Newbie Help Needed re FOLFOX and Anti Nausea Meds

AhleecFightsSRCC
AhleecFightsSRCC Member Posts: 7
in Colorectal Cancer #1

I just wrapped up round 2 of 12 of FOLFOX for stage III SRCC. I'm on 4 antinausea meds, 3 of which make me wicked tired. Has anyone hated this as much as I and gotten results doing something else? Meds are Prochloperazine, Ondansetron, Dexamethasone  (3 days post 48 hour chemo) and Lorazapam. 

I'm also battling heartburn, ouch :/ Mango, papaya, licorice tea seem to help...any other ideas besides more drugs?

Thanks for any help. 

-Alicia

Comments

  • abrub
    abrub Member Posts: 2,174 Member
    #2
    Some suggestions...

    Ginger tea or ginger capsules as a supplement have been shown to increase the efficacy of anti-nausea meds.  The recommendation (in capsules) is 1 gram twice a day.  More isn't better.

    I personally found that Atarax (Hydroxyzine HCl, also known as Vistaril) is very helpful.  It's a prescription antihistamine, similar to Benadryl, but more effective for me.  Atarax will make you tired.

    Look into the motion sickness wristbands - acupressure.  That might help as well.

    And keep pounding your drs for suggestions.

    Good luck!

  • lizard44
    lizard44 Member Posts: 409 Member
    #3
    Not sure it will help

    but I can only tell you what I received while on FOLFOX plus Avastin.  I never  had a prescription for anti-nausea meds and thankfully never needed one.  I received  the following  via my port prior to every  FOLFOX infusion ( I received  eight treatments of FOLFOX plus Avastin):  palonestron hcl (Aloxi) for nausea, dexamethasone sodium phosphate, a corticosteroid for allergic reactions, etc., fosaprepitant (Emend) for nausea.  They seemed to do the job, and I still get them prior to  hooking up the bags for my current chemo infusions of Erbitux and Irinotecan ( 21 treatments so far). I hope you find something that works  well for you.

    Grace/lizard44

  • Bellen
    Bellen Member Posts: 281 Member
    #4
    Grace/Lizard44 - erbitux, avastin question

    Hi Grace - just wondering - is erbitux the same as avastin.  I am having folfiri (luecovrin, irinotecan, 5Fu push and the 5Fu bottle 2 days), and have avastin prior to my chemo cocktail.  How is erbitux different than avastin?  I read you had avastin with folfox, and now are having erbitux with the irinotecan.  Are you still having the rest of folfiri - luecovorin and 5Fu?  Thanks for responding.  

  • Bellen
    Bellen Member Posts: 281 Member
    edited May 2017 #5
    Side effects chemo

    Hi Alicia - Prior to my chemo, I have 3 steroid pills and 1 nausea pill - chemo nurse said steroids help with nausea as well.  Take them again at night and then 2x next day.  Also have metroclopromide for nausea.  I have ginger chews - they can be very stong, but I do think they help.  I found that, after about the 8th chemo, my nausea lessened, and seemed a bit better.  Also tried taking just Tums for bad heartburn, but finally got Rx called pantoloc 40mg from Onco.  It helped a great deal for heartburn, and I think taking it first thing in am, before eating, may have helped with nausea, and with settling my stomach and food just not tasting right.  I think the irinotecan, that is part of my chemo makes my stomach feel like crap, and the further I get away from chemo the better, although having every 2 wks doesn't give much time to have a lot of good days.  I hope it settles for you.  I tried gravol, but was told that it is more for nausea caused by motion sickness, not chemo generated nausea.  Best of luck to you.

  • lizard44
    lizard44 Member Posts: 409 Member
    #6
    Hi, Bellen

    From what I understand, bevacizumab (Avastin) is an angiogenesis inhibitor that works by stopping the formation of blood vessels that bring oxygen and nutrients to tumors, thus slowing their growth and spread. Cetuximab (Erbitux) is a targeted therapy that binds to epidermal growth factor receptors (EGFR) which are found on both normal and  some tumor cells and are important for cell growth. Erbitux works by blocking the activity of EGFR, which may keep cancer cells from growing.  Erbitux is used only on patients whose tumors are KRAS wild-type (which means they have a KRAS mutation-negative gene), and whose tumors have the EGFR protein.

