Feeling sick (nausea)
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Nausea is the feeling that you might be sick (vomit). It is a common symptom for people living with cancer and may happen for several different reasons:
Causes of nausea in cancer:
- Some cancers can affect the stomach, liver, brain, or bowel, which can cause nausea.
- During and after surgery, anaesthetic drugs, pain medicines, and changes in how your bowel works after an operation can lead to nausea.
- SACT (Systemic Anti‑Cancer Therapy). Treatments like chemotherapy, targeted therapy, and immunotherapy can irritate the stomach or trigger the brain’s vomiting centre.
- Radiotherapy to the abdomen, pelvis, or brain can cause nausea.
- Advanced illness can affect digestion, metabolism, and comfort, which may lead to nausea.
- Other causes can included, pain, anxiety, fear, depression, movement/travel and infections amongst many others.
Nausea can be distressing and tiring, but there are many ways to manage it.
Self management tips
You may find some of these suggestions helpful:
Food & Drink
- Eat small, frequent meals and snacks rather than large ones.
- Choose bland, dry foods (e.g., toast, crackers, bananas, rice).
- Avoid fried foods, fatty foods or those with a strong smell.
- Try cold or warm foods if smells make nausea worse.
- Sip water, fizzy drinks, or diluted juice regularly to stay hydrated. But avoid filling your stomach with a large amount of liquid before eating.
- Try some ginger, this can be crystallised, ginger biscuits, stem ginger, ginger team or ginger beer/ale.
- Avoid spicy foods if you are nauseated.
- Try an ice lolly to relieve nausea. Many patients favour orange flavoured ice lollies. Avoid this if you are on an drug called Oxaliplatin.
- Bananas can help restore the amount of potassium in your blood which can drop if you have diarrhoea and vomiting.
Lifestyle Tips
- Rest after eating but try to sit upright for at least 30-60 minutes to help aid digestion.
- Get fresh air, open windows or take gentle walks.
- Wear loose, comfortable clothing.
- Practice deep breathing, relaxation, or distraction techniques.
- Sea-bands® (acubands) are available form chemists and health food shops. They use a principle called acupressure. They apply pressure to specific points on the body – usually the wrist. Some people find acubands helpful in reducing nausea
Medication
Your healthcare team may prescribe anti‑sickness medicines (you may hear them referred to as anti‑emetics).
You may be prescribed more than one type of anti-sickness medication at the same time. These may include:
- Medicines that calm the stomach
- Medicines that block nausea signals in the brain
- Steroids
- Antihistamine‑type anti‑sickness medicines
It is often easier to control and prevent nausea if you take anti-sickness drugs regularly, rather than treating the nausea after it has started. Take them exactly as prescribed, even if you feel well.
How to ask for help
Call your hotline number if:
- You can’t eat or drink because you are vomiting
- You have vomited more than once in 24 hours
- You suddenly start being sick for no apparent reason – for example some time after your last chemotherapy treatment.
- Abdominal pain
If you are a solid tumour cancer or lymphoma patient call: 0783 114 7653 at any time. If the phone is not answered, please leave a message stating your name, hospital number and the problem you’re experiencing. A nurse will try to return your call as soon as possible.
If you are a Haematology patient (e.g. Leukaemia or Myeloma diagnosis) call:
020 8725 1680 Monday-Friday (excluding bank holidays) 09:00-17:00.
At all other times call: 0208 672 1255 and ask for the haematology on call registrar.
Resources
Cancer research uk.org – coping physically with sickness
Macmillan Cancer Support – Nausea or vomiting
Macmillan Cancer Support – Side effects from chemotherapy – Easy Read Version