Ongoing sickness and nausea 10 weeks after chemo/radiotherapy has finished

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My poor son is continuing to struggle with sickness and nausea. It’s been 14 weeks since he finished proton beam radiotherapy and 9 since he finished chemo.

He’s mostly using a RIG for feeds but has been struggling with nausea and is sick intermittently. His oncologist recommended omeprazole, 3x metroclopramide a day but this doesn’t seem to be helping. 

We’ve tried slowing the rate down when administering feeds and have tried different formulas but even the “lighter” ones can make him vomit.

Ensure/Fortisips are too thick and whilst he’s trying to eat normal food it is a long process and he can still be sick.

Has anyone experienced this so long after treatment and if so, any ideas please? 

Understandably it’s taking its toll on all of us and he’s lost a lot of weight 

  • Hi Lou T

    During Chemoradio I had similar problems, could not tolerate Ensure through my PEG feeding tube, kept on vomiting, tried slowing rates on dietitian/CNS advice, nothing worked, lost circa 3 stones in 2-3 weeks , ended up in hospital for 12 days to stabilise my weight.  I was put on Jevity feed in the ward which thankfully I could tolerate, now have a healthy BMI.....but it was a worrying time.

    Peter

  • Thanks for your reply Peter. Were you on any anti sickness meds at all? Did you find out what was causing the issue? 
    Were you ok once you left hospital?

    sorry for all the questions! 

  • Ondansetron, Dexamethasone, Metoclopramide...anti emetics....Ensure delivered through the PEG seemed to be an issue...when I changed over to Jevity feed the vomiting all but stopped....when I left the hospital I improved quickly, started eating small meals supplemented with Ensure (orally)

  • Thanks again Peter, we’re going to call our team tomorrow to try and get some answers/a new plan. 
    This is all really helpful 

  • Good luck....Levomepromazine was another anti-emetic prescribed

  • He’s on levomepromazine as a top up.

    Were you on those antiemetics whilst on Jevity? 

  • Yes,  but not as frequently, stopped them pretty quickly, anti emetics were causing restless leg syndrome 

  • The last two weeks of treatment I was hospitalised for constant sickness and found I was unable to tolerate feeds via tube even with a pump, anti sickness meds helped in the end. I am 4 and a bit months post treatment now but still have terrible nausea to the point I am vomiting and unable to eat so use my feeding tube which I am still sick with.The nausea/sickness is soul sapping. Keep on at the team I have been told CBD oil helps so I am going to give it a go and see if it's helpful.I will let you know if this works.

    Take care 

  • Sorry you’ve been so unwell Becksley. Please do keep me posted on CBD oil.