Chemo and food
Hi all, I am relatively new to all of this. Diagnosed at the beginning of this month IDC left breast, tests have now shown 3 nodes involved. Initially lumpectomy was going to be the first option, but once the nodes came up as positive that has been flipped and I'm starting chemo next Thursday. I'm trying to find some positive things to put aside as go-tos when I'm not feeling great - some good books, hand craft etc. things I enjoy and don't require too much concentration. I'm a foodie - love cooking, love eating and often a coffee or making something delicious is a huge mood booster. I'm very worried about the impact of chemo on this. I know different people will react to things differently but I'd love to hear from others who have been down this path - what couldn't you stand/did you need to avoid food/drink wise and what could you tolerate (even enjoy perhaps??) during chemo? Did it vary depending on the particular drugs? TIA
Endocrine therapy-induced hair loss (ETIHL)
Hi All, Food for thought (no pun intended). I'm considering taking supplements (are they safe? contraindicated?) and looking for proven topical scalp treatments (waste of money?). Started with this article: Management of hair loss associated with endocrine therapy in patients with breast cancer: an overview https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4864803/. "Vitamin C may loco regionally reduces the HL ...when locally applied with an oil-based buffer that enables vitamin C to pass across the hair texture. (Where would we find that?) Low levels of vitamin D in serum and/or lack of Vitamin D receptor have been found to be associated with HL ...However, it is still uncertain whether vitamin D supplementation increases the proliferation of hair follicles. Vitamin E has been shown to decrease the effectiveness of estrogen in the breast tissue and low levels of vitamin E are also reported to be associated with increased levels of estrogen. However, according to the results of the SELECT study in which an increased rate of prostate cancer was reported, Vitamin E carried a potential androgenic and anti-estrogenic activity in patients receiving Vitamin E supplementation. (So that's good for BC patient, right?) Folic acid is also reported to have a positive effect on hair health...However, unfortunately, there are some epidemiological studies that suggest folate may increase the tissue levels of estrogen, indicating that high levels of folic acid might lead to BC. (Sounds bad) Oral supplementation of omega-3 and -6 fatty acids is also known to positively affect the prognosis of BC (Bartsch et al. 1999) and many other cancers and also increase the apoptosis of BC cells in tissue cultures. Additionally, it has been recently shown that 6 months after the use of these fatty acids were found to protect and improve the hair health through antioxidant effects on the scalp tissue. (Definitely sounds like a good one) 5-alpha reductase enzyme inhibitors (local cream or shampoo forms) could possibly be the most appropriate and potent treatment options in the treatment of ETIHL. (I've no idea, and am suspicious of product claims anyway - but is there a good one available?)
Tamoxifen and appetite
I have been on tamoxifen for two days and I am so much hungrier than normal. Is this a side effect that anyone else has noticed or is this from radiation - I have had four treatments so far. I just feel hungry sick an hour after eating all day for two days. I am trying to ignore it because I don’t want to start gaining weight but it’s difficult.
Newly diagnosed
Hello all I was diagnosed with phyllodes cancer in the right breast last Friday. I know nothing of this cancer and what I read is confusing. My questions are these: Is it hereditory and does it respond to nutritional diets or is surgery the only way. I would really like to hear from someone who is post surgery. Thanks
Suck it up princess!
So last week I had my medical oncology appointment, this the first since I had my lumpectomy ( or whatever the new fangled name is for it now....excision?). Dr T was very pleased withe the way the chemo affected the hitchhiker, which made me feel better as I don't think I really understood how well it had worked when I spoke to the surgeon previously ( different ways of explaining things and different perspectives I guess). She has now put me on Tamoxifen which she says I will be on for the next ten years, she then dropped the bombshell....she advised I diet! Apparently fat stores oestrogen, my cancer finds oestrogen rather yummy and nutritious so get rid of the flab and starve the hitchhiker! ( those weren't her exact words but that was my spin on it). I'd read before about how weight loss was important for those with BC but didn't really understand why. My oncologist had been at a recent medical gathering in the US and all the brains now seemed to be agreed and actively promoting this train of thought. Now I admit I have a middle age spread which since I started chemo has become more of a mass invasion of a small European country. I turned in to PAC man....if it wasn't nailed down I ate it, animals and small children weren't safe in my immediate vicinity I'd launch myself face first into the fridge with cries " get in ma belly! " as I chased the bacon. Now I don't smoke, I don't drink very often I can happily go for months without a tipple, but I do love my food. At my heaviest during chemo I was 73 kilos, at my latest weigh in I was down to 71.3 kilos, so I had lost a wee bit of weight since finishing chemo but obviously I need to get to below what I weighed at the start of it and then some! On getting home I rifled through the fridge and cupboards, I decided there was only one way to do this and to avoid temptation I chucked out all the crisps, biscuits, chocolate, bacon and sausages. I was damn sure that if I was going to be miserable so was every other person in my house! I looked online for advice, processed meats such as bacon etc are bad, so too apparently is grapefruit something to do with hormones ( don't know if that is actually true though). Strawberries and raspberries are very good, so too is kale and spinach. As the effects of chemo and my op wear off I have started to have more energy, and I have been able to get more excercise, I've started to walk the dog again and have been going on my wii fit. On weighing myself the other night I've lost the grand total of ... 0.6 kg which makes the depression I feel when I find myself watching Big Bang Theory whilst munching on a carrot so worthwhile! ,,,,,,,,in case you were in any doubt that was sarcasm!
