Chemo advise

[Hazel30]

My Mom started her chemo today along with the clinical trial that she's been on for antibodies and I wanted to know what are some of the good things to eat and do while on chemo. Any tips that you've personaly had done that helped you would be greatly appreciated. This is her second round of treatments. Her first treament last year she did fairly well and the only thing she added to her diet was lots of blueberries and pomogranet juice. I know there is so much more that all of you ladies do so I would very much appreciate any helpful advise. I know she also got the dark spots on her face from the chemo is there anything that she can do to prevent that or keep it at minimum? She also had the numbness in the fingers, not much though. I know her bones got a lot more frail because after chemo she developed 4 herniated disks that she still sufferes from to this day and she's only 47.
Thank You
-Fiana

[Tybear]

My advice to your Mom? Tell her to do whatever makes her feel good and take everything she hears with a grain of salt. I agree with the walking, if she has the strength...I wish I had walked more. Not much you can do about the sunspots...I was told to stay completely out of the sun, so for now it's SPF 50 sunblock. I too, am on a clinical trial, and am not allowed to take any additional supplements. If you can take care of yourself, get plenty of rest and keep your counts up, you shouldn't really need any supplements anyway. I guess each person is different....
Take care,
Becky

[tellme]

I've not heard about that. All I know is it helped me to feel a little less down and helped me to remain positive and also the oxygen helps to clear my head.

[alanpvegas]

you're welcome!  Maitake D-Fraction is simply from the Maitake Mushroom...so there has never been any adverse interactions with chemo or any other drug (because it's natural food based).  The only concern would be if you are allergic to mushrooms.  In-fact, it works best with chemotherapy, reduces it's side effects and boosts immunity.

did they say why she can't take any vitamins or supplements?  many times dr's say that because they think it will intefere but it doesn't (based on an old story with little factual evidence that got circulated around:  http://www.alanpeto.com/ovarian_cancer/blogs/13/Meta-analysis-finds-antioxidant-supplementation-safe-during-cancer-therapy.html )

good luck to both of you!!!! :)

[Hazel30]

She is not permitted to take any vitamins because of the clinical trial not chemo.
But I cant see why she would not be able to take any natural food based suppliments.  I will find this out.  Thanks again.

[alanpvegas]

That's a pretty restrictive clinical trial!  Which one is it (if you don't want to mention it's ok)?  Vitamins/Multivitamins are usually a good thing to take during chemotherapy rather than not.  I can't see why the clinical trial would exclude that...unless they are talking about high levels of vitamins (too much).  You get vitamins naturally from foods (which is obviouslly the way to go), but if you can't then supplementation is necessary.

Something to check out too is a drink called "Juven".  I posted something about it today (with a link).  Might be something for her to consider taking!

[SimplyStar]

They stopped all of Leslee's vitamins also, she can take a one a day womens with the limit of 200mg Vit C  Clinical trial protical does not want anything that might suggest it helped, other than the chemo.  They have a list a mile long of things she cannot take.  Wort, ginkgo, enchinanea,  and about 35 other things.  But her last white count was down to 1.2,  they told her that was because the white cells were working on the cancer cells. We will see what this next blood work shows. She had the Nulesta shot.  I am a little worried about the counts, as I feel they should let her take the immune boosters she was taking while on the first line of chemo. Her counts stayed good then.  she has her infusion of toptecan, 1st, 8th and 15th, they told her her count would build back up then in the following 2 weeks , but she takes the other drug daily, 2500mg of Tykerb.  Leslee is 50 now, had to go to a foot doctor for a bone spur and some kind of skin/muscle disorder caused by her shoes not being the right weight #.  Whatever that is, planters fasitus???? Never knew before about tennis shoes having a number on them for the weight. She has to get one that is 500 something, hers was 350.  There seems no end to the darn research I have to do.

[Hazel30]

Is it true that being in the warm sun helps killl cancer cells?  I thought I read  that a few months ago?
thx

[tellme]

I found juicing helped immensely to give me vitamins and minerals that I found sometimes I didn't feel like eating. A good juicer will also make it easier to prepare juices so you don't have to cut them into pieces. The variety of fruits I used were oranges, carrots, cucumber, apples, berries, kiwis and most important ginger because of it antibacterial properties and also its help in combatting nausea. I also use some raw beetroot which really helped with constipation naturally.  I would normally have a drink first thing on an empty stomach and try to have 1-2 more in the day.
Sometimes it was hard to eat and I found the juices did help to give me some energy although that was hard most of the time.
Seven months on I still juice and it really makes me feel like I am treating my body. You could also do some smoothies and these could be done with frozen fruit ( they still retain the vits and mins). Just add half a banana, honey, ice and maybe some nuts or seeds.. all good!
Apart from this all the other symptoms I just kept contacting the Macmillan Nurse and the Oncologists who prescribed stuff to deal with all the side effects of the chemo - even to the point where the chemo dosage had to be adjusted. Do make sure your mother can communicate how she is feeling at all times - there is help there always. I wish strength and peace to you both.

[tellme]

Oh...and walking....fresh air...grassy areas around trees...blue skies...flowers...lots of oxygen. With or without company. I still do it.Time for me to meditate and be at peace...

[alanpvegas]

Isn't that the truth?  It's kinda sad we (the caregivers and patients) have to do all this research.  But in a way, it's good.  Everytime I find something out now about/for my mom, I pop it in the knowledgebase so maybe one day it can help someone else out.  If anyone wants to help with this (finding info and putting it in the knowledgebase) just let me know (I can add users/authors)!

------------
Ovarian Cancer Research Website (In BETA Testing)
http://cancer.alanpeto.com/

[Hazel30]

Thanks for the info.  Yes, she is not allowed to take any vitamins with the trial that she's on.  Although I will mention them to see which are and which are not.  In the meantime I want my Mom to have a good nutritional every day eating habbit that can help her boost her immune and keep her strong.  She is going to work through this whole thing so she needs energy and cant let this bring her down.  I will read the info you provided.  Thanks again  

[alanpvegas]

The best book on this would be "How to Prevent & Treat Cancer with Natural Medicine" .( Endorsed by the Cancer Treatment Centers of America)
http://astore.amazon.com/ovcaresearch-20/detail/1573223433/103-2149015-3402266
Plenty advise on what to eat, what supplements to take, etc.

The juices she is taken is GOOD!  Good antioxidants!  I'm a big promoter of Maitake D-Fraction, however...helps boost the immune system if nothing else (has shown to have anti tumor / anti cancer properties) www.maitake.com is the best in the U.S. for this product.  Also plenty of fermented soy isoflavones and DIM are good (http://www.alanpeto.com/ovarian_cancer/blogs/9/Soy-broccoli-anti-cancer-link-explained.html) and are being used for future ovarian cancer drug analogs if you can believe it.  

Depends on the clinical trial and what the drug is supposed to do, however.  Take a look at it's action and if the supplements you are going to take might interact with that.  Most of the ones I mentioned haven't shown to do anything except compliment chemo...but you wanna make sure!  Ask the Doc (if they are up on these things, many aren't)


For the neuropathy, I gave my mom Blue-Emu to help her with the pins and needles ( http://www.alanpeto.com/ovarian_cancer/infobase/questions/11/ ) but I saw on the Doxil website (and also a study featured by the ACS) that confirms what Doxil website says...frozen gloves and ice packs work ( http://www.alanpeto.com/ovarian_cancer/infobase/questions/14 )