Mum has had her first chemotherapy yesterday. I went with her and although not pleasant it wasn’t as bad as I had imagined. However, by 8pm she was laid up in bed (she stayed in the hospital as it’s her first), feeling nauseous and almost unable to move.
My Mum has always been so well, I’ve never seen her in hospital so I found it extra hard. Now I have just spoken to her and she had hardly any sleep, has been sick and still feeling nauseous. I just feel so helpless and stupid. I took yesterday from work to go with her and now I’m stuck here when she feels so bad. I think I’m going to take the day off after next time.
I just don’t get why she feels so bad. She had 4 anti-sickness drugs and still this. I hate seeing her like it and am picking her up later and staying tonight but I just don’t know if I can cope seeing her this way. It’s made it so real and I wish I could be the one having the treatment for her.
Did anyone else have bad sickness? How long did it last?
Sorry to hear that your mum is not well after her first chemo. I cannot really offer much advice as I have not suffered at all, but the hospital/chemo nurses should be able to give her different antisickness tablets to try to combat it. They always say if you are affected then they will try another one until they manage to contain the sickness. So either you or your mum need to speak to someone as soon as poss.
I know other ladies on here that have suffered through chemo, and they will give you more and better advice than I can. But I just wanted to let you know that am thinking about you and hope that this can be sorted for you and your mums sake.
Sorry to hear your Mum not having a pleasant time on the Chemo. I suffered really badly from the start of chemo. It really tires you out and you wonder how you will get through it but you do. My first one by comparrison to the last was alot easier. As the toxins build up in your body each chemo I had got worse. I just resigned my self to the fact the week I have chemo is S**T. The second week I juust found I was tired from being so sick all night so I caught up on sleep. The third week so called good week. God I lived, 3 weeks in one. I went out with friends every single lunch time sometimes at night too. (No wonder I’ve put two stone on) Least of my worries. I would have a word with the doctors and they can either give an injection or just try different anti sickness. I got some from the doctor’s called Bucastem which you disolve under your lip they helped alot. That was after I was admitted to hospital on my fifth chemo because I could not stop being sick. Injection given, I came home after that and my GP visited me the next morning and prescribed those Bucastem. For my 6th chemo they fitted me with a syringe pump which I had for 5 days and the nurse came every day to sort it all out. By the weekend I was fine again and back to normal.
I hope I’ve not depressed you, but shown you that there is stuff out there to help you feel better, and also it doesn’t last forever.
If you need to ask anything feel free to ask.
Just try not to worry too much, these are toxic drugs its not suprising they can make some of us feel so ill. You mum will be good. Just be there when she wants you to be, and spoil her after the chemo week with lots of nice lunches or coffee somewhere nice.
The only thing that gets me through each one is the knowledge that firstly it must be doing some good to feel that awful and secondly the sickness and nausea passes in a couple of days - so you know it won’t last.
My first one was rough, second one even worse and was violently sick. I asked for extra anti-sickness and the third one was much much better. If she is still bad today, speak to her chemo nurse or GP and see if you can get something extra for her. I have Dexamethosone x4 twice a day, Ondasteron x1 twice a day and Domperidone as and when I need them. That worked for me this time.
Hope your mum feels a bit better soon - oh and get her to drinks loads of water to flush it out, ginger tea/beer/biscuits too if she can manage it. Did she try Kelly’s famous Travel Bands? Didn’t work for me - but others swear by them.
I have stocked her up with ginger biscuits and when she gets out of hospital tonight I have ginger ale, ginger tea, travel bands and if she feels like it a recipe for salmon and ginger!! We also have the travel bands at home ready. I think I’ll encourage her to rest in bed this evening and see how she goes.
I think she is on the same antibiotics as you so hopefully as it’s her first full day of them all they will start to work. I just hate seeing her ill! Thanks for your experiences though, it’s good to speak to others who have made it through the other side!
So sorry your mum is having a bad time…she can join my club…the first chemo I was in bed for five days with one day throwing up, 2nd time five dsya in bed on day throwing up, third time three days in bed and NO throwing up and then this time, time number four, one day in bed, threw up once and that was yesterday. Been outside today.’
I hope she gets better soon…lots of rest and DRINK plenty. Also make sure she doesn’t ever have a really empty tummy as this makes it worse. If she can get her to eat something small every hour.
Thanks for your messages. I brought Mum home from hospital and stayed with her last night and I am pleased to say she was feeling slightly better this morning. I made her some toast and marmalade which she was tucking into when I left and I’m going back tonight to make a dinner. I’m so pleased to see her well again, helps to know it’s only going to be a few days, although I know she felt so bad.
I was so sorry to hear how poorly your mum has been since having her first chemo. I have now had 10 out 12 infusions and really have never suffered with sickness or nausea but I do feel for her as it was my biggest fear. I was fortunate in that they nailed my anti-sickness meds from the word go, but I know there were many options available to me if they hadn’t worked. So, I really hope your mums anti-sickness meds will be suitably tweaked until they get the right combo for her.
I am pleased to hear that your mum is feeling slightly better today and is able to eat. I hope she is able to drink plenty of fluids too, that defo helps. Travel bands are also a godsend so I’m glad she’s got those. I really hope your mum continues to improve massively and that this doesn’t make her anxious about the remaining 5 sessions,
there is a drug called emend for sickness if your mum is really bad - but apparently it is very expensive, so I think you would probably have to ask about it, I had this for my last 2 FEC and I was much better after suffering horrendous sickness for most…
There is also Zofran and a whole load of other anti-emetics - just ask at the hospital and find something that suits Mum. They hits the bulls eye with me first time so I had the same anti-sickness for 5 months; I was lucky they got it right first time - please keep trying.