Chemotherapy

My mom is starting chemo in a month or so, is there any ideas on how to keep her white count up? 

Comments

  • NoTimeForCancer
    NoTimeForCancer Member Posts: 3,368 Member
    melwithbooks, I know my chemo

    melwithbooks, I know my chemo nurse said, "push the protein", but what does that mean???  I can share what my dietician told me and I am sure the other ladies will chime in with what worked for them.

    My dietician told me to eat 7 to 9 portions a day.  So what is a portion?  1 egg = 1 portion.  1 yogurt = 1 portion.  1 ounce of cheese or nuts = 1 portion.  3 oz chicken or beef (I'm a meat eater) counted as 3 portions.  Sounds simple, but I found it to be a little harder than it sounds.  There were days it was harder to get protein in, things didn't taste good or it just got OLD, but I really pushed because I wanted to stay on track to get my treatment done.  I was very fortunate not to have any other health issues, which isn't the case for everyone, and why I would recommend talking to a dietician you helps cancer patients if that is available.

    If she feels any nauseous, she should have pills to take right away.  The meds are so good now, nauseous shouldn't be a huge deal, but again, I am sure there are some who have a lot of issues.  Some women have had to use the BRAT diet, which is easy to read about every where.  

    Again, that is what helped me.  

  • Lou Ann M
    Lou Ann M Member Posts: 996 Member
    I have had 28 chemo

    I have had 28 chemo treatments now.. And have had only one time where I had trouble with my white blood cells.  I get the Nuelasta shot.  I take Claritin all the time for allergies, but it is supposed to help with the bone pain that Nuelasta can cause.  I have never had pain from the Nuelasta.  I think that a good probiotic helps with the white count also,  also some diet choices. salmon, citrus,  zinc.  Lou Ann

  • EZLiving66
    EZLiving66 Member Posts: 1,482 Member
    The dietician I saw said

    The dietician I saw said salmon, leafy green vegetables, oranges and beets.  I was able to get my white count back up after it had dropped significantly from the chemo by eating salmon three times a week with vegetables and a couple of those little cutie oranges every day.  I just couldn't eat the beets though.  I had the Neulasta shot one time and was taking Claritin but the pain was still awful.  It felt like my pelvic and leg bones were vibrating in pain.

    I sure hope your mom doesn't have any severe side effects!!  Everybody is different, that's for sure!

    Love,

    Eldri