Nausea and Vomiting is one of the most distressing side effects that people with cancer experience. This can sometimes lead to dehydration, serious electrolyte imbalance, and weight loss.
Common causes of Nausea and Vomiting
- Certain Chemotherapy and targeted Immunotherapy regimens
- Other medications
- Radiation therapy to the whole body or certain parts of the body (such as the abdominal area or the brain’s Vomiting center).
- Cancer in the brain
- Electrolyte imbalances
- Blocked intestines
- Infections
- Bleeding in the stomach or intestines
Key Points
- Unmanaged Nausea and Vomiting can lead to dehydration, serious electrolyte imbalance, weight loss, and anticipatory Nausea and Vomiting.
- Many effective antiemetic regimens are available for specific types of Cancer Treatment.
- A number of integrative approaches can enhance your antiemetic regimen and improve your comfort.
Managing Nausea and Vomiting
There are of course conventional ways to prevent your Nausea and vomiting, but we prefer to also look at integrative approaches that will enhance your anti-vomiting regimen and improve your comfort. Some of the things that the National Cancer Institute (NCI) suggests are deep breathing, guided imagery, hypnosis, and other relaxation techniques such as listening to music, reading a book, or meditating.
