Dronabinol and Vomiting: What Users Say

• Moo...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 28, 2017

Dronabinol for Nausea/Vomiting, Chemotherapy Induced "I am surprised this isn't oncologists' 'go-to' drug. After my first A/C infusion for breast cancer, I had severe nausea and vomiting immediately. The doctor prescribed 25 mg of promethazine orally and rectally (in case I couldn't hold down the pill). All it did was make me sleep for hours, induce a migraine status headache, and cause severe stomach pain/cramping, and I would still wake up vomiting. Then my doctor prescribed Dronabinol 5 mg. It was a miracle drug. The stomach pain, nausea, and vomiting completely stopped. It made me slightly tired in the beginning, but the feeling was more relaxed than tired, therefore I could continue to function normally. It also stimulated my appetite, which is very important for chemotherapy patients."

• Anonymous
• March 16, 2010

Dronabinol for Nausea/Vomiting, Chemotherapy Induced "My doctor prescribed Marinol after I had adverse reactions to most antiemetics given to me during chemotherapy. Converting from IV to oral cytotoxins, nausea made my quality of life poor. Marinol made such a positive change for me. Taking between 2.5 and 5 mg, there is only about 20 minutes of silliness, which my family welcomes, then relief from vomiting for 6 to 8 hours. It has been a lifesaver for me and for my family."

• luc...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 9, 2014

Dronabinol "I've had chronic pancreatitis for about 7 years. I've struggled with nausea and vomiting for so long. Reglan, scopolamine, Phenergan, Zofran-I've been on all of them. Yes, they worked at first, but Marinol is best for me. For the first time in years, I'm not sick! I don't have an appetite like some do, it does make me giddy for an hour or two, but I'm finally not sick at my stomach!"

• Air...
• May 23, 2010

For Nausea/Vomiting, Chemotherapy Induced "I was just put on this medicine about 2 weeks ago. So far, it has helped a lot with the nausea and a little bit of the vomiting (so far). It has also helped with my appetite a little, seeing that I can seem to eat only one meal a day. This will be a welcome effect if it keeps working or even starts to work better for that. The biggest hurdle or trouble I had was with the insurance company not wanting to pay for it, I could not afford to pay it either (about ten dollars a pill, the entire 30 pills were almost 300 dollars). So after getting prior authorization denied, I asked my doctor to write a letter to the insurance company stating why she feels I should be on it, it finally went through. So I would recommend this to anyone suffering! Stop suffering."

• Anonymous
• September 29, 2008

For Anorexia "I've had pancreatitis for 15 years now. This is the first medicine that not only works on the vomiting, but it also gives me an appetite. Eating anything is painful, this seems to slow things down to let my body process. It's a lifesaver."

• sar...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• October 30, 2017

For Post Traumatic Stress Disorder "I've been on every antiemetic (nausea/vomiting with chronic intractable migraines and hiatal hernia), and they typically work for a while until I grow tolerant of the medication. The real problem I have with the Marinol is that it is only available in pill form - just by swallowing it, I begin vomiting all over again. I've also found that in the rare instance when I can keep it down, like if I take it during the prodrome phase, the timing for when it kicks in is inconsistent now; sometimes it won't do anything, and then suddenly 12 hours later it will hit me, while other times it will start working in two."

• Del...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 28, 2024

For Nausea/Vomiting "I use it not just for nausea/vomiting but also as an emergency antispasmodic for diarrhea. I have IBD, nonalcoholic CP, and SOD, with erosive gastritis. It does make my gastritis slightly worse and can make SOD hurt more because D9 makes you release bile. But it will be the difference between taking hydrocodone for pain and not having to have any at all. It's amazing for me. It works very quickly. I also have an inhaler with D11/10/9 in it (where Dronabinol is itself D9) which also does the same thing but much faster for pain shock due to bowel pain. It's amazing for that too. The less I use, the stronger it is when I need it, so I have to be conservative. I don't recommend having it on an empty stomach at all, you will get sick. At least drink some tea and not water/soda - that's what I do. Most hospitals have this on hand in my experience, which is a bonus."

• Anonymous
• August 15, 2012

For Nausea/Vomiting, Chemotherapy Induced "As soon as I took the first dose, I vomited. I feel something else. I could not stand up and fell asleep. When I woke up, my throat hurt and I could not eat without painkillers. The next day I took the next one, then I vomited again."

• Sta...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 12, 2023

"I feel as if I have a quality of life again. I don't vomit, I have no pain (opiate free), I have lowered anxiety and my depression has improved."