Fasting protocol during chemo?

Stage2ire

hi

Has anyone tried fasting during chemo for triple neg mets? Asking for a friend. She's just got the mets diagnosis. Chemo starts Wed

Thanks

Deedi

I recieve diagnosis of tnbc spread to my mediastinal nodes in January 2019. I have been doing intermittent fasting on my own. I researched a bit and tried it. I do the 16 hours of fast and 8 hours to eat. I try not to eat after 6. And don’t eat until 10am or later. I drink a lot of black coffee in the morning to hold me over. This is doable for me plus I don’t want to loose any weight which I have maintain. I did also try to do a 24 hour fast starting the night before chemo and ended day of chemo. It was hard. I would like to try a longer fast but I haven’t set my mind on it. I try not to do sugar ( cheat on occasion), eat clean, daily exercise, use infrared sauna almost daily, juice daily and do extremely hot baths. I am on the tecentriq/ abraxane treatment and have been maintaining well for 7 months. I hope this helps. I hope chemo goes well tomorrow! I will be thinking of you bo

santabarbarian

I fasted during chemo for TNBC, though no mets other than the lymph nodes. I used the 5 day "fasting mimicking" method that was developed by Dr Valter Longo. I know that whether you do a 3 day total fast (water and bone broth ok) or a 5 day mimick, either way the middle day is chemo day. I feel it was a big help to reducing SEs and in mouse models the fasting mice had a stronger response to chemo as well.

NorCalS

Hi. I fasted the day before, the day of, and the day after my Adriamycin and cytoxan infusions and it greatly helped prevent nausea and vomiting. I also fasted for 48 hours before and after the taxol infusions. Again, I did not experience any nausea or vomiting. Currently, I am taking Xeloda, which is an oral chemo taken twice a day with food. I have experienced nausea ever day since I started Xeloda and I think it is because I cannot use fasting to minimize these side effects. I also have been doing the keto diet and intermittent fasting (16 hour fast and 8 hrs to eat). I did not get a PCR but according to MO, there were very few cancer cells left

santabarbarian

NorCal I'm sorry you are having nausea this time. Sounds like fasting was good for you. Maybe you can do a mini fast on your off week from Xeloda-- right before you start up again? I am a big baby about nausea which is why giving up food for a few days was a no brainer for me. Hopefully you will find some other strategies to reduce nausea that work with Xeloda.

NorCalS

Hi SantaBarbarian.

I read some of your other posts on the Xeloda topic and they gave me hope. Xeloda has been difficult, which is weird because I think I handled AC-T well. I’m only in my first week of the second cycle and I can’t believe the number of side effects I’ve been experiencing. Not only do I have daily nausea, but also headaches and pain (possibly neuropathy) in both hands. I’ve been icing my hands and feet every day, twice a day for two hours each time. I’m hoping it works, because it is a real pain in the butt. I’ll try the fasting again during my week off. I hope it helps

santabarbarian

Maybe they can adjust your dose? I think they start people high. I am not experienced with Xeloda personally but one of my local firnds is on it. They shaved down her dose and she tolerated it much better.

Naesha

hello ladies,

I am new to this post. I am starting Abraxane starting next week. Technically speaking this is the fourth chemo drugs i am getting. Initially AC,Carboplatin,Xelod and now this one. I have tried keto diet and intermittent fasting but sometimes i feel like i am trying in vague. But after seeing this post, it is encourgaing me to do the fasting esp during my chemo treatment.

How was the fasting process ? Like if we do the fasting before and after chemo, was it tolerable i mean usually once the chemo day ends i get the craving of eating some spicy food . Can anyone please advise the tips. This time i really want to follow the strict diet.

Thank you