Supporting Loved Ones with Nausea During Chemotherapy

January 24th, 2024 | Cancer

What Helps the Most in Chemotherapy Support

The biggest enemy of cancer treatments is nausea. The symptoms of chemotherapy-induced nausea affect 2 out of 3 patients, caused mainly by the treatment and the type of cancer. If a close friend or someone in your family has been diagnosed with cancer, you’re probably wondering how you can support them in this delicate experience. In today’s blog, we will explain how to offer gentle support and suggest natural chemotherapy nausea treatments they can use.

How do you comfort someone going through chemo

Each person reacts differently to chemotherapy. Although you may not know how to act, what to say, and how to support them, there’s no room for panic- everything is learned over time! They will not always want to talk about the outcomes of treatments, but like all people, they want to have normal conversations, laugh, and feel well.

Offering chemotherapy support

Some people think they can handle everything by themselves. The truth is that no matter how much they believe they don’t need support, you should be aware that this isn’t the case. Even if they reject you, you should be persistent and not give up and leave them alone. Many individuals believe that if they are sick, they burden others. You need to prove to them this isn’t true. Therefore, you need to provide emotional support through your presence. Surprise them with gifts more often to give them the positivity they need.

Why does chemo cause nausea

Chemotherapy-induced nausea is a common side effect of cancer therapy. Chemo is a systematic treatment that affects the whole body. Some types of healthy cells grow as fast as cancerous ones, and chemotherapy drugs can affect both. Consequently, when this system is irritated or inflamed, it results in nausea.

In the case of radiotherapy, although the radiation is specific only to the location where the cancer is affected, nausea occurs due to the central nervous system. That is why this is the main side-effect of radiotherapy, as well.

Another possible cause of chemotherapy-induced nausea is dehydration. Therefore, always remind your loved one that hydration is vital in this process.

Go to appointments

It’s comforting when someone knows you’re there for them. Offering to accompany your loved one to their appointments brings hope that they are not alone and will make it through the process. The information that will be told about the outcome of the therapy can sometimes be overwhelming, so it is important not to leave them on their own.

Emotional chemotherapy support

Research has shown that emotional support from a loved one makes a big difference to the quality of life of someone battling cancer.

Which methods can help manage nausea

If you’re spending more time with your loved one, ensuring they follow a nutritious diet during and after their treatments is essential. Skipping meals is strictly prohibited as it can worsen chemotherapy-induced nausea. They should also avoid spicy, fried, and very sweet foods. Noticing your loved one cannot eat the required amount of food, try high-calorie, high-protein drinks in consultation with their doctor. The use of oral nutrition is a good way to increase the food’s nutritional intake and ensure the necessary needs. Our Queasy products are a solution source for natural supplements to help your loved ones with nausea.

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