Many patients are afraid that their chemotherapy will cause them to have nausea and vomiting or diarrhea. Again, this is only a half-truth. Not all chemotherapy causes nausea and vomiting or diarrhea. Please ask your nurse or doctor if this might be a problem for you. Some chemotherapy causes changes in the mouth, stomach and intestines that can create these problems. Also, some chemotherapy drugs themselves may cause nausea or vomiting.

Just in the last several years, there have been a variety of new anti-nausea medicines that have been very effective in preventing nausea and vomiting in cancer patients. If this is a problem for you, make sure to talk with your healthcare provider. In many cases, these anti-nausea medicines can be given before, during and after your chemotherapy. It is important to prevent the nausea and vomiting whenever possible, rather than to treat it once it becomes a problem.