NS: Hello Jenny, we’re here today to talk about managing potential side effects from your chemotherapy, specifically nausea and vomiting. It’s a common concern, and we want to make sure you’re as comfortable as possible.

P: Yes, that’s what I’m most worried about. I’ve heard it can be really bad.

NS: Well, not everyone experiences it the same way. It depends on the specific chemotherapy drugs you’ll be receiving and some individual factors.

P: What kind of factors?

NS: Some chemotherapy drugs are more likely to cause nausea and vomiting than others. We categorize them by risk - high, moderate, low, and minimal. Also, things like your age, being female, having a history of motion sickness or morning sickness during pregnancy, feeling anxious about the treatment, or not getting enough sleep before treatment can increase your risk.

P: I see. I did have terrible morning sickness with both my pregnancies.

NS: That’s good information for us to have. We also distinguish between different types of nausea and vomiting related to treatment. There’s anticipatory nausea, which is related to anxiety and can happen even before you receive the chemotherapy. Then there’s acute nausea and vomiting, which occurs within the first 24 hours after treatment. Delayed nausea and vomiting appears after the first 24 hours. And finally, there’s refractory nausea and vomiting, which means it persists despite preventive medication.

P: So, what can be done to prevent it?

NS: The main goal of our preventive approach is to minimize nausea without changes in eating habits, and ideally, prevent vomiting altogether.

P: How do you decide which ones to use?

NS: We tailor the antiemetic plan to the emetic risk of your chemotherapy regimen. If you’re receiving a combination of drugs, we consider the drug with the highest risk. We also take into account your individual risk factors we discussed earlier.

P: What about side effects from the anti-nausea medications themselves?

NS: Each medication can have potential side effects. Some can sometimes cause headaches, flushing, constipation, and rarely, changes in your heart rhythm, so we’ll monitor that. And others might cause drowsiness and movement disorder.

P: Is there anything I can do myself?

NS: Yes, absolutely. There are several things you can do. For example, adapting your diet, staying hydrated, practicing relaxing techniques and monitoring your weight. We’ll provide you with detailed instructions on how to take your medications and what to watch for. If the initial prevention plan isn’t working, we can adjust it. We also have rescue medications for breakthrough nausea and vomiting.

P: This is very helpful. I feel much better prepared now.

NS: That’s what we’re here for, to support you every step of the way.