Nausea, Any ideas why?

Now that MRI is clean for mets, and I'm still having intermittent nausea, I thought some of you might have a few ideas. I only have two herceptin to go, and I always have diarrhea after, but it has gotten worse as time goes by. (Great sitcom "As Time Goes By," on BBC)

My husband thinks the nausea is herceptin, but I don't. I have a bit more reflux now, but nothing like it was years ago, before medication, and even then I never had nausea. Also, my BP seems to have gone back up again. It was quite low for a while with dystolic in high 50's to high 60's. I take BP medication but it never brought it down that low! Any thoughts on either would be appreciated. Doctors tend to shrug their shoulders but I always believe there's a reason for everything.

Thanks.

[Adriana Mangus]

Dear Grace: Could it be that you're feeling anxious about moving?
I feel nauseated whenever I have travel plans, just thinking about things I have to have ready around the house before leaving, etc.

How's your blood sugar? I can't think of anything else..

[Bev]

Are you taking other meds? I found if I took tamox or arimidex, zoloft and supplements on an empty stomach I would have raging heartburn. For me the diarrhea took many bananas and 6 months post Herceptin to clear up. Only 2 more, there's light at the end of that tunnel. Bev

[Jean]

Hi Grace,
Only two more H to go! Great for you. I really believe that after a few weeks after completion of H you will begin to feel much better. I had
little stomach reactons here and there I never paid much attention and was careful to not let long spans of time go by without having a snack
or meal. A nice crisp apple often helps with dry crackers. I really think
it is the H....I have had and still have different body reactions and I am
now 2 months off H....hang in you are almost there.

Best Wishes,
jean
PS Happy to hear you bought that house.

[MJo]

I have less nausea than before now than I'm off Herceptin. I think Herceptin can cause nausea in some of us. Also, could yours be stomach related -- mild irritation. I talk to a lady on the street where I work who is a liver cancer survivor. She is experiencing nausea and after tests her doc told her it was mild gastritis.

[StephN]

Or is your nausea more of the queasy stomach type? Since there are degrees of stomach upset, there could be many possiblities.

Do certain foods or smells just turn off your appetite or is the problem AFTER you have eaten something that doesn't sit well?

In all my years of taking Herceptin, I have never had my stomach bothered from it. But was never susceptible to gastric problems prior to BC and treatment.

I am just hoping it is a case of BUTTERFLIES with the excitement (AND deadlines) you have had lately. Anticipating a major life change can bring this on. Your impending move could set off various physical reactions.

Hope the Pepto Bismal or whatever is now taking care of it, and the BP meds will also settle that down.

[jhandley]

Herceptin gives me nausea every time. Some times worses than others. If I skip a week and have it 4 weeks apart then it is worse.

The nausea gets better until by the 2nd week it is gone and then comes back when I have it again.

Cheers
Jackie

[Lani]

of epithelial cells in the respiratory tract in adult life (hence the chronic cough, dry nose or nose bleeds, etc that some have) It would make sense that, as her2 is also involved in repair in the GI tract (and is amplified in a small ~10% if I remember right) number of esophageal cancers and perhaps other GI cancers that it may be necessary to repair/replace some GI lining cells in adulthood.

As I recall nausea and stomach pains were among the complaints people listed during their year on herceptin. I will go back and review the many contributions made to my inquiry on "side effects of herceptin, real or imagined"

It is interesting to review the post periodically--people are still responding to it and it holds a wealth of "anecdotal" information, which hopefully someday
could be added to the post-marketing research all drug companies are supposed to do after drug approval (they usually just get info from the treating physicians...and you can see the pitfalls involved there...)

Thanks Adriana, Bev, Jean, Mjo, Steph, Jackie, and Lani for your replies and advice.

I did look through previous posts but couldn't find nausea listed; there are so many, though, so I may have missed a few.

My real concern is that I've had all the usual suspects, including runny nose, blurry vision, dry cough, swollen ankles, etc. from the beginning. Now I'm so close to the end, just two more treatments, and the nausea starts. I suppose it's possible that it's arriving late. Anyway, now that I know I don't have brain meds the nausea seems like such a small complaint, and I ignore it most of the time although I have it every morning.

And I definitely can't be pregnant! Although wouldn't it be nice if I were--think of the money that would come pouring in--sixty six year old woman pregnant without fertility treatments!

Thanks again.

[TSund]

If Lani's theory is correct (and I would not doubt it) I wonder if L-Glutamine would help rebuild the stomach lining. (good for "leaky gut")

TRS

[suzan w]

Are you taking calcium supplements? Sometimes they can upset my stomach if I don't eat first.

[hutchibk]

Ja - true. Many vits and supplements can cause nausea if taken on an empty stomach. Also, I am very interested in what Lani posted... as well, could it be that it is a cumulative effect and perhaps you have a slight allergy to Herceptin that has worsened and the antihistimines just can't control as well at this point?

[Marilyn June]

I had my second to last herceptin on Monday. Nausea has been a problem for me along with extreme fatigue. Both reactions are listed as common reactions to herceptin.
Marilyn

[tousled1]

Grace,

Sorry you're having problems so near to the end of your treatment. I know that I developed nauseau toward the end of my Herceptin treatment. Hopefully this will all go away once you finish the Herceptin.

[Carolyns]

Hi Grace,

I am sorry that you are not feeling well.

I have a few of thoughts. First, I wondered if you drink coffee in the morning. I find that I can not drink much coffee on herceptin without getting a bit nauseous. Second, I have noticed that my base line anxiety is much higher than before (going through cancer and treatment and all), so, when I get added anxiety it makes me nauseous.

My final thought on this subject is that I wonder if you are a little apprehensive about finishing up with Herceptin. I remember that upon my last chemo I walked out of the treatment room and cried for about an hour. Then I began to worry what I could do to stay healthy without chemo...another new normal. I wonder if you are worring about finishing Herceptin.

I hope you fine an answer because it is no fun being nauseous as we all know.

Love, Hope, Peace,

Carolyn

[BonnieR]

Grace, maybe it is because you are SICK and TIRED of taking Herceptin!! And it will soon be resolved!!