› Forums › General Melanoma Community › Chemo and Acid Reflux
- This topic has 18 replies, 7 voices, and was last updated 12 years, 9 months ago by
shellebrownies.
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- July 16, 2011 at 7:35 pm
Last Friday was my second dacarbazine treatment. I'm tolerating it quite well and havn't experienced some of the mild symptoms I had during my first treatment. In the last 2-3 days, I've been experiencing horrible heartburn and acid reflux. I've always had these problems in the past 10 years, but they were non existant until this second round on chemo. Has anyone experienced these stomach issues during chemo treatment? I'm taking over the counter Zantac after approval from my oncologist, but it's short lived so my discomfort returns.
Last Friday was my second dacarbazine treatment. I'm tolerating it quite well and havn't experienced some of the mild symptoms I had during my first treatment. In the last 2-3 days, I've been experiencing horrible heartburn and acid reflux. I've always had these problems in the past 10 years, but they were non existant until this second round on chemo. Has anyone experienced these stomach issues during chemo treatment? I'm taking over the counter Zantac after approval from my oncologist, but it's short lived so my discomfort returns. It's so bad, I have to sleep sitting up so my stomach contents don't work their way into my throat. My appetite is great and I have no nausea.
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- July 16, 2011 at 8:47 pm
Hi Lisa
I've had some really bad heartburn after my surgeries and what really helped me was Alka Seltzer/the effervescent tablets/.
I've had really bad stomach cramps/due to pre existing colitis condition / and diarhea during my recent radiation and I alternated Immodium and Alka Seltzer tablets again-as a matter of fact I never leave the house without few Alka Seltzer tablets stashed in my purse.It is a life saver.
They do contain aspirin though which is a blood thinner so you have to consult your onc first.
Best wishes and Good luck with the treatment.I hope it will work.
Teodora
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- July 16, 2011 at 9:46 pm
Lisa,
my doctor put me on protonix every day…i think it is standard to give you acid reducer and anti-nausia drugs…i also take miralax daily…
cisplatin, dicarbazine, vinblastine
boots
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- July 16, 2011 at 9:46 pm
Lisa,
my doctor put me on protonix every day…i think it is standard to give you acid reducer and anti-nausia drugs…i also take miralax daily…
cisplatin, dicarbazine, vinblastine
boots
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- July 16, 2011 at 8:47 pm
Hi Lisa
I've had some really bad heartburn after my surgeries and what really helped me was Alka Seltzer/the effervescent tablets/.
I've had really bad stomach cramps/due to pre existing colitis condition / and diarhea during my recent radiation and I alternated Immodium and Alka Seltzer tablets again-as a matter of fact I never leave the house without few Alka Seltzer tablets stashed in my purse.It is a life saver.
They do contain aspirin though which is a blood thinner so you have to consult your onc first.
Best wishes and Good luck with the treatment.I hope it will work.
Teodora
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- July 17, 2011 at 1:23 am
Don has been experiencing hiccups, especially the first few days after treatment. He also has queasiness for about a week after. What our oncologist told us is that the chemo affects intestinal tract cells because they are fast growing also. I would think that different drugs affect things a bit different, which might explain the acid reflux vs. the hiccups?
Michelle, wife of Don
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- July 17, 2011 at 1:23 am
Don has been experiencing hiccups, especially the first few days after treatment. He also has queasiness for about a week after. What our oncologist told us is that the chemo affects intestinal tract cells because they are fast growing also. I would think that different drugs affect things a bit different, which might explain the acid reflux vs. the hiccups?
Michelle, wife of Don
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- July 17, 2011 at 2:17 am
Ugh. I remember my first episode with heartburn/reflux after my first craniotomy. Despite zantac/ranitidine as prescribed at the hosiptal, I started much the same way as you did. Sitting up and trying to sleep, hoping the contents of my stomach wouldn't empty of their own accord. It got progressively worse when the oesophagus became irritated due to the reflux. I ended up being admitted for gastroscopy when I became unable to eat or drink due to the pain, so they could see what was going on. Surgeon was horrified at state of oesophagus and stomach, and surprised that there was no ulcer to be found. Said it was grade 4 oesophagitis and I then spent the next few weeks on around 24 medication a day to get it, and the side effects of the treatment, under control. 100 times worse than the craniotomy!
Now I'm on a continuous dose of Somac to prevent further occurrances, to nip it in the bud whenever I require steroids (which has been frequently and often) because of the brain mets. But it's not an appropriate drug for acute issues. Though it seems to be merely unpleasant, it CAN evolve into a serious symptom. Please tell your onc that the dose you are on does not seem to be helping, and ask for something stronger. (Zantac is equivalent to the ranitiidine orginally prescribed to treat at the hospital, but the hospital doses were substantially higher than the OTC dose, so maybe it will require a prescription to achieve the relief you need, from your doc?)
I hope you get some relief soon. I feel your pain!
