Managing Nausea and Vomiting during Cancer Treatment

Cancer treatment commonly results in side effects like nausea and vomiting. There are multiple reasons why this happens, including gastrointestinal tract irritation, brain chemical changes, anxiety and nervousness during treatment. Nausea is the queasiness in your stomach, whether vomiting accompanies this feeling or not. There are some medications called antiemetics your doctor may prescribe to help with nausea and vomiting.

Getting through Cancer Treatment Nausea and Vomiting

Prevention of nausea and vomiting is important. Also effective is managing your symptoms early, not waiting until they are unbearable, to get help or take your nausea medications. Below are some tips for getting through your cancer treatment side effects of nausea and vomiting.

• Take the anti-nausea medications doctors prescribe for you
• Use antiemetics for vomiting reduction about a half hour to hour before your meals
• If your medications do not work for your side effects, talk to your doctor
• Keep track of your bouts of nausea, to find patterns for management of this side effect
• Eat regularly and snack throughout the day to keep food in your stomach, as an empty stomach makes some nausea and vomiting worse
• Eat six small meals each day instead of three regular meals
• Avoid foods with strong odors and greasy or spicy foods
• Eat soothing foods like toast, crackers and broth to ease your stomach
• Drink fluids a half hour or more before meals, instead of with food, to prevent nausea
• Enjoy ginger candies, cookies, root in soups or teas to soothe your stomach

Always keep an open line of communication with your treatment team regarding side effects like those affecting your nutrition. Nutrition plays a critical role in cancer recovery and your ability to maintain your daily activities. When nausea and vomiting persist during and after cancer treatment, talk to your doctor for help with these common side effects.