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Avatar universal

tough time on chemo - any advice?

Hi, just started chemo (stage 2b) 3 days ago and having a tough time. I'm on Kytril 1 day post chemo and decadron 2 days post chemo but still feel naseous. I can't tell what's helping either. Feeling achy now which I'm assuming is pretty normal but having a tough time seeing the end of the road..

Wendy

22 Responses
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315 tn?1230998574
I remember that chemo course your on and all the ladies have given you great tips. Keeping yourself hydrated and not constipated is your best action...along with pain meds for the bone pain.  I'm currently on Navelbine right now and its really taken it's toll on me. Between my lack of appetite and nausea I just ssem to continue to lose weight. I'm on Kytril during infusing...phenergan,compazine and Zofran. for breakthrough nausea.......none of them help!! I hope you fel better soon. Listen to all the ladies they did a great job of adviice!~~~~Joanne
Helpful - 0
167426 tn?1254086235
Sinse I was an OB nurse for years, I knew that ginger helps prevent morning sickness,  when Leslee was having  so much  nausea and vomiting with chemo, I went to GMC and got her some capsules of ginger,  she took them according to directions and we believe it helped her.  This was okayed by Mayo also. she took  them before and after chemo, drank lots of water and juices, we also had a dietician figure out a good diet for her, with foods she liked and  actually never lost any weight.  Never had asites,  there are quite a few trials  now  testing  ginger, all show some remarkable  progress.  google  ginger and chemo for a full run down ,  Marty
Helpful - 0
564735 tn?1263943526
Sorry to hear you are having a rough time with nausea I know what it feels like to be hungry and nauseous at the same time. I  have a difficult time drinking water ( it tastes different to me during chemo). I am able to drink decaf. green tea( hot and cold). I also found cherrios and bananas helped with nausea. I also eat grapes. Eat whatever you crave. I try to nibble on something. Let you DR know that you are struggling with Naseau...there are a lot of meds that can help. I always start taking my naseau meds before I am nauseous usually 1 to 2 hours before my chemo...it is easier to control if you get ahead of it.  
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Will try the peppermint and cinammon. I know ginger is good, but could never tolerate it myself.
Helpful - 0
429647 tn?1249753429
I had to drink everything with ice in it including milk. but I drank green tea, ice cold.  Also peppermint tea, and even sucking on peppermint candies helped with nausea. I could not drink anything acidic including juices.
Helpful - 0
555120 tn?1234746957
Hi wendy,
   I want to share a few secrets that I found to be very helpful to me first off you came to the right place for assistance and guidance, Having the chemo can be really rough on a person each person reacts differently to it. when i had chemo i would actually wear a depend because while i was hooked to the IV you get the runs and it just hits you from now where, i also ate crackers as well, bananas are good so is yogurt, i recently found a pita cracker that has cinnamon and sugar in it and it is wonderful the cinnamon helps curb the nausea as well. if you ever want to talk please email me terry.***@**** i am not on here that often but i do check every now and then.

