as well. Day 4 was the worst for me then it got better. Different chemo regime though. Hope you find something that works soon.
primek
Member
8 years ago
I took stemitl 8 hourly, ondasetron 1/2 before meals, and dex for 4 days. Still squarmy and reflux. So nexium twice daily and zantac soluble when desperate in between and double strength mylanta. I used movichol fir constipation...it was a godsend.

It sounds a lot but it's an unnatural poisoning of our bodies and you just need to get through . Didnt need anything but nexium week 2 and 3.
melclarity
Member
8 years ago
No worries :) keep going til you find what works! x
Jenpri
Member
8 years ago
Thank you Mel. You’ve really helped me this morning xxx
melclarity
Member
8 years ago
Ohhhhh I know its horrible!!! so try lots of different things even drinks to find something that helps, thats the best way. x
Jenpri
Member
8 years ago
It feels like an extreme case of morning sickness!
melclarity
Member
8 years ago
Its really trial and error and what you feel you could stomach, everything was really bland, so I found it hard in terms of foods. Ginger is something else that is meant to help with nausea too. I sort of treated it like morning sickness at points strangely...tried crackers or salty things etc.,
Jenpri
Member
8 years ago
Oh yes of course. Good point. I’m a rookie to this. Just made some peppermint tea actually. Any other foods helped?