I’ve noticed many have arthritis post chemo. Interesting. I’ve been takingetting morepa and d3 since I finished treatment. Good calcium sources in diet. Zinc (50mg) to absorb toxins. Probiotics. (At least 10million per cap).
I’ve developed severe body pain…it started during treatment. I can’t have my hands higher than waist level at any time or they’ll burn. (So having the phone up to my ear is a no no as is having them tucked under my chin at night)!! I just cry wother the pain. Very debilitating at the best of times. Upper body pain. Feel like I was lashed with fresh nettles and then beaten with a baseball bat. I was on low dose chemo all the way through as I reacted severely. No nuelasta either. Had to get iv pain relief and steroids after first one. Couldn’t be touched. Screaming and burning with pain. Couldn’t sit or layou down without intense burning pain. Felt as if my bones were bubbling and burning. Could feel it mostly at night.
4 a/c. 12 taxol (stopped at 11). Oestrogen positive her2 neg. 8cm. Mastectomy and full clearance. I had underlying Chronic fatigue for a few years. Very sensitive to medications so alternative and complimentary therapies were and are my main course of help. I’m crippled with joint pain every morning. Some days, it lasts all.day. other days, I can function. I don’t get hot flashes. I just burn 24/7. My diet is very clean. No dairy. No red meat (both cause inflammation). Organic plant based diet. Mainly plant based. My taste changed during chemo. Strong flavours disappeared. Fish included. So I take supplements and oils. (Probiotics/vitamin c/patrick Holford immune booster/vitamin d3. Had it checked and my vitamin d level was 25! Should be 85 to 100. So please check as Essential for healthy bones. We don’t get enough sunshine in Ireland to produce it naturally. I take liquid circummun (the healing ingrediebt of turneric) . Powerful.natural anti inflammatory.
I’m 2 months post chemo. Age 45. The pain is incredible. All i hear is about how fantastic I look. The pain is debilitating and i can’t talk.about it but it sounds like I’m attention seeking. I’ve found the journey incredibly isolating. I don’t sleep. I don’t get much help (because I look brilliant) . I’ve been too sore past 2 days to cook anything. I live alone. I do my best to keep.up with day to day. not working. Im exhausted 2 to 3 hoyrs into.the day. I’ve been doing courses in alternative therapy throughout my journey. Did a year in reflexology (1 weekend per month). Graduated Nov 17. Did reiki level 1 last Saturday. First aid training Sunday. Then crashed Monday with exhaustion and went into severe pain yesterday post radium. I was very “agitated” all morning. Tried to hide it as I took my parents for birthday lunch pre radium. Dad turned 78. Got home from Radium at 4pm and had to go to bed. I couldn’t stand anymore. So hot. Pain +++. Got very upset. Still no sleep. Took my regular Meds (nuerontin) and added anti imflammatory plus oxycontin 10mg. So I’m now “hungover” and can’t sleep. I got an hour.
I see on other people’s posts suggestions to keep your hair and nails is to wear ice caps and gloves. Don’t. Please don’t (unless oncologist says it). The ice caps prevent the chemo from entering and damaging these cells close to the surface (hair follicles - kerratin. And nails too). If you have a stray cancer cell in these areas, they survive as the chemo doesn’t reach them. Can easily happen that a rogue cell escapes into the bloodstream during surgery. Lose your hair it’ll grow back baby soft and thickerelated. New beginnings. Let the old go with ther cancer. Start fresh. Lovely hats and scarves waiting to be showcased… you can do this.
Painting your nails? I’m on the fence…some say it prevents them from falling off. Others say it’s just to cover up the blackness and awful appearance. Mine didn’t fall.out. in fact I was so sick on AC that i had a 5 week break and my hair started to come back while on taxol. I had full head of hair by end of treatment.
I was to start tamoxifen Feb 1st. Can’t bring myself to swallow that pill. I’m super sensitive to meds. I know im making it worse by dreading it…Finding radium tough. 4 sessions in and fluid collection already. Exhausted. Didn’t expect this so soon.
I’m not a good advert for someone been through breast CA but I did have an underlying disease when I started (ME). So others hopefully won’t experience side effects as I have.
Advice: please stay off the vitamins during chemo. They can counteract the effect of chemo. You have plenty of time afterwards for vitamins and rebuilding. Especially stay away from vitamin C during treatment. It seriously impedes chemo. My cnm1 told me this.year professor said NO to all vitamins (and i was taking them). Oops. Had googled and decided to start. Please be careful.about what you reado online. Chemo. Is designed to kill everything. Let it do its worst…
Those that say that food doesn’t have an impact on cancer, need education! Yes have your comfort food during treatment but don’t go overboard. I had to laugh at the oncology tea trolley - iced cakes with artificial cream. Fried sausages. Low fat yogurts. Scones. White bread rolls. Low low butter. No thanks…
Avoid dairy, red meat and alcohol. Avoid low fat and “gluten free” processed foods. If you’re not coeliac, you don’t don’t need it…don’t be fooled into “healthy alternatives”. These products are loaded with chemicals. No processed foods. No junk. No sugar. Low fat = high sugar. There’s so much fresh variety out there. Eat organic. It doesn’t have to be expensive. Aldis habecause great range or head to local grocers. Eat healthy proteins. (Very important for cell repair post chemo) Fish a great source! Also beans and lentils.
Spoil yourself with lovely food. I appreciate during chemo all you may toletate is the good old faithful tea and toast (and porridge) like I did. I ate buckets of it. Webt through loaves of bread…
Keep your bowel regular. Exercise as much as you can. I’ll do what my body allows. It changes daily. Chi gong wonderful practice and keeps you strong. Move through pain gently. Don’t give up. Some days are harder than others. I don’t want to be left like this. Medications too hard on my systems if anyone can suggest something/relates to what I sayou, I’d love to hear from you. I don’t metabolise drugs efficiently.
I’d appreciate an open mind. What I say is not for everyone so please don’t get defensive and attack! This is my experience. Someone else might have suggestions. I’ve researched many items
I’ve chronic fatigue for 10 years. I’m A nurse also so I try to balance western and eastern medicine.
Counselling, energy healing and accupuncture are my saviours. I’ll be getting reflexology when I feel stronger. It’s too powerful.for me at the moment but I highly recommendif you feel.up. to.it. the detox process is brilliant. Can be difficult (diattohea/vomitimg’/headaches canot. Be experienced in.the first 48 hours, then healing begins. ?