Well-being tip #5: nausea control

About 70% of chemo patients have nausea as a side effect. Nausea can be quite debilitating, as you might not be able to eat or drink much (or nothing stops in your stomach). The good news is that not all chemo drugs will give you nausea (yay!), so ask your doctor about the drugs you will be receiving. My father, for example, doesn’t have nausea with his chemo.

Before my first chemo, I was so nervous I almost threw up when I arrived at the hospital. That first chemo was definitely the worst one, as I didn’t know what to expect and which side effects (of the extensive list I was given) I was going to have. My chemo treatment included 6 cycles of paclitaxel and carboplatin. I didn’t have any nausea with paclitaxel, but carboplatin made me feel very nauseated for about 3 days after chemo. Since everybody is different, you might not have any nausea at all, but if you do here are some tips on how to manage it:

Take the post-chemo drugs the doctor has prescribed you

Usually you will be given steroids and anti-emetic drugs (both effective to prevent vomiting and nausea) before chemo and to take home. On the day of chemo, usually you should feel fine because of the pre-chemo drugs, and even full of energy (I would go out for dinner after chemo or even clean our apartment!). Over the next few days, my advice is to take the meds prescribed to you religiously. Prevention is the best way to control nausea. Also on your next appointment report to the doctors and nurses if the drugs were enough or not to control your nausea. If you were still feeling sick, they can prescribe you different drugs and help you to control it.

The best natural anti-nausea remedy is ginger

Ginger is also great for chemo-induced nausea – and this is supported by double-bind, randomised research*! I love tea, but for some reason I don’t like the taste of ginger tea (neither could drink any type of tea when I was feeling sick), so I would make lots of fresh orange and carrot juice with a good chunk of ginger the days after chemo. That would settle my stomach and help me eat some food. You can have ginger in any form you like or can tolerate: pills, tea, fresh, cooked, juiced or even pickled (like in Japanese restaurants).

Eat cold food

If you are feeling sick, warm food (and any strong taste or smell) might make it worse, so a good option is to have cold or room temperature food, without too many spices or strong smells.

Eat small portions and avoid heavy food

Nausea is usually worse on an empty stomach, so you might want to have small meals every couple of hours. Remember to eat before you get too hungry. Also avoid heavy foods (such as cream, which is high in fat), as they will take longer to digest and might increase nausea.

Eat dry foods

My favourite food during the days after chemo was toasted bread and cheese (or ham and cheese toasties). Crackers are also great to help control the nausea. You can try to have a couple of crackers or a slice of toasted bread to help with nausea.

Drink plenty of fluids

Water is your best friend during chemo to keep you hydrated! Juices are very good too, as they will provide you with some vitamins and calories (especially if you can’t keep food in your stomach).

Importantly, if nausea gets out of control and nothing stops in your stomach, don’t be embarrassed to call your onco team or go to emergency as you might need intra-venous fluids and medication.

I hope these tips help you to gain control over nausea and feel slightly better!

Fran xo

*References

Marx W, Kiss N, Isenring L. Is ginger beneficial for nausea and vomiting? An

update of the literature. Curr Opin Support Palliat Care. 2015 Jun;9(2):189-95.

doi: 10.1097/SPC.0000000000000135. PubMed PMID: 25872115.

Giacosa A, Morazzoni P, Bombardelli E, Riva A, Bianchi Porro G, Rondanelli M.

Can nausea and vomiting be treated with ginger extract? Eur Rev Med Pharmacol

Sci. 2015 Apr;19(7):1291-6. PubMed PMID: 25912592.