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Premeds you recieved prior to each chemo


jcawork

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Jen...think I already emailed you this info....but I receive IV's of Decadron (steroids) and Zofran (anti-nausea) and both work well to keep appetite up and nausea at bay. I have the feeling the steroids also sort of help energy level or diminish the fatigue a little.

Prior to radiation I will also receive (daily) a shot of Amifostine (Ethyol) which is a radiation protector. I've been told to take a Zofran pill an hour before getting the shot to offset any nausea the Amifostine might cause.

As you know....I had no nausea at all with my first round of chemo. Just a little "unsettled tummy" from trying to eat some Gen'l Tso chicken less than a week after chemo :roll: Sometimes I'm my own worst enemy :) They told me to avoid spicy foods...but I couldn't resist.

Others might have info for you...but I'd sure ask my doc about getting something to offset the nausea. It's available and I see NO reason not to take advantage of that fact! Same goes for the amifostine before radiation.

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Hi Jen,

My chemo was cisplatin & etopicide. They had me take premeds an hour before my chemo. If I remember correctly it was zofran, ativan & decadron. Worked well until I started rad. I agree with Addie, Be sure to ask your Doc for something if he doesn't offer. Good luck. Rachel

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Dear Jen,

I got my anti-nause meds IV before my chemo. It's been so long ago I can't remember what the heck I got! (I think it was Zofran)! :roll: But, what ever it was, it worked just fine. I did find that taking the anti-nause med's slowly seemed to help with the nausea. I did get a little nausea the first chemo, but very little, and then the next day the nurse said that someone told her to give the anti-nausea drug slow and it seemed to help. Well, it worked for me! You need to focus on the POSITIVE and not the negative. One of my lung cancer friends says she never reads the side effects of med's anymore. Reason being, if she reads them then she gets them!! hehehohohe! Yes, you should know somethings, but try not to dig to far into things because that can just scare the heck out of you.

I never got anything for my raditaion treatments. Just my radiation!

Maybe you could go to the place where your going to have chemo and just observe the patients doing there chemo's. Sometimes this helps to take a little of the fear away.

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Jen,

My mom got anzemet by IV and a steroid (don't know which one). She was given anzemet pills for at home, as well as Zofran and ativan. Her nurses really made sure she had lots of options. She really didn't have much nausea until her 4th round. Then she seemed to prefer the ativan. It was strange her nausea came around day 4 and then off and on with no real pattern for 2 weeks. I can say she never really had a bout longer than a few hours. She took her pill and a nap and was back eating as normal. She often tried to ride it out and then smartened up and took the ativan as soon as she was feeling woozie.

Hope you have smooth sailing.

Nancy

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My Dad receives tagament(stomach), benadryl(for allergic reaction), decadron(steroid), Aloxi(really new anti-nausea drug that is supposed to last for seven days). All of these are I.V. drugs. Dad takes Kytril for nausea at home as needed. (this is pill form) So far, the only side effect my Dad has had is fatigue. (and a couple of nose bleeds) Best of luck!

Angie

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It's been a while but I was given anti nausea and I think steroids before my chemo - carboplatin and VP16 to begin with and then cisplatin after allergic reaction - nothing at all before radiation. I was nauseous from day one of my first round of chemo, this was soon brought under control with anzemet and ativan for breakthrough. What helped a lot was firstly not going too long without food (even a cracker helped) and also ginger cookies. These were my best friend for the duration, Peak Freans ginger crisp were my favorite, I didn't go anywhere without them and found that they would cut the first rumblings of an upset. I've heard that anything ginger, tea, candied or in any form helps - I like the cookies anyway so stayed with them.

Hope you don't get the side effects but if you do get the meds to control them and keep taking them - the nurses told me it's easier to keep nausea under control than get it under control and to stop being a hero and take the pills!!

Good luck, Geri

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It's been a while but I had an IV of anti nausea meds(anzemet I think) and I think steroids before my chemo - carboplatin and VP16 to begin with and then cisplatin after allergic reaction - nothing at all before radiation. I was nauseous from day one of my first round of chemo, this was soon brought under control with anzemet and ativan for breakthrough. What helped a lot was firstly not going too long without food (even a cracker helped) and also ginger cookies. These were my best friend for the duration, Peak Freans ginger crisp were my favorite, I didn't go anywhere without them and found that they would cut the first rumblings of an upset. I've heard that anything ginger, tea, candied or in any form helps - I like the cookies anyway so stayed with them.

Hope you don't get the side effects but if you do get the meds to control them and keep taking them - the nurses told me it's easier to keep nausea under control than get it under control and to stop being a hero and take the pills!!

Good luck, Geri

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The last 3 months of my chemo they added Aloxie as a premed to help prevent nausea and let me tell you, it worked wonders. I felt 100% better at the end of chemo and while it didn't always keep 100% of the nausea away it helped enough that my other nausea meds would finish off anything it didn't take care of.

I'd definetely recommend trying it if your Doc is for it.

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