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I have another thread:
with much of this info throughout...but I've rec'd several private emails asking for advice so I thought I'd bullet point out things, related to my 3xBEP experience. Much of this was gained from this forum, but I used it and had some thoughts from my own experience...hope it helps.
- eat well..I stopped eating...red meat/pork/eggs/dairy during chemo as most books say this is difficult to digest...I hunt/fish and am a big red meat eater, not a vegetarian for what it is worth. I did eat tuna, chicken, "rice dream" & soy milk. My idea was to tax the body as little as possible.
- take anti nausea meds, for me the zophran worked fine, thru monday night after your week hospital stay...mine lasted 12 hours per dose. When not in the hospital, when you receive the bleo push, I would take it the monday am of my bleo push and monday night to last me thru tues am...that seemed fine...no nausea.
- for the bleo...the first hospital push and the subsequent monday push...no problems...then I fought the chills and fever after that. I found that an advil before the push, and then advil as prescribed for the next 12 hours...with one benedryl just before bed....really, really helped...I might get a fever, but only 100.8 or so...without this I would top out at 103.5 to the record for me of 104.3...thank the forum for this advice.
- if you get hiccups they may give you an anti psychotic medication...I do not recall the name...there are 3 possible doses...10mg, 25 and 50...the 10 mg did not work for me...this only happened during my 2nd cycle, day 2. I did not want the higher doses as the meds made me feel "fuzzy." But, I'm told it works on most everyone...
- I had some acid reflux during 2nd cycle and combined with the weak esophageal lining...it hurt...I did not say anything to the nurses...but when I did, the nexium and magic mouthwash was a godsend...my magic mouthwash contained: tylenol, benedryl, maalox, caraphate (spelling?) and lidocaine...instant relief and the caraphate coats the espophagus.
- constipation: happened to me after 3rd stay in hospital. advice...don't sit on the toilet for 2 hours like I did...(I never had constipation before)....I took stool softener and drank prune juice...no problems after that....my sister told me that they make suppositories for constipation that work much faster (she learned during her pregnancy)....hate to share all this, but it may help someone.
- mental: I did not find chemo that bad...the first round was fine...2nd round tough due to the acid reflux (which I could have minimized had I said something) and the 3rd round was not bad except for the constipation (again, could have minimized)....the hardest part is mental...the feeling a little better, and then getting tired as could be...then better....then tired....as soon as you accept that you are in treatment and will get tired, you relax and accept it....usually we are all used to as soon as you start feeling better, you keep getting better...with the cycles of treatments there are several ups and downs. Just accept this - get tired...lay down.
- fluids: drink, drink, drink water....you learn from the nurses and observing how much they pay attention to urine output, that flushing the kidneys is the key...I kept a 2.5 gallon gresh water jug by my bed, with paper cups and was drinking regularly.
- set a goal: I'm embarrassed to share this part, but I decided i would stretch a little each day...try to touch my toes, which I have not been able to do since I was too young to remember....so I decided I would be able to touch my toes by the end of chemo...well, I did not do it, but I'm pretty darn close...and it's good to feel like you are doing something. You can see some progress each day.
- the hair: if you have kids, mine are young at 11 and 10...I let them shave my head, with clippers, before the hair fell out. It was the single smartest thing I did...they felt like they did it, not some scary disease. I recall being scared to death years ago when I saw my grandmother bald during chemo...I did not want this to happen to my kids...involving them was my solution. Personally, I thought losing the hair (as a full haired person) would bother me...as I sit here, with no hair yet, I could care less...it'll be nice when it comes back so I don't have to wear a hat in the sun...but it really means nothing now...wife, kids, family, friends...that is what gets my attention.
- Mouthsores: I did not get these...but I read all about them on this forum...from the start, I brushed my teeth daily about 6-8 times (gently) with a natural salt toothpaste from whole foods market and rinsed each time with a natural citrus mouthwash from whole foods....I have no idea if this prevented the sores...but I did not get them.
- What to expect: I will tell you all this - I would never have wanted this, and would not wish it on anyone...but having been thru it, it is an experience I would never want to give back. I'm hoping I stay in remission, but I still feel that way. You will make it thru, all the odds are with you...and I believe you will feel this way too...most do.
