Zofran is one of the more widely prescribed medications for nausea and vomiting induced by chemotherapy. In case you find Zofran prices a bit too expensive for your budget, then don’t worry as there are other drugs that you can buy. However, make sure to ask for your doctor’s prescription first so that you can purchase the following drugs:
Emend (Aprepitant)
Emend is a 5HT3 antagonist that blocks the actions of chemicals in your body that cause nausea and vomiting. It is given intravenously. It must be given ahead of time to treat vomiting or nausea. It can’t treat vomiting or nausea that you already have.
It is used together with other medications for preventing nausea and vomiting triggered by surgery or chemotherapy. However, you must never take Emend if you are using cisapride or pimozide, as interaction of these drugs can be life-threatening.
Some of the more common side effects of this drug are exhaustion, constipation, loss of appetite, diarrhea, hair loss, and headache. Allergic reactions may include rashes, hives, itching, and difficulty in breathing.
Keep in mind, too, that the use of Emend can lessen the effectiveness of birth control pills. This effect can last up to 28 days from the last dose of the medication.
Aloxi (Palanosetron)
Like Emend, Aloxi prevents the actions of chemicals that can cause nausea and vomiting. It is also given intravenously.
However, unlike Emend, it is only given to children who are undergoing cancer medication and experiencing nausea and vomiting as a consequence.
Aloxi should never be given to patients who are allergic to medicines like palonosetron, dolasetron, granisetron, and ondansetron.
Side effects include constipation, headaches, and exhaustion.
Sancuso (Granisetron)
This is a skin patch that, like other medications for vomiting and nausea induced by chemotherapy, blocks the action of the serotonin that can cause that sickly feeling.
This patch is to be applied directly to the skin, usually 1 to 2 days before the scheduled chemotherapy session or as directed by your physician.
Like other medications for nausea and vomiting related to chemotherapy, Sancuso can cause side effects like abdominal pain or swelling.
Anzemet (Dolasetron Mesylate)
This is a drug that should be taken orally, usually an hour before a cancer chemotherapy, or two hours before surgery. It is part of a class of medications dubbed the 5-HT3 blockers, and blocks serotonin that causes the vomiting.
Dosage may vary depending on your condition and response to the therapy. The maximum dose of Anzemet is 100 milligrams.
Kytril (Granisetron)
Kytril is another pill that you can take an hour before a chemotherapy session or two hours before a surgery for cancer treatment. The recommended dosage for adults is 2 milligrams a day, which may be split to 1 milligrams taken twice a day.
As you can see, there are lots of alternatives to Zofran when it comes to treating nausea and vomiting induced by chemotherapy and surgery. If you find Zofran prices a bit prohibitive, you may ask your doctor about the possibility of opting for these other drugs.
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