Fasting before & after chemo, to help minimize SEs?

MJLToday

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2815756/

Ran across this very interesting article. Some researchers had done some pre-clinical work in mice, which some patients picked up on & self-experimented with. This article has reports of 10 people who did varying lengths of fasts, and self-reported fewer side effects (including better blood counts) than when they didn't fast, or compared with other people who didn't fast.

Obviously something to take with a grain of salt; basically this is just 10 widely varying people's experience, and NOT a controlled trial. And, it's obviously not for everyone. But since I have plenty of body weight to spare LOL I think I might try a 24 hr before & overnight afterwards fast, to see if my yucky painful diarrhea / cramping, and fatigue, might be lessened.

"Nevertheless studies in cell culture and animal models indicate that fasting may actually reduce chemotherapy side effects by selectively protecting normal cells [9]. Following the publication of this pre-clinical work,several patients, diagnosed with a wide variety of cancers, elected to undertake fasting prior to chemotherapy and shared their experiences with us. In this heterogeneous group of men and women fasting was safely repeated in multiple cycles for up to 180 hours prior and/or following chemotherapy. Minor complaints that arose during fasting included dizziness, hunger, and headaches at a level that did not interfere with daily activities. Weight lost during fasting was rapidly recovered in most of the patients and did not lead to any detectable harm. "

Janeluvsdogs

Fasting is the worst thing you can do. Hypoglycemia can make chemo unbearable.

Also, this is a CAM forum. Chemo tips would be more appropriate elsewhere.

MaineCoonKitty

BAD idea...keeping something in your stomach before, during and after chemo lessens the nausea because it's the stomach acid and the meds working on your stomach walls that makes you queasy.  All those pre-meds that you're given will absorb way too fast if your stomach and intestines are empty, causing waves of nausea. 

MJLToday

I assumed "complementary" meant working with traditional (chemo) medicine.  I guess this must be just an alternative medicine forum.

Also,  I don't take oral pre-meds, sincely I'm on just a weekly Abraxane dose.  The only premeds I get are an IV steroid / anti nausea push.

Merilee

There are several ladies on this forum who have done or are on chemo and are also focused on natural prevention and wellness also.

Its not an either or forum. I don't know where you got that Idea Janalovesdogs.

revkat

That study about fasting came out right about the time I was starting chemo. THREE people emailed it too me. I have to say I wasn't very receptive at the time (I was still in the "I have cancer, I'm going to eat/do whatever I want!" phase.) I don't think it could hurt to try as long as you stay well hydrated. I imagine that trying to get a trial going to test it in humans could be difficult

MJLToday

Well, I've done this for 2 weeks now, with good results.  I'm on a 3 weeks on, 1 week off Abraxane schedule.  The first week I fasted the day before & the day of/after chemo in the morning.  Geez Louise was it hard LOL I love to eat.  But, I felt much much better the following week. 

The next week my hemoglobin counts were 11+, vs. just barely 10+ the previous week, even after a whole week off.  Woo Hoo!  So I did it again the following week. Wasn't able to tough it out so long afterwards, and have been paying the price somewhat with the diarrhea & cramping.  I will definitely be trying it this coming Friday, and trying to tough it out until at least the evening of/after my chemo.