What can I take for acid reflux while on chemotherapy?

 

Q: I have large cell carcinoma in my left lung and have had my first chemotherapy treatment. I am having very bad acid reflux and indigestion that really hurts. What can I take that won’t interfere with my chemo?

A: Chemotherapy treatment can cause heartburn, acid reflux, or indigestion. Several changes in your daily lifestyle may help, including reducing or eliminating your caffeine intake from coffee, tea, soft drinks, and chocolate; avoiding oranges, grapefruit, mints, fatty foods, alcohol, and other edibles that can cause indigestion; and not eating for 2 to 3 hours before going to sleep.

Keep track of when you experience these problems and talk about them with your nurse or doctor. Over-the-counter medications (Maalox, Mylanta, Tums, Zantac) may relieve your symptoms, but don’t use any without first checking with your health care provider. If you need further help, you may be prescribed a heartburn medication, such as Tagamet® (cimetidine), Pepcid® (famotidine), or Prilosec® (omeprazole).

--Kathy Newman, RN, BSN

It’s important to maintain good nutrition during treatment.

Latest Cancer News
ACOG Updates Cervical Cancer Screening Guidelines

November 20, 2009 — The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) has revised its cervical cancer screening recommendations: the organization now recommends that women begin screening at the age of 21 and receive screening at less frequent intervals. These recommendations will be published in the December 2009 issue of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

New Velcade®-melphalan Transplant Regimen for Multiple Myeloma

November 20, 2009 — Researchers from France have reported encouraging results with adding Velcade® (bortezomib) to high-dose melphalan followed by autologus stem cell infusion for initial treatment of patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma. The details of this Phase II study appeared in an early online publication in Blood on November 2, 2009.

Folic Acid May Be Beneficial in Patients with Recurrent Colorectal Adenoma Who Are Folate Deficient

November 20, 2009 — Researchers affiliated with the Health Professional Follow-Up Study and the Nurses’ Health Study have reported that folic acid supplementation in patients with recurrent colorectal adenoma was not protective or harmful in most patients. However, patients who were folate deficient had a significant 39% decrease in adenoma recurrence. The details of this study appeared in an early online publication on October 28, 2009 in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Select news items provided by Reuters Health