If you have kidney cancer or know someone who does, feeling sick to your stomach isn’t uncommon. Nausea can occur because of kidney cancer or certain types of kidney cancer treatment. Getting nausea under control is important because it can lead to other health problems if it continues.

Talking to your cancer care team about nausea — and any other symptom or side effect that affects your quality of life — is key. They can help you figure out how to manage these problems so you feel your best and can continue treatment. Here’s what you need to know about nausea in kidney cancer and tips to cope.

Nausea and Kidney Cancer

Kidney cancer itself can make you feel nauseated. It may be particularly common in people living with advanced cancers. About 70 percent of people with any advanced cancer, like stage 4 kidney cancer, experience nausea and vomiting.

Nausea is also a common side effect of a number of kidney cancer treatment options. These include immunotherapy, targeted therapy, radiation, and chemotherapy. Some of these, like immunotherapy and targeted therapy, are more commonly used to treat kidney cancer than others, like chemotherapy and radiation therapy.

Some nausea connected to kidney cancer may be caused by emotions. Worrying can lead to nausea, and so can being in a situation that reminds you of one where you got sick. This can happen with cancer treatments.

It’s best to prevent nausea (and the vomiting it often leads to) whenever possible to avoid other health issues, such as weight loss or malnutrition. One MyKidneyCancerTeam member who experienced some of this shared, “I lost a lot of weight and was dehydrated. My doctors gave me this stuff to drink, but it came up as soon as it hit my stomach, too.”

There are several things you can do to prevent, manage, and cope with nausea. Here’s what you need to know.

Coping With Nausea Related to Kidney Cancer

Regardless of what’s causing your nausea, there are things you and your oncologist can do to help keep it at bay. Work with your healthcare provider to manage nausea and keep them updated, particularly if it continues to affect your life.

Talk to Your Doctor About Anti-Nausea Medication

Your provider may prescribe anti-nausea medication (called antiemetics) to help you feel better and keep vomiting under control. You can take some of these anti-nausea medicines at home as needed. Others will need to be given in a doctor’s office or cancer center on a set schedule.

Different anti-nausea medications work for different people. If one doesn’t work for you, you can talk to your care team about another option. A combination of medications may also work better to control your nausea.

Keep a Good Taste in Your Mouth

If you have a bad taste in your mouth that might be adding to your nausea, rinse your mouth regularly. Many people rinse with water, though you can use anything that helps freshen your mouth. Some people prefer to suck on hard candy or candy with a good flavor and scent.

Try Eating Differently

You may find that your tastes have changed. If food that used to taste good now makes you feel ill, try eating different foods until you find a diet that works for you. Some people, for instance, find that eating sour foods, like pickles, lemons, limes, or sour candy, helps manage their nausea.

You may also need to avoid food that smells particularly strong. Warm food can have an even stronger smell, so eating lukewarm or cold foods can help, too. As much as possible, try to eat a diet that’s beneficial for kidney cancer.

Other dietary changes you might try are:

• Eating smaller snacks and meals more often, so your stomach is never completely empty
• Eating light foods (such as crackers or pretzels) with your medications, unless you’re instructed to take them on an empty stomach
• Focusing on high-calorie foods, even if you can’t eat much at once, like milkshakes, ice cream, pudding, or full-fat yogurt
• Eating mostly bland foods, like clear broth, crackers, or pretzels
• Avoiding greasy, fried, or spicy foods, as these may be more likely to trigger nausea

While some of these changes may not help, others could. You can use trial and error to figure out what helps manage your nausea so you can continue to get the necessary calories and nutrition.

Rest After Eating

If you have trouble keeping food down or feel nauseated after eating, try resting after you consume food. You should sit upright if you can, or at least keep your head elevated. Resting can help keep your whole body, including your stomach, calm, while keeping your head up makes it harder to vomit.

Drinks Can Help

Drinking beverages may help nourish your body and keep nausea at bay. You may find that taking small sips of cool, clear liquids throughout the day helps you feel better.

Drinks that contain peppermint or ginger (such as peppermint or ginger tea) can also help relieve nausea. Some people prefer carbonated beverages, like ginger ale or seltzer.

Try different options until you figure out what works for you. Drinking beverages also gives you the added benefit of staying hydrated.

Take Care of Your Mind

Since your emotions can cause nausea, caring for your mental health could help you manage your symptoms. When it comes to this kind of self-care, though, different things work for different people.

Some people find that practicing relaxation techniques helps their nausea. You might try breathing exercises, hypnosis, visualization, or meditation. Progressive muscle relaxation and guided imagery may help, too, as can doing yoga or tai chi if you feel well enough.

For others, it might help to connect with people who are also going through kidney cancer and treatment, or with loved ones. Talk to them about your worries and fears, and let them support you. Your doctor or other members of your care team may be able to point you to a mental health professional or share other helpful resources.

Acupuncture or Acupressure

Both acupuncture and acupressure can help alleviate nausea. If you choose acupuncture, a practitioner will place long, thin needles at certain points on your body. These barely go below the skin, so you won’t bleed. Always check with your doctor or healthcare team to make sure it is safe for you to have acupuncture.

Acupressure for nausea usually involves wearing bands on your wrists. These place pressure on certain points that can help with nausea. You can buy these at many drugstores or health food stores.

Join the Conversation

On MyKidneyCancerTeam, people share their experiences with kidney cancer, get advice, and find support from others who understand.

What has worked for you in coping with kidney cancer-related nausea? Let others know in the comments below.