Supplements , please help me

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peipei94
peipei94 Member Posts: 8
in Uterine/Endometrial Cancer #1

My mom had uterine cancer 3B and after first round of chemo , the doctor in Vietnam where my mom met to take care of her allergic ( side effect of chemo ) said better not to use any supplements but my mom always feel tired , she ate a lot of fishes , fruits ( mostly soursop , I don't know does it good for her or not ) , tea made from limegrass and fresh curcumin , bird's nest ( twice a week ) and vegetables

I want my mom take some supplements , I hope someone can help me , because one doctor tell not to take any but the doctor that treat my mom ( Thailand's Bumrungrad ) told us eat anything she want but lower sugar and coffee intake. We live in Vietnam , I understand why the Vietnam doctor told us better not to use any supplements , he said natural foods is the best and maybe he worry that his patients rely on supplements and not follow his advice but my mom is cancer patient and chemo damage her health , whenever I want my mom take some normal supplements like vitamins , I always receive the questions like " Does the doctors approve it ? "  But doctor told better not to have supplements "....ects

If I want my mom eat anything strange , I have to give them evidence from trustworthy website ( my family trust webmd ) and now I don't know what to do now...

 

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  • derMaus
    derMaus Member Posts: 558 Member
    #2
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    Here in the US, most doctors

    Here in the US, most doctors will agree, at minimum, with taking tumeric/curcumin supplements, Vitamin D supplements, and a good multivitamin. If your mom is having chemo I also strongly suggest a good probiotic, as that can counter digestive problems. You might want to look at the Memorial Sloan Kettering herbs and supplements website; it's what I use when trying to make decisions about what to take. From what you describe your mother's diet is good, but cancer treatment is very draining to the body and it takes supplements to help build it up again. 

    https://www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/diagnosis-treatment/symptom-management/integrative-medicine/herbs

  • bluesmama
    bluesmama Member Posts: 125 Member
    #3
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    A word of caution

    Hey there. I'm a patient at MSKCC and I finished up on chemo two months ago. There are some supplements that you may take safely but you should check with your mom's doctor. Below is an article about it (hopefully you're English is good enough to understand it).

    http://health.usnews.com/health-news/patient-advice/articles/2015/07/01/dietary-supplements-during-cancer-treatment-yes-or-no

    My doctor did not want me to take anything in a pill form or excessive amounts of a certain vitamin or supplement without asking. She also warned that just because something is listed on the Memorial Sloan Kettering website, you shouldn't take that as an endorsement that something is safe to take.

    For me, Biotin was ok to help with hair and nails. Glutamine. Fish oil. These are generally ok but not multi-vitamins. Sometimes supplements can make chemo and radiation less effective. Generally eating a healthy balanced diet is ok but be careful because chemo or radiation can cause bowel issues and certain foods and supplements can make your mom feel worse.

    Your mom's body is going through a lot because of chemo. Chemo is very powerful and dangerous stuff. It damages the body while killing the cancer. It is very normal for your mother to feel tired. She may feel tired for many months up to a year after chemo ends so be patient. Believe it or not but exercise can help with fatigue. Ask her to try to walk a little every day. I sat in bed for many days and I wish I pushed myself more to move around. My muscles were severely weak after chemo was over and now I'm in physical therapy to fix that.

    Good luck. 

  • pinky104
    pinky104 Member Posts: 574 Member
    #4
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    Fish Oil

    I've been taking fish oil for years, but I recently noticed that my brand of burp-less fish oil contains soy.  I wonder if that has anythig to do with my cancer reoccurrence.  I'm switching to another type of fish oil when this bottle runs out.

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