Cancer and Diet

mom2greatkids
mom2greatkids Member Posts: 528
in Ovarian Cancer #1
When one researches this on the internet, boy do you get a lot of different answers. I asked my oncologist about it, he said just eat well balanced meals. He told me to not be extreme. He said I would need calories to deal with the chemo. I'm just hoping the chemo doesn't destroy my appetite :) One site said avoid fruit because it contains sugar. But it's natural sugar, not processed.

Also, does anyone juice? I plan to begin drinking smoothies, simply because they're good. I plan to add some spinach just to get in some green veggies.

My sister knows a man who has a business selling food supplements. Blood tests are performed and a custom plan is made for you as to what your body needs.

It's just all so confusing.

I am anxious to hear what all of you have to say. I saw a post regarding apricot seed, but some of the responses were a few yrs. old. Oh, my dr. did suggest I eat fish.

Comments

  • Hissy_Fitz
    Hissy_Fitz Member Posts: 1,834
    #2
    My doctors told me the same
    My doctors told me the same as yours - eat a balanced diet. I was also warned not to take any supplements during chemo. Some of them react with the chemo drugs, evidently.

    My doctor said I should take a multi-vitamin with iron and eat red meat (rare red meat....yech) because I had really low RBCs during my chemo. It took 6 pints of blood to get me thru it.

    The apricot seeds (laetril) was something promoted years ago to "cure" cancer. There were clinics in Mexico that specialized in the treatment. Steve McQueen went to one of them, in a last ditch attempt to stop the progression of his lung cancer. I think the whole thing was debunked at least 20 years ago.

    I think juicing is a great idea, especially if you add some of the veggies known to be rich in iron.

    Nancy M gets regular IV treatments of Vitamin C. I've read of IV peroxide treatments, too. Both of those are quite expensive, though, and insurance does not cover them.

    I was having chemo one time and the nurses sent for one woman's doctor, who in turn told her that if she kept losing weight, he would not continue her chemo. (I wasn't trying to overhear, but I was literally tied to the next chair.) He told her that she needed at least 1800 calories a day, because of the chemo. My experience was that the steroids they gave me prior to every chemo treatment left me wanting to eat the wallpaper.

    Carlene
  • mom2greatkids
    mom2greatkids Member Posts: 528
    #3
    Hissy_Fitz said:

    My doctors told me the same
    My doctors told me the same as yours - eat a balanced diet. I was also warned not to take any supplements during chemo. Some of them react with the chemo drugs, evidently.

    My doctor said I should take a multi-vitamin with iron and eat red meat (rare red meat....yech) because I had really low RBCs during my chemo. It took 6 pints of blood to get me thru it.

    The apricot seeds (laetril) was something promoted years ago to "cure" cancer. There were clinics in Mexico that specialized in the treatment. Steve McQueen went to one of them, in a last ditch attempt to stop the progression of his lung cancer. I think the whole thing was debunked at least 20 years ago.

    I think juicing is a great idea, especially if you add some of the veggies known to be rich in iron.

    Nancy M gets regular IV treatments of Vitamin C. I've read of IV peroxide treatments, too. Both of those are quite expensive, though, and insurance does not cover them.

    I was having chemo one time and the nurses sent for one woman's doctor, who in turn told her that if she kept losing weight, he would not continue her chemo. (I wasn't trying to overhear, but I was literally tied to the next chair.) He told her that she needed at least 1800 calories a day, because of the chemo. My experience was that the steroids they gave me prior to every chemo treatment left me wanting to eat the wallpaper.

    Carlene

    Carlene, I have jokingly
    Carlene, I have jokingly said that if they need an eater to beat this thing, they have their girl! :) I have always had a big appetite. I completely lost my appetite about 3 weeks before surgery. I lived on Ensure. I have lost 45 lbs. since March. I weigh less than I have weighed since I was a teenager. I am now basically at my ideal weight. I NEVER imagined that a dr. would tell me to not lose any more weight, as happened last week.

    I am trying to eliminate artificial sweeteners, processed meats, and sugar. I think I will purchase a juicer. I will drink the leafy green veggies but it's not likely I will eat them whole. I am already mildly anemic, so I have really got to work toward eating the right foods.

    Thanks for your input. I always enjoy reading your posts. They're very insightful.

    Carla
  • Tethys41
    Tethys41 Member Posts: 1,382 Member
    #4
    mom2greatkids said:

    Carlene, I have jokingly
    Carlene, I have jokingly said that if they need an eater to beat this thing, they have their girl! :) I have always had a big appetite. I completely lost my appetite about 3 weeks before surgery. I lived on Ensure. I have lost 45 lbs. since March. I weigh less than I have weighed since I was a teenager. I am now basically at my ideal weight. I NEVER imagined that a dr. would tell me to not lose any more weight, as happened last week.

    I am trying to eliminate artificial sweeteners, processed meats, and sugar. I think I will purchase a juicer. I will drink the leafy green veggies but it's not likely I will eat them whole. I am already mildly anemic, so I have really got to work toward eating the right foods.

