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Regimen Information

For Cisplatin + Alimta, including Side Effects

Cisplatin + Alimta

Drugs in this Regimen:

For the treatment of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

How Cisplatin + Alimta chemotherapy is given and possible side effects.

Cisplatin + Alimta for the treatment of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

Cisplatin + Alimta (pemetrexed) is used in the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer.

MOST COMMON SIDE EFFECTS OF CISPLATIN + ALIMTA

For more information, see the 'Expert Resources' tab below.

Community Responses

Often, the most helpful information regarding treatment side effects comes not from clinical brochures, but rather from other patients like you. We've collected the most helpful community resources to help you prepare for the side effects and coping tips for your chemotherapy regimen.

What side effects did you experience while on this medication?

The following have been voted the 3 most helpful responses to this question.

Hi, I'm Sue C S.

The first day of chemo is not bad because I received anti nausea fluids also. The second and third day were rough only because of the general flu like symptoms and fatigue. I have three anti nausea pills to take. The nurse explained why three were given. One was for nausea caused by the brain reaction, another stomach and I really forgot what the third was for. It turns out that the Zofran is the only one I needed. I take Zofran the minute I feel nausea and within minutes it is gone. I experienced a side effect from the medication that I take for two days after chemo. The side effect is unbelievable hunger. By that I mean waking up at 3:00 in the morning and looking for anything to eat. But fortunately it goes away when you stop the pills. Today was my second dose of treatment, so we will see what the second bout of chemo brings.

Love and peace to all.
Sue

  • Tue Aug 6, 2013

I just received my 2nd infusion and have had a terrible headache and nauseous feeling since receiving it. I am using peppermint essential oil on the temples and nape of my neck to help with the pounding headaches. This has seemed to aid the relief of these headaches along with the prescribed narcotic. I have always suffered from headaches my entire life but this is the worst they have ever been.but I will get through them one day at a time.

  • Fri Apr 21, 2017

The first 3 days following treatment were relatively free of side effects other than sleepiness which caused me to doze a lot during the day. After that the IV anti nausea drugs given during treatment wore off and I had to take the 3 anti nausea pills prescribed on a fairly regular basis to quell the nausea. Two weeks after treatment I didn’t really need the anti nausea drugs any longer, but I still took 1 a day of each as a precaution. A general feeling of malaise and fatigue was present the entire 3 weeks with some gaining in strength and endurance the 3rd week. Then it starts all over again with the next treatment. So far, I’ve had 4 treatments and should now be done for a few months until further testing (CT scan) results are obtained.

  • Tue Aug 9, 2016
I'm yellowdragon, and I support someone with cancer

My mom took the two together. After Alima her legs started to hurt. Drs didnt take that seriously. Then, continued with cisplatin, ..she was fine afterwards. Spent the next 3 days sick to her stomach, restlessness, nausea at all times. She had been on 3 nausea meds, had to be given iv zofran day two, but a slight temporary relieve it was. She hasnt eaten much of anything in 4 days. Her legshurt even more and she feels pain she says she cant “put her finger on to describe exactly what”.
Good luck everyone. Lots of best wishes.

  • Mon Mar 17, 2014
I'm yellowdragon, and I support someone with cancer

My mom took the two together. After Alima her legs started to hurt. Drs didnt take that seriously. Then, continued with cisplatin, ..she was fine afterwards. Spent the next 3 days sick to her stomach, restlessness, nausea at all times. She had been on 3 nausea meds, had to be given iv zofran day two, but a slight temporary relieve it was. She hasnt eaten much of anything in 4 days. Her legshurt even more and she feels pain she says she cant “put her finger on to describe exactly what”.
Good luck everyone. Lots of best wishes.

  • Mon Mar 17, 2014

I’ve been keeping a log now after my second treatment and it is fairly predictable for me. I have no side effects on the day of treatment with my new port in taking the IV with no negative feel that day, other than an elevated feeling metabolism. Then for the next 6 to 10 days with the worst on day 6 and 7, I have the nausea and loss of appetite. Zofram totally handles the nausea as long as I am faithful to take it at the four hour interval. During the time I’m not nauseated, I feel my metabolism ramped up to the max and this can be as another person said, 2 am in the kitchen looking for FOOD, lol. I eat 5 to 6 smaller meals and with my pain meds slowing down my bowels a bit, I sometimes need an over the counter stool softener to help out my hemorrhoids which were there prior to my lung cancer diagnosis. Figuring out the cycle of hunger, and when I feel good is helpful to guess what days in the future during treatment are good days to plan projects, or plan to rest instead. There are days where I am sleeping off and on all day and night right after treatment. I may sleep most of a day after that kind of a day and night, and wake up ready to conquer the world and thumb my nose at the cancer grinch the following day. Please talk to somebody else if you feel alone in this. You are not alone!

  • Sat Sep 5, 2015

The first 3 days following treatment were relatively free of side effects other than sleepiness which caused me to doze a lot during the day. After that the IV anti nausea drugs given during treatment wore off and I had to take the 3 anti nausea pills prescribed on a fairly regular basis to quell the nausea. Two weeks after treatment I didn’t really need the anti nausea drugs any longer, but I still took 1 a day of each as a precaution. A general feeling of malaise and fatigue was present the entire 3 weeks with some gaining in strength and endurance the 3rd week. Then it starts all over again with the next treatment. So far, I’ve had 4 treatments and should now be done for a few months until further testing (CT scan) results are obtained.

  • Tue Aug 9, 2016

I just received my 2nd infusion and have had a terrible headache and nauseous feeling since receiving it. I am using peppermint essential oil on the temples and nape of my neck to help with the pounding headaches. This has seemed to aid the relief of these headaches along with the prescribed narcotic. I have always suffered from headaches my entire life but this is the worst they have ever been.but I will get through them one day at a time.

  • Fri Apr 21, 2017

This discussion needs your voice!

What were the specific side effects that you experienced while taking this medication? How did you manage them?

What coping tips would you give to new patients on this regimen?

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This discussion needs your voice!

What do you wish you had known before taking this medication? What information would you like to pass on to patients who are beginning this medication?

Treatment Overview

This chemotherapy regimen is commonly used to treat:

See Expert Resources

The Navigating Care Library includes articles about cancer, chemotherapy regimens and drugs from the the National Cancer Institute and other experts.