Stage 4 small bowel -adenocarcinoma

Hi Jlax - thinking of you and your mum as you start/progress on the journey none of us ever wants to make.

I always found the first three days of any cycle quite a challenge - I had an introvenous drip in the hospital via cannula, with tablets, then took tablets at home for the rest of the cycle.  I had anti-sickness meds while in the hospital session and then more antisickness for the rest of days 1-3.  Dexamethasone was one of the main ones (It's become very famous because of Covid but is a chemo staple as well).

There is another specific anti-sickness med, I never had it but I remember someone I swapped notes with on this forum said there was another stronger one but it was a lot more expensive so the NHS tend not to give it out unless you make a big deal about needing it.  Sorry I cannot remember what it was - I stuck it out on the Dexamethasone.

There was all sorts of advice, drink hot water (it didn't work for me), eat ginger/drink ginger tea (I can't stand it).  My key worker and the nurses on the help line were good.  I think don't be too hard on yourselves, ideally your mum would be eating properly but if she really doesn't want to for a couple of days then don't stress about it.  If she can face small snacks things like nuts are very good - nutritious and high calorie but compact.  Also it should improve after the first couple of days.  Do keep up a dialogue with your oncologist and key worker.  I took some notes during each cycle so I could chat things through with the oncologist when I had the blood screening ahead of the next cycle.

It's so hard to know what to expect in the early days and early in the chemo.  Also the cycles tend to be a bit up and down so you can have a good one then a bad one.  Unfortunately you need to take it as it comes, keep up the dialogue with the experts - I found the nurses and doctors responsive and they would alter the dosage and meds depending on how things were going, and I did have some breaks due to blood levels not being where they needed to be.

Sending hugs and encouragement for you both as you go through this!

LInds