Can 2 different types of Nausea meds be taken together?

[Terri B]

I take Zofran during the day because i don't get sleepy. Then i take Phenergan at night.

Since these two meds work totally different, can they be taken together? It seems like the evenings are really bad for me after treatment and to be able to double up might help!

Thanks in advance for the input!

[dlaxague]

Hi Terri,

I think it's okay to take them both but first, I'd talk to your onc or your onc's nurse to check for sure, but more to see about other choices. There other drugs in the Zofran class (Kytril, Anzemet, probably more) and (recurring theme) since we're all different, one of those might work better for you than Zofran. My chemo nurse was a fan of Anzemet, and I've heard from others who swear by Kytril. Also lots of people take Ativan at night (not me - yuck, it lasted well into the next day as if I wasn't already a zombie enough).

Then there are newer drugs that are intended to complement the zofran-category ones by decreasing "late" nausea - after the first day or so. Emend and Aloxi I think are two of those, but I'm not as sure of those as they weren't available in 2001 and I haven't kept up with progress. I'm sure those closer to treatment can give you details. But they are part of state-of-the-art care of those receiving chemo and you should be offered them. Since you apparently have not been offered them, you should be asking for them.

Bottom line - if what you have is not working, you should be on the phone to your oncologist, asking for something else. You should not be waiting until your next oncology visit. You should be calling right now, at least during pharmacy hours, and moving on to plan "B". Good luck. Let us know what works, so next time, we'll know better how to advise people.

How many more FEC's? How come you got FEC last? Do you feel like you're in the home stretch? Yay!

Love,
Debbie Laxague

[Terri B]

Debbie,

Yes, I do feel like I'm in the homestretch!! One more treatment to go!! This FEC has kicked my butt!! (but I feel great for two weeks in-between).

I'm getting KYTRIL by drip as a pre-med. It's kinda funny how it all hits me compared to others here. I have the roughest night THE night of my treatment. Then tuesday, I'm a little zombi-ish and tuesday night I HURT from the neulasta. Wednesday Is also a hurty day, but then Thursday, I'm on the road to recovery.

Rads next, well, after my swap out surgery.

[PinkGirl]

Hi Terri
I used Kytril during the first 4 days after the treatment. Then I
switched to Stemitil (every 4 hours). I used gravol for "breakthrough"
nausea while on the Stemitil. This worked well for me and I managed
to NOT vomit while on FAC, however, the nausea can be severe with
that combo.

[dlaxague]

Terri, it does sound like you have "late" N&V, for which these newer drugs might be useful. I'm hoping that people closer to treatment who received them will chime in about them, but I've posted two blips from their websites below.

Isn't it crazy that by the time we figure out all the tricks and nuances of dealing with chemo, we're done and it's too late to use them? N&V was a problem for me, too (on A/C), and the solution didn't happen until the last dose of the series.

"Unlike other antinausea and antivomiting drugs, which work in the stomach, EMEND targets the natural substance in the brain that causes nausea and vomiting. When taken in addition to other antiemetic medications, EMEND can help prevent CINV CINV – chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting for up to 5 full days."

"WHAT IS ALOXI?

ALOXI is a medicine called an “antiemetic.” ALOXI is used in adults to help prevent the nausea and vomiting that happens:

• right away with certain anti-cancer medicines (chemotherapy)
• or later with certain anti-cancer medicines"

[rebecca0623]

I receive Aloxi in pre-chemo drip and take Emend the day of and for 2 days after - one pill per day. Emend is very expensive on my plan but completely worth it to me. I have had no nausea at all. For breakthrough, I was given compazine which I have only used a very few times. This combo has worked very well for me - I am tired day of, work day after then the weekend I take easy (mainly because of Neupogen I think). Good luck and I cannot wait until I say I am in the home stretch!!!

[juanita]

with my first onc i got aloxi if they remembered to give it to me, and a pill that started with a c--compizien maybe- and zofran. none of which worked. second onc got zofran and was fine but had a different chemo.