If I think of anything else, I'll add it...but for now this is what is top of mind...
with much of this info throughout...but I've rec'd several private emails asking for advice so I thought I'd bullet point out things, related to my 3xBEP experience. Much of this was gained from this forum, but I used it and had some thoughts from my own experience...hope it helps.
- eat well..I stopped eating...red meat/pork/eggs/dairy during chemo as most books say this is difficult to digest...I hunt/fish and am a big red meat eater, not a vegetarian for what it is worth. I did eat tuna, chicken, "rice dream" & soy milk. My idea was to tax the body as little as possible.
- take anti nausea meds, for me the zophran worked fine, thru monday night after your week hospital stay...mine lasted 12 hours per dose. When not in the hospital, when you receive the bleo push, I would take it the monday am of my bleo push and monday night to last me thru tues am...that seemed fine...no nausea.
- for the bleo...the first hospital push and the subsequent monday push...no problems...then I fought the chills and fever after that. I found that an advil before the push, and then advil as prescribed for the next 12 hours...with one benedryl just before bed....really, really helped...I might get a fever, but only 100.8 or so...without this I would top out at 103.5 to the record for me of 104.3...thank the forum for this advice.
- if you get hiccups they may give you an anti psychotic medication...I do not recall the name...there are 3 possible doses...10mg, 25 and 50...the 10 mg did not work for me...this only happened during my 2nd cycle, day 2. I did not want the higher doses as the meds made me feel "fuzzy." But, I'm told it works on most everyone...
- I had some acid reflux during 2nd cycle and combined with the weak esophageal lining...it hurt...I did not say anything to the nurses...but when I did, the nexium and magic mouthwash was a godsend...my magic mouthwash contained: tylenol, benedryl, maalox, caraphate (spelling?) and lidocaine...instant relief and the caraphate coats the espophagus.
- constipation: happened to me after 3rd stay in hospital. advice...don't sit on the toilet for 2 hours like I did...(I never had constipation before)....I took stool softener and drank prune juice...no problems after that....my sister told me that they make suppositories for constipation that work much faster (she learned during her pregnancy)....hate to share all this, but it may help someone.
- mental: I did not find chemo that bad...the first round was fine...2nd round tough due to the acid reflux (which I could have minimized had I said something) and the 3rd round was not bad except for the constipation (again, could have minimized)....the hardest part is mental...the feeling a little better, and then getting tired as could be...then better....then tired....as soon as you accept that you are in treatment and will get tired, you relax and accept it....usually we are all used to as soon as you start feeling better, you keep getting better...with the cycles of treatments there are several ups and downs. Just accept this - get tired...lay down.
- fluids: drink, drink, drink water....you learn from the nurses and observing how much they pay attention to urine output, that flushing the kidneys is the key...I kept a 2.5 gallon gresh water jug by my bed, with paper cups and was drinking regularly.
- set a goal: I'm embarrassed to share this part, but I decided i would stretch a little each day...try to touch my toes, which I have not been able to do since I was too young to remember....so I decided I would be able to touch my toes by the end of chemo...well, I did not do it, but I'm pretty darn close...and it's good to feel like you are doing something. You can see some progress each day.
- the hair: if you have kids, mine are young at 11 and 10...I let them shave my head, with clippers, before the hair fell out. It was the single smartest thing I did...they felt like they did it, not some scary disease. I recall being scared to death years ago when I saw my grandmother bald during chemo...I did not want this to happen to my kids...involving them was my solution. Personally, I thought losing the hair (as a full haired person) would bother me...as I sit here, with no hair yet, I could care less...it'll be nice when it comes back so I don't have to wear a hat in the sun...but it really means nothing now...wife, kids, family, friends...that is what gets my attention.
- Mouthsores: I did not get these...but I read all about them on this forum...from the start, I brushed my teeth daily about 6-8 times (gently) with a natural salt toothpaste from whole foods market and rinsed each time with a natural citrus mouthwash from whole foods....I have no idea if this prevented the sores...but I did not get them.
- What to expect: I will tell you all this - I would never have wanted this, and would not wish it on anyone...but having been thru it, it is an experience I would never want to give back. I'm hoping I stay in remission, but I still feel that way. You will make it thru, all the odds are with you...and I believe you will feel this way too...most do.
If I think of anything else, I'll add it...but for now this is what is top of mind...
)
I have started today my second round of BEP and was searching for some tips like these... Thank you from the bottom of the heart !!!
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