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- July 17, 2011 at 2:17 am
Ugh. I remember my first episode with heartburn/reflux after my first craniotomy. Despite zantac/ranitidine as prescribed at the hosiptal, I started much the same way as you did. Sitting up and trying to sleep, hoping the contents of my stomach wouldn't empty of their own accord. It got progressively worse when the oesophagus became irritated due to the reflux. I ended up being admitted for gastroscopy when I became unable to eat or drink due to the pain, so they could see what was going on. Surgeon was horrified at state of oesophagus and stomach, and surprised that there was no ulcer to be found. Said it was grade 4 oesophagitis and I then spent the next few weeks on around 24 medication a day to get it, and the side effects of the treatment, under control. 100 times worse than the craniotomy!
Now I'm on a continuous dose of Somac to prevent further occurrances, to nip it in the bud whenever I require steroids (which has been frequently and often) because of the brain mets. But it's not an appropriate drug for acute issues. Though it seems to be merely unpleasant, it CAN evolve into a serious symptom. Please tell your onc that the dose you are on does not seem to be helping, and ask for something stronger. (Zantac is equivalent to the ranitiidine orginally prescribed to treat at the hospital, but the hospital doses were substantially higher than the OTC dose, so maybe it will require a prescription to achieve the relief you need, from your doc?)
I hope you get some relief soon. I feel your pain!
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- July 17, 2011 at 3:18 am
Lisa, these problems are to be expected with chemo. Perhaps you could ask your oncologist
about Nexium? See http://www.drugs.com/nexium.html and
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EsomeprazoleHope this helps.
Frank from Australia
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- July 17, 2011 at 10:51 am
Thanks everyone for your feedback. Chemo makes me very constipated, so I think that's making my stomach issues worse. There's nothing more frustrating when you're battling melanoma and treatment and you have to deal with some other crappy health issue!
I'm feeling much better today – thank God! My scans are next Friday and I really hope I can post some good news to you all.
Lisa
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- July 17, 2011 at 10:51 am
Thanks everyone for your feedback. Chemo makes me very constipated, so I think that's making my stomach issues worse. There's nothing more frustrating when you're battling melanoma and treatment and you have to deal with some other crappy health issue!
I'm feeling much better today – thank God! My scans are next Friday and I really hope I can post some good news to you all.
Lisa
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- July 17, 2011 at 3:18 am
Lisa, these problems are to be expected with chemo. Perhaps you could ask your oncologist
about Nexium? See http://www.drugs.com/nexium.html and
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EsomeprazoleHope this helps.
Frank from Australia
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- July 17, 2011 at 3:04 pm
When I had biochemo in January and February, the nurses gave me a bunch of pills in the hospital. I really was in no shape to question what they were. I now assume one was an anti-relux drug.
When I left the hospital my onc gave me prescriptions for several meds and one was an anti-reflux something. I called and said I didn't need it and therefore didn't fill the rx.
A few weeks later I started getting acid reflux problems but not bad enough to warrant medicine. And even now, 5 months later, I have acid reflux almost every day. Just one episode dailly and just enough to notice and say, "dang."
Before chemo I didn't even really know what it was, since I had never experienced it.
Ask you doctor for a prescription or try over the counter. Don't just suffer.
Nicki, Stage 3b
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- July 17, 2011 at 8:55 pm
This definately seems common in people who've had chemo.
I've had acid reflux, hiatal hernia and irritible bowel for many years. After my second round of dacarbazine, I got REALLY constipated and then my stomach got quite bad with reflux. The pain radiates to my back at times and then disappears – it's a burning pain. I'll be calling my Dr tomorrow to ask for something that will help as well as double check if this is common. Having mets in my lungs and back pain makes me a bit nervous, but since the back pain comes when my stomach acts up, it seems related.
Lisa
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- July 17, 2011 at 11:38 pm
Don has had bouts of back pain when he gets constipated. It could be as simple as getting your bowels moving again. Don't jump to awful conclusions, ok?
Michelle
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- July 17, 2011 at 11:38 pm
Don has had bouts of back pain when he gets constipated. It could be as simple as getting your bowels moving again. Don't jump to awful conclusions, ok?
Michelle
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- July 17, 2011 at 8:55 pm
This definately seems common in people who've had chemo.
I've had acid reflux, hiatal hernia and irritible bowel for many years. After my second round of dacarbazine, I got REALLY constipated and then my stomach got quite bad with reflux. The pain radiates to my back at times and then disappears – it's a burning pain. I'll be calling my Dr tomorrow to ask for something that will help as well as double check if this is common. Having mets in my lungs and back pain makes me a bit nervous, but since the back pain comes when my stomach acts up, it seems related.
Lisa
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- July 17, 2011 at 3:04 pm
When I had biochemo in January and February, the nurses gave me a bunch of pills in the hospital. I really was in no shape to question what they were. I now assume one was an anti-relux drug.
When I left the hospital my onc gave me prescriptions for several meds and one was an anti-reflux something. I called and said I didn't need it and therefore didn't fill the rx.
A few weeks later I started getting acid reflux problems but not bad enough to warrant medicine. And even now, 5 months later, I have acid reflux almost every day. Just one episode dailly and just enough to notice and say, "dang."
Before chemo I didn't even really know what it was, since I had never experienced it.
Ask you doctor for a prescription or try over the counter. Don't just suffer.
Nicki, Stage 3b
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