This post is all about my chemo nausea on Adriamycin. Thankfully, I didn’t experience any nausea on Taxol. Regardless of what chemo drug you’re on, these details and tips can help you!

The first session of Adria was the worst regarding nausea and vomiting. Perhaps this is because it was such a shock to the system and my body had no idea what was going on. But my body also changed tolerances with each treatment – the side effects became less severe, but they also lingered longer after each treatment.

You will be given a dose of anti-nausea meds and steroids right before each Adria treatment. Some people report feeling pretty good those first two days after treatment while they’re still on steroids.

Side note: Some people also feel terrible on the steroids because they can’t sleep. You do have the option to not use steroids, but talk to your doctor about the pros and cons of using them.

Stay On Top of the Nausea

I didn’t realize for my first two treatments that I should take anti-nausea meds right after getting home. I figured I was getting enough when I got my infusion, and I didn’t want to take too much. But then by the time I’d take more meds, I was playing catch-up…. And failing. My chemo nausea lasted four days after my first treatment. I’m sure a huge part of that is because my body was freaking out about this new red drug that suddenly invaded like Rambo and is killing off both good and bad cells. But for the next three Adria treatments, nausea only lasted that first evening.

My routine became taking anti-nausea meds immediately after getting home, drinking a Boost or Ensure as well as some water, then going to bed for the night. The anti-nausea meds helped knock me out, and the goal was to fall asleep before the really bad nausea kicked in.

I believe the biggest help was taking more anti-nausea meds as soon as I got home.

Be Your Own Advocate

Just as important was finding an anti-nausea that worked for me. If the anti-nausea medication that you are given isn’t helping, ASK FOR SOMETHING ELSE.

My first treatment, my oncologist ordered Zofran in the hospital and sent me home with a prescription for the same. The next couple days were a dance of Zofran and Ativan, trying to keep my nausea under control. I also had horrible headaches, bad enough I couldn’t even lay my head down on a pillow because the pressure against my skull made the headache worse. It was hard to know what was nausea from the chemo and what was nausea from the migraine. As it turns out, a common side effect of Zofran is headaches. Good to know!

Some people love Zofran. Others swear by Ativan. Phenergan ended up being my saving grace. The point is that you have a right to ask for another anti-nausea med if the one you’re given isn’t helping. Do not be afraid to call the doctor’s office and ask!

Up Next: Feeling Cruddy

This was the side effect most difficult for me to explain to my mom (my primary caregiver) and my oncologist and nurses. Once the initial vomiting and nausea eased up, I just felt cruddy.

Nausea might come in waves for a few minutes, but it wouldn’t last long. And it wasn’t my typical “upset stomach” feeling like I was going to throw up or needed Pepto-Bismol.

Unlike nausea, I felt hungry and was able to eat. I tended to stick with bland foods for safety’s sake, but most things set well, unlike when your stomach is upset. But my stomach certainly wasn’t happy, either.

Let’s see if I can describe it another way by comparing my stomach to a grumpy toddler. It wasn’t screaming and throwing a fit so that everyone knew it was unhappy (nausea); nor was it sitting still, but sniffing back tears and occasionally shouting “no!” to let me know it was quite unhappy with me (upset stomach). Instead, it was doing as I asked, but not saying a word, and mean-mugging me the entire time.

Similarly, I felt hungry, I could eat and keep food down, but my stomach wanted me to know in no uncertain terms that it was not a happy camper.

I Just Had to Ride It Out…

This was one of the more frustrating side effects because it was also the one that lingered the longest. And there was nothing I could do about it. Despite the anti-nausea meds or whatever OTC drugs I tried, I continued to feel cruddy.

As I mentioned, there seemed to be a compounding effect of the treatment, so the chemo drugs may not affect me as severely, but it took longer until I felt back to normal (or as normal as I could). I was receiving Adria once every two weeks for four treatments. After my first treatment, I felt pretty much back to normal 8 days later. By my fourth round of Adria, I felt cruddy for 12 days, with only a couple days of feeling close to normal again before starting my next chemo drug (Taxol).

Things That Helped Me

I don’t want to just leave you hanging there with all this doom and gloom and wish you good luck! My hope in writing these articles is to give you some options to feel better.

Talk to Your Onc about Meds

As I mentioned already, switching anti-nausea meds was a game-changer for me! Probably my most pitiful moment during treatment was the day after my first infusion when I was sitting on the couch in my living room. I remember people saying they often felt worse on the third day after they were done with steroids, but I was feeling absolutely horrible already. I was nauseated and tired, and all I wanted to do was lay down, but my head hurt so bad that laying down only made it worse. I looked at my mom and asked, “If I feel this bad now, how will I feel on day three??”

It was a sad sight, y’all.

So for real, switching to Phenergan was a life saver! Yes, it made me sleepy, but I didn’t care – I was already fatigued from treatment anyway.

Regarding food…

As with any case of nausea and upset stomach, having bland, easy foods on hand was helpful. I drank a lot of Boost and Ensure for the protein and vitamins since I really didn’t feel like eating much. Hard-boiled eggs were another bland, high protein food I consumed en masse during treatment.

Buttered toast was my main go-to after my first treatment. For later treatments I had tried doing avocado toast on whole grain bread so at least it would be a bit healthier; but it was also heavier and my body wasn’t interested.

Listen to your body and what it’s craving. Yes, nutrition is important, but now is not the time to be hard on yourself — it’s important to get the calories. If you’re concerned about your nutrition or weight during this time, talk to your oncologist or an oncology nutritionist about options. (If you’re on Instagram, check out @oncology.nutrition.rd for some advice and knowledge.)

Acupuncture

Not long after starting chemo, I began acupuncture. I had heard of others trying acupuncture during chemo, and honestly I was willing to try anything that would reduce some of my side effects! In hindsight, I would’ve started seeing him before chemo to try and get a jumpstart on the effects.

I had never done acupuncture before this and I was a tad skeptical of how effective it would be. But acupuncture was, without doubt, one of the BEST things I did for myself while on chemo.

My acupuncturist targeted points for a variety of benefits: reducing nausea, alleviating headaches, helping sinuses, minimizing neuropathy, and benefiting overall health. He may have hit more, but those are the ones I know of.

Yes, it feels weird at first, especially at certain points of the body. Sometimes I needed him to adjust a needle in my forehead as it was creating more pressure. I also asked him to skip my wrist points (aids in nausea) because it often hit a nerve. My toes still curl when I think of that point. So see what your acupuncturist recommends and go from there as to what works for you.

I have no doubt it worked for me as I noticed a difference in how often I got sinus headaches during treatment and a few weeks after finishing. Even though I had to pay out of pocket for these sessions, it was absolutely worth it!

Final Thoughts

Chemo nausea can be one of the most uncomfortable and debilitating side effects. But I hope this list has helped prepare you for some options to mitigate your discomfort! And be sure to check out this article for tips on other side effects with Adriamycin.

Have any other thoughts or advice regarding chemo nausea? Let me know in the comments!

Pin me!