What tips do you have to keep a healthy diet?
Hi all We're in the midst of developing an information booklet on nutrition and breast cancer. We're hoping it will help women maintain a healthy diet after their diagnosis (and ongoing). I'd love to include some practical tips in the booklet. So I'm throwing it open to you! Do you have any tips to help those diagnosed with breast cancer maintain a healthy diet? What about tips for women who lack motivation, don't feel well, are time poor or on a budget? It can be anything – big or small, that helped you through your diagnosis, treatment, and beyond. Thanks all! Now over to you…..
Anti oxidants
Hi everyone, I had some interesting advice from my oncologist the other day that I thought I would share. It was just before my 3rd round of FEC. I'm having chemo prior to surgery. At my first appointment my doc emphasised the need to avoid all supplements other than vitamin D (because we can't go in the sun) and fish oil if I wanted to keep taking it. She also advised that a multi-vitamin was permissible but not desirable and that she would prefer me to eat a good diet rather than supplements. She expressed her concern that some patients supplement their treatment with things that may counteract the effects of chemotherapy and specifically mentioned mushroom complex and mushroom supplements. Because I've had friends send me links about the health benefits of 'turkey tail' mushrooms I asked her about this on my recent vist. She explained that these supplements are full of anti-oxidants and that chemotherapy works by oxidising cancer cells, so the two things work against each other. Because of all the hype about anti-oxidants I've been filling my diet with kale, beetroot, berries and anything else I can think of (including fresh mushrooms) and now it looks like that might not be such a great idea! My oncologist tells me that eating well is important and that this should include a good range of fruits and vegetables but I'm certainly backing away from juices and high anti-oxidant 'super foods'.
Emotional roller coaster
How am I feeling......? It has only been 4 weeks since I was diagnosed and I abruptly stopped working full time. That in itself has taken some adjusting to - I do love my job and struggle with the concept of not working for many months to come. I need to find new challenges (besides the physical/health ones) to keep me busy. I also have hardly ever been away sick which means that I am very fortunate to now be on paid leave. Having my world turned on its head (again) is a struggle at times and I wish I was 'normal'!! I have always been quite fit and healthy and don't like this druggy world I am entering. I don't like not being in control!! (Those who know me will laugh!) Last night I was feeling 'woe is me'. Today I have been surrounded by some wonderful girls and women in my life as we had a baby shower for my middle daughter. My eldest daughter organised food, decorations and games (in between feeding her 9 week old daughter - my second grandchild; first grandchild - 2 year old boy stayed with his dad - this was a girls only day - LOVED IT - but did miss his entertaining 2 year old chatter). Middle daughter will have her first baby just after Easter. This will be by Caesarian being breech and a big baby. More things to be thankful for.... My oncologist thought I shouldn't start chemo this coming week (1) because I'd likely be crook for Easter and (2) so I can be free of chemo for this new baby's arrival. So for the next week I can hang out with daughter no 2 as we both relax and rest and daughter no 1 with my two grand kids. There are always positives! Through all this I am blessed with the support of an amazing man who continues to stand by me through this emotional roller coaster ride. We only met just over 12 months ago playing at the same social tennis club and have been together for not quite 5 months. Huge ask for a new relationship! An added bonus is that he owns his own business and so is able to come to all my appointments with me. He can often hang out with me during the day as well if he is not working as he can generally chose when he will work. I really do feel soooo lucky.
