No antioxidants during radiation treatment ?

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GrowingSoul
GrowingSoul Member Posts: 18
in Breast Cancer #1
My RO told me to not eat any antioxidants starting 2 weeks prior to radiation treatment, during rads, and up to 1 month after rads is finished.

Is there anyone else who has been told that by their RO, or Nutritionist?
And how do I avoid antioxidants? --they seem to be in nearly every fruit, vegetable, rye, etc.

I start radiation on June 1st.

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  • MAJW
    MAJW Member Posts: 2,510 Member
    #2
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    Ask..
    Your RO. for a list and see what he says....are you sure he meant food? And not any over the counter supplements in pill form? You need to have him clarify this before you start...I was told during chemo and rads to stay away from these things...green tea was one of these...No vitamins, etc..my understanding is they don't want your immune system " revved" up so that the treatments can do their thing....did you have chemo?

    Keep us updated.
    Hugs, nancy
  • butterflylvr
    butterflylvr Member Posts: 944
    #3
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    MAJW said:

    Ask..
    Your RO. for a list and see what he says....are you sure he meant food? And not any over the counter supplements in pill form? You need to have him clarify this before you start...I was told during chemo and rads to stay away from these things...green tea was one of these...No vitamins, etc..my understanding is they don't want your immune system " revved" up so that the treatments can do their thing....did you have chemo?

    Keep us updated.
    Hugs, nancy

    Hmmm... I think Nancy may be
    Hmmm... I think Nancy may be right. I am currently going through rads and my RO never mentioned anything to me about antioxidants. But like Nancy said I too had to discontinue my multivitamin during chemo. Definitely look into it further...

    Hugs,
    Lorrie
  • TraciInLA
    TraciInLA Member Posts: 1,994 Member
    #4
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    butterflylvr said:

    Hmmm... I think Nancy may be
    Hmmm... I think Nancy may be right. I am currently going through rads and my RO never mentioned anything to me about antioxidants. But like Nancy said I too had to discontinue my multivitamin during chemo. Definitely look into it further...

    Hugs,
    Lorrie

    Concur with the others
    I agree with the others that your doctor may have meant supplements, not food.

    The nurse at my radiation center went over all this with me very carefully my first day of radiation, and told me not to take any antioxidant supplements, but saidmy multivitamin was fine (I know some other doctors ask patients to discontinue even a multivitamin.). But she said very specifically that I could eat or drink anything I wanted, no restrictions.

    So definitely ask your doctor or the nurse to clarify that for you -- I just can't imagine any of us should go for 7 weeks without eating nearly any fruits or vegetables!

    Traci
  • ender
    ender Member Posts: 167
    #5
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    TraciInLA said:

    Concur with the others
    I agree with the others that your doctor may have meant supplements, not food.

    The nurse at my radiation center went over all this with me very carefully my first day of radiation, and told me not to take any antioxidant supplements, but saidmy multivitamin was fine (I know some other doctors ask patients to discontinue even a multivitamin.). But she said very specifically that I could eat or drink anything I wanted, no restrictions.

    So definitely ask your doctor or the nurse to clarify that for you -- I just can't imagine any of us should go for 7 weeks without eating nearly any fruits or vegetables!

    Traci

    Concur with previous
    Concur with previous speakers. My MO said that it is impossible to stay away from antioxidants in food. That would mean you have to stop eating anything even remotely healthy. Ask you doctor to clarify.

    Eva
  • Rague
    Rague Member Posts: 3,653 Member
    #6
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    As others have said -
    I was told no antioxidant SUPPLIMENT pills during Chemo or Rads.

    Susan
  • GrowingSoul
    GrowingSoul Member Posts: 18
    #7
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    Thank you all for your
    Thank you all for your reply. As usual, very helpful to read your own experiences going through this.

    My RO said indeed no multivitamins or supplements, but also specifically mentioned no berries, green tea, or other foods with high levels of anti-oxidants.

    I agree that it is impossible to not eat any anti-oxidants. I will surely circle back to my RO and ask her to clarify things. It doesn't seem do-able to not eat any antioxidants at all !
  • Rague
    Rague Member Posts: 3,653 Member
    #8
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    GrowingSoul said:

    Thank you all for your
    Thank you all for your reply. As usual, very helpful to read your own experiences going through this.

    My RO said indeed no multivitamins or supplements, but also specifically mentioned no berries, green tea, or other foods with high levels of anti-oxidants.

    I agree that it is impossible to not eat any anti-oxidants. I will surely circle back to my RO and ask her to clarify things. It doesn't seem do-able to not eat any antioxidants at all !

    Again something to check
    Again something to check with DR - I did take some vitamins and suppiments while on Chemo and Rads - with my DRs approval. I took B complex and D; calcium and K (potssium). I was not told to stay away from 'berries' but pomerganits (SP?) and soy 'stuff' were "NoNo's" - a little soy sauce on food was OK occasionally but not soy 'milk' or the soy stuff used in vegan food. As I understand it - it's not to eat absolutely no anti-oxidants but to not take/use concentrated ones. I use a lot of fresh garlic (an anti-oxidant) in cooking - was told to use all i wanted to as long as it was fresh and what I'd normally use.

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