Anyone change diet/take herbal remedies during chemo?Any tips?

Options
ambercatz
ambercatz Member Posts: 7
edited June 2014 in Managing Side Effects of Breast Cancer and Its Treatment

Hi
I am having my first chemo tomorrow and am obviously worried. I was wondering if anyone took any supplements, changed diet etc during chemo and got good results. I am aware there are conta-indications but everything I am reading is linking diet to cancer. I have been taking turmeric but have stopped that during chemo as there may be contra-indications but I am hearing good things about milk thistle for liver protection.
I would appreciate any tips anyone could give. I am going to be given FEC-T-4 of each. I am Grade 3, HER2 negative but that is all I know at the moment. I have it in the lymph nodes too and lump was 3.5 cm when I had biopsy.
I would also like to hear any positives as I have read too much about chemo side effects and have frightened myself silly. I do not even know the results of my scans(body and bone) yet and this is all moving a bit fast. I feel uninformed and on a treadmill and want to take control.
I appreciate any help you can all give me
Thank you

· Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Comments

  • gonegirl
    gonegirl Member Posts: 1,871
    edited June 2013

    Glutamine to lessen neuropathy. Check supplements with your doctor.



    I also take vitamin d, acidophilus, omega 3 fatty acids, co q 10, and coriolus versicolor PSP from the vendor mushroom sciences.



    All were recommended by a naturopathic doctor.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • melmcbee
    melmcbee Member Posts: 1,119
    edited June 2013

    Hi. I took vit c, vit d3, calcium, multivitamin, cal/mag/zinc



    My oncologist wasnt thrilled with any herbal supplements that I was taking so I stopped.

    Good luck and healing hugs

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Denise-G
    Denise-G Member Posts: 1,777
    edited June 2013

    I was given the direction no vitamins or supplements as you want the chemo work.

    I followed the rules and after chemo and rads resumed.   GOOD LUCK!!!

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • BikerLee
    BikerLee Member Posts: 355
    edited June 2013

    I did a ton of research and then proposed my supplement list to my oncologist, who rejected and few and accepted a few....

    What I ended up taking:

    Glutamine - prevents neuropathy and some other side effects.  APPROVED by my oncologist. This supplement has actually made it through some clinical trials, and there's no evidence to suggest that it compromises the efficacy of the chemo. You can buy it as a powder, swirl it in water, and drink up. It doesn't have much taste. I did a heaping table spoon three times per day, and I am sure that it helped with side effects because when I slacked off during one cycle, I suffered more.

    Vitamin D - I live in the northern region of the US, and most of my treatment was during winter. So, I kept up with vitamin D.

    IRON - after a few cycles, my hemoglobin tanked pretty hard. My oncologist suggested I also add folate.

    B12 - I'm vegan, and we don't get much B12. Well - I'm very nearly vegan...  And B12 is important in hemoglobin synthesis etc... as well.

    I hope that helps. If you're considering a particular supplement (please do consider glutamine), propose it to your health care team.  You are RIGHT to discontinue tumeric. That has been shown to have anti cancer effects, but it has also been shown to compromise the efficacy of chemotherapy.  I was worried because I LOVE CURRY, but my doc said that the amount eaten in a typical curry dish is not enough to compromise chemo... and since I struggled with maintaining my weight (most women gain - I lost - a ton), he told me to simply eat...  

    Hope that helps.  And good luck tomorrow!

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • painterly
    painterly Member Posts: 602
    edited June 2013

    I have one great tip that I can pass on.

    Chemo burnt my outer skin when urinating. Before the next chemo round, I came up with the idea of carrying a plastic water bottle with me and taking it to the bathroom, filling it with water prior to peeing. As I peed, I poured the water over my netherparts. I couldn't prevent the damage from the first round of chemo, but was able to prevent the condition worsening. The water pouring diluted the strong urine that is created by the chemo. I passed this little tip on at the chemo room, and all the ladies who were waiting for their first round were very pleased about the tip. The ladies who had already had their first treatment did it also. I told my oncologist and he said he would also pass on this tip for future chemo recipients.

    I continued the water pouring for a few days following each round of chemo.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Categories