Severe constipation with IP chemo

Hello,

Hoping someone may be able to share some advice.  My mom is on her firstline treatment for stage 3b ovca with the IP/IV treatment - IV Taxol day 1, IP cisplatin day 2, and IP taxol on day 7.

Her side effects have been manageable so far, with the exception of severe constipation...  she has been taking colace for it, but it doesn't seem to help at the dosage she is using (1-2 a day).  She's eating lots of prunes but that isn't really working either.  Today she is planning an enema to get things moving again.

Can anyone on IP treatment share their successful strategies to battle constipation?

[rmarie]

It isn't just the IP treament that gives you constipation, it is the chemotherapy drugs that do it.  Call the office and ask what they recommend.  I use milk of mag and a laxative with colace in it after chem, it usually goes away after a week or so after chemo, at least for me.  Good luck to your Mom.

[lucymullis]

This was my main side effect of chemo.  Ask her dr. about senokot-s.  All the doctors at the cancer center I go to recommend this, up to 6 a day.  When it didn't work, they told me to use milk of mag, then citrate magnesium.