Hi Hopeful,
Regarding "heartburn" when on chemo. Consider asking your onc about OTC previcid (or other similar
med) during chemo. Realize you said you were using Zantac. Am sure oncologists may have different
opinions/recommendations. Some oncologists recommend an OTC previcid like med (proton pump
inhibitor) during chemo - discuss with your MD. Since the GI tract lining has rapid cell turnover which
is effected by chemo, it seems reasonable to be proactive.
Another member mentioned above that " I was on a fairly low carb diet for three years and still got cancer".
The oncology nutritionist I saw reminded me: vegetarian marathon runners get breast cancer.
If your cancer center (or a cancer center nearby) has an oncology nutritionist, you might like to consider
a nutrition consult while you are on chemo. I found the nutrition consult most helpful.
Great to hear you tolerated your 1st two AC and Neulasta very well. Sending hopes the rest
of your chemo goes as smoothly.
Since the name of your thread is: What to eat while on chemo, sharing the following.
Will share some thoughts on chemo and nutrition. As usual........everyone is different.
You may already be doing the folloiwng.. Will mention all that come to mind just in case. Pick & choose.
Nausea: Meds per your MD plan of care.
Keep a daily record until one knows what to expect and do.
Put down what was eaten or done on chemo day. Chemo day meds.
List each days symptoms.....meds taken....responses.
Review above with provider and keep adjusting until best plan is found.
Be aware that some of first chemo reactions could be result of both chemo and
stress/anxiety of having 1st chemo.
Symptoms may be less on 2nd chemo due to any adjustments made.
Constipation: Figure out what works best for you........prune juice, bran cereal, stool softener
such as colace. Tweak plan with your provider as needed.
General thoughts:
A healthy diet with recommended grams of protein of course is ideal when tolerated.
One is not always able to eat the recommended grams of protein......but it's good to know what
the goal is when possible.
Some need to eat whatever they can tolerate during chemo.....just to get the protein
and calories. After chemo, one can return to a "healthier" diet.
Protein is important. Fluids very important.
Any fluids and any food is better than none.
If one has already consulted with a nutritionist, one might consider a call for immediate
recommendations if/when problems arise and then consider f/u appt as needed.
The person on chemo "knows" nutrition is very important and is trying very hard to eat.
It is hard to explain to others when one has absolutely no appetite.
Request that those around you not say "eat better".......as one knows that and is trying so
hard to eat.
One may find the things one tolerates may change thru out the chemo treatments.
One may find that one is able to eat and drink better the second week after chemo.
Thus, do the best one can the first week, knowing one will eat better the second week.
Consider what do you think would appeal to you today....
is there something you would like to try even if it's only a small amount.
Mouth: Keep mouth in a clean refreshed condition.
Mouth case as directed by provider.
I did frequent salt water swishes.
Biotene products are more expensive than some others. I felt I was worth using these
products during chemo. Used Biotene toothpaste, Biotene MouthWash and the
Biotene gel (the gel especially helped keep oral mucosa moist).
Biotene has a bio-active enzyme system.
Avoid oral products with alcohol.
Fluids: Find the fluids that one tolerates best.
Frequent small amounts if larger amounts not tolerated.
Sometimes the temperature can make a big difference.....try cold, warm, room temperature
and see if any temperature is tolerated better.
Try usual fluids and explore new ones until one has fluids that are tolerable/enjoyable.
Water, ice cubes (that have been melted a bit first), tea, ginger ale, pear juice,
soup broths, frozen fruit popsicles, milk, milk-ice cream shakes if tolerated.
coffee
Try any fruit juice that sounds appealing....maybe diluted at first.
Some/many need to avoid acidic or tart things during chemo.
Yogurt/ice/with +/- fruit smoothies.
If MD and nutritionist recommend, Ensure and Boost type product OR get a
recipe for healthy shakes/smoothies from the nutritionist
Food: Nutritionist I saw said the only time she recommends potato chips is for chemo patients
with poor appetites.
She recommended having 5 potato chips prior to a meal. She advised any "healthier" potato
chip (She gave example of Cape Cod potato chips. Store locator at:
http://www.snyderslanceproductlocator.com/capecod/ She also recommended ginger snaps.
I found that some days I could eat better than others.
Things I found easier to eat with no appetite:
oatmeal, english muffin, peanut butter,
chicken or turkey broth:
various ways. plain. with added chicken or turkey, peas, carrots.
sometimes part skim mozzarella cheese on top.
chicken on toasted english muffin and melted cheese on top.
cottage cheese and pears.
yogurt.
toasted cheese sandwich.
(latter half of chemo, could not tolerate the yogurt and cottage cheese)
Tabatchnick Split Pea Soup (frozen soup pouches in frozen cabinet
section of store). If tolerated, this has 13 grams of protein and 13 grams fiber.
regular: 380 mg of sodium. low sodium version: 50 mg
( had to use a few shakes of salt in the low sodium version for taste)
mashed butternut squash.
tapioca.
towards end of chemo: asparagus.
Try non-spicey seasonings you like. If you tolerate spicey seasonings, fine.
Some people chose to eliminate meat and dairy from their diets. When this is done,
consider oncology nutrition consult to be sure your intake includes what is needed
for cell repair etc.
If you can start with some things that you can tolerate, then you can add as time goes on.
Would anticipate you will find a good food plan that will be good for during chemo.
Sometimes, it takes a little time and trying different things.
Again, everyone is different. Pick and choose if anything above sounds helpful.
Please disregard anything that you do not agree with or you feel will not work.
You will figure out YOUR best food plan.
Since your name is Hopeful, would like to share:
The following is a quote on hope from:
Book: Anatomy of Hope by Jerome Groopman MD
" Each disease is uncertain in its outcome and within that uncertainly we find real hope, because a
tumor has not always read the textbook, and a treatment can have an unexpectedly dramatic
impact. This is the great paradox of true hope. Because nothing is absolutely determined, there
is not only reason to fear but also reason to hope."
He also says: "Hope is a belief and expectation."
There is a thread with Hopeful Quotes
http://forum.tnbcfoundation.org/hopeful-quotes-and-other_topic9897.htmlThere's so much info on the forums.
The thread
http://forum.tnbcfoundation.org/tnbc-info-on-this-website_topic10166.htmlmay have some info that would be helpful.
With caring, positive and hopeful thoughts,
Grateful for today...............Judy
Spelling corrections
Edited by Grateful for today - Jun 29 2013 at 12:59pm