I am soon to start chemo , I have a lifelong phobia of vomiting , I heard that they can give anti emetic drugs to control this problem. I would like to know how effective these drugs are at stopping vomiting ? I would like to know has anyone been sick or does it completely control it so that you are not ? and any advice please
Hi, I am usually a sickly person - but I can say in all honesty I was not sick once even managed lunch when my treatment was at that time so the anti-sickness pills worked for me.
I got a little bit of heartburn for the first few days, which meds were supplied for but outside that all was good on the sickness front.
Maybe it is down to what treatment you receive not sure, other members will be along to tell you their side of things.
I made sure I was well hydrated before any treatment (well through all of my treatment) which I think helped me my chemo treatment was a lot, lot easier than I ever imagined it would be.
Good luck with it all and huge big hugs.
Hi Fellow Emetophobe
Although your phobia is awful, I can’t help feeling just a little jolt of happiness to come across someone else who shares my condition. When I got my diagnoses, I really didn’t care about anything except would I be sick after a general anaesthetic? Would I be sick with chemotherapy? Hang the cancer, it was the chance I might be sick that I was obsessed with.
Three years later (and being one of the unlucky ones where it spread so I’m now on permanent chemo) I haven’t once been close to feeling sick. I have had anxiety nausea but that’s it.
Each IV chemo starts with a preparation drip which includes an anti-emetic, antihistamine and steroid. You may also be given an anti-emetic tablet to take. Sorted - and the steroid rather lifts you so you have loads of energy for a couple of days before the drug really hits you. The pharmacist will bring you a goody bag of things you may need, including antiseptic mouthwash, senna…and anti-sickness pills. I was prescribed Metochlopramide, which I never used, because my GP had already prescribed Cyclizine, which my therapist had recommended to take whenever I felt nauseous. What a difference it made to my phobia! When I asked which was better because of my terror of vomiting, the pharmacist told me I could continue with cyclizine and take the metoclopramide in between, so long as I left 2 hours. So you see, they do everything they can nowadays to prevent sickness.
I was completely flattened by chemo and had a rubbish time of it BUT I never felt more than a vague nausea and I wasn’t sick once. I’m now on oral chemo and, again, no nausea. Just tell them how you feel and they will do everything they can to help you. If you are terrified of the chemotherapy because you don’t trust other people’s experiences (I couldn’t), tell them - my oncologist prescribed two lorazepam to take before chemo and I felt like everything was normal and manageable. After a few treatments I no longer needed it.
Despite all the horror stories of the past, chemo is manageable even by people like me. Times have changed. So I wish you all the best with your treatment. Remember, there is no shame is being fearful, let alone phobic - tell them and ask for help. All the best,
Jan x