4 days after 1st treatment...now diarrhea..

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tinkers2
tinkers2 Member Posts: 35
edited June 2014 in Managing Side Effects of Breast Cancer and Its Treatment

Any recommendations for diarrhea?  Pretty bad today.  I'm afraid if i take imodium

then the opposite will happen.

Any suggestions on what to do, eat, etc?

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  • ILBoysMom
    ILBoysMom Member Posts: 79
    edited August 2012

    Don't be afraid of the Immodium.  I was and suffered greatly for the first three treatments.  It will help you tremendously.  By treatment #4, I ended up in an ambulance after passing out 4 times in my bathroom from raging diarrhea - the most humiliating experience in my life by far and I have three sons!  My diarrhea got progressively worse after each treatment starting each time like clockwork on day 5 and lasting until about day 9 or 10.  The next treatment cycle I took the Immodium whenever necessary.  I remember taking 3 Immodium so that I could go to my son's football game and not end up living in the port a potty.  

     Think of it this way, with all the poison they are pumping through your system, what's a little Immodium going to hurt?

    I also forced myself to drink one bottle of Gatorade a day.  My dietician also recommended Ensure Immune Balance shakes to boost protein (helps healing) and increase fluid intake.  I drank one mid-morning and one mid-afternoon.  They are pricey, but once you start buying them it's easy to get coupons.  They helped me feel much less weak. 

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  • Melrosemelrose
    Melrosemelrose Member Posts: 3,018
    edited August 2012

    tinkers2-  Hope the following info helps.  I got the information from book I received from the cancer cancer/hospital where I'm being treated out.... The book is Eating Well Through Cancer written by Holly Clegg and Gerald Miletello, M.D.  It has  recipes and recommendations to help you through some of the side effects.  The book has chapters that tell you what to do eat/ how to deal with side effects ( diarrhea, constipation, etc.)  It has been a great help to me during my chemo.

    • If diarrhea starts, stop all intake of high fiber foods such a s nuts, sees, whole grains, legumes, dried fruits, raw fruits and vegetables) and stool softeners or laxatives.
    • Follow your doctors instructions with regards to Lomotil, Immodium or Pepto Bismol.   ( You may want to call your onco or the doctor on call to talk about what you can take if you weren't told anything before now.  Don't be afraid to call to get help or ask a question since it is your onco's job to help you get through the side effects.)
    • Start clear liquids after fasting 2-4 hours.
    • Force fluids up to 8-10 glasses per day.
    • Water. clear soup, broth, flat soda or sports drinks are excellent fluids to replace those lost by diarrhea.
    • Avoid dairy products send they tend to make diarrhea worse.
    • Avoid gassy foods and carbonated beverages.
    • Hot and cold beverages, alcohol, coffe and cigarettes tend to aggravate diarrhea.
    • Be sure to sip fluids throughtout the day to prevent dehydration.
    • Once the diarrhea decreases, you can try the BRAT diet--- bananas, Rice, Applesauce and Toast.
    • Once you are tolerating these foods, progress to bland low fiber foods  ( chicken w/o skin, scrambed eggs, canned or cooked fruits w/o skins, crackers, pasta w/o sauce, white bread or gelatins.

    Don't forget that you can always do a search on the BCO main website to get help with how to deal with side effects.  The main website is a great source of information!!!

    Hope this helps.... but again, call the doctor on call to get some help.  .... no reason to try to handle the side effect, especially if you are not sure what to do.   Let us know how you are doing...... feel better soon!!!! 

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  • liefie
    liefie Member Posts: 2,440
    edited August 2012

    Dear Tinkers2,

    So sorry to hear that you are having a hard time. You have received very good advice from the two ladies above, so hopefully you can get the diarrhea under control, and start to feel better. Use everything available to you during the first week of every cycle to get you through it. I abolutely hate pills, and never drink them, but I have never taken so many pills in my life as during my chemo. It was temporary, and helped me make it through. Another tip: Apply some kind of barrier cream like Vaseline 'down under' 2 x daily, otherwise you may get burnt and raw there. It happened to me. You go girl! Best wishes.

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  • tinkers2
    tinkers2 Member Posts: 35
    edited August 2012

    Thank you all for the great advice.  ILBoysMom- I did  finally use the imodium!  My dr kept telling me to use it.... but i'm stubborn...

    Melrosemelrose- Great resource.  A bland BRAT diet for me till this ends. Thanks for all that info.

    liefie- Thanks for the vaseline trick too.  I knew I could get great advice here, so thank you all so much.

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