Feeling Terribly Sick After Chemotherapy ( pemetrexed and carboplatin)

Hi Jill

I am sorry to hear that you have been feeling so unwell after your chemotherapy.

My chemo was for endometrial cancer in 2022 but I did have carboplatin. (Alongside paclitaxel) 

Have you contacted your hospital 24 hour helpline? I would always advise to do this as mine was really helpful. They can give advice, get you in to be checked- if needed and also arrange alternative medication.

I had a fair amount of nausea with each cycle and found eating little and often and bland foods helpful. I found sharp tasting drinks like flat lemonade more palatable. Those thin ginger biscuits that come out around Christmas are good. 

With the medication it may be that you need to try an alternative one. I had ondansetron and domperidone but found it was often about taking them regularly and before the nausea really took a hold was best. I was told to take them 30 minutes before food. It may well be worth asking about whether a different type of medication would be suitable for you.

It is important to keep up with fluids if you are vomiting and I found it helpful to take regular small sips rather than drink a glass straight down. Ice pops also helped- again lemon flavours. 

I hope that it is now easing but if not then do give your team a call.

Jane

Hi Jill 

Sorry to hear you are feeling so poorly after your treatment, I had exactly the same treatment as you are having and the same anti sickness medication, no treatment is easy to deal with and we all react differently to treatment, I ate little and often as much as I was able to cope with, ice cream and rice pudding was good for me, but really anything you feel you can cope with is best and also try speaking to your specialist nurse if you have one. I also found it helpful to rest ass much as I could and get a bit of fresh air, just a few minutes at a time just sitting in the garden for a few minutes if you can.

Always happy to chat if you want to anytime just message me 

Have a lovely day

Donna

Hi Jill. My hubbys on carbo/prem & had no side affects what so ever. Hes given ondansetron for 3 days starting on day of chemo & then back on Metoclopromide, which he takes one in the morn & one in the evening & also 5 days of dexamethasone steroid.

His appetites normal, in fact we've just come back a week in the Canaries.

When he was diagnosed in March stage 4 T3 N2 M1c he had no symptoms & still as no symtoms. He was initially started on immunotherapy, Pembro. Which worked at start then 6 months later a fraction growth on lung mass. So in Sept he was changed to chemo, unfortunately he had an adverse delayed reaction to immunotherapy which delayed his chemo for 2 wks. But whilst he was on immunotherapy he was ill & basically housebound. So when chemo was 2nd line treatment we thought things would be bad, but hes been fine. Everyone is different with side effects, have you spoken to your oncologist about the sickness etc.

We're  back in the Marsden tomoz for pre treatment bloods & his 4th & final carbo/premex infusion on Friday along with zometa for bones. Hes on a trials unit due to his lung mass with 2 bone mets & a small brain met. He had cyberknife on the brain which as been reduced to a barely vusable dot & he had 6 sessions of radiotherapy on the 2 bone mets.

But also tomoz we have the dreaded scan results to face to see how treatments working, we're praying alls ok & scanxiety is a real thing, we came back from hols on 6th & whilst away we were normal people out with friends every day & didnt give cancer a thought & both slept well, but since home scanxiety is on your mind 24/7.

If all goes ok tomoz, then after Fridays 4th mixed chemo, he will then go onto premexted maintenance chemo along with zometa.

I really hope you get some help with your sickness/nausea & wish you well xx

Hi Jill, know exactly how you are feeling...I survived on fruity jellies ..ice cream and ice pops about the only thing I could take.  I ended up ringing the hospital and got took in for some fluids and blood it took about 5 hours to get everything in me via the drip.  But wow what a difference afterwards I actually was asking for food and enjoyed a baked potatoe...even though not really eaten anything much for nearly a week.  Just be careful you do not allow yourself to get too weak with not eating.  I was stage 4 lung cancer gone to liver, lymph nodes and spine...2017...since had bladder cancer 2021....I am still here....feel for you...sending you a hug. Lynne x