MOPP! suuuuuucks...

[Moondoggie22]

Well, here we are at day one of MOPP! and it sucks even more than the diet. For the record, I never threw up through any of the other chemo I went through. Tonight, as of the middle of that last sentence, I've puked three times. Whee!

If I hadn't been woken up from a dead sleep by the first one, I would've said it was a good 80-90% mental. I wasn't looking forward to taking the pills tonight and something about the thought of putting the cehmo directly into your stomach first just didn't sit well with me.

Oh well. One dose down, thirteen to go. Yeesh. Note to all prospective MOPP!ers as well as the generally nauseous: don't eat pasta with tomato sauce for dinner. It's quite frightening later on.

[BioProf]

I can't say MOPP is pleasant, but the nausea can be controlled. My team (onc, infucion nurse and nurse practitioner) were pretty aggressive with anti-nausea meds. I got decadron and kytril pre-chemo, zofran afterwards, plus compazine to take "as needed, " which was usually the first day or two post-infusion. It kicks the hell out of the tumor though!
Steve

[ChrisRyan7]

Ok Brian, I just gotta say "eeeewwww" to the thought of the return of the spaghetti dinner. UGH. Seriously though, I wish relief for your tummy, and your post makes me so happy I escaped the traditional chemo route.

Good luck with the MOPP, anything this bad's gotta be kicking some serious ass, right?! Right!!!

[AMD45]

This is NOT what I need to hear!!!!! Did your wife do clean-up duty on the spaggetti with tomato sauce? If she did, she deserve a metal! It's one thing to clean up after your kid but it's a completely other thing to clean up after another adult.

Hopefully this happened because you didn't take any anti-nausea meds. I always kept three or four different kinds in the house because one might work for one treatment but not the next. Keep me posted on your progress -- I'm planning for the future.

[Moondoggie22]

Nope, my wife did hunt down water and crackers for me (I forgot to replenish my supply of Sprite before the chemo), but I kept trying to make her go back to bed. She had a big work day ahead of her and all I kept doing was waking her up. She still deserves a medal for getting the goods and rubbing my head and back as I zoned out in front of the computer, trying to not think of throwing up.

I lost track of the finally tally, but the puke count was up in the teens and took about four hours before I could get it in control enough to go to sleep. The best part? My stomach was empty by #4. That's always fun.

An interesting side note - the vinblastine seems to have made various muscles and joints in my body rather sore. Intriguingly, these are the same joints and muscles that get used in the vomiting process. Pain AND puking! I hit the lotto!

I took compazine like they recommended, about a half hour beforehand. That did jack. After reading Steve's post, I realized I still had a stash of Zofran I could've tried. I'm an idiot.

They didn't give me any nausea meds with the vinblastine push, only saline. I called just a bit ago and they suggested I give the Zofran a try tonight (which I was going to do anyway) and then call tomorrow if I have another Night of Fun. Wheeee!

Then to top it off, I decide I'll treat myself to some Wendy's after the tough night and order a hamburger with no vegetable type stuff on it. I get home and there's lettuce. I removed the lettuce and get about halfway through the burger before I realize they put cheese on it.

I guess since my head didn't explode, it was processed cheese. Looks like it's back to crackers and plain pasta. Meh.

[squeek]

Brian,

Never responded to any of your posts, but read em' all! They make me laugh and I think it's awesome that even while puking, you still have your sense of humor and can make us laugh! Thanks!

P.S. Remember, Zofran has to be taken before you get nausous! It won't work otherwise.

[AMD45]

I've always been one to take MORE anti-nausea stuff that they recommend. Next to circuses and parades, throwing up is my least favorite thing in the world to do. Zofran is great but be prepared, it's famous for working wonderfully and then the next time you take it -- nothing. This was the info the pharmacist gave me the first time I picked up the script and he was right. I took it for 3 treatments and it was amazing. On the 4th, I immediately threw up the Zofran pill and the water I took it with.

You really need to find something that works on this because I may just tell my onc he needs to find something else because this kind of reaction doesn't go with my quality of life plan.

[Stickboy]

Have you tried Ativan? That is usually fast acting and can be taken just moments before you feel you are going to puke. It was the only thing that worked for me.

[lovelife]

I'm sorry your MOPP experience has started off so miserably Brian - I hope that you find an anti-nausea drug that works and that the situation improves. I'm with Anne-Marie - there's nothing more I hate than throwing up!

Take care.

[cgray]

I'm so sorry you are feeling like sh*t! Decadron and aloxi were my heroes for anti-nausea. good luck finding the right combo for you!