Stomach Issues, Anyone?

LatinMixy

I just underwent my first chemo. I guess I was overly prepared for the nausea and vomit...and thanks God I got none of that. However, I did get the worse stomach issues. Heartburn, bloating, pain. I could not even eat much. I am taking Prilosec, Zantac and Tums (yes all together) as instructed by my doctor. I am also following the BART diet. I feel a little better... Anybody has any advise for this problem? Please!!!!!!!!!!!

Moderators

Hi LatinMixy,

We're sorry you're dealing with these uncomfortably side effects of chemo! You're sure to get some great advice here soon. In the meantime, you may want to check out the main Breastcancer.org site's page on Heartburn or GERD for some good tips on managing this side effect.

We hope this helps!

--The Mods

kshorten

I don't have anything to add except I get the same thing and it lasts a little over a week after treatment. The Dr. did give me Nexium for the heart burn and that has helped but the bloating is driving me crazy. I eat one thing and it feels like I ate a whole Thanksgiving dinner.

stephincanada

Hi Lantinmixy,

I had terrible acid reflux during chemo and this is what worked for me:

1. I took Prilosec 20 mg twice a day.

2. I did not lie down after eating or bend over from the waist (which causes the acid to come back up). I stopped eating every night at 7 pm.

3. I went for a little walk after dinner to help speed up digestion.

4. I put bricks under the feet of my bed so that the head of the bed was elevated by 8 inches.

5. I ate easily digestible foods. The harder the food is to digest, the more acid your body must produce to break it down. (I gave up eating red meat. I found quinoa to be a food I tolerated well.)

6. Someone told me that the steroids you take can cause the reflux, and it is important to make sure you take the steroids with a belly full of food to protect the stomach. I ate a big bowl of oatmeal with each dose.

It takes a week or two for the Prilosec to kick in. Make sure not to miss a dose. This was by far my worst side effect from chemo. Good luck with it!!! I know how painful it is.

cp418

At the time, I had to get a prescription for Protonix as nothing OTC worked for me. It really helped.