Terry
Helpful - 0
135691 tn?1271097123
Hey Wendy...I'm sorry to hear that the Taxol/carbo isn't going so great. It's a really tough chemo combo. I know for me that as much as you don't feel like drinking, it's so important to drink lots of water...believe it or not, it does help with the nausea. It's so hard though, when you feel sick to keep chugging back the water. I used to buy the one and a half litre bottles of water and made sure to drink one full one each day...when it was gone, then I knew I'd had enough. If you really can't get the water down, ask your home care nurse about IV fluids...I know it sounds strange, but when your dehydrated, it makes everything feel worse.
I remember at PMH they liked to give Kytril...ask them for Zofran instead. I found it worked better for me. The Ativan is a great tip...I used to get really bad pains in my knees, ankles and feet and if you take an Ativan along with a pain med (Percocet for me) it helps you to calm down so you can actually get relief from the meds.
Don't forget to take your laxatives too...all these drugs can really muck up your system...
As for the eating...well, eat what makes you feel good. Eat whatever will stay in your stomach...I know it's important to eat well during chemo but let's face it, I didn't once go running for a big green salad when I was feeling yucky! It was macaroni and cheese and grilled cheese sandwiches for me...which, as you can imagine, really helped with the constipation ;)  
I know it's hard to see the end of the road, but I found I only felt really lousy for a few days... After that, I felt much better and could get back on track. Just know that this feeling of "crappiness" won't be there for the entire time! You will have good days too...I promise!
The first treatment is always the hardest...
Take care,
Becky
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Avatar universal
I was just going to get some cranberry! But the pickled herring I'll pass on, but you never know in the weeks to come.
Helpful - 0
415684 tn?1257329318
I drank cranberry juice every day ... and at the MD's while getting my chemo.  Also ate peanut butter crackers and bananas (and tootsie rolls) during my treatment.  I still had nausea but I think having some food in my stomach helped with the nausea.  Emend for the 1st 3 days is great.  Aloxi is much better than Zofran.  I had Emend and Aloxi and Zofran for breakthru nausea.  I did find if I didn't keep something in my stomach every hour or so I would get nauseous. Poached eggs were almost a daily event.  I also drank coke (slowly) and chamommile tea.  You will find what you like.  I even ate pickled herring one day 'cause that's what I felt like eating.  Hang in there .. keep your eye on the prize (the last tx).  I was lucky because only week one was really nasty for me.  Weeks 2 and 3 were really OK.  Will keep you in my prayers....Judy
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408448 tn?1286883821
For me breads were easy to tolerate.  All kinds.  I drank so much cranberry juice!  I craved it.  Everyone is different.  I ate things on chemo that I didn't like before.  Taste changes so much.  Just try anything that sounds good in small amounts.  For nausea I had some of the drugs mentioned above, but also Ativan.  Even though it is normally for anxiety my cancer center prescribes it for nausea.  I only had to use it a few times for nausea.  I did use it to help with sleep several times.  Good luck.  It may seem like you will never finish the chemo, but you will.  Just think after each treatment you are one treatment closer to the finish line.  Celebrate big when the last treatment is done!  Marie
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Avatar universal
I'm confused about juices, etc. Is it bad to take something acidic? What's better to drink? I've tried juice, popsicles, tea, plain water, gatorade..nothing tastes good. I'm starving but can't eat.

Wendy
Helpful - 0
654680 tn?1240051285
I also found it very important to drink lots of water to flush it through your system, I was on Carboplatin and Taxol for my first 6 treatments, yes it does make you very tired and I was so happy to get to the last treatment, but thankfully I did get there. I am coming up to my two years since diagnosed with Ovarian Cancer with recurrence in the Liver February this year, and had a further lot of 2 treatments with Doxil, then a severe reaction, then smaller doses of Carboplatin/Taxol weekly for three weeks with fourth week off. After 5th treatment another reaction to the Carbo. Then Oncologist continued on with Taxol only. Thankfully my CA125 returned to normal range of 19. Like Doicat says above, make sure you have stool softeners, the medication can make you terribly constipated, I understand it can have the reverse on some people.   I would stress drinking at least 2 litres of water a day, definitely helps, even just add a slice of lemon in it to give it a different taste.
I have my appointment with Oncologist on 18/11 just hope and pray all is going well.My last lot of chemo was on 5th October.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
One of the things that helps for bone pain is acupuncture... I used it every week when I was undergoing my chemo.. I have diabetic neuropathy so it made it 1000 times worse.. accupunture helped... I also used b12b9 and b6 injection once a week... it helped the neuropathy..
I love spicy food. but had no appetite and had a horrid metal taste all the time.. ah the joys of chemo.. but here I am 14 months since my last chemo and I am stage IV and feeling well...
Helpful - 0
653618 tn?1260603643
Listen to these ladies!  They know what of their talking about.  I, like you, am just starting this thing and went through my 1st chemo treatment October 27th.  Carbo/Taxol.  Had an allergic reaction to the Taxol (one thing you can be greatfull for not having) and was given Kytril for antinausea.  Ate pretty much every two hours,,,bland food,,,mostly rice/chicken thingy and apple cake my mom made and smoothies with no acitic juices/fruit.  Also made sure to take stool softners which, trust me, you really need to do.  

About 36 hours after chemo, I also had really bad pelvic/leg aches which continued about 5 days.  Tried Tylenol, Narcotic, massage, and a footbath spa thing.  The massage and foot bath helped for a short term but really haven't found the "answer" to this yet.  Going to try other things this next round as now at least, I know what's in store for me.  

The good thing is that on day 6 I woke up to no (none, zilch) pain whatsoever and have really felt pretty good with the exception of feeling a little tired around 4 pm.  Also I can eat pretty much anything again.  Good for a Texan who loves her spices!

