If patients are feeling sick, the anti-emetic medications should be taken before meals so that nausea goes away before eating starts. Fatty foods and foods with strong aromas should be avoided. Eating small, frequent light meals and drinking plenty of fluids is recommended. Many patients prefer cool drinks to tea and coffee. Rinsing the mouth before eating may help others.
Some patients find that relaxation and meditation can help with nausea.
Others are helped by eating only small amounts of food on the first two days of therapy. Chemotherapy can have the same effect on a patients stomach as it does on the mouth. For this reason many patients are started on a tablet called Ranitidine . This tablet is taken twice a day and must be taken for the entire time they are on the DHAP programme. Ranitidine aims to stop your stomach from becoming irritated by the chemotherapy.