    Thanks for your input. I always enjoy reading your posts. They're very insightful.

    Carla

    Diet
    There are those of us, and even some doctors, who do believe that diet is important at keeping this disease at bay. Two good resources are:
    The Cancer Fighting Kitchen Cookbook by Rebecca Katz
    Anti-Cancer, a New Way of Life by MD, PhD, David Servan-Schreiber
    Also, high iron levels, as well as high copper levels, contribute to cancer growth. So I don't take ANY iron or copper.
    The IVs Carlene mentions are, in fact, covered by insurance, if you have the proper codes to fill in on the claim forms.
  • Hissy_Fitz
    Hissy_Fitz Member Posts: 1,834
    #5
    mom2greatkids said:

    Carlene, I have jokingly
    Carlene, I have jokingly said that if they need an eater to beat this thing, they have their girl! :) I have always had a big appetite. I completely lost my appetite about 3 weeks before surgery. I lived on Ensure. I have lost 45 lbs. since March. I weigh less than I have weighed since I was a teenager. I am now basically at my ideal weight. I NEVER imagined that a dr. would tell me to not lose any more weight, as happened last week.

    I am trying to eliminate artificial sweeteners, processed meats, and sugar. I think I will purchase a juicer. I will drink the leafy green veggies but it's not likely I will eat them whole. I am already mildly anemic, so I have really got to work toward eating the right foods.

    Thanks for your input. I always enjoy reading your posts. They're very insightful.

    Carla

    Carla....I lost about 45
    Carla....I lost about 45 pounds, too, because I could not eat after surgery. That was the reason for the TPN feedings. I was down to skin and bones and like you, never thought I would have to work at NOT losing weight. I switched from skim to whole milk and stopped worrying about sugar. Sugar really isn't very calorie dense anyway. I ate a lot of ice cream. Really good ice cream. (Hey....I have cancer, I am going to eat whatever I want). But I tried to get the protein in first.

    Fast forward a few months and I started gaining it back, plus some. I figured out that I'm probably not going to die this year, so now I am dieting and am just now back to my BC (before cancer) weight. I would like to be somewhere between "skin and bones" and too plump to fit into my clothes.

    I think following a particular diet is something you should do if it makes you feel better. Same thing with the supplements. It's a totally individual and very personal thing - no right or wrong path, because some survivors do well eating hamburgers and fries and some don't. Some adhere to a very healthy organic diet and do great, and some die anyway. One thing is for sure: a healthy diet is like chicken soup: it won't hurt, and it might help.

    Carlene
  • Hissy_Fitz
    Hissy_Fitz Member Posts: 1,834
    #6
    Tethys41 said:

    Diet
    There are those of us, and even some doctors, who do believe that diet is important at keeping this disease at bay. Two good resources are:
    The Cancer Fighting Kitchen Cookbook by Rebecca Katz
    Anti-Cancer, a New Way of Life by MD, PhD, David Servan-Schreiber
    Also, high iron levels, as well as high copper levels, contribute to cancer growth. So I don't take ANY iron or copper.
    The IVs Carlene mentions are, in fact, covered by insurance, if you have the proper codes to fill in on the claim forms.

    Do you know the code for the
    Do you know the code for the IV Vitamin C and/or peroxide infusions? There is a lady in my local support group who has tried everything to get these treatments and I would love to be able to give her some help. Did your insurance pay for them? This lady is on Medicare and she has not been able to find a doctor who does them that would even file on her insurance. They all told her they were not covered. She is afraid to pay for them up front and then file herself, for fear the claim will be rejected and she will be out a lot of money. She was quoted $150 a week for both infusions, and told she needs at least 4 per month.

    I don't have any personal experience but Nancy M on this board has been doing them for a long time. She said her insurance will not cover them. That was the basis for my statement, that and my friend's experience. I can't remember anyone else from the board that has had them.

    Carlene
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    #7
    Hissy_Fitz said:

    Carla....I lost about 45
    Carla....I lost about 45 pounds, too, because I could not eat after surgery. That was the reason for the TPN feedings. I was down to skin and bones and like you, never thought I would have to work at NOT losing weight. I switched from skim to whole milk and stopped worrying about sugar. Sugar really isn't very calorie dense anyway. I ate a lot of ice cream. Really good ice cream. (Hey....I have cancer, I am going to eat whatever I want). But I tried to get the protein in first.

    Fast forward a few months and I started gaining it back, plus some. I figured out that I'm probably not going to die this year, so now I am dieting and am just now back to my BC (before cancer) weight. I would like to be somewhere between "skin and bones" and too plump to fit into my clothes.

    I think following a particular diet is something you should do if it makes you feel better. Same thing with the supplements. It's a totally individual and very personal thing - no right or wrong path, because some survivors do well eating hamburgers and fries and some don't. Some adhere to a very healthy organic diet and do great, and some die anyway. One thing is for sure: a healthy diet is like chicken soup: it won't hurt, and it might help.

