vomiting

[mstlyn]

Through 4 cycles of chemo Anthony managed it quite well. Some nausea here and there that was easy to get rid of. More tired than anything.

Five days after completing his 4th cycle of chemo he woke up in the middle of the night vomiting. Is that normal?

The doctor only had him take zofran for four days after his treatments and he usually only took it for 3, and just used compazine as a preventative for a few days.

He is also on an antibiotic (bactrim) for a cough and congestion.

[mercyriver]

My husband finished his last round of EP March 13th and had two Bleo's after that. He vomited several times after the last round of EP and then the nausea and heartburn did not go away compleatly until last week. And I know someone here mentioned to me that they were getting waves of nausea long after chemo.

But as Robert mentioned it could be a stomach virus as well.

Well worth mentioning to the Dr, just in case.

Becki

[mstlyn]

Robert and Mercyriver, thank you for responding. He has been vomiting late at night for a few days now, which strikes me as odd.

I started thinking maybe the bactrim was making him sick, but he takes that in the morning too and it doesnt bother him.

I guess we will just have to deal with it.

If it last more than a few days I will contact his doctor about it.

thanks again,

Tammy

[mstlyn]

Yes, mention when you talk to him. Obviously, with chemo, you want to be aware of things, but I do know alot of people who have had this stomach thing going around. I NEVER get hurling sick, but I was like that a few days ago. Not that he has no resistance, but he is a little more likely than normal to "catch" something. His body is tired.

I think you said ativan, that would help some, and as I think you mentioned he was sleeping alot, that means he needs it. He has been thru alot in a in a short time, and I am sure his body is showing the "stress" of the last few months.

I may have missed it, but have they done the ct-scans and latest bloodwork?

I am hopping that those will give the great news that he is done, besides check-ups, and he can begin to move back into life.

R

The really strange thing about the last few times he started vomiting is that he didnt even feel sick.
A few times he said he felt something like a blockage, almost like when you swallow a pill and it doesnt go down all the way. Only the blocked feeling was in the upper part of his abdomen. He would just suddenly start vomiting and then he felt better.

Two nights ago he came into the room to get his antibiotic and all he did was cough a little and said.. I'll be right back ...

I had a feeling something was wrong so I followed him and sure enough he was vomiting again.

Anyway, I called the chemo clinic and they he should just take the ativan at night and it should help.

He doesnt like taking the ativan because it makes him feel too tired, but last night he took it anyway and he didn't get sick.

I'm not sure why ativan would prevent vomiting since it is a drug for anxiety??

Well, he is having his scans this afternoon, so we will see what is going on. I'm pretty nervous about it.

I had to drive family members to work this morning so I have a car to take him to his scans, and on my way home when I was alone; while driving of all things, tears, and sobbing like a baby just took over.

I was able to make it all stop before I came back to the house; but inside it feels like theres a dam that needs to give way.

My precious son; he can never imagine the depth of the love I have for him .....

All I can do is pray for him

[Margaret]

Tammy, hugs to you, I know you are going through so much!

Ativan, although for anxiety, is very helpful when treating nausea. My husband took it in combination with Compazine.

When taken together, they really did help-more so than taking them by themselvs. He took that everyday he was on chemo, and on his 'off' days, he took Kytril and Emend.

I would ask your doctor about Kytril, if he is not already taking it. I do not hear many people here that are taking it but it was the BEST thing my husband took. And keep in mind, he never vomited once during the chemo and he had 4 BEP rounds. Now that could be he has a strong tummy, or maybe the drugs worked really well for him. But I know the Kytril took away the nausea and did not make him tired.

I hope this helps...hang in there, he will be cured!

Margaret

[mstlyn]

Tammy, hugs to you, I know you are going through so much!

Ativan, although for anxiety, is very helpful when treating nausea. My husband took it in combination with Compazine.

When taken together, they really did help-more so than taking them by themselvs. He took that everyday he was on chemo, and on his 'off' days, he took Kytril and Emend.

I would ask your doctor about Kytril, if he is not already taking it. I do not hear many people here that are taking it but it was the BEST thing my husband took. And keep in mind, he never vomited once during the chemo and he had 4 BEP rounds. Now that could be he has a strong tummy, or maybe the drugs worked really well for him. But I know the Kytril took away the nausea and did not make him tired.

