Good news...I think

Stage 2 is totally beatable, so you have every reason to be hopeful and positive!  I was sort of on the fence between a 1 and a 2 and I'm still here almost 5 years later, perking right along!  I'm glad your docs are getting you started with treatment very soon--the sooner you start, the sooner you're done with it.  Nausea was a side effect for me, but only on a few occasions during my chemo weeks.  I was given Ativan and Phenergan to relieve it and those drugs did their job--I never became sick.  My bigger problem was loss of appetite.  I'm quite small and weighed less than 100 pounds when I began treatment.  When I no longer felt like eating, my weight plummeted to 93 pounds, at which time my oncologist threatened to hospitalize me for IV nutrition.  If you are on the small side like I am, you need to maintain your weight prior to treatment, perhaps even gain a few pounds.  Also, begin hydration now--drink lots of water and get in the habit of doing so.  It is critical to getting through this treatment with fewer issues.  Please keep us posted as you go through radiation planning/simulation.  May your journey be made easier with the advice from all the good folks here--lean on us for whatever you need.

I like you was diagnosed Stage 2 anal cancer in November 2008.  I am now 4 years 4 months post treatment.  I never experienced nausea but had no appetite.  I drank Ensure each morning and ate dry wheat bread toast, toasted cheese sanwiches, dill pickles and ice cream.  The chemo nurses did include anti-nausea in my IV when they administered the mitomycin.  I had no nausea when wearing the 5FU pump.  Diarrhea was a BIG issue for me during treatment.

Mike

It usually is a good feeling to have a plan in place and now ready to fight this. I was stage3b, and a little over two years now NED and doing well. I did though get very nauseous and took Zofran on a regular basis which did help. Like Martha, I was small to start with and then lost too much weight. I was unable to get it back and was hospitalized with some other minor complications and was on an artificial nutrition via my IV. Do try to eat anything that feels ok and drink lots. Soon like us, you will be the giving helpful advice and this will all seem sureal. I continue to have all in my thoughts and prayers.