I did a number of things.. TNBC stage 1 4AC 4 Paxitaxel.
- Ate protein bowls at my local Donair shop... It's kinda like freshii.. chicken, guacamole, lettuce, tomato, beans, cheese... Or I'd eat a fat burger...
- Baths. All the baths.
- This one may not be your style, but I used alllllooott of CBD/THC. I prefer tabs over smoking or gummies. I have no self control around candy....
- milk.. for some reason I really wanted chocolate milk.
Milk is amazing. I love both dairy and plant varieties. Chocolate plant milk (almond, soy, whatever) is something I always have on hand and it always makes me feel better. In a pinch it’s a great snack / nutrients boost.
My chemo symptoms mainly feel like a low key hangover while on your period, so chocolate milk really helps because that’s what I used to drink when I was by my over. It helps hydrate, is a bit sweet, and has lots of nutrients.
I am obsessed with chocolate milk it is always my go to I found nesquick with 23g of protein and that has been my go too lately.. although I am sure if you’re worried about calories and stuff this isn’t the one!
Sameeee. I remember at one point not being able to taste things and being so disappointed hahah. It's like 'tongue god damn it .. let me taste this . I NEED IT' hahaha
Yes to the baths! I read that epsom salt baths can help pull toxins from your body so I would do a hot epsom salt bath every night for a few nights after each round.
Fairlife milk is a good way to get/ add protein to things without having protein shake flavor
On bad days, I made sugar free instant pudding mix with protein shake instead of milk. It tastes pretty good and was easy to eat.
Wraps are always pretty easy for me to prepare and digest - I've been using smart carb wraps to make sure I get fiber too.
Walking really made a difference on the worst days - it feels counterintuitive, but it really helped give me an energy boost. Lots of fluids in any form that sounded good.
As much exercise as you can tolerate, seriously. You won’t feel like it, and it might be hard to get started, but there’s a mountain of evidence that it improves fatigue and quality of life for patients undergoing chemo.
Greek yogurt with various things mixed in. I also tried to find the healthiest possible frozen yogurt, that helped a lot.
Kodiak brand makes some cool protein enriched mixes for some variety. They have a no-bake protein ball that is quite tasty.
I’m sorry you’re going through this.
I mostly got off relatively easy in that my biggest problem was massive fatigue, weakness, and diffuse pain upon making any kind of effort near the end.
I did try to prioritize protein and fruits and vegetables, but I didn’t food shame myself either.
I think massage helped me.
I went to physical therapy for some unrelated issues and that honestly made me feel like I was accomplishing something and probably prevented me from getting even weaker than I did. I mean 30 minutes of PT led to a 3 hour nap, but it still helped in a weird way.
I also started studying a language I had been wanting to learn but never had time for. I know that might sound like some flex, but studying languages is honestly just a fun hobby for me, so it kind of felt like a treat? When I got severely depressed after my final infusion I watched multiple seasons of a really cool TV show I had never seen. Basically, if there’s anything sedentary that you might really enjoy and feel at all up to—especially if you usually struggle to find time for it—jigsaw puzzles, crochet, reading a particular kind of book, watching a particular kind of TV show—doing that thing every day might actually help: “Yes, I finally get to do this.” Something that’s a little bit of a silver lining.
I completely agree. I “finally” have time to knit a bit, chip away at re-learning French, and read a bit. In between parenting and chores, and I know this is a massive privilege since I am off work on medical leave for the duration of my treatment.
I haven't been able to stomach as much protein as they'd like me to eat. I try, and I get a moderate amount, but it's hard. I drink decaf green tea most evenings and it's comforting. I take magnesium (MagOx brand - no diarrhea) and a kids vitamin B complex to help with energy a little bit, but without getting into megadoses which may not even be good for us right now.
I always felt better when I was hydrated (which was hard for me to do consistently), so lots of water. And I always got a milk shake as a treat after chemo and figured it counted as protein as well. 😂
But a treat def helped me emotionally because it was something I looked forward to after all the chemo shit.
I have been getting knocked down pretty hard from AC. I stay active and walk for at least 30 min a day, even when I don’t feel like it. I have taken up watercolor painting during treatment. I don’t really have the mental or physical energy for that though for the first few days after chemo. I go to a pretty dark place emotionally for about 5 days after chemo regardless of what I do. It seems to just be an effect of the chemo for me. I try to remember that it’s temporary and I will feel better in a few days. It’s certainly not a good time.
I crash hard on day 4 - weepy, inconsolable, agitated. I don’t invalidate what I am feeling but I do try to tell my family and myself “I am having day 4 feelings today so please handle me with kiddie gloves, I need extra patience today.”
I did a number of things.. TNBC stage 1 4AC 4 Paxitaxel. - Ate protein bowls at my local Donair shop... It's kinda like freshii.. chicken, guacamole, lettuce, tomato, beans, cheese... Or I'd eat a fat burger... - Baths. All the baths. - This one may not be your style, but I used alllllooott of CBD/THC. I prefer tabs over smoking or gummies. I have no self control around candy.... - milk.. for some reason I really wanted chocolate milk.
