Vitamin supplements going through Rads, life

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tacichon
tacichon Member Posts: 93
edited June 2014 in Radiation Therapy - Before, During, and After

What I am hearing is that RADS can wear you down. I am looking for advice on a vitamin supplement, not only during rads, but for life. I have a good diet I have been on Jenny Craig for 6 months and have lost 21 lbs, I have another 10 to go to reach my goal. My Cancer therapist and the Cancer Center said Jenny Craig was a great diet as it is very nutritious. I am looking for a vitamin supplement, I have been taking ONE a Day for women over 50. Anyone have any other suggestions..

Hugs and Blessings!

Everyone keep fighting!!!

Terri

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  • dlb823
    dlb823 Member Posts: 9,430
    edited September 2011

    Hi, Terri ~ Congrats on the 21 lbs. weight loss.  Good for you!  

    As far as vitamins, I believe that the brands you find in natural foods markets are better for us than what I call drugstore or supermarket brands, like One-A-Day.  The latter are extracted, chemicalized nutrients, so their Vitamin C, for example, is just the actual C itself -- not all the hundreds of micronutrients found in nature in foods that contain vitamin C.  Natural brands, OTOH, will contain citrus fruit or rosehips or food ingredients that contains a high amount of C with all the naturally occuring micronutrients.

    Not sure if Bedford is a small town or a more urban suburb, but you can always order natural supplements on-line if you don't have a place nearby to look for them.  There are several discount supplement websites.  Let me know if you need specific brand names or website names.    Deanna  

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  • peggy_j
    peggy_j Member Posts: 1,700
    edited September 2011
    tacichon, when I went through rads my RO's nurse said I could take a multivitamin but not extra vitamins that are concentrated antioxidents (A, C, E) because rads works using oxidation. Congrats on losing weight (and keeping it off). That's terrific. My nurse and doc also asked me to try not to lose weight during rads (and weighed me weekly) since they'd have to re-do their calculations. How often have I been asked that? Never. So I took their advice (I also upped my protein intake, which is helpful for repairing tissue. I'm mostly vegatarian, so I even added in fish on a regular basis).  I did experience fatigue during rads, esp. the last three weeks. The best advice I got from the nurses: walk 30 min a day, even if you're tired. Take naps, including a powernap (1-2 hours) midweek, if possible. Take is easy. Good luck!
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  • tacichon
    tacichon Member Posts: 93
    edited September 2011

    Thank you Peggy!! I did hear a multivitamin the best, my girlfriends husband you had stage 3/4 rectal cancer she told me his Dr. recommended Centrum and get the vitamin for your age.. IE I am 54 so I need the over 50 kind. My RO nurse did not mention anything to me about losing more weight, she encouraged Jenny Craig as their food is very nutritious. I am taking off maybe a pound a week. Jenny Craig is a great program, I needed something that controlled my portions. I am not a big meat eater either.. I will take you advise and add some fish.

    Thank you again,

    Hugs and Blessings!

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  • tacichon
    tacichon Member Posts: 93
    edited September 2011

    Deanna thank you so much!! I believe that too about the vitamins, I will  probably go to GNC. Bedford is a suburb to Dallas/ Fort Worth in fact I am right in between the 2 cities!  I also will probably get an appointment with the nutrionist at the cancer center.  

    It was my fault I gained this weight, so I need to take it off!! Now that I am off the estrogen, hopefully the weight will come off a little easier. 

    Hugs and Blessings!

    Terri

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  • peggy_j
    peggy_j Member Posts: 1,700
    edited September 2011

    Yeah, if you can meet with a nutritionist at the cancer center, it's worth it (I meet w/ one at Stanford and it was free even though I was be treated by docs at another clinic). I got to ask all my specific questions (I'm also worried about calcium and Vit D) and some of the nurse's advice surprised me. I brought all my vitamin bottles so get her opinion.  She's not a huge fan of supplements (her preference would be for us to get our nutrition from food) but she said if we're going to take them, to not take more than 100% recommended dose per day (some of the supplements really megadose). In my case, she suggested I split my multi-vitamin and just take a half per day. Good luck!

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  • Moderators
    Moderators Member Posts: 25,912
    edited September 2011

    Hi Tacichon;

    You might find the Dietary Supplement information available on the main Breastcancer.org site helpful!

    Hope this helps!

    --Mods

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  • tacichon
    tacichon Member Posts: 93
    edited September 2011

    Absolutely I am going to meet with nutritionist!  thank you so much!!

    Hugs and blessings!

    Terri 

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  • cycle-path
    cycle-path Member Posts: 1,502
    edited September 2011

    Personally, I don't believe in vitamin supplements. I believe in food. That being said, I take Vit D every day because I know many/most people who don't live near the equator don't get enough sunshine to form Vit D sufficient to their bodies' needs. And most of the multiple vitamins don't give you enough Vit D either.

    Lack of Vit D has been implicated in a number of maladies, including BC and osteoporosis. If you settle on a multivitamin, make sure it has at least 1000 IU's ov Vit D (actually Vit D3).

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  • Shirlann
    Shirlann Member Posts: 3,302
    edited September 2011

    Het gals, I was told at UCLA (this was 13 years ago at UCLA)  that I should stop any supplements, because the treatment used for BC IS made up of free radicals and they thought then, thought mind you, that the supplements might interfere with the treatment.  My treatment and diagnosis was so long ago, my info could well be dated.  But this is what I was told.

    Gentle hugs, Shirlann 

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