Hello, me again!! I have so many threads on here, but it is just so helpful!
I was wondering if there is any advice as to diet during chemotherapy? I’ll be staying with my Mum some times during her treatment and would like to cook meals that could actually be helping. I know each time she will have her blood count checked to see if she can have the chemo - is there anything that can help with the blood count? I know we have been advised that she drinks plenty of water.
Thanks for your help.
the thing that I have found that helps me is to make sure I eat something every hour and drink LOADS…plain water wasn’t helping but ginger ale and other drinks like cranberry juice or apple juice and fizzy water…and red bush tea.
Mmmm… just see what your mum feels like eating.
I wanted to keep to a diet throughout my chemo - but this didn’t last too long!!!. I have tried to be very sensible and I make sure I get my 5 fruit and veg but some days I just want good old stodge and for once in my life I’ve given into myself and enjoyed it. I would say that the main thing is is that you are actually there for her. I would add that let your mum cook for you when she’s feeling up to it - the main thing is that she gets your company. there hasn’t been many days in my treatment that I have failed to cook. She may want to do things to please you also so just listen to your mum as I’m sure you will - she must be very proud of you
Thanks - I am under strict instructions not to do everything for her or to stop everything in my life! I will enjoy it if she feels she can cook for us (missed the home cooked meals since moving in with my boyfriend!! 
) or even us cooking together but I would like to do a few for her. Thanks for your help.
I have managed to eat as normal throughout this, but am trying to make sure I have lots of fruit and veg too. Although think I am putting on some weight as well, noticed with my pjs!!! But in my case a good thing, as couldn’t afford to go the other way, but am now gonna keep an eye on it.
Agree with Kelyn too, when your mum wants to do things let her. Keep life as normal as you can really, as helps to get through it and makes you forget we have bc.
Anyway, take care of yourself and her. Let us know who things go.
Take care
Love
Dawn
x
Hi Michelle
You could help mum by doing a few pre-cooked & frozen meals for her, for a couple of days after chemo. The smell of cooking is quite off putting. However, I still enjoyed food when put in front of me.
Avoid soft cheese & pate and no blue vein cheese. the same as when pregnant. The body is busy fighting it doesn’t need to deal with those too. It could upset her stomach. I actually have given up bread too because of the yeast. I buy flat wraps instead.
The body is more susceptible to thrush, cystitus etc.
Not too heavy on the citrus fruits and things like onions and tomatoes, because of the mouth ulcers/sore mouth. Pineapple juice has an enzyme that soothes the mouth though, so I make pineapple ice lollies. V. nice
Lots of fruit & veg. Innocent drinks are a lovely way of getting loads of fruit down you.
All this will be good for keeping her energy up too. It will help with the white cells too.
It is advised to avoid food that is spicey, piping hot/freezing cold.Sugary or fatty. Basically keep it bland & no take aways with rice. Apparently rice is beggest carrier of samonella.
Lots of water is a must to flush the liver through. I have given up caffeine too, nobody told me to but thought would give liver a helping hand.
Chocolate and wine should be consumed whenever she feels like it and lectures about diet should only be given when requested.
You sound a fabulous daughter and just being there will be good enough. I strongly believe in all of the above, but there could be nothing worse than morphing into Gillian McKeith, so I hope I do not sound like her, because as soon as the chemo has finished, well…Am having everything I want and double portions
Jules x
just wanted to say hi ,
you sound like a lovely and supportive daughter, when i was 1st diagnosed i ate so healthy and made sure i had fruit and veg but with everything else going on chemo docs appts , i have calmed down from scanning supemarket shelves for things i didnt even know if i would enjoy but felt i should be eating !!! i have really enjoyed home made soups which are really tasty.
your mum is lucky to have you x
love galen
Hi Michelle
As everyone says as much fruit and veg as possible but nothing too acidic or harsh on the stomach or mouth.
I like fairly healthy food like salads and veg. I have been told to avoid soya as it contains oestrogen which is not good with breast cancer. Maybe cut down on the dairy for the same reason. Unfortunately I’m a cheese-o-holic and have had to seriously cut down, and as mentioned above, no unpastuerised or blue cheese. I have been told no more than 2 eggs a week, and they must be free range organic, the same with chicken and other foods which may contain hormones.
A glass of red wine or a guinness is a good drink if she fancies one, guinness is good for iron (or am I making that up?)
Fruit smoothies are great if she can stomach them, I personally find the texture a bit off putting at the moment. Nuts and seeds are always good if she likes them.
Cecelia. x
Oh and around once a week I just want a good old bacon sandwich or some sausage and mash… nothing wrong with a bit of comfort food. I do take a vitamin tonic (Seven Seas) and find that helps with energy.
And as Jules says above, make her some stuff she can put in the freezer for when you’re not around and she fancies something she can heat up easily
Cecelia. x
I never knew there were some foods that I should avoid…so thanks for this post!
hello all,
I asked my oncologist all these questions regarding diet and she said there is no proven scientific evidence which absolutely says some things should be avoided. The research regarding soya for instance is one of these, in fact soya has also been proven (but not without doubt) to be good with breast cancer and is backed up by low levels of breast cancer in countries which eat a lot of soya. I could say that some people advise giving up dairy because of the exact same reason, oestrogens! And indeed lots of people follow dairy free diets. Interestingly one theory as to why men are increasingly getting breast cancer is because of oestrogens in tap water and also in bottled water - you cant win there!! As I always use soya milk in drinks I asked my onc if I should give it up and she said why, to replace it with dairy which is subject some would say to same risks. The only advice to follow she said was to have a healthy diet which is well-balanced and with at least 5 portions of fruit/veg a day.
