what did you eat during chemo
Hey everyone, I am going to post this on several different threads so I can get a variety of answers. I finished my chemo on 2/19/07 and I was recently asked a question and I can't remember. A young girl my sons work with is doing a project for a class at school. They are designing a cancer center that is going to be built. They have to plan everything~including the menu for the cafe. They are supposed to ask cancer patients what they ate during chemo and what totally turned their stomachs. There is a chance, they will actually use the menu she comes up with up. The only things I can remember that I really wanted were jelly beans and hamburgers when I was taking Taxotere. I can't remember anything I wanted on while on A/C. Can you all help me out? I thought if she had input from some of the most wonderful people ever, if I might be more helpful than just jelly beans and hamburgers. Thanks everyone. I will let you know how she does. The project is not due until Thanksgiving but I would like to give it to her as soon as possible. Thanks again. , Bonny
Comments
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Bonny,
That sounds like a wonderful idea! Hmm.....what did I want on chemo? Definitely NOT water-my replacement was fresh melon! I HAD to have watermelon, honeydew, and canteloupe. In addition, I was very happy with anything connected to bread or potatoes. Oh, include egg noodles in that list. All my favorite foods (like mexican food-yummmm) were taboo on the "on-weeks" for chemo. Oh, the other thing is PICKLES! I couldn't get enough of them, I ate constantly while on chemo!
Definitely keep us posted! Love and prayers, Deb
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The whole time on chemo I craved frozen strawberry bars and cheese and crackers. Could not drink coffee and the thought of any kind of fish made me sick.
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Well, not much tastes good, but I've been eating soup, ice cream and smoothies. I've also liked melon. Hope the project goes well.
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Instant mashed potatos, nothing spicey, a lot of fruit, raw veggies come to mind.
Sounds like a great project.
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Lasagna, mac & cheese, fruit smoothies and any kind of soup except tomato were my staples during chemo.
Good luck with the project! -
Thanks, everyone has been so helpful. I will keep checking and writing it down so that I can pass it on. You all are the greatest! Bonny
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Hi:
Don't think this will help, as I must be wierd. The steroids made me so abnormally hungry. I didn't have any cravings, or should say craved everything
!!! It was so embarrassing, as my stomach was full but I'd still eat eventhough I was feeling sick from the chemo.
At least once a day had mashed potatoes and meat....crazy. However, maybe there was something good about this because not once did I need meds to bring up my white count. My onc couldn't believe it, I was getting DD.......he said that's very rare. He said just keep eating your system needs it, worry about the weight later.
Is there anybody out there that ate beyond reason?????
just had to mention it, as I'm still teased about it
Big Hugs
Erika
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Hi,
I had the worst time during chemo with most all foods. I couldn't eat breads, crackers, sweets and I was starving! I eat carrots, watermelon and ice cream for weeks. I would cry out of frustration as I was hungry. Everything tasted awful, not metalic like the books say, just gross. I finished 4 rounds of A/C and 4 rounds of Taxotere. It was worst with Taxotere. It has been 4 months and I am still not tasting the way foods should be. That has been the most trying part of chemo...the other is my hair is growing in every which way (kinky, curly, gray). One side of my head is different than the other and lots of cowlicks. What a mess
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Beef broth, melons and other non-acid fruits, frozen fruit bars, grilled chicken breast, pork chops, toast and tea, puddings.
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Baked potatoes , craved french fries and cheeseburgers from Mcdonalds! Light hawaiian punch. Crystal lite ice tea. Cream of mushroom soup. Lots of crackers. I also drank alot of 2% milk. Also frozen fruit juice bars.
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EGAL-it does get better, have faith! It took me about 9 months before I could taste things "normally," again. On the flip side, there are now things that I once hated (DiGiorno frozen pizza, sensitive toothpaste) that I simply love the taste of. How weird is that?!?! I got my tastebuds back and went wild eating everything I didn't eat for a year. I gained back all my chemo diet weight.
And as for the crazy hair, I can identify with you. One side of my hair sticks straight out with an out of control flip, the back is kinky, and the front where my bangs once were is still growing in (I was completely bald there for the longest time!). I once had long, straight, thick hair. Now it is just wacky.
Love and prayers, Deb
PS-I also LOVED vegetarian corn dogs!!!
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You are all so helpful. This is going to help my friend out so much. I called her and told her how much you all were contributing and she is so appreciative. I am making a list to give to her on Friday. Let's hope they use her menu in the actual cancer center they are building. I will let you all know. Thanks again!
Bonny
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I'll be starting chemo next Monday. I will let you know my cravings then. I can't imagine it will be pickles though! Unfortunately, it will probably be all the carbs loaded foods (bread, pastas, sweets).
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Well I was determined to eat healthy foods. I remember my onc teling me no raw foods which seemed like a contradiction from to the healing books I read. So I became a green tea addict (still am) and ate lots of fruit and salad. I was very careful to wash all food thoroughly and didn't have any problems. Since I went through chemo during summer months I consumed LOTS of fruit (blueberries every morning).
