Constipation after anti-sickness drug from chemo yesterday

[Lovis]

Despite taking 2 Sennakot and numerous Movicol sachets I have had no bowel movement at all since before the chemo. Any advice anyone? How many days do I leave it until I assume I have a blockage and go to A&E?

[nork2]

Hi there,

How long is that since your chemo? Could you ask your GP or CNS to prescribe you some suppositories or an enema to get you moving? And try and drink plenty.

But if your abdomen starts to swell or get hard, you get bad cramping or start being sick I would take more urgent action.

Best wishes

Lynne

[Lovis]

Thanks for the info. I have just taken Bisacodyl to add to my laxative cocktail so let's hope that gets some explosive action! How are you doing on your chemo by the way?

Lovis

[nork2 in reply to Lovis]

Getting there thanks 4 carbo/caelyx down, hopefully 2 to go. Chemo itself not that bad but complicated by a bowel obstruction and two sickness bugs (courtesy of my children!), so I've had quite a lot of your problem and the complete opposite......Joyous!!

Hope you're sorted soon xxxx

[Lovis in reply to nork2]

Success this morning!

[nork2 in reply to Lovis]

Congratulations!

[fluffycloud]

Hi, I to suffered with very bad constipation after chemo, as you have already been advised lots of water and maybe up the movicol to three a day, dried apricots , prunes etc it will happen eventually I went for 5 days before a movement and what a relief that was. Hope this soon resolves itself. Pam x

[trolleydollyuk]

I have had the same problem and am now on a cocktail of drugs daily. I used to use quite a bit of lactulose but suffered terrible cramps with it. Ducosate sodium and sodium picosulphate was added to senna and movicol and it seems to do the trick without the nasty side effects. Freshly squeezed orange juice, prunes, figs and grapes etc seem to help too

Shabila xxx

[ScardyCat40]

Generally the rule of thumb is 3/4 days before seeking medical advice. You can take up to 8 movicol sachets if you think you are impacted

[Hidden]

I hope things have improved by now, but just in case....

You link this with one of the anti-sickness drugs.

I've had three lots of different chemo concoctions and have progressively become a more stroppy patient about the anti-sickness meds.

I felt so rough with them (domperidone excepted) I felt I'd rather live with nausea than the side effects.

I may be fortunate in that sickness and nausea hasn't really been a problem for me, but I didn't know that until I first reduced then stopped taking the ondansetron (apart from the pre-chemo single dose). The constipation certainly was and made my life a complete misery.

Anti-sickness meds are prescribed on a one size fits all model, and we're not all the same.

Good luck!

[Fernanda]

Lovis, in my first line chemo I had the same problem.

I asked onco to lower anti sickness pills. He didn't accept at first, but as I insisted...

Now I'm in my 3rd chemo line without any anti sickness tab. Sometimes I feel a little nausea and cold water with half lemon is enough to stop it. No sugar, or the nausea will get worst.

Try to speak with your onco, maybe he will accept.

Hugs, Fernanda