I think that the fear of salmonella etc. is only really important if you become seriously neutropenic i.e. very low neutrophils and therefore at risk of infections from within. However, I was in hospital for 5 days on IV antibiotics and had most of the foods that have been listed here! I would have thought that if there was any real risks with any of these foods you would be given a list of them when you start chemo and to my knowledge we’re not given any such list! However, if you have been then I will ask my hospital why we arent given the list!
Im not against following certain diets though, Ive been vegan/veggie most of my life for health reasons but must also say that with all this information we should all do what we feel comfortable with, I know somebody who has gone completely vegan and whilst I dont have her will and have gone the other way really, eating more meat than I have for 15 years (my mentality was Ive been ultra healthy and still got the BC) I think it is good for her to make this choice as it gives her some control over this disease and I think this is very important. Overall, I think we should do what suits us and not beat ourselves up too much if we cant keep to strict ideal of what we eat or drink. I think we have all lost enough enjoyments as it is without going on diets we dont enjoy and giving up the wine etc. most of us love!
Take care everyone, enjoy your food!
Pauline x
ooh by the way, for those of you interested in changing your diets for the better, this link is really good and takes you to what was the Bristol Cancer Care site, they are very well known and a leading light in diet and cancer. Be prepared for some pretty harsh advice regarding chocolate and alcohol though!
Pauline x
Hiya Michelle,
sounds like your mum is very lucky to have such a lovely daughter! Roles are reversed for me as I am the one with bc and my mum moved in with me to cook all my meals for me whilst my boyfriend was working away during the week. I’m 35 but I think it really helped her to think she was doing something for me, it made her feel less helpless.
I was given loads of do’s and don’ts re: diet when I first started chemo in May . Some of which I have followed and some which I have chosen to disregard. To be honest, there are so many do’s and don’ts and personally I have just tried to listen to my body, and give it what it wants when it wants it. My eating habits have been extremely bizzarre since I’ve started chemo. Sometimes I want to hoover up anything and everything in sight whereas other days all I want is cereal or toast. The steroids have a big part to play I think. Also, the chemo itself can really affect your tatste buds and sense of smell. I am on E-CMF and when I was on the Epi there were so many foods that I had previously loved and yet couldn’t stand. I even went off my beloved ‘strongbow’!! I’ve now switched to CMF and everything seems to taste of salt!!!
Anyway, here are the things I was advised to avoid, which I have:
BBQ’s - as the food is not cooked at a constant temperature
Soya products - my cancer is ER+ and soya contains plant oestrogen
Shellfish - risk of salmonella
Grapefruit - can’t remember why but there was a good reason!
Things that I’ve found to be great are:
Lucozade - couldn’t live without it on chemo days!!!
Ginger ale - ditto! Great for nausea
Ginger biscuits - as above!
Fruit smoothies - although not so much now I’m on CMF as I get shocking diarrhoea and so much fruit makes it worse! Too much info??
All bran - steroids can give you constipation, nice!!
Pineapple - apparently its great for keeping your mouth clean and can help prevent the dreaded mouth ulcers
I hope that helps you and your mum. One final thing I would defo encourage your mum to get is ‘travel bands’. They are about £7 and you can get them from places such as Boots. They are awesome and I couldn’t have got this far through chemo without them!!!
Take care and I wish you both well,
Kelly
-x-
what are “travel bands”?
They are small elasticated bands that you wear on your wrist. There is a small button that presses on the acupuncture point on the wrist and they are thought to help ease nausea and sickness. I have used them with some success, but be careful not to wear one for too long on an arm where you have had lymph glands removed as you should avoid anything on that arm that restricts blood or lymph flow.
ahhhhh thank you flyright, never seen/ heard of them before, they might prove to be useful then
Quisie,
travel bands or ‘sea bands’ as they are also now really are awesome! Particularly if like me you what to limit the amount of ‘pill popping’ you have to do!
Go get 'em girl! You won’t regret it,
Take care,
Kelly
-x-
Kelly
after the sickness today and having to have the dr out for an injection so i can at least keep water down - i’m willing to try anything :-))
first chemo under my belt though - hopefully will be finished the week before christmas 
thanks
Ruth
x
Hi Ruth
Sorry to hear you are not doing very well today after having chemo. You need to speak to your chemo nurse or someone, and find out what other anti sickness tablets they can give you, because apparently there are loads and they will change yours to find another one and see if that works. If helps, I am on Ondansetron take bedtime on chemo day. THen dexamethasone which I have to take 4 on day 1 after chemo and then 2 on day 2 after chemo. I also have domperidom which I take on day 2 after chemo for 3 days, 2 tablets 3 x a day. These are either to be taken as and when feel sick, or like I do, taken for 3 days to prevent and they do work for me.
Hope you are feeling better after your dr been and hopefully they can sort you out better for the next session.
Take care of yourself and rest lots.
Love
Dawn
x
Hi Quisie
Sorry about you not feeling well after your 1st chemo. Hope you feel better real quick. You’ll be back on the cocoa bean and grapes b4 you know it. What was your 1st chemo drug/s. I have heard cyclizine works well for quite a few people, Esp on EC. I felt very nauseus on my 1st chemo 2 1/2 wks ago and they are changing my anti sickness to cyclizine so hoping it works. My Onc said she has found a lot of women respond very well with it. (Made me think why wasn’t it given in 1st place then?) You make sure you get what you can to help you. We are all here for you.
Take care
Love
JulieL
xxx