Talk with your nurse about the days
you get your treatments. Learn more
about ways to relax and the best time for
you to eat and drink. Some people feel
better when they eat a small amount of
food before treatments. Others fi nd that
waiting to eat until after treatment works
better. Other things you can do to help
manage nausea include:
• Avoid any foods that are likely to
make you sick to your stomach. This
often includes greasy, fried, spicy, and
very salty or sweet foods.
• If the smell of food bothers you, ask
others to cook for you. Avoid food
with strong odors. Let the food cool
down before you eat it.
• Make sure you are getting enough to
eat and drink. Sip water throughout
the day if you fi nd it hard to drink
whole glasses.
• Eat smaller meals and snacks instead
of three big meals. Do not skip meals
or snacks. Having an empty stomach
may make nausea worse.
You may fi nd these foods and drinks are
easy on your stomach:
• Clear broth such as chicken, beef, and
vegetable
• Clear soda such as ginger ale
• Tea, ginger tea, or ginger candies
• Water, cranberry or grape juice
• Electrolyte drinks such as Gatorade ®
or Powerade ®
• Cream of Wheat ® , Cream of Rice ® , or
oatmeal
• Crackers or pretzels
• White toast
• Bananas, canned fruit such as
applesauce, peaches, and pears
• Jell-O ®
• Popsicles and sherbet
• Yogurt — plain or vanilla
• Pasta or noodles, white rice, and
potatoes — boiled without the skin
• Chicken — broiled or baked without
the skin
Talk with your doctor or nurse if you
have questions or concerns about
nausea. There are many options for
preventing and treating it.
Constipation
Constipation can be a side effect of
cancer treatment. Constipation is the
passage of small amounts of dry, hard
stool, usually fewer than three times a
week. People who are constipated may
fi nd it diffi cult and painful to have a
bowel movement. Other symptoms of
constipation include feeling bloated,
uncomfortable, and sluggish. Many
things can cause constipation during
cancer treatments. A few are:
• Chemotherapy
• Pain medication
• A low-fi ber diet
• Decreased fl uid intake
• Too little exercise
Many pain medications will cause
constipation. Talk to your doctor about
taking a stool softener or laxative if you
are taking medicine for pain.
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