NAUSEA from TX / Thoughts?

[billstrong1969]

I'm into my 4th week of TX and have noticed that I've been feeling nauseated almost daily recently.  Grant you I've not tried anything as far as prescription remedies because I just started feeling this; but I'll of course mention it next week at my checkup.  Anyways, I tried sipping some hot tea that I had made earlier with fresh ginger root that I put in it but it didn't seem to work.  I ate a little bit but that didn't seem to help either.  Any ideas or thoughts?  Thanks...

billstrong1969

[Mikkimoe]

Thanks that is very helpful

[Lady Lauri]

Hi, welcome, congrats on 1st one down! My 1st one was nothing much, some are, some aren't and sides settle in (or not!) as time goes by, meds absorb in.
  Have you been told drink a lot of water? Very important and fatty food with the Riba, for absorption. Here's a list of abbr. we use here (tx = treatment) and keep asking anything you need along your weeks of tx.
Good luck, LL

CHC Chronic Hepatitis C
AHC Acute Hepatitis C
G or GT Genotype
GI Gastroenterologist
SOC Standard of Care
ITT Intent to Treat
Bx Biopsy
Dx Diagnosis
Sx Symptoms/Side Effects
Rx Prescription
Hx History
RVR Rapid Virological Response (4 Week PCR - UND
EVR Early Virological Response (12 Week PCR - UND or >2 Log Drop)
EOT End of Treatment
SVR Sustained Virological Response (UND 6 Months post TX end)
PCR Polymerase Chain Reaction
RT-PCR Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction.
TMA Transcription Mediated Amplification
BMI Body Mass Index
WHR Waist to Hip Ratio
VL Viral Load
HVL High Viral Load
LVL Low Viral Load
UND Undetectable Viral Load

Drug Acronyms
IFN Interferon (Alpha 2a / Alpha 2b)
NPIA Non-Pegylated Interferon Alpha
PegIFN Pegylated Interferon (Alpha 2a / Alpha 2b)
CIFN Consensus Interferon (Infergen/alphacon)
RBV Ribavirin
Riba Ribavirin
EPO Erythropoietin (Epogen/Procrit)
Neup Neupogen

Blood Test Acronyms
FBC Full Blood Count (same as CBC)
CBC Complete Blood Count (same as FBC)
LFT Liver Function Test
ULN Upper Limit of Normal
LLN Lower Limit of Normal
ALT Alanine Aminotransferase
AST Aspartate Aminotransferase
ALP Alkaline Phosphatase
GGT Gamma Glutamyl Transpeptidase
LDH Lactate Dehydrogenase
SGPT ALT used to be called Serum Glutamic Pyruvic Transaminase.
SGOT AST used to be called Serum Glutamic Oxaloacetic Transaminase
RCC Red Cell Count
HGB Hemoglobin
Hemo Hemoglobin
WCC White Cell Count
MCV Mean Corpuscular Volume
TSH Thyroid stimulating hormone (Also called: Thyrotropin)
TIW Tri Weekly (Three Times a Week, Thrice Weekly).
IU International Unit

[Lady Lauri]

   I get Kerns or the one in a bottle 'all natural' (uh huh!) think any brand will do, in most grocery stores and I swear by it! It so soothes the stomach, even when it's sweet -per nausea, if you can get it down, helps much. Sister has used it for years, right now we're passing it over the fence on each others bad days,lol!!

I keep passing it along and anyone that does try it has kept using it.
  Get a few in case you need it!

LL

[garyl_waiting_in_seattle]

I just started interferon treatment with ribavirin and took my first shot lastnight before bed. I woke up this morning and have a bit of a headache and thats it.... I am reading about you'all and am sorta just "waiting" for the s... to start. By the way, what is tx ? Is that some lingo for Interferon ?  Thanks. Gary L  waiting in Seattle.

[CockSparrow]

Take the Riba in the middle of the meal not B4 or after. It will help
CS

[Forseegood]

can you elaborate on the apricot nectar? which one? where do you get it, etc....thanks!

[kcrandy]

try something like ginger snaps, ginger ale.  ginger helps with nausea.  i know it is hard but drinking those fluids helps as well.  you will find out that there are drugs out there to help with nausea as i am sure your doc will tell you what they are.  for a time i had it so bad i had to go to er for a shot to stop the vomiting from nausea and taking the meds for it throughout the rest of my tx.  i can say that the meds ( promethazine hcl 25mg when prn ), ( gi cocktail,mgoh es/vis lidocaine/diphen 2 tblsp prn ) helped me tremendously through the remainder of my tx.

hope this helps

[Lady Lauri]

Please, please, please.....TRY apricot nectar!!!

My sister live's on it (me too some days!) but she's been in chemo on/off for years. Of all the drugs they give her, and she's had them ALL...that helps a LOT! It REALLY helps with nausea, better then gingerale for me. I've used it for years for nausea.

(she also does use 'pot'! That helps her more than the outragously expensive pill's!
I don't like smoking it tho, it's a personal choice.)

LL

[PRINCESS5122]

i am on protonix anyway,have stomach ulcer.tried other scripts, but on compazine 25 mg  suppositories as needed.works great.i was constantly so sick i hardly got out of bed..............25mg compo   is generic

[merryBe]

day of shot eat light. jello broth oatmeal etc.
if you take a prton pump inhibitor take it on an emty stomach 30-60 min before food..

take your Riba then later than breakfast, say for a mid day snack.....with a high fat loe fiber snack....away from all antacids etc, you want soem good acid and bile flw to get maximim absrption f this drug.

the cutting back of portion sizes will als aide with liver pain. The liver has to work half as hard t digest a 1000 calorie meal as it des to gigest the typical american 2000 cal. dinner.

[cierra2007]

SORRY IS IMITREX 50 MG    

[cierra2007]

Hi Bill and congratulations on week 4 of tx.

I also had nausea the first 5 weeks no meds for me I felt like sh...... I really did not want to take anymore meds this poison is enough from tx.......LOL  

Hey Bill how are are you doing with MIGRAINES do you take Imatrex 50 mg?
My migraines are out of control..........

Feel better  

Cierra

Don't worry nausea will go away

[Forseegood]

for all the good tips guys...the only thing I hate worse then nausea...well, let me think...I don't hate anything worse then nausea...lol.....!

[sfbaygirl]

I had nausea the first several weeks. My dr. gave me aciphex. I thought it strange, as it is for acid reflux, but it worked!  I also used Prilosec otc...quicker to get. You can buy it today!  

Linda

[charm27]

Im taking prescription Prilosec the first two weeks of tx I had crackers, gingerale, and pasta plain and it helped. Havent had that problem since. The Prilosec really works for me.

The sx come and go so fast, one comes and goes, and another one comes.
Feel Better. Make sure you take your RIba with an ample amount of food.

[Proactive]

I had the same problem starting around week 4, nauseated, bloated-pressure on ribcage etc. Doc gave me a script for Protonix (a proton pump inhibitor) worked like a charm..Changed insurance on the first of the year, they don't cover Protonix, at the suggestion of my NP I tried over the counter Prilosec, seems to help, although I am weening myself off that, as I approach TX end..
Pro