Antinausea drugs, also referred to as antiemetics, make chemotherapy treatments more bearable, but they can cause side effects. This section lists the most commonly used antinausea drugs. Other less commonly used drugs to prevent nausea are not described here.

Antinausea drug list

As with chemotherapy drugs, several names can be used to refer to each antinausea drug. The list below will help you find detailed information about each drug on the following pages.

Aprepitant (a-PREP-it-ant)

How given: Capsule by mouth; IV infusion

When given: Capsule is taken one hour before chemotherapy. IV infusion is given over a 15-minute span, starting 30 minutes before chemotherapy.

Precaution: This drug interacts with many drugs, so make sure the pharmacist knows about every drug your child takes.

Common side effects:

• Fatigue
• Dizziness
• Constipation
• Diarrhea
• Hiccups
• Heartburn
• Itching
• Loss of appetite

Dexamethasone (dex-a-METH-a-zone)

How given: IV injection, usually given in combination with other antinausea drugs

Common side effects: Side effects are different than those experienced when it is given in high doses for long periods of time. When dexamethasone is used to treat nausea, side effects include:

• Euphoria
• Restlessness
• Confusion

Diphenhydramine (die-fen-HIGH-dra-meen)

How given: Liquid, pills, or caplets by mouth; IV injection

When given: Usually given every six to eight hours.

Common side effects:

• Drowsiness
• Dizziness
• Impaired coordination
• Dry mouth
• Excitability (in young children)
• Low blood pressure

Granisetron (gran-ISS-eh-tron)

How given: IV injection; pills by mouth; patch on the skin (called Sancuso®)

When given: Granisetron is usually given 30 minutes prior to the start of chemotherapy infusion. Doses may be repeated every 12 to 24 hours.

Common side effects:

• Headaches
• Diarrhea
• Constipation

Sarah got Zofran® at first, then the clinic switched to liquid Kytril®. Sarah usually hates liquid meds (she much prefers pills), but she loves Kytril®. She thinks it’s really yummy. And it works, too!

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Kytril® is an antinausea pill. It is incredibly expensive but brilliant in treating chemo-related sickness. It sometimes takes a bit of juggling to get the timing right; Michael used to take it an hour before taking the pills at bedtime. None of the other antiemetics worked for him nearly as well.

Lorazepam (lor-AZ-a-pam)

How given: Pills or liquid by mouth; sublingual (pill dissolved under the tongue); subcutaneous, IV, or IM injection.

When given: This tranquilizer is generally given in combination with other antinausea drugs.

Precaution: This drug interacts with several other drugs, so parents should tell the doctor about everything else their child is taking, including over-the-counter drugs.

Common side effects:

• Drowsiness and sleepiness
• Poor short-term memory
• Impaired coordination
• Low blood pressure
• Excitability (in young children)

Ondansetron (on-DAN-se-tron)

How given: IV injection; liquid by mouth; pills by mouth; or sublingual (pill dissolved under the tongue).

When given: Usually given 30 minutes prior to chemotherapy drugs, then every four to eight hours until nausea ends. It can be given in a higher dose once a day.

Note: Ondansetron comes in flavored oral solutions; 1 teaspoon = 4 mg. You can mix the dose in a small amount of a drink your child likes.

Common side effects:

• Headache with rapid IV administration
• Diarrhea
• Constipation

After Jeremy had his first inpatient treatment, he was allowed to go on an outpatient basis, wearing a cad pump at home. He felt fine, but every couple hours he would vomit for no reason. The next morning, when his oncologist asked him how it had gone, Jeremy was hesitant to tell him about the vomiting. When he did, the doctor asked us if the Zofran® hadn’t helped. I gave him a confused look and asked him what a Zofran® was. I can laugh about it now, but it was an oversight. Everyone thought someone else had taken care of it! We rarely had any problems with nausea after that.

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The absolute best for me were the Zofran® lozenges: simply dissolve on or under the tongue for instant relief. The prescription must state lozenges. You’ll love those “melty pills.”

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Ondansetron works great for Ethan. He does have late nausea after chemo, so he takes it once a day for 10 days afterwards, and hasn’t vomited or felt nauseated.

Prochlorperazine (pro-chlor-PAIR-a-zeen)

How given: Pills, long-acting capsule, or liquid by mouth; IM or IV injection

When given: Used when mild nausea is expected.

Common side effects:

• Drowsiness
• Low blood pressure
• Nervousness and restlessness
• Uncontrollable muscle spasms, especially of jaw, face, and hands
• Blurred vision

Promethazine (pro-METH-ah-zeen)

How given: Pills or liquid by mouth; IM or IV injection

When given: Usually given every four to six hours.

Common side effects:

• Drowsiness
• Dizziness
• Impaired coordination
• Fatigue
• Blurred vision
• Euphoria
• Insomnia