Eating before chemo?

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Laura5133388
Laura5133388 Member Posts: 577
edited June 2014 in Managing Side Effects of Breast Cancer and Its Treatment

I will start my treatments on Mon. Aug 15th. Should I eat a good breakfast before starting, or will that make it worse? Any advice on this will be greatly appreciated!

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  • LindaF
    LindaF Member Posts: 29
    edited August 2011

    Laura

    I have just completed round 2 of DD AC on the 2nd of Aug.   I say eat.   I felt good for 3 days after, then not so good for the past 6 days.   Eat when you can.   I eat scrambled eggs, or oatmeal, and usually a lean hamburger patty or mild breakfast sausage before chemo.  You need protein, so far, this has worked for me.   They load you with anti-nauseants, which don't bother you at all, or maybe a little sleepy.  Just relax,   if you are getting AC, I was told sipping on ice (ice water, popsicles) helps, so I do it, keeps me busy while she is infusing the Adriamycin.   I also drink (or try) a gallon of water the day before, the day of and the day after.   The cytoxin goes in over an hour, so I snack and do puzzles or chat.   Chemo day hasn't been bad so far for me, it is the days after that are harder.   I am the energizer bunny, so lying around is hard, but very very important.  Good journey!

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited August 2012

    I agree with Laura.  Eat.  easy to digest, toast, scrambled eggs, lots of liquids.

    I ate DURING chemotherapy.  The lovely volunteers offered a choice of sandwiches, they were delicious.

    If ANY hiint of nausea, which is doubtful given all the meds you will be given, ask oncologist to make sure you are given EMEND - seems to be the best med to prevent it.

    Good luck.  It is definitely not "fun" - but bring a good book, needlepoint, a good friend, and you'll be fine.

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  • Claire_in_Seattle
    Claire_in_Seattle Member Posts: 4,570
    edited August 2011

    Laura......

    Good luck.  Yes, I ate during chemo.  If at lunchtime, they ordered a sandwich, and I ate that.

    Also, I would recommend reading reading the nutrition guidelines.  Linda mentioned protein.  I ate a lot more protein than I normally would throughout chemo and for a few months afterwards.  Your body needs it.  Then the water.  Lots of it.  No problem as I was always thirsty.

    Get a water bottle with a good lid as I drowned my cellphone.  I also kept non-soy energy bars with me.  Larabars work, but there are others now.

    I didn't take as many anti-nausea drugs, and I was fine. - Claire

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  • Laura5133388
    Laura5133388 Member Posts: 577
    edited August 2011

    Thank you for your replys!

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  • GryffinSong
    GryffinSong Member Posts: 439
    edited August 2011

    I agree with the others. I had breakfast beforehand, snacks during, and treated myself to lunch afterwards at the local pancake house. I always felt fine for a few days afterwards, so I made a point to do all my shopping and visiting during those first few days after treatments. I loved my chemo suite and caregivers. Lots of caring people, handmade quilts to keep me warm (the meds are room temperature, so you can feel a chill), snacks and drinks, a tv and magazines ... they're there to make your time easier. I always brought a soda and snack with me, but they often had cookies and pretzels and things as well.

    Hugs and good luck!!!

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  • Fearless_One
    Fearless_One Member Posts: 3,300
    edited August 2011

    I ate before treatment, usually bland stuff like cream of wheat or a plain bagel.   I agree with Sunflowers about EMEND.   That stuff is awesome....

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  • starbeauty
    starbeauty Member Posts: 327
    edited August 2011

    After chemo my DH and I went to lunch... Only comment... Even with Emend I felt kind of gross and I associated one of my favorite restaurants with that feeling. It has taken 1.5 years to get over it. so don' t pick your favorite foods for chemo days.

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  • Robyn_S
    Robyn_S Member Posts: 197
    edited August 2011

    Laura...I am in another camp - my first chemo FEC i ate well light breakfast  and even had sandwiches during infusion. I had  nausea even with emend , awful constipation and GI shock (feels likes you swallowed a brick) afterwards for several days as well as terrible smell and taste issues for several days all I could eat was a 'white diet' bland of bland -potatoes, rice and chicken.

    I was awfully miserable, but For the rest of my treatments -2 more FEC and 3 Taxotere I fasted for 62-48 hours pre chemo and 24 hours post Tx taking only no calorie liquids. This fasting protocol was based upon research into Differential Stress resistance - inducing a stress response by fasting that sends healthy cells into a hibernation response that helps to protect them from chemo (resulting in reduced SEs) while cancer cells do not listen to the stress signals and continue to uptake the cancer killing chemicals. My GI side effects were much reduced - no constipation, no smell taste issues at all, much better appetite, no headaches for the rest of the FEC,the nausea was about the same - i think cumulative with FEC Tx. And finishing the last of 3 taxotere yesterday I have had no diahhrea and importantly no neuropathy at all or nail issues.

    If you are interested there is a thread in chemotheraphy with links to the research studies. The fasting protocol is currently in clinical trials at the Mayo  cancer clinic so it has been backed up by solid pilot data. If you are interested it may be worth mentioning to your MO if you have SEs that are debilitating. My main focus was emerging from chemo without any long term health issues so it has worked well for me - and I did not lose weight!

    Cheers - Robyn

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  • Laura5133388
    Laura5133388 Member Posts: 577
    edited August 2011

    Thanks to all for the tips!

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