Nausea and vomiting can be common side effects of chemotherapy

After you receive chemotherapy, you may experience nausea and vomiting. This is called chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting, or CINV. Everyone’s risk of having CINV is different. Your risk depends on many factors, including your age and medical history. Also, some types of chemotherapy are more likely to cause these side effects.1

When can CINV affect me, and how long might it last?

Nausea and vomiting usually happen within the first 5 days after chemotherapy1

  • Within 24 hours, it’s called acute CINV
  • After the first 24 hours, it’s called delayed CINV

What might affect my level of risk?

Your risk for CINV is unique to your personal history, treatment plan, and other factors, including:

  • The type of chemotherapy you will receive1
  • Whether you have common risk factors, such as1
    • You are a woman
    • You are under the age of 50
    • You have low alcohol consumption (less than 1 ounce a day)
    • You had nausea or vomiting with previous cancer treatments
    • You are prone to motion sickness or anxiety
    • You had morning sickness when you were pregnant

If any of these factors apply to you, discuss them with your healthcare provider. He or she will consider them when assessing your risk of nausea and vomiting due to chemotherapy, and determine the best treatments to help prevent it.

Reference:

  1. Navari. Drugs. 2013.