Feeling and being sick at the end of life

In the last few months of life, pancreatic cancer and its treatment can make you feel and be sick (nausea and vomiting).

Feeing and being sick can be unpleasant and distressing. It may also mean that you aren’t properly absorbing the medicines you take, such as pain relief.

How is sickness managed?

Speak to your doctor or nurse if you are being sick. They may give you anti-sickness medicines. These may be tablets or injections, or you may have them through a syringe driver.

If you have been vomiting for a day or more, contact your GP, district nurse, or your GP out of hours service. If you are being sick a lot, there is a risk that you could become dehydrated (where your body loses more water than it takes in).

What can I do to help with the sickness?

There are some things you can try yourself to help with sickness.

  • Try eating small meals. You may feel worse if you have an empty stomach, so try to eat something – even some toast might help.
  • Eating foods that are high in calories and easy to digest may be helpful – speak to your doctor, nurse or dietitian about this.
  • Sit up after eating. If you feel up to it, you could try to move around after meals.
  • Drink small amounts of fluid regularly throughout the day.
  • Some people find eating a biscuit or cracker, grated ginger in hot water, ginger biscuits, peppermint tea or sucking sugar-free sweets helps.
Read more tips on what can help with sickness

What causes sickness?

Feeling and being sick in the last few months of life can be caused by:

If the cancer is blocking the duodenum

If the cancer blocks the duodenum (the first part of the small intestine), this can cause sickness and make you feel full. This is because food can’t pass out of the stomach.

It can also cause indigestion and reflux. Reflux is when some of the contents from your stomach, including stomach acid, move from the stomach into the throat.

You may find you are sick more in the evenings or at night, and you may vomit large amounts. You may feel better for a while afterwards but then start to feel sick again. You may also lose your appetite, lose weight and have pain, cramping and bloating in your tummy.

Your doctor will give you medicine to manage the sickness as well as any other symptoms, such as pain.

Diagram showing the cancer blocking the duodenum

How is a blocked duodenum treated?

Some people with a blocked duodenum, may be able to have a tube called a duodenal stent put in. This opens the blockage so that food can pass through. This should stop you feeling sick and you should find it easier to eat.

A duodenal stent won’t be suitable for everyone. You will need to be fit enough to have the procedure.

Read about diet and a duodenal stent.

If you can’t have a duodenal stent

Some people may be able to have their stomach drained to stop them being sick. This may be done with a nasogastric tube, which is a tube that passes up your nose and down into your stomach. Fluid and air from your stomach are drained back through the nasogastric tube. This may help you feel better.

Questions about sickness?

If you feel or are sick, speak to your doctor or nurse.

You can also speak to our specialist nurses on our free Support Line with questions about sickness.

Speak to our nurses
Pancreatic Cancer Nurse Jeni Jones

Read our booklet about end of life care

To read more about symptoms and care at the end of life, download our booklet, Pancreatic cancer and end of life care. Information for people in the last few months of life.

You can also order a physical copy.

Order our booklet
Front cover of booklet. Image is of male patients in bed with female talking to him while touching his shoulder

Published August 2024

Review date August 2027