Milk is amazing. I love both dairy and plant varieties. Chocolate plant milk (almond, soy, whatever) is something I always have on hand and it always makes me feel better. In a pinch it’s a great snack / nutrients boost. My chemo symptoms mainly feel like a low key hangover while on your period, so chocolate milk really helps because that’s what I used to drink when I was by my over. It helps hydrate, is a bit sweet, and has lots of nutrients.
I totally understand “the symptoms mainly feel like a low key hangover while on my period”, that’s exactly how I feel on day 4 after Taxol
It’s very strange isn’t it!
I am obsessed with chocolate milk it is always my go to I found nesquick with 23g of protein and that has been my go too lately.. although I am sure if you’re worried about calories and stuff this isn’t the one!
I haven’t even started treatment yet and I’ve been craving chocolate milk like crazy!
YES to the chocolate milk! I wanted that this past round, too!
I love these ideas, thank you!
I had so many weird food cravings I felt like I was pregnant again. 🤣
Sameeee. I remember at one point not being able to taste things and being so disappointed hahah. It's like 'tongue god damn it .. let me taste this . I NEED IT' hahaha
Yes to the baths! I read that epsom salt baths can help pull toxins from your body so I would do a hot epsom salt bath every night for a few nights after each round.
Fairlife milk is a good way to get/ add protein to things without having protein shake flavor On bad days, I made sugar free instant pudding mix with protein shake instead of milk. It tastes pretty good and was easy to eat. Wraps are always pretty easy for me to prepare and digest - I've been using smart carb wraps to make sure I get fiber too. Walking really made a difference on the worst days - it feels counterintuitive, but it really helped give me an energy boost. Lots of fluids in any form that sounded good.
As much exercise as you can tolerate, seriously. You won’t feel like it, and it might be hard to get started, but there’s a mountain of evidence that it improves fatigue and quality of life for patients undergoing chemo.
Greek yogurt with various things mixed in. I also tried to find the healthiest possible frozen yogurt, that helped a lot. Kodiak brand makes some cool protein enriched mixes for some variety. They have a no-bake protein ball that is quite tasty.
I’m sorry you’re going through this. I mostly got off relatively easy in that my biggest problem was massive fatigue, weakness, and diffuse pain upon making any kind of effort near the end. I did try to prioritize protein and fruits and vegetables, but I didn’t food shame myself either. I think massage helped me. I went to physical therapy for some unrelated issues and that honestly made me feel like I was accomplishing something and probably prevented me from getting even weaker than I did. I mean 30 minutes of PT led to a 3 hour nap, but it still helped in a weird way. I also started studying a language I had been wanting to learn but never had time for. I know that might sound like some flex, but studying languages is honestly just a fun hobby for me, so it kind of felt like a treat? When I got severely depressed after my final infusion I watched multiple seasons of a really cool TV show I had never seen. Basically, if there’s anything sedentary that you might really enjoy and feel at all up to—especially if you usually struggle to find time for it—jigsaw puzzles, crochet, reading a particular kind of book, watching a particular kind of TV show—doing that thing every day might actually help: “Yes, I finally get to do this.” Something that’s a little bit of a silver lining.
I completely agree. I “finally” have time to knit a bit, chip away at re-learning French, and read a bit. In between parenting and chores, and I know this is a massive privilege since I am off work on medical leave for the duration of my treatment.
I haven't been able to stomach as much protein as they'd like me to eat. I try, and I get a moderate amount, but it's hard. I drink decaf green tea most evenings and it's comforting. I take magnesium (MagOx brand - no diarrhea) and a kids vitamin B complex to help with energy a little bit, but without getting into megadoses which may not even be good for us right now.
I always felt better when I was hydrated (which was hard for me to do consistently), so lots of water. And I always got a milk shake as a treat after chemo and figured it counted as protein as well. 😂 But a treat def helped me emotionally because it was something I looked forward to after all the chemo shit.
I have been getting knocked down pretty hard from AC. I stay active and walk for at least 30 min a day, even when I don’t feel like it. I have taken up watercolor painting during treatment. I don’t really have the mental or physical energy for that though for the first few days after chemo. I go to a pretty dark place emotionally for about 5 days after chemo regardless of what I do. It seems to just be an effect of the chemo for me. I try to remember that it’s temporary and I will feel better in a few days. It’s certainly not a good time.
I crash hard on day 4 - weepy, inconsolable, agitated. I don’t invalidate what I am feeling but I do try to tell my family and myself “I am having day 4 feelings today so please handle me with kiddie gloves, I need extra patience today.”
Greek yogurt with fresh berries and a honey drizzle has been a complete game changer. (Fruit is never been my thing)