prochlorperazine For nausea?

Ruthmomto4
Ruthmomto4 Member Posts: 708 Member
edited October 2017 in Colorectal Cancer #1

seems a bit harsh to me to prescribe this which is more of anti physcotic than anything else. I was wondering what everyone else was given for nausea? and when do you start taking it? My husband's first chemo is Thursday and while he is not worried I am a wreck with worry.  Also, I keep reading days3-4 are the hardest for side effects but is it Day 3-4 after disconnect or does it count from first infusion day. I am sorry to be such a pain questions and worries. I am sure once he starts I will get a bit less worried.

editting this to say I know it is  compazine but I thought they would start with zofran or something less drowsy inducing 

Comments

  • lizard44
    lizard44 Member Posts: 409 Member
    #2
    Nausea control

    Although I never  had prochlorperazine for nausea, and instead received  a combination  of fosaprepitant, palonestron, and dexamethasone as part of my  pre med infusion for both Folfox plus Avastin and for  my current regimen of Erbitux and  irinotecan, it seems that prochlorperazine is not all that uncommon  as an anti-nausea  drug during both  radiation and chemo. This was on the  Oncology Nursing Society site:

    "At low doses, prochlorperazine is used to control nausea and vomiting associated with radiation therapy and very low to moderately emetogenic chemotherapy. The drug can be used at high doses to control nausea and vomiting associated with highly emetogenic chemotherapy. It may be particularly effective in the management of delayed nausea and vomiting. Prochlorperazine  can be used in both adult and pediatric (more than 2 years of age and 10 kg) populations."

    https://www.ons.org/intervention/prochlorperazine-breakthrough-cinv

     

    Grace/lizard44

  • Ruthmomto4
    Ruthmomto4 Member Posts: 708 Member
    #3
    lizard44 said:

    Nausea control

    Although I never  had prochlorperazine for nausea, and instead received  a combination  of fosaprepitant, palonestron, and dexamethasone as part of my  pre med infusion for both Folfox plus Avastin and for  my current regimen of Erbitux and  irinotecan, it seems that prochlorperazine is not all that uncommon  as an anti-nausea  drug during both  radiation and chemo. This was on the  Oncology Nursing Society site:

    "At low doses, prochlorperazine is used to control nausea and vomiting associated with radiation therapy and very low to moderately emetogenic chemotherapy. The drug can be used at high doses to control nausea and vomiting associated with highly emetogenic chemotherapy. It may be particularly effective in the management of delayed nausea and vomiting. Prochlorperazine  can be used in both adult and pediatric (more than 2 years of age and 10 kg) populations."

    https://www.ons.org/intervention/prochlorperazine-breakthrough-cinv

     

    Grace/lizard44

    Thank you!

    they said it's for at home and that they would be giving him something during the infusion.

  • abrub
    abrub Member Posts: 2,174 Member
    #4
    Also remember that meds have many effects

    While a med might primarily be used for one thing, if it works well in another area, it can be used "off label" or even "alternatel label".  Anti-emetic is a defined use for prochlorperazine.  Ativan, an anti-anxiety med, is also know for anti-emetic properties, and is often prescribed as such.  Many meds have alternate uses.  The best anti-itch med I've taken (also ant-emetic) is Hydroxyzine HCl, which is listed also as "anti-anxiety."  I thought my dr thought that my intense allergies were stress-related when she gave me that med 35 years ago (they were flea bites) and questioned her on it, but she explained, and I've been using it ever since for intense itching.  (Benadryl doesn't work for me.)  Just some thoughts... 

  • lizard44
    lizard44 Member Posts: 409 Member
    #5
    Ruthmomto4 said:

    Thank you!

    they said it's for at home and that they would be giving him something during the infusion.

    You're welcome

    Maybe he won't even need to take the prochlorperazine but it's better to have it on hand and not need it than to need it and not have it.  Now that I think about it, I was given a prescription for an anti-nausea med when I first started chemo over two years ago- it may have been the same one, I don't remember, but I never needed to take it, the pre-meds during the infusion worked like a charm and I never had nausea. I hope your husband doesn't  need it, either.

    Grace/lizard44

  • CyniD
    CyniD Member Posts: 13
    #6
    Prochlorperazine

    My husband has stage 4 colon cancer met to liver. He will receive his second chemo on Wednesday. It seems crazy to me the amount of drugs they give a patient for nausea. I was mortified when I found out about Prochlorazine. As a matter of fact, the Onc told me to give it to him every six hours just to keep it in his system. We stopped it thinking it was part of the reason he is so weak and exhausted. I do not know if it has helped or not. I wish you well as you travel down this path. I have never felt so scattered I. My life.  One day at a time. Grace and peace to you and your husband. 

    CyniD

  • RichieTheK
    RichieTheK Member Posts: 13 Member
    #7
    What they give me

    As a pre-med, I get ondansetron (Zofran) and dexamethasone. I was given prescriptions for ondansetron and prochlorperazine and told to alternate them. I don't like taking ondansetron because it constipates me. 

  • Ruthmomto4
    Ruthmomto4 Member Posts: 708 Member
    #8
    Thank you everyone!

    they did give him Zofran and a steroid in his IV and then from the pharmacy. He stuck to the Zofran and never needed the Compazine. 

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