Hi ladies,
Great to see you here already. This is a very long post, sorry - but I hope it is of help to you.
The information has come from an old and long thread but it is still a useful list as you are approaching your treatment. This list was started by Princess, reposted in 2008 and most recently updated by Sue H-S who is often around and part of the May 2016 group. A big huge thanks to all the contributors who have added their tips over time.
For the Gums:
Ensure you see your dentist before commencement of treatment to get everything sorted, including Hygienist. It will ensure your mouth is in a healthy state and may help to reduce some side effects.
- Bonjela
- Corsodyl daily for x 3 and Corsodyl normal for 1 (dentist recommended), mouthwash should not contain alcohol
- ultra soft bristle brush/baby toothpaste
- Aloe Vera based toothpaste, Beverley Hills gum strengthening toothpaste
For the mouth:
- Gelclair, salt water wash, Oraldene, tonic water, Difflam mouthwash
- Aloe dent lip balm with lysine (good for cold sores also),Nivea Lip butter – try to ensure the lip balm is paraben free, especially if you have a hormone receptor positive diagnosis.
Bad taste:
- pineapple (fresh/chunks/drinks/lollies) - Haribo (not Tangtastic) - celery, mints, fresh fruit, pear drops, cola cubes, sherbet lemons
Water tasting odd:
- flavoured/sparkling water, fruit squash, fruit infusers
Nausea:
- Ginger (Rochester Ginger drinks (Holland & Barrett, Tesco Nurticentre and on-line stores) ginger beer, biscuits, sweets, fresh ginger)
- smaller, regular meals
- V8 vegetable juice
- Manuka honey with hot water and peppermint oil
- Slippery elm powder mixed into natural yoghurt
- Banana for early morning with the anti-sickness tablet
- Flavoured/green tea if can’t face milk or dairy products in tea (dairy – if you can go organic should you have hormone receptive diagnosis)
Light bites suggestions
- cream cheese and bread sticks
- Nothing spicy
- Flat lemonade
- Plain biscuits
- Banana/peanut butter sandwiches
- Travel bands/anti sickness bands (Poundland cheaper than Boots) - be careful with arm that's had lymph nodes removed if using these, they may be too tight.
General Wellbeing/During Chemo:
- Carry your card and thermometer with you all the time and keep bag packed
- Get a medical alert bracelet or neckless if you had a sentinel node biopsy or node clearance stating no BP/IV (either RT arm or LT arm depending on which side the procedure was done) Lymphedema Risk
- Chemo Caddy – see below
- Pin up emergency numbers where everyone can see them – who to contact and when
- Check with your consultant who to phone at evenings and weekends
- Store emergency numbers in your phone
- Digital thermometer if not given one by hospital (Poundland cheaper than Boots)
- Drink LOTS of fluid before and after chemo - Lucozade for energy - Light meal before chemo
- If having CMF and nose issues when Chemo being administered then sweets or lolly , ice lolly to suck during (small cool bag also recommended to keep lollies frozen)
- Bath pillow (helps prevent cold bald head on cold bath)
- Don’t take steroid dose after 2pm (awake/energised at wrong times), best time is in the morning
- Eat fruit when you need to eat whilst/before taking tablets
- Avoid alcohol for 2/3 days after chemo
- Keep out of direct sunlight, ensure you have paraben free suntan lotion with SPF50 zinc oxide based and BB cream or make up with SPF
- To avoid risk of infection – try to avoid un-pasteurised dairy products, wash veggies, meat properly cooked
- Accept help wherever offered!
- Prepare/buy nice food in advance for bad days
Sleep when you can
- Fresh air - Exercise - Laughter - Ask for help if really sick! Talk to you GP for additional drugs!
- Runny nose through loss of nose hair – tissues!
- V-pillow
- Check and see if GP can refer you to local leisure centre for cheaper use of fitness suite and swimming pool.
- Constipation - breakfast of high fibre cereal/fruit smoothie/prune juice/Senna tablets
- Sore Eyes
- Boots hay fever relief drops
- Cooling/chill eye mask
- General eye mask to block light if affected
Headaches
- gel pads (stick on kind used for infants/migraine)
Dry skin/rashes/spots from Taxol
- gentle moisturiser for hands and feet (Paraben free)
- drink lots of juice and water but leave spots on face alone as skin sensitive
Hair loss/head coverings
- buffs
- baseball cap
- sleep caps, scarves, bangs, eyebrows, eyelashes, wigs etc
- don’t wash it too often, use baby shampoo
- Eylure great for brow stencils and brow pencils, false lashes, etc.
- Amazon for real hair stick on ‘brow wigs’
- Chemo bag Keep a bag packed in case of emergency hospital visit and to take on chemo days. Pyjamas, warm socks, clean knickers, wash bag with spare toothpaste and brush, face wipes, mirror, tissues, bag of pineapple pieces, anti-bacterial hand gel, book, ear plugs.
- A basket with a handle (previously from delivery of pot plants) with everything needed in it so that you can have it by the bed upstairs or carry it down to crash in front of TV.
Chemo Caddy
- A basket with a handle (previously from delivery of pot plants) with everything needed in it so that you can have it by the bed upstairs or carry it down to crash in front of TV. (A bum bag has been suggested as keeps both hands free and no restrictions on your shoulders and particularly Snugpak Response Pak (online) as “tested in war, never beaten” and big enough to take a tool kit/chemo caddy or chemo bag).
CHEMO BAG AND CHEMO CADDY
- Edibles – ginger biscuits, minty chewing gum, root ginger to nibble.
- Treats – nice hand cream, chocolate, octopus shaped back massager, nail cream, buffer.
- Essentials – tissues, glasses, lip salve, bottle of water, straw (in case can’t lift head from pillow), little bell (to summon family to fetch/make tea)
Once again, all credits to the ladies who have added to this making it an invaluable reference tool and thanks to Princess for starting it!
Hope this helps 🙂
B x
