Nausea with Kisqali

[Salmon4]

Hi I have been on Kisqali for 4 days now. The first two days I threw up after dosing. The second two days I took Ativan before dosing it worked but it was tough. Maybe my body needs to adjust to the new meds. Any tips?

[Jhshl512]

Hello

I tried everything to ease my nausea. Nothing seemed to work. I then discovered you can take decadron (steroids) for nausea. I only took 2mg a day for about 4 days. This is a very low dose. It worked wonders for me. I have never been on kisqali but I thought I would pass this along. Best of luck on your journey. We all need it. 🙏🏻

Lori

[Salmon4 in reply to Jhshl512]

Thanks so much!

[awesome4ever]

I'm sorry you are having these issues. It is very unusual to throw up a medication immediately after dosing unless you are allergic to something in the drug and how long after you took them did you vomit? Also what other anti-nausea agents have you tried? Ativan is not the best option for nausea. You should ask your team for a different drug. Zofran, Prochlorperazine, Metoclopramide, Aprepitant are all options as well as the low dose steriods mentioned above. However personally I would use the steriods as a last option. Good luck.

[Salmon4 in reply to awesome4ever]

Hi awesome4ever- I need to take my meds on an empty stomach or two hours after a small snack…I can’t take Zofran because of the drugs I’m on and also allergic to Compazine …I’ll ask about others at my next Appt…I did use a stress relief band today and I didn’t get sick!!so hopefully my body can adjust to these new meds! Thanks for your input!

[Hazelgreen]

Hello Salmon4,

I'm wondering about your dosage, and when you take it. I've been taking cancer meds since 2019, and I've never had any reaction but mild nausea with fatigue. I'm now 78, and weigh 158 pounds (at 5', 3"). I try to space all the meds and supplements I take by 90 minutes or so throughout the day. Since I'm a late riser, I usually am taking Kisqali around noon after morning coffee (no food). I tell you all this because I think age and weight also affect how the body reacts to intake (i.e. the younger you are, and the smaller your physique, the more you are likely to react to whatever you put into your system).

I was initially diagnosed with breast cancer in 2006. It had metastasized throughout my body by the fall of 2019 when I first noticed that my right arm had swelled. Tamoxifen was first prescribed, and this worked as long as I took double the normal dose. I foolishly told my oncologist that I was taking double, and he refused to allow this.

Since my cancer antigens ("CA") rose to an abnormal level on a single dose of tamoxifen, I was started on letrozole in October, 2021, with 200 mg. ribociclib added soon after. In order to help bring my CA to a normal level, ribociclib was increased to 400 mg by December, and then to 600 mg by February, 2022. My CA has been in the normal range (in Canada, this range is 0 to 30) since July 2022.

I think all cancer meds are hard on the body so I am now trying to restrict the number of days I take ribociclib. It seems to me that a 5 days on / 2 days off schedule (research indicates that this schedule works with Ibrance/palbociclib) makes more sense than a 21 days on / 7 days off schedule so that's what I did first. Since my CA has stayed in the normal range, I'm now trying to reduce the amount of ribociclib I need to take during the 5 days on (i.e trying to reduce to 400 mg on the third day each week).

I hope all this is useful information, but I do realize that not all patients want to take charge of their treatment!

[Salmon4 in reply to Hazelgreen]

Hazelgreen -appreciate all the information you provided. I’m on a drug trial with Kisqali and another drug OP1250… so I have certain guidelines that I have to follow…it has only been 5 days…trying to adjust what I can 😏……

[TammyCross in reply to Salmon4]

Oooh, a clinical trial. I was wondering why you weren't taking it with food or after eating, as is recommended. Thought it had to be a clinical trial since that is not the usual regimen with Kisqali. Too bad the protocol requires taking it differently from the recommended regimen. I wonder why. Maybe the OP1250 has to be taken on an empty stomach. I was also in a clinical trial for an oral SERD. Some of the arms had restrictions on eating, but mine did not.

[Salmon4 in reply to TammyCross]

Hey Tammy,

Unfortunately the OP 1250 does have to be taken on an empty stomach…Nurse says it’s probably the OP 1250 that is causing the nausea not the Kisqali…just started on study so maybe they can adjust….i want to try and keep going on the trial..things are getting better no more throwing up!! Need to give it time…..