Eating during treatment

Colt45

What's anybody's opinion of diet during treatment, e.g., chemo----should you try to eat what you can and get yourself through treatment or do you need to be strict with the diet, avoiding all less-healthy foods during chemo?

Moderators

Colt45, the main Breastcancer.org site's section on Nutrition includes information about eating during and after treatment, as well as info on Nutrition and Breast Cancer Reconstruction. We hope this is helpful to your wife.

• The Mods

Maureen1

My GI track is still recovering from chemo and it's been over 3 months since the last dose. I wish I could have eaten healthier foods during chemo but my doctor said "I don't want you to lose weight so you need to eat whatever you can to maintain your weight and stay strong". I always ate a very low carb diet and avoided all processed foods...my diet was fresh veggies, whole grains, fish, nuts, and low fat/low sugar foods before I was diagnosed and started chemo. The meds and the chemo agents took away my sense of taste and smell so nothing tasted good and I couldn't digest complex carbs like salads, veggies, nuts, whole grains, etc. Also, I couldn't eat foods that were "crunchy" because they scratched my throat or foods that were spicy or had acids like tomatos or salad dressings. Needless to say the lack of fiber and healthy foods in addition to the effect of chemo I had to take Miralax every day and still do for now. Doctor said it would take 6 - 12 months for my GI track to be completely "normal" again but things are definitely getting better. I started eating salads again a few weeks ago and didn't "bloat" up or get nauseated - YAAY. So...bottom line, I was told eat whatever you want and can tolerate during chemo so that's what I did to get thru...now I'm adding the good carbs back in and avoiding the processed foods. Looks like your wife is almost done chemo? hope she's doing okay...(((Hugs))) to both of you, Maureen

indenial

I am a bit of a health nut but I feel like chemo calls for "survival mode"... Whatever works, whatever gets her through, she can worry about improving her diet once she's finished with treatment. I wouldn't go out of my way to eat unhealthy and I do think healthy food is critical for physical recovery, digestive function, etc. There are some things that I don't think belong in any diet, ever (for example, artificial colors & flavors & sweeteners) but at this point, if the only thing she can stomach is a Twinkie and some diet Coke, then bring them on! Let chemo do its job & then work hard on repairing the damage afterward. It's hard to eat when the drugs destroy your appetite and your constantly low-grade nauseous and everything tastes like metal or dirt. I only just started chemo last week but I can see how quickly I could lose weight if I'm not careful to eat whatever appeals to me. The other day my lunch had no vegetables, I was partly horrified lol (I was vegetarian for 17 years) but beef tamales were (weirdly) the only thing I could stomach. I'm mostly eating really healthy but some days it's less-healthy food or no food, and no food would not be good right now!

Colt45

We went out to lunch yesterday after the RO consult and had salads with blue cheese and sliced steak in them. She had French onion soup and a few homemade potato chips and a diet soda. She hasn't been eating red meat much and no processed foods and she's been eating and drinking organic and limiting sugar and not drinking diet sodas. But she has 'cheated' like yesterday.

fd1

I had a strict diet from my Chinese doctor for chemo which was no refined sugar, no red meat, no dairy, lots of avocado, arugula, broccolli sprouts, which was meant to protect my liver.  I did well during the Taxol but I must admit that I cheated during the AC.  I lost 10 lbs because of vomiting and nausea during those 8 weeks which made my BMI well underweight.  On my recovery days, maybe around day 4, when I started to feel better, I went to McDonalds, sometimes twice in one day.  I haven't eaten McDonalds in years!  I just needed the grease and the full, heavy feeling in my stomach. 

indenial

It sounds like she already has a good balance, "cheating" a bit as necessary but overall healthy, that sounds great!

Colt45

I know we're scared to death of the sugar. She DID have a piece of dark chocolate this week and I think a small piece of milk chocolate (Easter leftover) yesterday. Yesterday was a high stress day and I never want to EVER think or make her think that 1 cheat here or there will kill her. Especially DURING chemo on a high stress day.



Bless us all.

carlads

I was told while on chemo eat what sounds good and what you can tolerate. Before BC I always watched what I ate. I have to admit during treatment I ate what I could taste.. Last chemo tomorrow..



Colt- what did you and your wife decide on radiation?



I think of you and your wife often.



Carla