Anti-Nausea Suggestions from Your Pals
The Technicolor Yawn, Praying to the Porcelain Goddess, Yodeling Groceries – call it what you want – Nausea and its close cousin, Vomit, are relentless foes when given space to flourish. Sometimes, we experience nausea during post-surgery recovery; it’s a natural by-product of a healing digestive system. Other times, anxiety provoked by upcoming scans or monitoring appointments gets us queasy. And then there are the side effects of chemotherapy or immunotherapy that leave us sick to our stomachs because, well, that’s what those treatments do.
Keeping the Waves at Bay
On a recent thread in the PMP Pals Facebook Group, Pals worldwide shared their personal non-medication favorites for keeping that “Call to Ralph” on hold. Our overall consensus? Get ahead of it. It’s much easier to quell a puking urge than a Tummy Riot. These suggestions below are just that – suggestions. If you need medication like Zofran (Ondansetron), Reglan (Metoclopramide), or Phenergan (Promethazine), work with your medical team to get those meds in your nausea toolbox now. Bottom line: don’t suffer and don’t wait. Nausea and vomiting can quickly turn into a medical emergency. Have what you need on hand.
Tips From Your Pals
Here are just a few of our over-the-counter solutions that you can find in the grocery store, pharmacy, or online:
- Liquids: maraschino cherry syrup, pickle juice, decaf tea, Pepto-Bismol
- Candies: GinGins ginger candy, lemon drops, mints, Werther’s, any hard candy that makes you feel good
- Tablets & tinctures: apple cider vinegar tablets, smelling scents like lavender oil, peppermint oil, or isopropyl alcohol, Bonine or Dramamine tablets
- Edibles: saltines & crackers, medical marijuana (smoked, vaped, eaten) like Wyld gummies with Indica, ginger ale, bitters & soda, anti-nausea lollipops
- Physical: roller ball on solar plexus and neck muscles, counting breaths, Seabands acupressure wrist bands, walk outside in fresh air, cold compress on your forehead
Here’s what your Pals had to say about nausea:
“Not sure this will help at all as it is a very different approach. I get nauseous when my body gets tight, especially my neck which then travels to my solar plexus. I have a small ball that I roll on my tight neck muscles and do some gentle neck stretches. I then attempt to lightly roll the ball into my solar plexus to try and relax it. This all has to be gentle or it gets tighter. The other thing I do is counting my breath. I find focusing on my breath also helps relax me and therefore helps with my tightness. I hope you feel better.” ~ Lindsey W.
“I wore Seabands that go on your wrists so long I had indents. I took a multi-approach with using all these plus meds.” ~Nicole J.
“When I got hungry, I got nauseous. I ended up getting some gummies, Wyld brand with Indica. I took a 1/4 of the piece at bedtime and it helped. If I quit after about two days, I’d start feeling nauseous again. It took probably six months for that to go away. I didn’t feel woozy or anything. My doctor asked if I wanted more Zofran and I said no thanks and explained about the Indica gummies and she said good, better for your organs. 
They made all the difference to me. The biggest part was that the dose was small enough to relax me and kept the nausea away, but I didn’t feel any other side effects.” Molly C-P.
No Urge vs. Fighting Purge
Take measures to keep nausea at bay by
- Eating smaller, more frequent meals
- Avoiding spicy, greasy, or strong smelly foods
- Opting for the blander menu (bananas, rice, applesauce, toast)
- Waiting a few hours after eating before brushing your teeth
Do you have an anti-nausea suggestion? Email us and we’ll add it to this list. NOTE: This post is not intended as medical advice. Please consult your physician or medical team for more information and guidance.
Photo by Jon Tyson on Unsplash
Stage 4 is Not My Finish Line
The Milestone
This year, on December 18, 2023, I will be celebrating my 20th wedding anniversary. I will also be marking the anniversary of my first cancer surgery on the same day, in 2019.
It was just before Christmas, parts of the hospital were shut down and I was in a room with 3 other people, at times there were as many as 6. It was hard for me to keep track as I had my curtains drawn the entire time, but I heard them, and many of them were very ill and in constant pain.
I found this surgery to be the most difficult of the three I have had so far, even though it was the shortest. I had never been in the hospital before and I was very overwhelmed, I had not yet found my PMP Pals. I had found my way into the world of stage 4 cancer (and surgical menopause), little did I know it was just training for what was yet to come.
Physically I recovered well, I had been running to prepare for surgery beforehand, and when I couldn’t run anymore, due to the size of my stomach (they removed two football-sized tumors on my ovaries during surgery!), I had switched to walking on a treadmill at home.
The Butter Tart Run
The last race I remember doing before my cancer diagnosis was the Butter Tart Run 5K with my husband and a friend. I didn’t realize at the time I was already “with cancer”, which was the reason it was so hard for me to run, but we did it, and it was fun (and delicious!). I have attempted to run on and off since then. Back then I felt like whenever I started to gain some traction with my exercise a new obstacle would be in my way (hello hernia), thankfully I was able to remind myself how important movement was to me and how it helped me recover from my first surgery. I decided if I couldn’t run I could still walk and so I did, and continue to do so whenever I have the opportunity.
