Experience with Fasting during Chemo?

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Honey2289
Honey2289 Member Posts: 5
edited November 2019 in Chemotherapy - Before, During, and After

I meet with my MO this coming Thursday and anticipating chemo recommendation as my Mammaprint came back high risk. My breast surgeon mentioned a few times that she's had patients have great results from fasting during chemotherapy. Studies show fasting helps reduce side effects from treatment and allows cancer cells to be better targeted by the chemo drug.

I'm wondering if anyone else has fasted during chemo? What chemo regimen did you receive and what was your fasting schedule?


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  • SparkleGirl2018
    SparkleGirl2018 Member Posts: 48
    edited November 2019

    Hi Honey2289, I did not do the fasting but have read posts from people on here that have with good results. If you do a search for Fast Mimicking you will see quite a few posts. Good Luck with your treatments. I just finished mine the beginning of October and I am starting to feel more and more like myself. There is a light at the end of the tunnel!!

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  • hapa
    hapa Member Posts: 920
    edited November 2019

    I fasted for one of my chemo treatments and it didn't seem to make any difference. My side effects were well managed and I was able to work full time and do cardio five days a week, though it was cumulative and I was slower and more tired toward the end. I believe I fasted for my fifth infusion and my side effects were worse than after my fourth infusion, not as bad as after my sixth infusion. Infusion #5 is when I started getting significant swelling, perhaps it was due to poor nutrition/lack of protein due to fasting, but I suspect I would have started swelling either way. I didn't do it again because it didn't seem to make a difference. I think a lot of people who fast would have done fine on chemo regardless. I assume people who fast are already more health conscious and more tolerant of physical unpleasantness than average, and there's no way to do a blind fasting trial, so there's probably some placebo effect at play. But hey, if you can trick yourself into not hating life on chemo, why not?

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  • LisaKPisa
    LisaKPisa Member Posts: 14
    edited November 2019

    Honey - I’m also considering it, but upon researching found they’re recommending 60 hours pre- chemo and 24 after. Not sure I can do that! Also won’t get a chance to talk to my doc before my first infusion on Thurs.

    Hapa - Would you mind sharing how long you fasted, before and/or after?

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  • MinusTwo
    MinusTwo Member Posts: 16,634
    edited November 2019

    Maybe see how you react to the drugs first?
    I never had nausea but almost constant diarrhea. During treatment I lost 60 lbs - and I really didn't need to lose weight. I went from a size 12/14 to a size 4/6 and looked emaciated. I can't imagine what would have happened if I stopped eating on top of that.

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