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NicShaf
03-01-2011, 08:48 AM
I have been on Cytoxan since the beginning of the year, and in the past week, I have been getting more nauseous at night, right before or when I lie down to go to bed.
I was getting upset stomach or slight nausea since a couple weeks into my treatment, but it has gotten worse, and I was wondering if anyone has experienced this from prolonged exposure to the medication? Or if this may be something to cause alarm? Or did I just eat something that didn't sit well with me, and now it's in my head that I get sick every night?

Thanks,
Nicole

Jules
03-01-2011, 08:59 AM
Yes, yes, yes Nicole! Ended up in the bathroom 'heaving' through the night even when nothing left inside me (sorry, gross I know!). I think in my own case it was then in my head that this would happen . . . made it worse when I ate late in the evening. However, then had spell in hospital for plasma exchange and this seemed to break the pattern and thankfully haven't been bothered since.

From one newcomer to another, this medication can be scary stuff cant it. If you are in any doubt I would get it checked out.

ArlaMo
03-01-2011, 09:21 AM
My nausea with the ctx lasted for about a month. Occasionally, I seem to have a little bit here and there, but it was mainly in that first month of taking it. Oh, and experienced it a bit more when they upped it from 150mg to 200mg - my creatinine was going up - but the stomach calmed down again after a couple of weeks. Hopefully, yours will too!

NicShaf
03-01-2011, 09:41 AM
Yes, yes, yes Nicole! Ended up in the bathroom 'heaving' through the night even when nothing left inside me (sorry, gross I know!). I think in my own case it was then in my head that this would happen . . . made it worse when I ate late in the evening. However, then had spell in hospital for plasma exchange and this seemed to break the pattern and thankfully haven't been bothered since.

From one newcomer to another, this medication can be scary stuff cant it. If you are in any doubt I would get it checked out.

Thanks Jules! I think you're right, this can be scary, I would rather be safe than sorry...I'll email my doctor today.

NicShaf
03-01-2011, 09:44 AM
My nausea with the ctx lasted for about a month. Occasionally, I seem to have a little bit here and there, but it was mainly in that first month of taking it. Oh, and experienced it a bit more when they upped it from 150mg to 200mg - my creatinine was going up - but the stomach calmed down again after a couple of weeks. Hopefully, yours will too!

Thanks ArlaMo! It helps to know I'm not the only one, I will still see what my doc thinks about the sudden onset. Thanks for your inupt.

Sangye
03-02-2011, 03:38 AM
Nicole, are you taking it with food? Also, I assume you're on pred. Are you on an acid-blocker?

NicShaf
03-02-2011, 04:07 AM
Sangye,
I don't always take my Ctx with food, usually breakfast is the only time I take my food and Ctx together. Yes, I am on Preds too, but not on any acid blocker. I always take my Preds with food in the morning, I was told that would help.

On the plus side, the night before last when I woke up with nausea, I had a small glass of milk to try and counteract any acid in my stomach that might be upsetting it....I figured I was already sick so it was worth a try. It seemed to help. So last night, I had a glass of milk with my dinner for the same reason, and I actually made it through the night without getting sick to my stomach. I'm going to continue with this for the week, see if it continues to help.

Daggar
03-02-2011, 05:11 AM
You should be using ranitidine or other form of acid blocker - usually a dose in the morning and one before you go to bed.

Holly's doctors stressed the need for using it to avoid ulcers. There are more powerful forms of acid blockers but the ranitidine (basically zantac) has done the job so far.

She also took ondansetron during the early stages of treatment due to severe nausea. The downside to that drug is the extreme cost - but it saved her a lot of suffering.

Ginger
03-02-2011, 12:36 PM
Yah, At first, i would take a ZAntac in the morning, and then i would be good for the rest of the day. But by the midddle of the night i would have nausea and bad heart burn. Then, we cut the zantac in half with a pill cutter and take half in the morning and half at night. Now, i only get heart burn ocasonally or get nausea when i don't take my pills on time. Then, i just use an ondansetron ( Isn't that the coooolest name?! it sounds like one of those cool dance machines at the arcade!)

hope that helped :)

:cantbrain:

marta
03-02-2011, 01:24 PM
That's funny Holly/Ginger,

Ondansetron, I'll never look at that name the same way again.

Sangye
03-02-2011, 02:52 PM
Nicole, yikes! You definitely have to be on an acid-blocker with pred doses over 10mg. Pred will burn holes in your stomach. It's very dangerous. I can't believe your doc hasn't put you on one. How much pred are you on?

Once you get below 10mg, some people don't need the acid-blocker anymore and some continue to need it until going off pred. If you try an acid-blocker and it doesn't work, try a different one. Zantac and Prilosec didn't work for me and one of them gives me headaches. Protonix (pantoprazole) works fine for me.

I couldn't tolerate ctx without food. I got severe stomach pain immediately. When you call to yell at your doc for not following standard of care and prescribing an acid-blocker with pred, ask if it's okay to take your ctx with food, too.

I'm only half-joking about yelling at your doc. You might have done serious and permanent damage to your stomach. When I was first dx'ed and hospitalized on high-dose pred, my doc prescribed an acid-blocker but didn't tell me about it. I refused to take it, thinking it was unnecessary. I had no idea pred could harm the stomach. I wound up with a near gastric bleed and my doctor storming in at midnight to yell at me for not taking it. It was quite the scene. :rolleyes1:

NicShaf
03-03-2011, 02:52 AM
Wow, thanks Sangye, I had no idea it was that serious. I think part of my problem is that my first Rheumy was HORRIBLE and told me nothing...she never even explained Wegs to us, told us to look it up on the internet...and when I changed to my new Rheumy, I think he assumed the basics had been covered. He does ask me how I'm tolerating everything every time I go it for a checkup, but before this past week it has been tolerable, so I didn't complain about it. I will email his office today about the acid blockers.
I'm on 40mg of Preds daily as of Monday, last week I was at 50mg daily...slowly working my way down, yay!

Sangye
03-04-2011, 02:42 AM
You've been on 50mg pred without an acid-blocker? Oh man. Your new rheumy should have noticed that it wasn't listed under your meds. Grrr. This is really upsetting to me. :mad1:

pberggren1
03-04-2011, 12:04 PM
Grrrr! from me too. I was just put back on 60mg of pred from 20 and that is one of the first things my doc discussed with me was an acid blocker.

gunnyl
09-11-2011, 11:12 AM
Ginger is a good natural anti-nausea remedy. vegetarian.about.com/od/morerecipes/r/GingerTea.htm I take famotidine for the antacid which is pepsid AC. I have been having a lot of nausea since they upped me from 125mg to 200mg but 5 days later seem to be getting better. I remembered the ginger from when I lived in Japan as they use a lot of natural remedies and this one has proven to be affective. Ginger Ale will settle your stomach as well if you tolerate sodas but the tea is better.
:cool1:
GL