Breast cancer chemo

Hi everyone, im starting 18 weeks of chemo on 26th Nov. I'm wondering what I can do to help my self, i was going to look up super foods that might put some goodness back in me an give me a little energy. I'm not sure if it will be beneficial or not im just trying to stay positive an do everything I can at my end.any thing best to avoid? Thanks everyone  

  • Kinda interested in this too.  My wife starts treatment next week too and we have received contradictory advice. The chemo nurses (who are absolute stars btw) said eat what you want and that a lot of people do so and spread it out over small meals, rather than 2 or 3 main meals.  Whereas the actual oncologist said try to eat healthily so you don't pile weight on.

    The nurses said there's no point getting all types of foods in until you're doing the treatment because your taste buds can change and what you may enjoy now, you may dislike during treatment.  she said it can be a wee bit like pregnancy. Insofar that some women can go off foods or certain tastes just make them wrench. So I think she's gonna go with the nurses and see what is what. No point stockpiling a certain type of food only to find out she can't stomach it.

  • The nurses are absolutely right!  I'm part way through chemo, having had 4xEC and about to start on 4x paclitaxel.  It's been a bit like pregnancy for me too.  I've suffered from nausea and sickness, although the worst of it was solved with new medication after my first cycle (so definitely tell your medical team about difficult side effects as they can usually prescribe something to help).  There have been times I've had to keep nibbling to get rid of either nausea or a horrible empty feeling in my stomach. And my taste has been all over the place - eg. I can no longer drink tea or coffee, and I hate the taste of water.  
     

    So I agree that you should eat what you feel like, and that might well change from one cycle to the next (hence good advice from ProfBaw not to stockpile).  I can no longer face some of the food I ate lots of after my first couple of cycles - I don't even want to see it in the fridge.  I do try to have some healthy food in the house (eg. Veg soups, smoothies, dried fruit) so that when I'm hungy I don't always resort to sweets and crisps.  I also try to get out for a walk most days to get some exercise  But although many people are lucky and don't suffer bad side effects, for lots of us getting through chemo is challenging enough without having to worry too much about diet.  So I'd say don't go mad and live on chocolate, but in general take the nurses' advice, go with the flow, and eat what you feel like eating.