Hang in there and feel free to ask me or any of these very helpful ladies (and a few gentlemen) anything.  I've really found this forum to be a true God Send!  No one, as you put it, knows what you are going through but these ladies.  My parents, husband, and daughter all sympathize with me and love me but really don't have a clue.  

Take care
Doicat
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Avatar universal
Thanks for all your replies. I thought chemo would be easier at the beginning and harder at the end, and I wasn't prepared for such a rough start. But I can tell you all know where I'm coming from. I just thought it's not going to get better and didn't think I could handle it...but I think I can now, little by little. I'll definitely look into your suggestions.

Wendy
Helpful - 0
282804 tn?1236833591
Oh, I am so sorry.  That first time is awful and scary because you have just never experienced anything like it.  I remember.  If you are on carbo/taxol you should start feeling better in a week or so.  Most people have a couple of good weeks before the next chemo so you do have that to look forward to, honestly.
Just allow yourself time to heal and stay on top of the pain and the nausea.  They are both things that are easier to prevent than to cure.  I found that phenergan suppositories worked the best and they worked immediately (20 mins).  Phenergan pills do nothing for me on the other hand.  I also insisted this last 6 months that they give me Aloxi instead of Zofran in my pre chemo IV.  It lasts for 5 days.  Do try to eat small amts of food at least because I learned that a lot of my nausea was from a stomach full of nothing but pills and juice. Hang in there, it really does get better.
Helpful - 0
349465 tn?1289081764
I know exactly how you feel about "not being able to see the end of the road" while taking chemo.  Most of us have been through it. At times, I felt it was a complete nightmare.  I felt SO bad just about every day for six months.  Don't let yourself get down in the dumps too far.  Try to look at it as a five or six step process.  IOW, hey I just have to do this four more times, etc.... It's not forever.  You WILL feel better...I promise.

I hope you will also listen to the other posters who have recommended anti-nausea meds that might help.  Zophran was one that really helped me at the time. I never let the nausea take hold of me.  I took the meds even if I didn't feel sick at my stomach.  I only through up ONE time the entire six months.
Teresa
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Avatar universal
My thoughts are with you. Chemo is tough, tougher than I ever imagined.

As long as I kept up with the kytril, I was in great shape. I had something (sorry I don't know what) as an IV before my chemo started. Benedryl and an antinausea and then the carbo and taxol. I'l sorry I can't help much more than that.

I was tired and sick for about two weeks after each chemo. I thought I'd be at work and normal from the beginning.

I'm four months from my last round and I'm jogging and swimming. I'm not getting in shape as quickly as I'd like, but I'm getting there.

I gained weight on chemo, so the nausea didn't affect me enough for me to lose weight.
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429647 tn?1249753429
Chemo is rough on everyone, maybe to different degrees. Eat to keep the nausea at bay.  I took oral nausea meds but also used phenergen suppositories.  I would take my meds like clockwork, writing down when I take what at what time, always staying on top of it.  I also took stool softners and miralax starting the day before chemo and up to 4 days after as to not get constipated.  The anti-nausea meds slow your digestive tract which then causes constipation.  Get to know what foods you can eat, rest and get thru it, you will.  You will learn what works for you with each regimine of chemo.  When you are having more energy, do get out and get some fresh air and move some, it makes a big difference.  I am 6 months out from chemo.  DX last Dec.  1c and feeling almost back to old self, to be honest probably never get there again, but I am surviving and you will too.  Life is good:)
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Avatar universal
Thanks, I'll ask about emend and try to keep nibbling. I think I know what I should be doing, but doing is the hard part and I can't believe I'm having a hard time when you're all going through this too. Thanks for your support.

Wendy
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Avatar universal
See if they will switch you to emend... also a pill.. taken 1 hour before chemo and 24 hours and 48 hours after.. Also see if you can get Aloxi or onicit in your IV.  You need to be your own advocate...

Eat only what appeals to you which with nausea usually is only high carb foods.. nibble on saltine crackers and 7 up...

Eat small amounts but do try to keep food in your stomach at all times...

Best wishes... Ronni
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541657 tn?1239208930
The trick for nausea with me was to stay ahead of it.  Keep little bits of food in your stomach and keep from having to 'catch up'.  Let yourself be ill and just relax.  Try to get some exercise - it will increase the oxygen in your body and cancer doesn't like oxygen - plus it will help you stay strong.
Maggie
Helpful - 0
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