3 Simple questions

1) - I take 2000 iu's Vit D a day in Summer, just upped it to 4000iu's for winter

2) - I was told no supplements until after Rads.....

3) - yep, chemo in 1998 was crap. (don't really know this but I thought it might make you feel better

gogo no supplements til after rads.......

PureE, what is your diagnosis, stage grade?......

Another major advance was the Neupogen and Neulasta shots - they allowed dose densing, allowed higher doses of drugs, and also allowed people to continue with their Chemo after becoming neutropenic.

Apparently 50% of people who developed febrile neutropenia used to die....(I got it)

I took Vit D and calcoium during rads, my onc was more concerned about high dose supplements. 

hi kerry,

i like your new picture.  i sent you a private message.

diane

I took a multivitamin, Ca++/Mag/D supplement during AC, and added a B-complex during Taxol (to potentially help w/nerve function). I also took glutamine after chemo to help w/my white cells. Nothing was really megadosed. D is fat soluble so you do have to be careful. Fat soluble vitamins can be toxic in high enough doses; they're stored in the liver and can be hard to process. Water soluble vitamins (e.g. C) are quickly eliminated--your body just gets rid of what it doesn't use. Here is a nice fact sheet from the Colorado State U. Extension office that discusses fat soluble vitamins. http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/foodnut/09315.html

My onc ok'd everything I took. The B-complex was recommended by a neurologist and I had no real nerve problems while on Taxol. The L-glutamine is a naturally occurring amino acid and a precursor to neutrophils. My sister was told to take it during her chemo by her onc and her blood work has been consistently good. My white cells immediately rebounded when I started taking it. It may not work for everyone, but it won't hurt you.

Co-enzyme Q is considered a supplement. It helps with cellular respiration and is an important part of mitochondrial function, but the research is not consistent with regard to it as a supplement. I don't believe excess CoQ can hurt you.

I was advised not to start anything new while on chemo and I would imagine this is particularly true for you since your pregnant. Just keep going with your healthy diet and exercise and you'll weather this storm.

I was treated in 2007 and I didn't get a taxane, not even with my Herceptin.  After my old onc retired and I first saw my new one, she questioned why I didn't get it and I told her I wondered that too (I was too sick at the time to think about asking). She just kind of said well it's too late now since I've been done with chemo for 2 years, and so far NED.  But now I always question if I should have got it.

Taxol or Taxotere are the taxane drugs. They are very similar, commonly referred to as "sister drugs".

1.  I take 2000iu's of Vit. D per day.  Thinking about upping it though for the winter.

2.  I was also told no supplements until after rads.

3.  As for chemo back in 1998, I'm sure it was even nastier than it is now!

I went to the head of integrative medicine at the Cleveland Clinic to find out how to eat better with a dx of cancer. She suggested the anti-inflammatory diet in addition she ran a vitamin d level. Normal levels are 30-60 mine was 18.8. She has me on 10,000iu of viatmin d3 for 3 months and she will retest at that time to make sure my level  is no lower than 60. Most docs say 50 but she is a breast cancer survivor and in her studies found that 60 is the best level to maintain.She will drop me down to the necessary level at that time. Unfortunately, not all docs will screen for your levels so you need to ask for it. Another interesting test she ran was an MTHFR. This is actually a genetic test to see if folate is metabolized correctly in the brain. I turned out to be heterozygous + which means I don't metabolize it correctly. Side effects are enhanced depressive moods which I am definetely experiencing since my dx. I am now on a superfood called deplin. It's amazing the advances in medicine that are out there if you find the right docs that know about them. I'll let you know if it helps.

I'm taking 2,000 of vitamin D during chemo.  My vitamin d level was only 17 when tested. I'm hoping to up that when I go to California for rads.

She didn't mention anything about waiting until after chemo. so I confirm this with her.