    I received 8 treatments with FOLFOX plus Avastin (including 46 hours on the  5-FU pump following each infusion), then 28  radiation treatments with a 24/5  5-FU pump.  While undergoing those initial treatments my rectal tumor all but disappeared, but the liver tumor increased in size. My oncologist switched me to 5-FU, Fusilev and Avastin, but after 5 treatments, the liver mets increased another 18%.  That's when  she  started me on the Erbitux plus  irinotecan, which shrank the  liver tumor to the point it could be ablated. I had   radiofrquency ablation  in August 2016. I'm now on irinotecan and Erbitux as maintenance therapy. We'll re-evaluate after 26 treatments, but  the plan, I think, is to stay on them as long as I tolerate them well and there is no disease progression. I have  skin, nail and hair issues  but nothing that  can't be managed.  So far, so good after 21 treatments ( the next one is on Wedensday) and the latest CT scan looked good. Smile

    I hope that answered your question  without my rambling too much.

    Grace/lizard44 

  • EissetB
    EissetB Member Posts: 133
    #7
    I am on my 2nd also with 12

    I am on my 2nd also with 12 sessions for 6 months. I also have a stage IIIC. Not good. The tubing on my neck is protruding and I am very uncomfortable with it. The surgeon says because I am so skinny that's his reason why this tubing is very noticeable. I'd seen a lady who is as skinny as I am and hers doesn't look like mine at all. I haven't gotten to the point that I have to take an anti nauseated pill yet. I felt it the other day but I grabbed an orange and munched on it. It seems to help. Have you tried eating oranges yet? Everyone's different but it won't hurt trying too. God bless us all

  • mozart13
    mozart13 Member Posts: 118
    #8
    Nausea meds

    I just finished second folfox, hate dexamethasone, cant sleep beceause of it. They give me dose before start of therapy, gave me script for home, but I dont take them, have no symptoms at all, just tired, but still manage to go for walk,  thinking about cutting that initial dose in half next time.

  • Jeanne123
    Jeanne123 Member Posts: 3
    edited May 2017 #9
    mozart13 said:

    Nausea meds

    I just finished second folfox, hate dexamethasone, cant sleep beceause of it. They give me dose before start of therapy, gave me script for home, but I dont take them, have no symptoms at all, just tired, but still manage to go for walk,  thinking about cutting that initial dose in half next time.

    Nausea Meds
    After my first chemo infusion I was vomiting for 10 days. For the second infusion my doctor adjusted the dose, but also gave me Amend with the other pre Meds, which my insurance denied the first time, and I never had nausea again. Ask your oncologist about Amend.
  • Woodytele
    Woodytele Member Posts: 163
    #10
    It's super tough for everyone

    The chemo, drugs, and cancer are all taxing your body, it's normal to be tired, and feeling sick,   stay strong, listen to your body, if you crave something eat it.  I do like my black licorice , good and plenties , ginger tea, all helps me. 

  • beaumontdave
    beaumontdave Member Posts: 1,289 Member
    #11
    Lorazepam is an anti-anxiety

    Lorazepam is an anti-anxiety drug[Ativan] which can make you sleepy. See if you can skip taking it for a while. I take low dose Xanax, ocassionally, it's a benzodiazepine too, and if I doubled the dose to 1mg, i'd go to sleep.......................................Dave

  • cbviau
    cbviau Member Posts: 22
    #12
    This is a quote from another

    This is a quote from another person regarding SRCC (signet ring cell carcinoma).  You may want to ask your doctor about it.

    "BTW...the doctor gave me Emend for nausea when I was on chemo, and it worked like a charm."

  • cprw
    cprw Member Posts: 3
    #13
    anti nausea meds

    I am new to this site and will introduce myself on another thread, but wanted to comment on what worked for me.  I am stage IV (currently NED) and was on Folfiri+Avastin for 11 months after surgeries, now 4 months off of all meds.  I had horrible nausea and was given and took all the meds mentioned in this thread.  The Phenergan and Atarax only helped because I could fall asleep for a little bit. The dexamethasone kept me up.  The other anitemetics made me constipated, which made my nausea worse.  I disliked all of them.  In the end, I stopped using all of them and swear by a stick that you hold under your nose, called Quease EASE.  You can purchase on Amazon or perhaps your oncologist can get you a sample.  I would smell this almost continuously to ease the nausea and it really worked for me.  Far better than any of the medications and no side effects (other than my husband complaning that I was sniffing glu all night long ;)).  I hope this helps and wish you all the best during your treatment.

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