Staying healthy on chemo

Options
Kim59
Kim59 Member Posts: 43
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
Just wondering if anyone has any advice for staying healthy while on chemo. Just finished chemo #2. When I asked my Onc all he said was stay away from crowds.

Any special foods? Trying to exercise but I am TIRED after working all day...

Kim

Comments

  • cindycflynn
    cindycflynn Member Posts: 1,132 Member
    #2
    Options
    Good question
    It sounds like your oncologist took your question to mean how to keep from getting sick, but staying healthy is a level above that, that I'm striving for as well.

    I've tried to force myself to be as active as I can manage to be, even though I do wear out much more easily (just had 3rd of 4 T/C last Wednesday).

    As far as foods, I've just been trying to eat plenty of veggies along with protein. I must confess that this is at least partly because those are the foods that taste the most normal to me right now. After my first chemo I was just trying everything I could eat (the steroids made me hungry) and also self-soothing with chocolate more than I usually do. Even though chocolate still tastes good right now (yea!!) I've noticed that I actually feel better if I eat less of it, so I'm trying to ratchet that back. Also drinking chamomile tea and lots and lots of water.

    I really think the activity is key, but I absolutely hear you - I just DON'T feel like it!!

    Good luck!
    Cindy
  • survivorbc09
    survivorbc09 Member Posts: 4,374 Member
    #3
    Options
    cindycflynn said:

    Good question
    It sounds like your oncologist took your question to mean how to keep from getting sick, but staying healthy is a level above that, that I'm striving for as well.

    I've tried to force myself to be as active as I can manage to be, even though I do wear out much more easily (just had 3rd of 4 T/C last Wednesday).

    As far as foods, I've just been trying to eat plenty of veggies along with protein. I must confess that this is at least partly because those are the foods that taste the most normal to me right now. After my first chemo I was just trying everything I could eat (the steroids made me hungry) and also self-soothing with chocolate more than I usually do. Even though chocolate still tastes good right now (yea!!) I've noticed that I actually feel better if I eat less of it, so I'm trying to ratchet that back. Also drinking chamomile tea and lots and lots of water.

    I really think the activity is key, but I absolutely hear you - I just DON'T feel like it!!

    Good luck!
    Cindy

    I didn't take chemo Kim,
    I didn't take chemo Kim, but, want to wish you good luck!
  • mariam_11_09
    mariam_11_09 Member Posts: 691
    #4
    Options
    Try milkthistle tincture, a

    Try milkthistle tincture, a few drops in water. It helps to support and detox the liver. Also drinking plenty of water even on the days you don't have chemo. Bentonite clay helps to remove any other toxic substance from your body but you don't want to take it until a few days after having chemo. It just helps your body deal with the pretty toxic effects of chemo.

    Juicing is another great way to get lots of vitamins, minerals and enzymes quickly into the body since often the digestive system is affected by chemo. My favourite is cucumber and apple which has loads of potassium.

    'Alive' products in powder form, a multi-vitamin, mineral, protein, enzyme powder when taken with almond or rice milk is really good.

    Nettle tea is great and can be taken with milk.
  • Sher43009
    Sher43009 Member Posts: 602 Member
    #5
    Options
    mariam_11_09 said:

    Try milkthistle tincture, a

    Try milkthistle tincture, a few drops in water. It helps to support and detox the liver. Also drinking plenty of water even on the days you don't have chemo. Bentonite clay helps to remove any other toxic substance from your body but you don't want to take it until a few days after having chemo. It just helps your body deal with the pretty toxic effects of chemo.

    Juicing is another great way to get lots of vitamins, minerals and enzymes quickly into the body since often the digestive system is affected by chemo. My favourite is cucumber and apple which has loads of potassium.

    'Alive' products in powder form, a multi-vitamin, mineral, protein, enzyme powder when taken with almond or rice milk is really good.

    Nettle tea is great and can be taken with milk.

    Be very careful of the
    Be very careful of the vitamins and herbal remedies---they can interfere with the chemo and radiation so they wont work as it should. I was told NO vitamins or herbal teas during treatment.

    The ACS has a booklet "Nutrition for the Person with Cancer during Treatment" that has great advise on how to stay well and what to eat for the side effects.

    Good luck
    Sher
  • Kim59
    Kim59 Member Posts: 43
    #6
    Options
    Sher43009 said:

    Be very careful of the
    Be very careful of the vitamins and herbal remedies---they can interfere with the chemo and radiation so they wont work as it should. I was told NO vitamins or herbal teas during treatment.

    The ACS has a booklet "Nutrition for the Person with Cancer during Treatment" that has great advise on how to stay well and what to eat for the side effects.

    Good luck
    Sher

    Good advice
    Lots of good advice. My Onc did say no herbals. I am going to a nutrition class on Feb 16th, just wish it was before I started chemo.

