Ondansetron for Nausea/Vomiting, Chemotherapy Induced User Reviews

• Anonymous
• March 16, 2010

Ondansetron "My mother was diagnosed with ovarian cancer and had to undergo months of chemotherapy which caused her to be severely sick (she was 69 at the time of diagnosis). The medication for sickness that the hospital gave her didn't work, and she still vomited and felt drained, etc., from both the vomiting and the chemotherapy. I went to my GP (I'm English) and asked him if there was anything which he could prescribe to help her as it was terrible seeing her going through this, and he prescribed Zofran. I cannot praise this medication enough, within moments of her taking it, her sickness subsided, and she continued through her chemotherapy taking only the Zofran, and she was never sick again!"

• swi...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• September 13, 2020

Ondansetron "I went through a pure nightmare during chemo for my triple negative BC in 2015. Nausea is an understatement. My oncologist told me that I was the worst patient she ever had with nausea. This is a woman who was practicing in the '70s when they still treated with mercury. I cannot tell you how many nausea medications I was prescribed. Zofran was by far the BEST medication at relieving my symptoms. Five years later I still cannot 'handle' any kind of nausea. I have an 'emergency' prescription that I have with me 24/7. I only need it maybe twice a year, but it is still the magic bullet that relieves any nausea/vomiting I may have. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS MEDICATION!!!"

• DaM...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• July 5, 2014

Ondansetron "Going through chemotherapy for ALL for 3 years, and I've tried EVERY available CNIV that I could get when I was doing my chemotherapy. Zofran, by far, was the best for me, specifically the sublingual (melt under the tongue). It also has a cherry taste to it, and the taste gives me an almost instantaneous feeling of the symptoms being not as bad, and then as it finally melts, it greatly reduces the symptoms, if not completely stops them. Sometimes, unfortunately, there are times that even though it reduced symptoms, the CNIV was just stronger, and I'd still not feel too well and still have CNIV. But it did at least help and make it more tolerable when it didn't completely take it away."

• Zof...
• May 1, 2016

Ondansetron "I had a very long treatment time, 3X a week, 2 8-hour sessions with three types of chemo radiation. It was every 3rd week, Wed, Thur, and Fri. Wed/Thur were 8-hour sessions, Fri, 4 hours. I was constantly vomiting, morning, noon, and night. I took this from the get-go, but after about my 2nd session, I threw up a lot in the mornings, or if I coughed too hard even. I know it would have been SO much worse without the Zofran. I think with the amount of treatment I had, both chemo and radiation, to both my chest and to my brain that I was VERY lucky I wasn't more sick, and frankly, I'm lucky to be here at all. Thank you, Cancer Treatment Center, and of course, thank you, God!"

• Nor...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 3, 2018

Ondansetron "I'm one of those people that would rather be in pain than nauseous, so when I started chemotherapy, I knew I was in for a ride. I was given a cocktail of meds right before chemo and then Decadron and Zofran for a couple of days after for allergic reaction and nausea. For the times after that 'as needed,' I have Zofran & Compazine for nausea and Ativan for 'anticipatory nausea.' I guess the Ativan would help some commenters in this thread who actually get sick from thinking about getting sick. It made me too drowsy, so I was left with the Compazine and Zofran. I found the Zofran to be by far the most effective; I take one 4 mg tablet as soon as I start feeling queasy, and within 10-15 minutes, I am fine - I'm even able to eat. Thankfully, my insurance covers it as it is a little more expensive than some meds for nausea, but to me, it's worth not vomiting. I recommend this medication highly."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• October 21, 2012

Ondansetron "Overall, it has been the best antiemetic available for chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting. The downfall is gastric slowdown, which can become more pronounced if on vinca alkaloid chemo or opioids."

• oma...
• July 21, 2008

"My mum started taking Zofran when she was on the Folfox-4 protocol (5-FU and oxaliplatin) for the treatment of stage IV colorectal cancer. Zofran was instrumental in removing the nausea and vomiting side effects that usually accompany this treatment. Mum rarely had any vomiting or nausea attacks while she was using Zofran. The only side effect was slight chapping on the lips, which was easily treated by using topical creams."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 3, 2019

"I just discovered I will not be taking this pill anymore! I was taking it for anti-nausea for chemo. Three weeks ago, I started on chemo. Now I'm horribly bloated. For the past week, so bloated I look like I'm pregnant. Horrible gas, horrible constipation. I am not taking this pill ever again! I am so bloated and I'm so swollen everywhere. They even checked me for blood clots Thursday because I was so swollen. My ankles are swollen horribly bad, my face is swollen horribly bad, and now after a week, I am discovering it's from this stupid anti-nausea pill!"

• lwa...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• March 8, 2019

Ondansetron "The brand Zofran worked perfectly. Generics (Mylan, Rising, Glenmark) began coming out 2 years later. These made me sicker and caused headaches. Zofran contains 0.03 mg of aspartame. Generics have 0.51 mg. Naturally, insurance won't cover Zofran. I'm just glad I got it when I first started chemo when I was sickest."

• Mad...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 31, 2019

"Horrible drug. Been on chemo, and this was my 4th cycle, and you can have a severe reaction to ondansetron. I thought I was going to be the end of me. Apparently, you can get sensitive to this medicine as time goes by. Thankfully, I'm here to tell the story. This drug should be taken very carefully by doctors. Next time for my chemo, I expect no ondansetron for me!"

• Cle...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 13, 2021

"I was prescribed ondansetron for vomiting associated with a mystery virus/food poisoning that caused painful stomach and bowel cramping—then vomiting. Prior to the medication, I was unable to eat anything. With the med, I was able to eat bland food. I only needed it to get through whatever weird virus/food poisoning that I had (about four days). I had none of the other side effects described in other folks' reviews, but I was not taking this for cancer treatment, so that is probably why. I found this drug to be very helpful."

• Sus...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 1, 2016

Ondansetron "Could not tolerate this drug during chemo RX. Hated it prescribed for three cycles of my red devil chemo treatment. It caused paranoia, constipation, which caused increased vomiting, and also probably added to the chemonesia issues. Zofran was replaced by Emend, and I had 180 degrees different drug and had no issues whatsoever. Zofran interferes with serotonin in the brain."

• Mar...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 29, 2021

"Had chemo for breast cancer. Very effective drug, took care of my nausea immediately for the whole day. Downside is that it was very constipating for me. I already am chronically constipated, and this drug made it worse. Had to take laxative to keep myself going."

• Sma...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 8, 2024

"Sometimes it works well but did cause worsening constipation, fast heartbeat and bad heartburn. I will take it for prevention of vomiting but the heartburn is very painful. It aches up into my ears on both sides and means I must use Gaviscon to ease it."

• Tri...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• June 9, 2023

"This was prescribed for nausea caused by the chemo I am undergoing for multiple myeloma. I am supposed to take an 8 mg tablet every 8 hours. It has never helped at all. See all the wonderful reviews and do not understand why it does not help me."

• Med...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• June 29, 2013

Ondansetron "A cancer patient's best friend. I find it horribly constipating, so I always take it with a stool softener."

• Tri...
• December 7, 2015

Ondansetron "Sadly, oral Zofran (or at least the generic of it) was not enough to combat my nausea while on GDP. However, intravenous Zofran along with hydration did help."

• sil...
• May 5, 2015

Ondansetron "Very good for nausea and shaking."

• Anonymous
• October 15, 2021

Ondansetron "The sodium in my body was low, I couldn't stop throwing up. In the ambulance, they gave me Zofran. It didn't work at all."