This strategy helped me as I had my first operation in May 2020, and then a second in August 2022. Both were Cytoreductive (CRS) with Hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) surgeries. When I was in the hospital I was dedicated to doing laps around the hospital floor. During the second surgery, because of an outbreak of COVID, I did laps in my room pacing back and forth every hour that I was awake and physically able. When I was too tired I still moved, sometimes stretching my legs and arms on the bed, or if I was able, I would sit on the edge of the bed or move to a chair. I thought of this exercise as my personal training plan for the life I still had ahead of me.
I remember when I started chemo (March 2022) after my recurrence, it was really hard to keep moving. I didn’t move much some days but I tried. When I was able, I walked outside to get fresh air, sometimes I would just sit near the window. I always felt better when I moved, especially when I got fresh air but didn’t always remember that when I was sitting on the couch during treatments. Folfox was hard, it definitely made me cold so I had to wear gloves and dress in layers, I usually only felt sick for one or two days each treatment (I did 6 in total). My hair also got very thin so I eventually cut it short and wore a hat often as I was pretty self-conscious. The mental side of feeling and looking weak was very challenging. I had lost a lot of weight and muscle which I knew was contributing to my fatigue and the general sense of “Blah”.
Fast forward to 2023.
I feel even better than I did when I was first diagnosed in 2019 (no that doesn’t mean every day is rainbows and unicorns) and yes I still have cancer.
I have slowly shifted my way of thinking and now refer to my cancer as a chronic illness that can be managed.
How do I do this? I am resourceful as there is no instruction manual. I educate myself, asking questions and finding help from experts when necessary. I also continuously remind myself that my body will change as does everything in life.
I try to identify what feels “out of balance” with my mind and body. This is continuous and challenging, but I believe finding more balance will help me be stronger and more resilient.
I focus on my nutrition, eating well to give my body what it needs which takes lots of trial and error (nutrient-dense food to stabilize my weight and help my body get stronger). Sleep is a priority, allowing time for my mind and body to heal (there are lots of books and videos about why sleep is important).
Reducing my anxiety is a big one for me! I’ve incorporated meditation and breathing exercises as well as finding a good therapist and learning to express my feelings better (work in progress!)
Movement is a secondary priority every day. Walking (a lot!) — gentle yoga, pilates, or even stretching. Recently, I’ve started adding running and bodyweight strength training back into the routine again.
Last, but definitely not least, connecting with others (so grateful for each of my Pals). The piece I was missing when I began this journey. Everyone needs a support crew, especially when stage 4 is not your finish line.
Love your Pal,
Lindsey W
In March 2022, when Lindsay Barad packed for her CRS/HIPEC hospital stay, she thought she over-packed.
The one item that she didn’t bring along was a blanket and her first night in the hospital was freezing! The next morning, her father, Jim, stopped at a local department store and purchased two blankets for his daughter. He found this highly ironic as his business, Barad & Co, is a textile manufacturing company that produces plush blankets.
For the next week, Lindsay recovered in the hospital, wrapped up in those cozy blankets. They boosted her spirits, kept her warm, and helped make the sterile hospital room feel more like home. She found similar comfort with PMP Pals. Both have proven invaluable in establishing emotional resilience for living beyond a rare disease diagnosis like appendix cancer.
Barad’s Blankets, donated by The Barad Family, provides Pals worldwide with a gesture of comfort. Jim’s gift is his way of giving back to the community which has helped his daughter, Lindsay, as a patient, and him as a caregiver. Similar to our Bare Bottom Bears Program, Pals will send you a complimentary, cozy, plush blanket by mail, as you head into (or home from) surgery or other challenging treatment. This blanket symbolizes what we want every Pal to know: no matter what you are going through, you are not alone.
To request a blanket, email Lindsay at lindsay@pmppals.net. Include the name of the patient or caregiver recipient, mailing address with zip code, and phone number (if available). Out-of-country requests are accepted, however take a longer time to arrive. Limit one blanket per household..
After you receive your Barad’s Blanket in the mail, send us a photo and tell us how this Message of Hope lifted your spirits.
We all know that feeling – the Dreaded Belly Bomber – following an all-too-good-tasty meal. It’s bittersweet and frustrating. But what are we to do about a sensitive gut, the by-product of a transitioning gastro system post-surgery?
Some of us get a team nutritionist’s help. Mostly, we’re left to figure it out. Good news is you don’t have to go it alone because a bunch of Pals already have had success.
We’re looking for Pals recipes, meal ideas, and smoothies that are easy on the system and taste great (most of the time). They can be weight-gainers, belly soothers, or just plain fun for an over-anxious, deprived palate.
Send us your recommendations and we’ll compile another Pals in the Kitchen Cookbook for those in our community who are just out of surgery, adjusting to a compromised digestive tract, and experiencing food sensitivities.
> Email your name, town & state
> Complete recipe with ingredients list and measurements
> Include cooking times or special pans needed
> BONUS for nutritional composition
> A photo of you in the Kitchen or the final dish
Words cannot express the gratitude we have for our caregivers. Spouses, partners, siblings, parents, children, and friends step in to help us through challenging times laden with heavy physical demands and psyche-wrenching emotional waves. By their simple acts of compassion and practicality, we get well. Caregiving, short and long term, is no easy task. Recognize your caregiver’s support, sacrifice, and love with a Tribute Gift in their name to PMP Pals.
You can also make a tribute to honor yourself — we actively choose to care for and nurture ourselves on this journey, too!
