What is your pretreatment plan?
Your first step is to talk with your doctor and discuss your concerns about side effects. Some people are more likely than others to suffer from CINV CINV – chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting. You and your doctor should discuss your risk factors when deciding your antinausea pretreatment plan.
Download and print a symptom tracker to help you and your doctor plan your CINV treatment.
Tell your doctor or nurse if you experienced any nausea or vomiting with past treatments. Your doctor may prescribe antinausea drugs for you to take before or during your treatment. Antinausea drugs work differently in different people, so you may need more than 1 type.
Before your first chemotherapy treatment:
- Talk to your doctor about medication to prevent nausea and vomiting caused by chemotherapy.
After your chemotherapy treatment:
- Tell your doctor whether the antiemetic medication you were prescribed worked. People respond differently to medications. Your doctor can try different things if the first solution does not work for you.
Fight back with food strategies.
Although eating may be the last thing on your mind, food may help you cope with nausea and vomiting.
- Eat a light meal before your treatment, unless you felt nauseated during a previous treatment.
- Try to eat several small meals throughout the day instead of 2 or 3 large ones.
- Do not force yourself to eat when you are nauseated.
- Take your time when you eat; chew slowly and thoroughly.
- If you feel ill in the morning, nibble on dry, bland foods like cereal, toast, and crackers before you get up.
- Skip sweet, fried, and fatty foods altogether.
- Avoid strong cooking odors by using the microwave instead of the stove and oven.
- Try eating food cold or at room temperature.
- Avoid lying flat for at least 2 hours after eating. Instead, rest in a chair.
- Choose caffeine-free teas; flat ginger ale; and cool, clear unsweetened juices, such as apple and white grape.
- Read more diet and nutrition tips.
Mind over matter
Many behavioral strategies may help you cope with nausea and vomiting. These aim to distract your attention, promote relaxation, and reduce feelings of helplessness. Simple distractions—talking with a friend, listening to music, watching a movie, doing needlework or puzzles—can help. More formal approaches include:
- Hypnosis. A state of focused attention, hypnosis may make you feel deeply relaxed.
- Progressive muscle relaxation. This therapy teaches you how to progressively tense and relax certain muscle groups to promote an overall feeling of relaxation.
- Biofeedback. Biofeedback teaches you how to control body functions, such as heart rate, blood pressure, and muscle tension. By preventing skin temperature changes that often precede nausea and vomiting, you may lessen these side effects. Biofeedback is more successful when combined with progressive muscle relaxation.
- Imagery. Similar to daydreaming, imagery lets you mentally relocate to a relaxing destination, such as a vacation spot or a favorite pleasant nook in your home.
