Digestion Issues Post Chemo
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Oh dear. I don't feel at all loved. My BC nurse told me to eat anything I wanted except yakult type pro biotics. She even told me to sit in front of the telly and pig out on whatever I wanted whether it was healthy or not. The first two weeks I pigged out on chippies but after eating fairly healthy for years I felt quite ill so went back to healthy eating. I had heartburn regardless of what I ate so had to resort to stemizen.0
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I didn't take much either - no nausea so no nausea meds, no bowel problems (except when having the nausea meds at the very beginning!). Took some vitamins as recommended by medical team. Good job I didn't know about eggs, salads etc. I lost my tastebuds on Taxol and eggs, salads, bananas and avocado were the only thing I could taste!0
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I finished chemo around the beginning of August (or end of July???) and my gut was probably upset until recently. Double strength Mylanta tablets were good towards the end. I still have slight reflux/nausea issues in the middle of the night occasionally but I can mostly ride them out without any medication.0
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I agree @primek, we are all different and some of us bring other health issues to the table with us too. Aside from BC I also live with scleroderma (CREST type), I had been having so called "silent reflux" and only when a camera was threaded down to my vocal cords, was the reason for my four months long "laringitis" found...I actually had ulcers lining my entire esophagus as well as my vocal chords in my larynx. I still take medication for this now. My record during AC chemo for constipation was 15 days....count them...15... I had been trying to resolve this matter from day four without success. When I eventually hit the jackpot, I ended up with a rectal tear. When on Paclitaxol, I spray painted my loo a total of 12 times in one day. I couldn't even fart for the entire three months of taxol, except on the loo, in case I got more than I bargained for. Needless to say I took medication for both these extremes of bowel malfunction. As regards pain, I experienced very little following my bilateral mastectomy with node clearance, even after a massive bleed resulted in me being rushed back to theatre as an emergence and opened up. The bleeders were clamped off. That was eleven units of blood and four of plasma...a doozy of a bleed and also returned from the second visit to theatre with two broken ribs. (I also have severe osteoporosis). I do now, however take one pain tablet before I go to bed after having brain surgery a few weeks ago. I had my right internal carotid artery aneurysm clamped which resulted in air and blood around the brain. This is still resolving. I feel no guilt about this @Patti J " and will continue to do so (under my neurosurgeons care) for as long as I need to.0
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@AllyJay ...Yes well I've literally had embarrassing accidents at the supermarket due to my bowel issues. Once the lactose intolerance was discovered this has improved but not eliminated my sensitive gut. I don't think my gut has ever fully recovered from chemo but I guess I will never know if these issues would have happened regardless.
I had reflux issues pre chemo and had a number of ED presentations with suspected heart attack. I'd much prefer taking a pill to avoid that pain.0 -
@primek...Exactly...I pick my medical battles and take only what I need (not what I want), when I need it and in the quantities recommended by my team of doctors. I don't waste my time or money on "magic" this, that or the next thing promoted by so many modern age snake oil salesmen. For those who trust them, well bully for you, go right ahead, but I wouldn't be so rude as to castigate a person for doing so. Each of us adults is responsible for themselves only and have no business condemning others for doing what is right for themselves.1
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Just some advice ( again ) re my digestion. Onc told me to drop the Nexium end of Feb so 3 days ago followed his advice and my digestion and reflux playing havoc last night kept me awake all night plus major nausea as well as today. Be very easy to just pop another tablet each day but don't know whether to ride it out. Am taking my kefir drink every day but not cutting the mustard today. Feel terrible. Thanks in advance. Its been 5 and half months since I finished the chemo.xo0
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@kitkatb I had a small hiatus hernia (found by accident years ago). I hadn’t had any issues with it until I started chemo. Four months post chemo and it is still causing heartburn and pain issues. I am booked in for an endoscopy this month to see if the chemo has worsened it or just temporarily inflamed it. In the meantime, I am on Losec three times a day.0
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It just keeps giving doesn't it @Blossom1961 Gosh good luck with the endoscopy hope it hasn't worsened for you. xo0
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@kitkatb I enraged my body by filling it with chemicals. I think it is going to be awhile before it forgives me. Once all the aches and pains have settled or been sorted then I will go back to all natural. I’m giving it a year.1
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I’m still suffering digestive issues and drink kombucha which I find usually helps and when I really need it I take a nexium. I’m 18months post chemo 🙁 the doctor would like me to have a gastroscopy and colonoscopy...I’ll get to it one day. Good luck xx1
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Don't underestimate life stress to mess with digestion. I call it the worry belly. I have often combated a full diarrhea onset with just travel ginger tabs. They work a treat.
For heartburn I just eat a couple of Rennies which I think are just pepper-minted bicarb.3
