Post SCT nausea

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My husband is struggling to take tablets and to eat, and the anti sickness tablets aren’t touching it. The doctor has prescribed injections which work better but for some reason the nursing staff don’t want to comply so keep giving him tablets instead.

does anyone have any suggestions of things they found helped (no herbal teas) 

every hospital has its own protocol and this one has set up the injections as PRN. My husband has to ask. Who could I speak to on a ward who would be in charge these days? I won’t complain, it just needs resolving. 

I have read through lots of helpful comments about experiences on here but I can’t find this in particular 

  • Hi again  and well done navigating across to our little corner of the community.

    What type of SCT did your husband have...... Allo SCT (with donor cells) or an Auto SCT (with his own cells)....?

    I did ok during and after my first Allo SCT back in June 2014....... but I had severe nausea after my second Allo SCT...... especially at the sight of any tablets.

    The main thing that helped me take my oral meds........ especially the disgusting anti-rejection/immunosuppressant drug Cyclosporin was taking them with carbonated drinks like coke...... it was a friend who works in our local hospice that told me to try this as the fizziness relaxes the gaging reaction and helps overcome the taste reaction.......

    I have to admit that I had developed a phobia of taking meds during my treatment so for me it was more a mind thing than a physical thing.

    How far out from Transplant is your husband?....... is he still in the Transplant Unit?

    In the Transplant unit if we had any concerns we talked it through with the consultant team...... but the nurses tended to deal with everything very well.

    If he is not in the Transplant Unit it's more complicated but each ward does have a charge nurse (don't know the correct term)...... but these folks don't tend to work weekends........ if can be harder to deal with these problems in a general ward........ talking with the consultant often helps but being there at the right time is challanging.

    As for eating...... I lived on regular small cups of homemade soup for 4 months......... getting the appetite back takes time.

    Mike (Thehighlander)

    It always seems impossible until its done - Nelson Mandela

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  • Thanks. He had his own cells back on Tuesday and Wednesday so he’s on day 5. He’s on a cancer ward that specialises in SCT, but they do general chemo too. The initial treatment was fine apart from an occasional pharmacy glitch but the issue with the antemetic injections is baffling me. There’s no need for him to have this extra stress.

  • It is Mantle Cell Lymphoma

  • So he must still be under the care of the SCT team so talk with them if you can......

    As he is day 5 his new immune system is just a baby and like all newborn babies the early days are very challenging..... especially in a general ward 5 days after a life changing process.

    At +5 days I was just coming out of the Critical Care Unit (I ended back in the CCU a few days later) as my heart went crazy after my final chemo (Melphalan)... and I was not eating over these days in hospital so basically lived on custard and scrambled eggs during these days.

    When I was in a bad way all my meds were IV....... nothing oral....... this was all on my protocol that was reviewed every moring or when required by one of the SCT Consultants.

    You need to get your pointy elbows into the system and challenge what is being done

    Mike (Thehighlander)

    It always seems impossible until its done - Nelson Mandela

    Community Champion Badge

  • Hello Alderess, so sorry to here about your husband is struggle with this horrible  nausia that your husband is having  . It must be hard for you as well seeing him so poorly .

    I had a SCT back in   April this year ans had a similar problem to your husband  I used to dread the meal trolly comning round and the smell of food was enough to turn my stomach  I spoke to my Consultant and had a driver fitted .A small line fitted under the skin which delivered a small amount of the  the sickness drug continuously. 

    I still found it hard to eat but it made me feel much better

    Getting home was a game changer for me , home is a great healer .I hope your husband is making good progress now  x 

    Cakie