Hi everyone, just looking for some advice on how to naturally deal with digestion problems. I have been taking Somac since this whole palaver of BC started but stopped about 5 weeks ago. I find I am still going back to it at least 3 or 4 times a week again. A lot of burping and a little bloating and the last couple of days a bit of nausea. I'm not walking as too hot up here at the moment but on my exercise bike 25 minutes a day, I don't eat for a few hours before bed. I also consider myself on a reasonably healthy diet. No coffee , No alcohol. Plenty of salads in this weather. Eating natural yoghurt, drinking peppermint and green tea. Should I be taking vitamins or some form of suppliments. GGRRrrrrr this just keeps giving. Almost forgot was put on Femara 5 weeks ago even though I am only 1% hormone positive so basically told I am triple negative. Has this contributed to my digestion problems. Any advice appreciated.

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.

So sorry this is happening, @kitkatb They often use ginger tabs for sea sickness - so it could help with the nausea feeling too.My SIL has gut problems & she has started her own Kombucha 'plant' .... swears by it.

@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.

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 xx

I suffered a lot with digestive issues during chemo which continued well after. I was on Ativan for nausea which worked really well (but does make you drowsy) and Somac for reflux but that stopped working after a while so I switched to Nexium (20mg). I found that what I could tolerate changed throughout chemo but pasta worked well for the whole treatment. I also drank a lot of sparkling mineral water. I could tolerate hot water, but cold water just seemed to sit in my stomach. I also found hot milk to be settling.

Digestion Issues Post Chemo | BCNA Online Network

30 Replies

arpie
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7 years ago
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So sorry this is happening, @kitkatb They often use ginger tabs for sea sickness - so it could help with the nausea feeling too.

My SIL has gut problems & she has started her own Kombucha 'plant' .... swears by it.
Brenda5
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7 years ago
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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.
Hendrix
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7 years ago
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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 xx
Blossom1961
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7 years ago
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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.
kitkatb
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7 years ago
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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. xo
Blossom1961
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7 years ago
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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.
kitkatb
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7 years ago
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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.xo
Kattykit
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7 years ago
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I'm the same as you @"Patti J", I also have MBC, I'm careful about what I eat for the same reason, except I'm on Ribociclib, but I do need pain killers for the mets in my leg or walking is impossible, you're very fortunate not to need them.
AllyJay
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7 years ago
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@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.
primek
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7 years ago
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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.