Tips for getting through chemotherapy
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Bump
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Emilyjuanita -- this is for you! *bump*
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listening to my ipod is the most realxing feeling when I am having chemo. Stock it with great music and be careful not to sing too loud! It can get embarassing!
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Rock,
And "pinned" means..................?
Bump
Nico
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Yeah, I have one, too...what's up with that?
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La Bump!
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nico, the moderators have 'pinned' this topic to the top of the forum so it will always be the first topic that is seen, no more bumping!!
Sheila
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I started chemo last Friday and this nausea is getting to me. They gave me the steroids and some phenergan pills. I tried to do everything right but the nausea came within 24 hours and I am unable to hold the pills down or anything else for that matter. This morning I took the nausea pill at 5am and the steroid and 7 and still feel like it is touch and go. Tomorrow I will ask the docs for a suppository for nausea so I won't have so much to swallow. I am worried becaue I was told to drink lots of fluids with A/C and to urinate every 4-5 hours if possible. Needless to say, with all the nausea, I have not done any of this. I don't want to dehydrate.
Rockthebald, thanks for the advice on the comfy Crocs.
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Roya, I am very sorry you are dealing with nausea. You might even want to call in today (and see if there is an onco "on call") to see if there is a way you can get some relief from the nausea! You shouldn't have to feel like this. Some other thoughts . . . sometimes sipping liquids through a straw has helped me, or -- something I learned bouncing around in the back seat of a van along windy roads in rural Puebla, MX -- slice up limes (or were they lemons?) and sniff them.
(A lot of us have had luck with the anti-nausea drug Emend. It has it's own "issues" e.g., constipation, but I know I for one can deal with constipada better than nausea like you're experiencing.)
Good for you for being aware of dehydration and not resigning yourself to feeling queasy all the time! That is just the sort of attitude that will help you in the weeks ahead!! Take good care of yourself.
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Sheila,
Since I don't need your permission, I AM bumping for the Aug. 08 group and anyone else who PM's me for tips on getting through chemo. If it really requires an explanation read my post on "More Tips". I just bumped that too.
Nico
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Bump again
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Bump
I finished chemo and had to fight an infection and am now scheduled to meet surgeon again.
My advice is go with the flow, eat what feels good, rest, have fun when you can, and do not overthink things. My short term memory is laughable at times so do not try to do important things, let someone else do it! I realized just how much my husband and son love me during this time in spite of all of the competitve stuff we used to go through, and clearly I could not move forward without their umbrella over me so be kind to those around you. They learn patience also. Also be gratreful for people like Nico1012 and Rock the Bald, and others who are so caring for the cause of helping us all, I have been a little scattered this past month and will be so now as I move to surgery which is why I have not posted for a while. IT seems that I just start to feel better then I have to go through another procedure. But is is worth it and I stay positive. Chemo has zapped my energy but taught me to relearn what is important. And I have been watching the olympics wishing I was young again. Stay on the road to recovery. Be a fighter!!! I wish you all well. W7
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W7,
Thank you for the kind words.
Bumping in honor of Rock the Bald.
Nico
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Bump
You go girls!!
W7
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Just thought I'd add this one to our "list" - get a bunch of disposable razors and use them for a few days only then get rid of them! I could have avoided a nasty staph infection under my arm if I'd known about that one.
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I finished up chemo last September, but these are a few things I picked up:
-baby shampoo (ideal for the new hair you're going to be getting.)
-VERY cold Ensure for those days where eating anything just doesn't seem like it's going to happen.
-soft chocolate (I started letting it melt in my mouth during chemo, helped alot more than the jolly ranchers did)
-eye drops (my eyes dryed up badly)
-SLEEP. I know it gets trumped on alot, but, you need it now more than ever going through chemo.
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My oncologist said no aspirin, alleve or NSAID while getting chemo. I am getting taxatore and cytoxen as chemo and the neulasta injection 24 hours later to rescue my white blood cells. Tylenol is OK to take. When I did get bone pain from the neulasta, the oncologist gave me a prescription for perocet to take if the tylenol didn't relieve the pain.
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Agnes - Are you taking regular Claritin? It does really help with the pain from the Neulasta. But I think you need to take one the day before, during and several days after for it to be very helpful. I have allergies so I just take it anyway.
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Thanks for all the great advice, everyone. I just finished my first round of AC, and the information I found here really helped me to be better prepared. :-)
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I have a friend that has had chemo twice now and he says Boost+choc icecream keeps his counts up. He says the ice cream is the treat part that makes him enjoy the Boost. He says it has worked so well for him his chemo nurses are recommending it to the patients.
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I just have to thank you all for this list. My birthday was Tuesday, 2 days before my first-ever TAXOL/AVASTIN for mets; I was a chemo "virgin". My mom wanted to know what to send for my birthday, so I copy/pasted this list into an email, editing out a few things I already had or didn't need. The package arrived yesterday. She even included an adorable oversized cosmetics bags to hold many of the goodies that I can tote around with me.
What would I do without you all?
(((HUGS)))
Diane0 -
Isn't Boost soy based? It won't work for those who are ER+
D
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Diane - Glad it helped!!
