Help Through Chemo

RachelKa

Hi ladies,

This is an article I wrote for help getting through chemo. I included links within that I thought would be especially helpful. 

Standing up to Chemo

Are you feeling like you don't know what to do first ... throw up, fall over from sheer exhaustion, or pinch yourself to make sure the hands and feet you can't feel are still there? I know, not funny.  Unfortunately it's a fact of life that chemo isn't as discriminatory as we'd like; the drugs kill the good cells but are rough on healthy ones too. So getting through chemo camp often means having to tread rough terrain. To help you through the unpleasantries, I've compiled research from several medical resources as well as from a few of the masters themselves - soldiers who've tested what's out there and found what works for them. This is my "Standing up to Chemo: Greatest Hits" album.

Let's start with nausea. Would you believe our brains actually have a vomiting center? Chemo knows just where that center is, and turns it on by causing the body to release serotonin, dopamine, and histamine. Fortunately anti-nausea drugs have gotten better at working around this aggravating glitch. Compazine is often very effective in that it blocks dopamine. It should be taken about three hours after chemo and for two or three days after treatment.  If you still start to feel nauseous, you can add Zofran to your arsenal; to be taken at the first twinge of upset.

Diet is another way to fight nausea. Eating five or six small meals throughout the day typically helps. Bland foods may become your king's meal; mashed potatoes, oatmeal, crackers, pudding, and fruit are all kind to your stomach.  As far as drinks, warm and fizzy helps. Try warm 7-Up or ginger ale. Otherwise clear juices are good.  But if you can't stomach fluids of any kind, you can get nutrients from juice popsicles.

Okay, let's move on to diarrhea and constipation. If you have one or the other, or are lucky enough to have both, know that Senekot is a gentle, effective laxative. Immodium works for the opposite problem. As diet combats nausea, certain foods can jump start your digestive system too.  High-fiber foods like All-Bran  cereal and muffins are binding. You can also up your fiber intake by replacing white rice and pasta with brown, and swapping your white potato for sweet potatoes.  Fruits like prunes and dried apricots and soothing bean soups help keep you regular.

Mouth sores are another common culprit.   Chemo goes after fast-growing cells, and doesn't stop when it gets to the mucous lining in our mouths. So go easy on your teeth and gums. Biotene toothpaste may help. Brush often and floss daily. Use a mouthwash without alcohol, and if over the counter products aren't working, your oncologist can prescribe something more effective.

Pain from neuropathy (numbness to extremities) or paresthesia (numbness or tingling) typically  come with the territory, too.  You can combat the pain with more drugs or alternative methods. Conventional drugs include acitominophen (Tylenol) or non-steroid anti-inflammatories like ibubrofen, which work for mild pain.  If these drugs aren't taking care of the pain, and it in fact worsens, you may bite the bullet with opioid medications like hydrocodone, codein, or oxycodone. Then there are drugs for breakthrough pain (flairs between pain medication doses). Of course, you'll need to have the conversation with your doctor to determine what's best for you.

If you prefer to go au naturelle, the National Institutes of Health has  given its seal of approval to techniques like relaxation, visualization, hypnosis, and biofeedback for chemo-induced pain.

Relaxation has been shown to reduce muscle tension, help with sleep, boost energy, and reduce anxiety. Examples are deep breathing and progressive relaxation. Through progressive relaxation you lie down, clench and release individual muscle groups, eventually focusing on the places that hurt.

Visualization involves using a symbol to imagine the transformation of pain; for example, a blazing fire doused by water. There are audiotapes to teach these techniques. Then there's electrical stimulation; one of the more common forms is PENS (Percutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation), which combines acupuncture with electrical stimulation of the nerves.

Good luck  along your way to  good health and strength, with chemo in your corner while standing up to the less than fun effects.

For more information:

http://butdoctorihatepink.blogspot.com/2009/12/top-four-tips-for-getting-through.html

http://www.deltronix.com/public/li/effects.html

www.mayoclinic.com/health/cancer/HQ01134

http://www.cancer-pain.org/treatments/radiation.html

Hope this helps and that you're feeling good. If you're having a rough time, it typically gets better, really, it does

Rachel

www.1UpOnCancer.com

mrsnjband

Great article, need to get this pinned or bumped to the top. NJ

RachelKa

Thanks ladies. I'm glad if it helped. Are  you all still in chemo? What have you found works for you? I lucked out in that I had almost no side effects other than fatigue and then toward the end my white cells bottomed out and I had to but treatments on hold for a while.

Rachel

RachelKa

Another article that I think could be helpful to anyone who is just beginning treatment.

http://www.breastcancer.org/treatment/chemotherapy/process/before.jsp