Supplements during chemo?

tshire

Any tips on the best supplements to take during chemo? I'm doing 4x TC.

I'm currently taking:

Turkey tail mushroom

Maitake mushroom

Magnesium glycinate

Vitamin B-complex

Melatonin

Folate

Zinc

DHA (algae oil)

Vitamin D (10,000 iu)

Multivitamin

Low-dose aspirin

Lysine

Probiotics

Broccoli sprout extract

Calcium/Vitamin K2

I was taking, but was told to stop:

Boswellia

Curcumin

Astragalus

I am considering also taking:

L-glutamine

Silica

Biotin

Any tips? Thanks!

ruthbru

I don't think any food is going to hurt you unless you eat mega-doses.. I continued to take a multivitamin, low dose aspirin, and calcium (with the doctors okay). I stopped everything else though, because during chemo you are really in a different situation than any other time during your life. You are trying to kill cells, not bolster them, so you don't want to take anything that might encourage your cells to be healthier and grow....because that would boast the cancer cells as well (I am not explaining this very scientifically but hope it makes some sense).

Stephmoen

I was told not to take anything during chemo except multivitamin

Italychick

I also take Berberine, it is supposedly like a natural metformin which I think is being trialled. It helps with reduction of insulin which can support abnormal cell production. All anecdotal, but supposedly messes cancer cells up, interferes with their process.

I took potassium during chemo since mine went low. I don't normally supplement with it. My MO wanted me to take a prescription form but it had bad stuff combined with it so I took potassium asporatate.

Look into iodine. Five drops in water, Lugols iodine if it is 3%. I also paint it on my surgical site so that it can be absorbed by the skin.

B-12 sublingual form, needs to be methylcobalamine. B-12 is one of the things my MO monitored.

Folate should be the mthf methyl form.

Coq10 as ubiquinol.

Also look into liver support, like milk thistle, choline and niacin. Chemo is hard on the liver.

If you want any more info, you can pm me if you want.

I did stop anything that would be considered an antioxidant during chemo.

I rubbed coconut oil everywhere, even in my mouth and never had any mouth issues. Vaginally it worked great for me if you aren't allergic to it.

I only used Claritin day of Neulasta shot and for five days after, and after round 5 I had to take Pepcid AC for about a week for gastrointestinal burning. No other drugs except the steroid and what they gave me day of infusion. I found it helped to take little bites of food all day long. Hated the steroid, but never had any nausea.

Magnesium was my constipation situation go to, and I upped the amount I took if I had any pooping issues.

Sorry if too much info.

jcfree

I went through chemo from 12/15/14 to 03/31/15 of Taxotere/Herceptin/Perjeta. I take a lot of vitamins and supplements and have for years. I got approval from my Onc to continue to take these during chemo. I was told to not take any the day before chemo or the day of chemo but could continue daily throughout, just making sure to refrain those two days for each chemo round.

Italychick

yes, good point. I forgot that. I quit supplements for two days before and 3-4 days after

Rseman

What about a DIM supplement? Has anyone taken that? I am about to start Xeloda and will have to revisit all of my supplements but has anyone taken that?

Thanks,

Renee