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Hi,
I just want to thank you for the list of helpful tips to get through chemo.
I just started on 9/17. I seemed to feel fine during the treatment, however once I got home I felt like I had been walloped by a mac truck. As the night progressed so did the bone pain, nausea, and fatigue. Now I was told no NSAIDS by my onc either while I was on chemo, however the Tylenol extra strength just wasn't taking care of the bone pain.
After going all of yesterday and most of today with severe bone pain, my onc finally agreed to let me take 3 Advil every 8 hrs, but only when the pain is at its worst. So far, it is helping much better then the Tylenol EX.
I have also noticed that my taste buds as I had known them before chemo, have gone out the window, at least for now. Yesterday, I wanted no food at all. Today, was a little bit better; I managed to get down vanilla pudding, and a bagel. Also I have all of a sudden taken a real liking to Gatorade for some reason. I was told by one of the nurses that sometimes a persons eating habits during chemo might change every day. Boy will my husband be going to the grocery store a lot!
So, for the time being, I guess I'll just try my best to adjust to my lack of interest in food ( but hopefully this will get better as time goes on, and I adjust to the meds. )
****One other question: does anyone have any good suggestions for dealing with the extreme fatigue? *******
I use ambien cr, but I have found that since I started chemo ( which again was just a couple of days ago), I am still exhausted when I wake up in the morning. Today I felt like all I wanted to do was lay on the couch, move to the closest chair, and then lay back down.
******Does the fatigue usually get better or worse as you go through treatment?*******
Thanks for the information and help.
Josie : )
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1. Sometimes I found it easier to eat if I was eating with someone, even if the food tasted "off."
2. Fatigue: Your description brought back memories. The best advice I got for warding off fatigue was to try to MOVE as much as I could. I really tried to go for a walk (even a short one) almost every day. (Some days #3 & #4 after chemo, I just COULDN'T). As counter-intuitive as it seems, I think walking -- even on days where all I could manage was a few blocks -- warded off the worst of the fatigue (and kept me from gaining weight from the steroids). Mind you, I am not an exercise buff! But walking 20-40 minutes a day really helped me get through chemo in pretty good shape, mentally and physically.
Other thoughts: Drink lots and lots of water. Try not to become anemic (eat red meat, lentils). Dehydration and anemia can also make the fatigue worse than it needs to be.
In my experience, I did have less energy by the end of treatment. But for the most part, I managed to avoid a sense of chronic fatigue until the very end.
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Thank you rock, for the suggestions on how to combat fatigue.
I do try and get exercise every other day; on average about 30 min per day. And your right, I have also found that just moving around like walking for a few minutes does help make a difference. I do drink lots of fluids. Water and Gatorade are two of my favorites.
I think that I am just frustrated because I am not as energetic as I was before chemo, which I know is to be expected. And from what I was told by my nurse after the 1st treatment, fatigue can get worse with each following appointment. My nurse keeps saying "listen to your body", which for the most part I do not do. I tend to always want to push myself; but then I get so exhausted, I get irritated with me!
I think for now I am just going to try and go with the flow of life. The more I fight the changes from treatment, the more stressed out I get and that's not helping me at all. I have to start cutting myself some slack on my current status vs, how my energy was before chemo. There may be days that I can do a lot more than I expected ( such as working out, chores, etc.), and other days, I might need to just rest.
I just have to accept it, and do what I can to make things easier on myself for right now. If I do this hopefully it will make this process a lot easier to deal with from start to finish.
The key is to just remember to follow everyone's good advice.
Thanks,
Josie : )
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sorry!! Haven't even thought about Boost being soy based and haven't looked. I will look ASAP...anothere reason that we can't listen to men???
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so sorry that i posted before checking this out...this is soy based, has vit c, has antioxidants...so many things my onco says no to.....glad i haven't done too much!!! Next time i PROMISE i will check it out first.
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Great info everyone. I found this site very helpful.
www.cancercare.on.ca/pdfregimeninfo/AC-Taxol.pdf
It is a PDF on Chemotherpay Regimen Info Sheet.
On MOUTH CARE - Use a soft toothbrush to prevent sore gums and bleeding. Toothpaste for sensitive teeth. Rise your mouth 4x per day. Biotene/Baking Soda. DO NOT use any products with alcohol ( Listerine or Scope ) because the alcohol will worsen the pain if you have any open sores.
Good luck and be well.
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I'm doing chemo now and wanted to add something I don't think I've seen mentioned. After reading on these board about all the mouth problems chemo can cause, I had called my dentist's office, explained that I was starting chemo the following week, and had them work me into a last-minute cancellation for a teeth cleaning, which they were extremely accommodating about doing when I explained the situation. I honestly don't know if it's made a difference, but I feel like it helped because I haven't had any mouth or throat problems.
I had also read through this excellent thread and jotted down all the products (i.e. Biotene, Colace, Claritin for Neulasta pain, etc.) that were recommended for various SE's. I picked them all up on one little shopping trip and had them ready and waiting in a pretty basket in my bathroom. Being prepared was definitely empowering. Deanna
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