I had grilled salmon several times per week with a mustard topping and still eat it regular. I stopped eatting any meat from 4 legged critters, so only eat seafood and poultry now. I love italian and cannot give up cheese so I still eat those foods. Now I make an effort to regularly eat fruits and veggies daily and minimize white flour products and sugar items. I lost about 15# on chemo which I NEEDED to loose and so far am managing to keep the weight off with daily walks. I am committed to this life style change and hope it will make a difference in my future health. Joann
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Creamsicles, quiche, lemonade, and mashed potatoes!
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Hi Bonny,
I just finished 4 tx of dd A/C and am ready to start 4 tx of taxol. I ate Luigi's lemon ice(found in the supermarket)- one every night and never got a sore in my mouth. Also craved macaroni and cheese. Never lost my appetitie once and ate almost everything i normally eat. Hope this helps...good luck.
Hugs, Jackie
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Mine was Cream of Mushroom soup, Ramen Noodles and a dolup of Cream cheese.
My savior was Melon flavored gatorade as cold as I could get it.
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KFC mashed potatoes, with gravy and Mt. Dew, please.
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I can't not stress to drink TONS of water the day before, the day of and the day after. I made sure my Mom drank over 100 ounces each day (days 0,1 and 2) and she handled Chemo very well. The nurses also stressed how important water was. I STRONGLY recommend drinking lots of water.
But my Mom maintained a pretty normal eating habit...since she received Chemo during the summer, water ice especially was refreshing---and light enough not to upset her stomach.
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I havent started chemo yet. Next Thursday. Im making my shopping list. I was told I will probably feel a reaction on Saturday. I asked Oncologist nurse what to eat, she said anything. I thought that odd. I am making an appointment to see a nurtitionist. I really like this website. Kate~
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Mashed potatoes and chicken broth based soups. Could not tolerated any ice cream products. Somehow the taste buds changed those flavors to really bad. Popsciles were okay but had a banana flavored one and will probably never eat a banana flavored popsicle again.
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When I was on A/C...I craved watermellon...I think I ate several by myself this summer! I hated anything sweet,coffee, diet soda and any drink that was red! I loved potatoes (always have) but they tasted especially good. My taste buds were definately off through all of the treatments. When I went on taxotere..still craved the watermellon, but a taste for sweets slowly returned.
I had my last treatment on 8/29/07 and happy to say, my appetitie and taste buds are back to normal! yeah!
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Kate - I believe the reason the onc nurses tell you to "eat anything" is because often chemo patients have a hard time eating due to nausea, taste changes, etc. Just keep your strength up - ask for and eat anything that sounds good to you.
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I had four rounds of taxotere, cytoxin, herceptin. I likened it to being pregnant with Rosemary's Baby, whatever it wants you give it. Unfortunately, each chemo, like this Baby, was different, but virtually nothing could I tolerate. Potatoes for #1, bottled water and eggs for #2, nothing but the water, Ginger Ale, and fresh bread from Blue Dog Bakery here for #3, and nothing, period, for #4. Fun, huh? The one thing that did work was the Gladiator Smoothie from Smoothie King. It didn't make me want to barf, and has 45 grams of protein in it. They got to know me so well I became "that cancer lady" all summer. I still go there now because I still cannot taste squat. I lost 8-10 pounds per chemo. Meat??? ugh! Cheese? Nope! Milk, no way, soy milk was okay though. Citrusy things can be tasted well. Anything sweet tasted like it had five pounds of sugar in it, and no morning coffee either. If it was white it had a chance, but no veggies. I sure envy those of you who could tolerate that. I spent my days watching food shows and virtually eating Rachel Ray and Emeril......it all sounded good! Certain Asian items were okay too, like Pho Gha soup and pot stickers. I also got sugar cravings as my taste buds returned after chemos 1 and 2. Got no mouth sores except after chemo 3. I see hair and god help me its white! Like all those potatoes!!! I want turkey and stuffing and cranberry sauce! I agree about all the water before and after chemo. Trying to walk helped too.
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I was a vegetarian at the time of my chemo.
So don't be looking for meat on my list
I ate tons of cottage cheese
boiled eggs
soft buns
itcheban noodles cooked in straight water
avocados
with the last three chemos I too was going for the pickles. Tons of them.
I would have all these empty pickles jars lined up LOL
Tried as much fresh veggies but couldn't handle the foul taste right after chemo, was ok at week 2-3.
Drank lots of sparkling water and tea.
I had FEC so didn't get the metal taste in my mouth but food tasted OFF. What used to taste fresh tasted rotten.
Like I said, in week 2-3 food was tolerable again, but just didn't taste so good
Good luck,
Christine
(actually I wish the cancer centres would have a look at their menu. Several times I actually wanted to eat there and there was nothing on the menu that I could have kept down, being a vegetarian at the time made it really difficult. And fries and gravy honestly wasn't something I wanted
)
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My mother doctor recommends her to eat some meat, liver (goat liver is much better), eggs, and feggy. The most important thing is you must eat healty. Do not forget to take some vitamins and calciums.
Liver said to be good to improve the red blood cells and the leucocyte.
My mother also take beat fruit juice, you can mixed it with carrot. and you can also make it into salad
Ps.:
I'm not sure whether beat is fruit or not, it is round, and the color is purpule
Beat is also good to enhaced the red blood cells, but do not take it too much a day because it may lead you to headache, just a small glass is enough. let me warn you, it may not smell good, but it is certainly good for your body.
hopefully this can be a help for you
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