    Thanks,
  • Ritzy
    Ritzy Member Posts: 4,381 Member
    #7
    Options
    Kim59 said:

    Good advice
    Lots of good advice. My Onc did say no herbals. I am going to a nutrition class on Feb 16th, just wish it was before I started chemo.

    Thanks,

    Wishing you good luck on
    Wishing you good luck on chemo! You have lots of help and support here when you need it!

    Sue :)
  • New Flower
    New Flower Member Posts: 4,294
    #8
    Options
    survivorbc09 said:

    I didn't take chemo Kim,
    I didn't take chemo Kim, but, want to wish you good luck!

    Vitamins
    I took multi-vitamins. Rest and good night sleep if you can. I walked 30 min every day. Do not push yourself over the edge. Avoid stress if you can and have positive emotions, laugh, definitely avoid everything that can be infectious. Remember your immune system has been compromised.
    Good Luck,
    New flower
  • TraciInLA
    TraciInLA Member Posts: 1,994 Member
    #9
    Options
    Protein
    Hi, Kim -

    What helped me the most was making sure I ate plenty of protein -- I really noticed how much better I felt when I did.

    I kept single-serving sizes of cottage cheese, yogurt, pudding, and snack cheese in the fridge during chemo, so I could just grab a little protein when I was too tired to even heat up something in the microwave.

    My doctor also (incessantly) preached the Gospel of Exercise -- and I'm sure he knows what he's talking about, but, like you, I continued to work during chemo, and exercising during the workweek just didn't always happen. I tried to make sure I always got in some walking on the weekends, and a half-hour walk on my lunch hour during my "good" weeks between treatments.

    Hope that helps,

    Traci
  • Mama G
    Mama G Member Posts: 762
    #10
    Options
    TraciInLA said:

    Protein
    Hi, Kim -

    What helped me the most was making sure I ate plenty of protein -- I really noticed how much better I felt when I did.

    I kept single-serving sizes of cottage cheese, yogurt, pudding, and snack cheese in the fridge during chemo, so I could just grab a little protein when I was too tired to even heat up something in the microwave.

    My doctor also (incessantly) preached the Gospel of Exercise -- and I'm sure he knows what he's talking about, but, like you, I continued to work during chemo, and exercising during the workweek just didn't always happen. I tried to make sure I always got in some walking on the weekends, and a half-hour walk on my lunch hour during my "good" weeks between treatments.

    Hope that helps,

    Traci

    You can't take vitamins but you can....
    eat foods with the essential vitamins in them. I put myself on a regiment of: oatmeal for breakfast with fresh squeezed oj, water, oatmeal cookie for mid morning snack (with cranberries, nuts, raisins), salad and fresh veges with a small side of meat for lunch,
    and lots of fresh veges,one small serving of fish, venison, free range chicken, low fat beef, or pork, ect for dinner. I also walked about 3 miles per day. The onc just says eat whatever you want to eat in order to keep up your strength, and I think my "diet" did the trick.
    I also lost about 10lbs before treatment and never gained it back, so that was an added benefit! Good luck!
  • nancy_craft
    nancy_craft Member Posts: 1
    #11
    Options
    Sher43009 said:

    Be very careful of the
    Be very careful of the vitamins and herbal remedies---they can interfere with the chemo and radiation so they wont work as it should. I was told NO vitamins or herbal teas during treatment.

    The ACS has a booklet "Nutrition for the Person with Cancer during Treatment" that has great advise on how to stay well and what to eat for the side effects.

    Good luck
    Sher

    Let your oncologist team know

    I have all my vitamins and supplements in my patient records and there is not one that my oncologist or his team has told me that I cannot take. Just be sure to communicate with your doctor. I had eight rounds of chemo on Carboplatin and Taxol, and now this year with Doxil. Just took Bentonite in water 48 hours after. Still no symptoms. yay!

  • emilyw85
    emilyw85 Member Posts: 28
    #12
    Options
    Mama G said:

    You can't take vitamins but you can....
    eat foods with the essential vitamins in them. I put myself on a regiment of: oatmeal for breakfast with fresh squeezed oj, water, oatmeal cookie for mid morning snack (with cranberries, nuts, raisins), salad and fresh veges with a small side of meat for lunch,
    and lots of fresh veges,one small serving of fish, venison, free range chicken, low fat beef, or pork, ect for dinner. I also walked about 3 miles per day. The onc just says eat whatever you want to eat in order to keep up your strength, and I think my "diet" did the trick.
    I also lost about 10lbs before treatment and never gained it back, so that was an added benefit! Good luck!

     if you can’t exercises or

     if you can’t exercises or go to the gym, go for walks during the day.  And good luck to you.

Discussion Boards