    Carlene

    This comment has been removed by the Moderator
  • Tethys41
    Tethys41 Member Posts: 1,382 Member
    #8
    Hissy_Fitz said:

    Do you know the code for the
    Do you know the code for the IV Vitamin C and/or peroxide infusions? There is a lady in my local support group who has tried everything to get these treatments and I would love to be able to give her some help. Did your insurance pay for them? This lady is on Medicare and she has not been able to find a doctor who does them that would even file on her insurance. They all told her they were not covered. She is afraid to pay for them up front and then file herself, for fear the claim will be rejected and she will be out a lot of money. She was quoted $150 a week for both infusions, and told she needs at least 4 per month.

    I don't have any personal experience but Nancy M on this board has been doing them for a long time. She said her insurance will not cover them. That was the basis for my statement, that and my friend's experience. I can't remember anyone else from the board that has had them.

    Carlene

    Codes
    Carlene,
    The codes for the IVs are:
    96365 which stands for the initial IV and the first hour
    96366 which stands for each subsequent hour of IV (she wuld use multiples of this for each additional hour - a 4 hour IV would require this code 3 times)
    J7040 which stands for each ml of infusion fluids (she would need to document the milliliters received)

    She can call her insurance company and ask them if they will cover these CPT codes. They should also be able to tell her how much she will be reimbursed for each item, based on her practitioner. In network and out of network providers are applicable in this case.
    Take care
  • Hissy_Fitz
    Hissy_Fitz Member Posts: 1,834
    #9
    Tethys41 said:

    Codes
    Carlene,
    The codes for the IVs are:
    96365 which stands for the initial IV and the first hour
    96366 which stands for each subsequent hour of IV (she wuld use multiples of this for each additional hour - a 4 hour IV would require this code 3 times)
    J7040 which stands for each ml of infusion fluids (she would need to document the milliliters received)

    She can call her insurance company and ask them if they will cover these CPT codes. They should also be able to tell her how much she will be reimbursed for each item, based on her practitioner. In network and out of network providers are applicable in this case.
    Take care

    I will tell her and then
    I will tell her and then come back and let everyone know what Medicare says.

    I know she talked to them previously and they said that IV Vitamin C was an unapproved drug, per the FDA.

    I hope this works!

    Have you had these infusions yourself?

    Carlene
  • Tethys41
    Tethys41 Member Posts: 1,382 Member
    #10
    Hissy_Fitz said:

    I will tell her and then
    I will tell her and then come back and let everyone know what Medicare says.

    I know she talked to them previously and they said that IV Vitamin C was an unapproved drug, per the FDA.

    I hope this works!

    Have you had these infusions yourself?

    Carlene

    IV vitamin C
    Yes, I have been receiving IV vitamin C and nutritional IVs since after my first chemo treatment. My last chemo was February of 2010. I still receive two IVs a week, but the end is in sight. I will gradually reduce to two vitamin C IVs per month for maintenance. When submitting these claims, you don't even identify what the IV contains. You just reference your diagnosis codes, which also appear on the form. Hopefully this will work for her.
  • anicca
    anicca Member Posts: 334 Member
    #11
    unknown said:

    This comment has been removed by the Moderator

    I was worried about eating
    I was worried about eating soy products because of the phytoestrogens they contain, so I asked my doctor when I saw him on Tuesday. He said that the evidence is iffy on estrogen feeding ovarian cancer, but that limiting my soy intake to twice a month should be OK. I make a great vegetarian chili with TVP, and since my husband and I both have high cholesterol, it's become a staple for us.

    Google found some recent reports that estrogen does stimulate ovarian cancer, but also this:

    "More recent laboratory research has shown that there are different estrogen receptor subtypes. In general, activation of the alpha-estrogen receptor component can cause cancer cells to grow, while beta receptor stimulation has an anti-cancer effect. Synthetic estrogen can stimulate both receptor subtypes while plant estrogens (phytoestrogens), preferentially stimulate beta-estrogen receptors. Thus it appears that phytoestrogens might be safe to take, without increasing the risk of cancer or recurrence."

    DB
  • carolenk
    carolenk Member Posts: 907 Member
    #12
    Hissy_Fitz said:

    Do you know the code for the
    Do you know the code for the IV Vitamin C and/or peroxide infusions? There is a lady in my local support group who has tried everything to get these treatments and I would love to be able to give her some help. Did your insurance pay for them? This lady is on Medicare and she has not been able to find a doctor who does them that would even file on her insurance. They all told her they were not covered. She is afraid to pay for them up front and then file herself, for fear the claim will be rejected and she will be out a lot of money. She was quoted $150 a week for both infusions, and told she needs at least 4 per month.

    I don't have any personal experience but Nancy M on this board has been doing them for a long time. She said her insurance will not cover them. That was the basis for my statement, that and my friend's experience. I can't remember anyone else from the board that has had them.

    Carlene

    About Medicare [USA government insurance]
    Dear Carlene

    Medicare will NEVER reimburse anyone for out of pocket expenses. It's only people who have private insurance who stand any chance of getting reimbursed for their out-of-pocket expenses for the IV therapies such as vitamin C or hydrogen peroxide.

    There's talk of raising the age requirement for Medicare to age 67.

    Carolen

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