More Tips (and a Shopping List) for Getting Through Chemo
Comments
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LINBAD2 --The port is wonderful. So glad I got mine. The procedure was simple and I am sure it will be just as simple to remove it when I'm done and I hate having a line in my arm. Consider getting a port. An as someone else said join the August Chemo group or whatever month you are starting for day to day support.
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Bumping for Conceta ~
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Thanks to all for the tips, which I find myself now needing. I had my 1st chemo treatment almost a week ago. Plenty of nausea meds kept my stomach in tact, but morning after Neulasta, I started to feel yuck and now mouth is sore. I will try the Benadryl and Maalox - thanks for the tip.
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Thank you, NewNormal44, please stop by often and share your journey.
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This thread was so helpful. Hoping to keep it active for others.
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I would like to add something for those of you going through chemotherapy... many of the chemo meds will make you lose your hair. A lot of us chose to buzz and/or shave our heads at some point. Since a lot of you will also be looking at getting wigs, save some of your hair. It's good to get a few samples of your hair for color comparison purposes. All you need to do is save around an inch-wide section of your hair. Cut it off at it's longest place, and if your hair is ombre, keep the color section you want matched. Then just tape it onto a blank white piece of paper. Most places that you can order wigs from online have consultants that will help you find the right color if you mail in your hair sample. They look at the wigs you are considering purchasing, and find the right color match to that manufacturer.
I didn't do this myself but read about it on a few wig websites. I wish I knew beforehand as those online color pictures are very hard to tell what they will actually look like, and each manufacturer calls them something different. Anyway, I hope this helps!
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Good idea. Thanks for posting.
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I kind of hate the title.... But this book was recommended to me by my nurse navigator, who said it had been recommended to her by several patients. And I have to admit, it has a lot of practical info and tips that I'd not come across elsewhere:
"Chemo: Secrets to Thriving" (From someone who's been there), by Roxanne Brown & Barbara Mastej
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Thank you Magari and scalgirl ~ I hope everyone keeps adding to our list of tips!
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bumping for Daniz
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Thank you so much MinusTwo!!
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I just had a friend diagnosed with breast cancer and remembered this list from when I went through it all in 2013. It was so helpful..so here I am copying and pasting to email to her.
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bumping for Lauren . . .
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This is a very informative post and I can see why mods pinned it but it IS from 2008 and the information about soy is out of date.
Our understanding about soy and phytoestrogens as a whole has changed since then and it is not flatly contraindicated, not even for ER+ patients.
It's a bit disconcerting to see out of date info in a pinned post. -
moth - I think it depends on which studies you read, how much soy you're talking about, and how conservative is your MO.
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bumping for Bethany . . .
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Yay Nico!!!! Such good information.
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Great information! Do most eat light before chemo? looking for pointers on which foods 12 hours to 1 hour before treatment as my first will be next week.
maybe it doesn't matter, just curious...
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Bumping for Anjeanette ~
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Bumping for Brooke . . .
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Bumping for Rachel . . .
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This was super informative tread, I really thank you all for the valuable information!
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Dear JoanFree,
Welcome to the community. We are glad that you are finding helpful information here on the boards. We hope that you will stay connected here and receive support and shared experiences from our members. The Mods
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Bumping... So many good tips.
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bumping for Shanell . . .
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Agree, great, great tips.
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Keeping it active so new members will find these tips.
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Bumping for Kay . . .
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Bumping for Rose . . .
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Bumping for Jayla . . .
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