The Cancer Survivors Network (CSN) is a peer support community for cancer patients, survivors, caregivers, families, and friends! CSN is a safe place to connect with others who share your interests and experiences.

Irinotecan and Nausea

Marauders99
Marauders99 CSN Member Posts: 22
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
So, I just finished my 9th cycle of Irinotecan / Avastin / Xeloda. The nausea has increased each cycle. The nausea started out just one day after treatment, then two days now to three days after treatment. I'm on prochlorperazine and Reglan. Any suggestions for managing the nausea?
Like Care

Comments

  • Unknown
    Unknown
    #2
    This comment has been removed by the Moderator
    Like Care
  • lcarper2
    lcarper2 CSN Member Posts: 635 Member
    #3
    Raglan
    There has been alot on TV about this drug and side effects that can be fatal. I would ask my doctor about this drug..
    Like Care
  • PhillieG
    PhillieG CSN Member Posts: 4,866 Member
    #4
    MJ
    I've tried a bunch of methods and the hands down winner is marijuana. Not Marinol, the regular weed works the best. It can be smoked or eaten and it really does a great job.
    Like Care
  • Marauders99
    Marauders99 CSN Member Posts: 22
    #5
    PhillieG said:

    MJ
    I've tried a bunch of methods and the hands down winner is marijuana. Not Marinol, the regular weed works the best. It can be smoked or eaten and it really does a great job.

    Thanks for the advice. I
    Thanks for the advice. I might have to give that a try.
    Like Care
  • bdee
    bdee CSN Member Posts: 304
    #6
    lcarper2 said:

    Raglan
    There has been alot on TV about this drug and side effects that can be fatal. I would ask my doctor about this drug..

    Raglen
    I was given Raglan before chemo, also, but my insurance quit paying for it because of the lawsuits going on about it. They now give me Aloxi, Prevacid, Phenegran, and Ativan before I start my chemo.

    Debbie
    Like Care
  • Julie 44
    Julie 44 CSN Member Posts: 476 Member
    #7
    Marauders99 said:

    Thanks for the advice. I
    Thanks for the advice. I might have to give that a try.

    Me Too
    I have had such terrible nausea and was given astivan(anti nausea meds with a sedative in it) that helped alot..I also started to take ginger capsals they worked great( but take some food with them otherwise they repeat on you...) I now tolerated this round of treatment much better, the first 3 treatments were horrible!!!!! Good luck but do try theses cause I tried all the others and they didn't work at all for me...Julie
    Like Care
  • Shayenne
    Shayenne CSN Member Posts: 2,342
    #8
    Julie 44 said:

    Me Too
    I have had such terrible nausea and was given astivan(anti nausea meds with a sedative in it) that helped alot..I also started to take ginger capsals they worked great( but take some food with them otherwise they repeat on you...) I now tolerated this round of treatment much better, the first 3 treatments were horrible!!!!! Good luck but do try theses cause I tried all the others and they didn't work at all for me...Julie

    Before...
    ...I am given my chemo, they give me a cupful of pills that consist of Emend (a 3 day supply, I take the other 2 home for days 2 and 3 of the chemo), 3 Dexamethasone, 2 Compazines and an injection of a 5 day long lasting Zofram (which I also have a prescription for, but cant take it till the 5 day shot is done, I have ti wait the 5 days, please tell them you need something to last longer. amd was told about the long lasting 5 day shot, it really helps. And then when I get home, I'll take dex, and compazine, and even Ativan for later which makes me sleepy, so I take it before bed.

    I also take a couple hits of the ole marijane, which helps alot as well, and works faster then the pills, take just a few hits, not to get stoned (well, heck! do it to get stoned too, it's fun! LOL! have some munchies near ya as well...yummm)


    Hope this all helps you out!

    Hugs!
    ~Donna
    Like Care
  • Wenchie
    Wenchie CSN Member Posts: 88
    #9
    Irinotecan
    I feel your pain. I had to stop the Irinotecan due to 3 days of vomiting every treatment which eventually led to ulcers in my throat. I'm now just on 5FU, Leucovorin and Avastin and it scares the hell out of me to stop the Irinotecan but my quality of life is much better now. I tried every anti-nausea medication including the patch and nothing helped. Let me know if you find the miracle nausea cure!
    Like Care
  • RickMurtagh
    RickMurtagh CSN Member Posts: 587 Member
    #10
    stay up late
    usually the night before chemo I stay up very late. Between the chemo and lack of sleep, I usually slept all but a couple of hours on chemo day one. Anti-nausea meds handled days two and three (the worst in my case). When they added Emend to my anti-nausea meds I never experienced nausea again. Very expensive though - about $100 a pill - fortunately the first dose was IV and I only had to take the pill on day two and three.
    Best of luck with the nausea. For me it turned out to be much less of a portion on the symptoms I was experiencing than I thought. But it sucks non the less.
    Like Care

Discussion Boards