I hope this helps...hang in there, he will be cured!

Margaret

Thanks Margaret! He was on zofran and decadron during his chemo, and took both for up to 4 days after each treatment week.

After that he just took compazine, mostly to prevent nausea. He did have waves of nausea here and there during his 3rd and more so during his 4th cycle, but the vomiting only started during the week after his 4th cycle.

When his insurance decided not to cover the cost of his refill for zofran, the chemo nurse wrote a prescription for kytril, but they refused to pay for that one too.

In the end they finally approved the zofran refill, and that was a pain in the *** to get done.

I am hoping that he won't be needing anymore nausea meds pretty soon here. The ativan he took seemed to do the trick even though he didnt want to take it.

I asked him, would you rather throw up than take the ativan? He said, yes. He took it anyway because he had to drink ready-cat last night in preparation for his scans today, and I didn't want him to throw all of the ready-cat back up.

He is still doing very well considering ...

But I can see the effects of all the chemo more now. He doesn't look like himself at all anymore, but I know it will take time.

Thanks for your kind words.

Hugs,

Tammy

[jdunn]

Hi Tammy,
Hang in there. It's a terrible thing to see your son suffer through all of this, but he will get through it and you will too. When my son was going through chemo he would also take the ativan with the companzine and Emend. Thinking of you and your son.
jane

[Russell's Mom]

nurses

Hi, The chemo nurses might have insight...they are closer to the patients in many ways and possibly will see patterns consistant with what is happening at your house. Try giving them a call. Several days ago, Russell had a vomiting spell. Way past chemo, so I know it was the flu. I had to stop the car, even a highway patrol stoped to see if we needed help. It just kept coming and coming. Russell got back into the car and with a quote that I heard during chemo..."great...now I am really hungry!" He had flu-ish symptoms for a couple of days, a cough and the runs, then it passed. Hope this helps you see a pattern. Take care, Russell's Mom, Sharon

[mstlyn]

Hi Tammy,
Hang in there. It's a terrible thing to see your son suffer through all of this, but he will get through it and you will too. When my son was going through chemo he would also take the ativan with the companzine and Emend. Thinking of you and your son.
jane

Hi Jane,

I sure appreciate all the positive feedback, and as always it helps to hear about what others have gone through and how things turned out for them.
I searched for the thread for your sons details but did not find any. Maybe I am looking in the wrong place.

Thanks for responding

[mstlyn]

Hi, The chemo nurses might have insight...they are closer to the patients in many ways and possibly will see patterns consistant with what is happening at your house. Try giving them a call. Several days ago, Russell had a vomiting spell. Way past chemo, so I know it was the flu. I had to stop the car, even a highway patrol stoped to see if we needed help. It just kept coming and coming. Russell got back into the car and with a quote that I heard during chemo..."great...now I am really hungry!" He had flu-ish symptoms for a couple of days, a cough and the runs, then it passed. Hope this helps you see a pattern. Take care, Russell's Mom, Sharon

Yes I called the chemo nurses and was told to have him take the ativan at night.

He had his scan today and was ok all day until about 8:30 this evening he threw up again.

He has now lost most of his eyelashes, and tonight his eyes look a little puffy, and glassy.

He just looks like he is not well overall, though he gets up and carries on like normal.

It has now been 11 days since his last chemo treatment.

Next week we see what the scans reveal.

Thanks again!

Tammy

[mercyriver]

Tammy

I just wanted to offer you some encouragment. I know how long the weekend before the scan results were in seemed.

It seemed to take for ever, but my husband is finally starting to perk up. I honestly think it took almost a month from his last EP treatment for him to look like he wasn't death warmed over. I really was thinking the worst.

It has been 35 days since his last EP and his color is finally coming back, he is getting a little peach fuzz on his chin and his hair on his head looks like it may be coming back. His energy levels are finally picking up a little as well. His personality is 100% back to normal.

His PET came back clear and his CT showed the lymph nodes had shrank, not to normal yet, but they were free of active cancer. They will be watched. But as far as we are concerned he is in remission!

I hope you can find some things over the next few days to help keep your mind off the worry, until next week.

Here is to brighter and many cancer free days ahead!

Becki