Hi! I started my chemo/rad Tx's yesterday. My Onc prescribed EMEND as an anti-nausea med for chemo. I am receiving 3 Cisplatin chemo treatments concurrent with my 7-wk rad treatments. EMEND comes in a 3-Pak - you take the 1st capsule (125 mg) one hour before chemo and then the 2nd and 3rd capsules (80 mgs) on the 2nd/3rd days after the chemo treatment.

Yesterday, I did experience some mild nausea in the car on the way home from treatment. I took a Compazine and Ativan pill as soon as I got home, as my docs instructed. I did not have any nausea last night. I do feel just a tad 'queasy' this morning and just took a Compazine and my 2nd EMEMD so I hope it will help. I am grateful that so far I have had any bad nausea and have not even come close to feeling like throwing up. I'm told the EMEMD is more slow activing, while the Compazine (and today I will take Zofran before my rad tx) are more fast-acting.

I have heard wonderful reports about the effectiveness of EMEND and was wondering if anyone else has any experience with using it and how it worked for you? I will also update this post with my experience - maybe it will help someone experiencing nausea due to the chemo.

Thanks,
Chris

Hi Chris

My husband steve had the same treatment as you with 3 doses of cisplatin and the 3 pak of emend tablets. His nausea was ok until about 5 days after he was given the cisplatin, which of course is 2 days after the emend finished. He then took compazine until he started to feel better. His first chemo was ok but the 2nd and 3rd were very hard to take. The nausea seemed to kick in still about day 5 but took alot longer to wear off. He was given Zofran but didn't take it. From our experience he never got real bad nausea when he was taking emend. Not sure if this was because emend was good or just because (as his nurses advised) side effects don't really kick in until about day 5.

By his last cisplatin we found the trip to and from his treatment would really make the nausea worse. With Steve though the nausea definitely got worse the further into treatment he got. He was also subscribed Ativan but never took that. He has never taken any kind of meds before this so just getting emend and compazine into him were more than enough for him to cope with (after many attempts of trying to give him these, with no success I gave up). One tip we did find though which may help. Steve's nausea seemed to improve the more hydrated he was. So make sure you keep the fluids up as much as you can. Take care Chris and keep us posted.

Hi, Chris. I took Emend and Aloxi during my treatment and the combination worked very well for me. Ativan has some unpleasant side effects for me so I won't take it and Compazine just flat out doesn't work for me. My chemo was weekly, cisplatin and Erbitux, administered on Tuesday and I'd return to the clinic on Friday for a bag of fluids and another dose of the Aloxi. Once I started this protocol, I had no trouble with nausea from the chemo. (Gagging on the mucus was a whole 'nother story, though!)

- Margaret

I had Emend, Zofren, and OCmpazine. I found that if I stayed on top of the Emend and took it like I was supposed to I did not need the other stuff. I never had to use the compazine at all. I did use the Zofran stuff. I am finding that i need the Zofran more now than while I was on chemo.

I had the exact same drug combination as you and I experienced no nausea after any of my 3 chemo. I would get a little drousy but that is it. Good Luck with you treatment

Chris,
Mike has gone through one induction chemo round, and he had emend. Before they started the chemo, he had zofran iv. He also has scripts for zofran and compazine. Mike's chemo nurse said to just hold off on the compazine and take the zofran every 8 hours. He took the zofran for several days. He had one morning that he felt slightly nauseous about 5 days in, but the zofran took care of it. I don't know if the emend worked or if it was the zofran, since I made sure he took it and all his other meds religiously, but I hope so considering its $$!

Hope you are doing well and not experiencing any other side effects from the rad/chemo.

Blessings,
Shelly

Chris,

Chiming in on the Emend fan club. I, too, got it the day of and for two days after treatment. No nausea those days; I even ate rich/spicy foods then.

Do well,

- Pam

Hi, all. Just wanted to follow up. Unfortunately, on Day 2 of Rad Tx, the Ethyol injection made me really sick. They stopped the Ethyol injections, but I was sick for days 3 -5 of rad tx. On Friday, I saw the chemo onc and they set me up with an IV drip of (I think) difulcan (sp), which helped but only for about 8 hours. I've been taking Zofran every 8 hours since and today is Sunday. I'm at least able to eat now w/o feeling queasy afterward. I'm also taking Ginger root and Zantac each day. I've always had a somewhat 'queasy' stomach, so I guess that's why I'm having so much difficulty. For now, it's doable - really not looking forward to Chemo #2 in two weeks, though. Thanks for you support.

Chris I hope you get to feeling better soon. My husband is almost exactly on the same schedule and diagnosis as you are. He even had his surgery on Dec. 29 also. He began Cisplatin and radiation on Tuesday, Feb. 9. He did great on Day 1 (Feb.9) but has gone downhill since. Today has been his worst day with nausea. Had Emend, decatron (steroid), is still taking Zofran every 8 hrs. and also Ativan when needed. Do you know when this nausea will subside? I wish some of the other nice folks on this board would let us know.
Good luck this week,
Debbie

My friend took emend and says it was a godsend. I have not been taking it as my MO says it's really expensive. She normally prescribes emend if the insurance will cover it. For now, though, she's giving me the plan B cocktail that doesn't cost as much to fill.

That being said, with my dosing regimen, I cannot stand Ethyol shots for the 2-3 days post chemo. Even if I don't feel nauseated, I refuse the shots for 2-3 days after chemo infusions. That seems to help quite a bit. I usually would have chemo on a Monday and start the Ethyol shots on Thursday or Friday, depending upon how I'm feeling.

Hopefully that helps.

Debbie, it does sound like Jim and I are on almost exactly the same path. Today is Monday morning and I just had tea and toast for breakfast w/o too much 'after burn'. Try giving Jim a Zantac or Pepci AC pill each morning and before bed - it seems to be helping me, as well as the Ginger root pills. I have rad tx #6 today and I'm not sure if I will be getting the Ethyol injections or not. I have mixed feelings about it - it will be a good thing in the long run since it will help preserve salivary glands, but it made me so sick! Will wait to see what the onc doc suggests. If you want to email me anytime - please feel free - [email protected]. Good luck - I hope Jim feels better soon, Chris

Hi Chris,
I was given IV Emend on my first day of chemo, then followed with a pill on dsy 2 and day 3 after. About day 5 the nausea hit me like a ton of bricks. I had to go to the ER and get a couple of bags of fluids and they gave me the Zofran but it didn't work that well. Phenergan worked better for me. At least now I know what to expect for the next two rounds.

First Happy BD.

Most if not all of us get the 3 day regimen of Emends followed by Zofran. My first treatment of Cisplatin was OK, my second was bad and my 3rd was almost impossible re the nausea and everything else it brought with it. I really didn't find anything that controlled my nausea but others have so like everything associated with this cancer and it's barbaric Tx, we can all respond differently.

re the Emends . I had three days as per treatment and have also been give Dexamethasone and Motilliun to take for three days and 6 days respectfully. I only need chemo Cisplatin on one day per week for 7 weeks and rad 5 days per week for 7 weeks . the nausea has woken me up 2 mornings since Thurs which was chemo day. awake at 6 and meds and cant get back to sleep for a decent rest ...I do so far get a good nites sleep. Happy Days and very early for me yet but thanks everyone for the posts and advice. god bless. Rose 10

Emend was a godsend for my husband. We tried round without it and it was bad nausea. He was also on 2 other drugs. After the third cisplatin treatment we had the nausea under control.

Vanessa