Nausea is a feeling of stomach distress or wooziness accompanied by a strong urge to throw up. Nausea and vomiting are temporary side effects of both chemotherapy and radiotherapy . They can also be brought on by an obstruction in the intestine, irritation of the gastrointestinal tract (gastritis) or brain tumors.
Constant vomiting naturally makes it impossible for you to eat or take fluids, so whatever can be done to reduce nausea should be done before vomiting starts. Paying attention to nausea's psychological causes and using antinausea drugs will help control what can be disturbing events.
Nausea and Chemotherapy Drugs The goal of chemotherapy is to deliver a therapeutic amount of drugs with the least side effects. But each chemotherapy agent and each drug combination has a potential for causing nausea and vomiting. Getting three or four drugs at a time, which is often the case, can make the reaction even more severe. The dosage and the number of cycles to be given can also contribute to the reaction.
You, your family and even your friends should talk with your doctor about the type of chemotherapy you'll be getting. For each drug, a program should be established so that you feel you have some control over the situation. With psychological factors playing such a big part, it is very important that you be a participant in preventing nausea and vomiting.
Nausea Before and During Treatment It is estimated that up to half of all people receiving chemotherapy experience some nausea or vomiting not after they receive the drugs but before their treatment.
