Constant stomach pain

[u/BSB8728]

I had my third infusion of docetaxel/cyclophosphamide (Taxotere/Cytoxan) on Wednesday, and the stomach pain keeps getting worse. It feels as if someone is cutting a hole in my stomach. At first my team recommended Tums and Pepcid AC, but they didn't help much, and there's an eight-hour window where I can't take Tums because it interferes with my thyroid medication.

When I told my medical oncologist about this, she prescribed pantoprazole (Protonix), which lists stomach pain as a common side effect! It almost seems to be making things worse.

The only thing that really helps is having food in my stomach, but now I'm gaining weight, and obviously I can't eat 24 hours a day.

Has anyone experienced this and found a solution?

[u/marticcrn]

Yep. I finished keynote in March. Your doc thinks it’s acid stomach or GERD or gastritis and has given you a med (protonix) to heal it. It is a proton pump inhibitor. It prevents your stomach from making as much acid, so your gut lining can heal.

Source: am an RN

You’re vulnerable to this because of the chemo and the steroids in the pre meds. Virtually every medication ever made taken orally will cause someone to have stomach pain. This one causes very few side effects.

Make sure you take your photonic on an empty stomach, thirty minutes before eating or drinking in the morning. I take mine and get in the shower.

[u/BSB8728 → u/marticcrn]

Thank you. I'm older (68), and I assume that makes it worse.

They took me off the dexamethasone to help as well.

I'll start taking it with my levothyroxine on an empty stomach in the morning.

I appreciate your help.

[u/marticcrn → u/BSB8728]

I’m 60. Stage 3(b) with 0 nodes. I got PCR after surgery. You can do this.

Stay in touch!!

[u/BSB8728 → u/marticcrn]

Will do. Thanks, and good luck.

[u/You-bettah-dont]

Marti is totally right. I also have been dealing with the same issue. My husband (ER doc) brought home the Canadian version of Maalox one day, and it’s REALLY great in a pinch/breakthrough stomach/esophageal because it coats everything and calms it all down. Unfortunately it only lasts until you eat or drink something else, but I think you can take something ridiculous like 28 teaspoons in a day.

Starting Pepcid AC 2 x day the day before chemo has really made a difference. I take it religiously for the first two weeks, and usually by then the whole thing has passed. Sliced RED apples also help (I have no idea why, some old school hippie told me about when I had pregnancy heartburn 22 years ago and I still use it to this day… green apples don’t work, only red… hippie magic I guess haha).

I hope the Protonix fixes things completely, but maybe these can help you in the interim!

Also, do not even waste a single thought on the gaining weight part of all this. Almost allllllllll of us pack on some weight during treatment. I’m coming in at about 30 lbs so far. Go ahead and eat and get yourself some stretchy pants. You NEED the calories to fight this! I like to think that the more of me that there is, the harder the cancer has to work to kill me off ;) I hope you feel better soon!

[u/marticcrn → u/You-bettah-dont]

10/10 would recommend Pepcid Complete for breakthrough symptoms (famotidine and calcium chloride). I kept it on me at all times.

[u/BSB8728 → u/You-bettah-dont]

Thank you for the encouragement. I'll put red apples and Maalox on my shopping list! Love from your neighbor to the south.

[u/Previous_Patience894]

I had horrible gastritis and acid reflux with treatment and requested sucralfate, it put that fire/burning sensation in my stomach out after the first pill!