Fasting before Chemo

[Back2future]

There has been a lot of talk about this subject on this blog. Some say fast 2 days before the day of chemo and day after. Not so clear is what to drink to stay hydrated during the fast. Some said vegetable broth (I think a doctor), water, etc. Can someone give an idea? I am already underweight and have osteoporosis to boot so dropping more weight will really impact me (not to mention the chemo). Thanks in advance.

[Hidden]

There is a YouTube video : Fast and live .. I did two 500 calorie days per week of imrt treatments .. I went from 233 to 165 during that time. Cut out all sugar and animal proteins completely for two years. Still on the diet . I went into remission after imrt .The theory is that the bad cells are knocked off readily weakened by the ( fasting state) . I came back up to 190. Save youre self anyway you feel put! Good luck 👍🍀

[dockam]

Hi, I've posted quite a bit, and you may click on my profile pic for them.Did 2 day fasts prior to all 15 Taxotere chemos in 2015 and again with the rechallenge with six Taxoteree, ending last April.

I sipped a homemade veggie, tomato paste, garlic, ginger, curry broth. I still do 16 hour IF (Intermittent Fasting) daily.

I'm a 138 lbs and 5' 9" - a scrawny lil guy.

Had a DEXA scan showing that I was osteopenic. On Calcium supplements now. Doing weight bearing exercises eg jumping jack, and uphill hikes.

osher.ucsf.edu/patient-care...

Fight on

Randy

[Back2future in reply to dockam]

Thanks Randy. Unfortunately I don't have any extra padding but will fast anyway. I am border of 102 and 5' 4". I also have Osteoporosis and take calcium and Zometa infusions. I think my 10 year old daughter will soon pass my height and weight. Did you have any mouth sores after chemo? did you bring ice cap, ice bag for feet, hands and mouth?

[dockam in reply to Back2future]

Never did the ice cap for head or extremities. Had a bit of a metallic taste, no mouth sores and some neuropathy, but that was after the 15th and final Taxotere. The fast hopefully puts the normal cells into hibernation and spares them the side effects and the voracious PCa will still be uptaking chemo.Look up Valter Longo, he and Dorff have done a lot of research. He has a fasting mimicking diet that his company sells(kinda pricey tho) prolonfast.com/products/pro...

Maybe you need to try and pack on weight now and try a 24hr fast first to see how you fare.

My best to you Brother

Randy

[Hidden in reply to dockam]

Oh F ! Osteo me too! But lil guy ! No way Jose . You’re a mountain of a man . A superior quality human being . Thanks for everything! 🏋🏽‍♂️

[tango65]

Some info from a real expert:

grandroundsinurology.com/dr...

[dhccpa in reply to tango65]

Seems supportive of fasting.

[wagscure259 in reply to tango65]

Excellent link and researched expert answers from Dr Dorff. Thank you Tango65

[Cooolone]

To be sure, Chemotherapy is some serious business. It attacks all fast dividing cells indiscriminately in your body. And it's just 75mg of the stuff pumped into your veins which the body gets rid of in a few hours... But in it's course it could knock you on your backside! To offset some side effects you're given steroids! If you dropped of a hammer, a box of nails and the materials, I would have built an addition on my house the 2 days post infusion with that stuff (Dexamethasone). Both, are no joke! And is why the side effects are real.

I read all I could leading up to my first infusion. Pro vs Con, what can be done, what others did, etc. You must understand it's all heterogeneous, like the disease, it's different for everyone! I had my Docetaxel from February thru June this year.

I tried the fasting for 24hrs on #1 & #2 but would say I don't think it's worth weakening yourself by the lack of energy food provides helps. I understand the entire concept of the cell cycle and protective mode the cells supposedly transition to stressed by lack of fundamentals. But I don't think there's been any RCT which shows this is true. And suffering chemo is going to be hard enough, not sure the benefit without some hard data.

I think good sleep if possible, good meals keeping your body in good prepared state to take the hit of chemo might be best. My opinion of course. My MO cut my Dexamethasone in half due to blood sugar response (increase) on my last 2 (5th & 6th) infusions and I can tell you it wasn't fun at all... In comparison to 1-4, the effects (side) were immediate and stayed through day 6-7 as compared to no side effects days 1-3 but some 4-6...

The ice worked for me. I let them bag (ice) my hands and feet. I began eating ice chips in 2-6 because with the 1st infusion I had experienced the metal taste in my mouth and also suffered the effect like I had ate a large bowl of burning hot soup and burnt my mouth for about a week or so. This was completely mitigated by eating ice chips throughout the infusion on subsequent cycles. Despite the ice, I did experience neuropathy in my finger tips and feet which began around cycle #4. The finger tips has abated since, but the feet is still there somewhat.

So yeah, give it a shot (calorie restrictive diet) and see how it works for you. But do be sure that there's a lot that's going on and it's not just a simple thing

Best Regards

[Stevana]

Hey Back2, I fasted with bone broth, chicken and beef flavored, and drank electrolytes mix in water day before thru day after six rounds of docetaxel. I lost 20 lbs in the process, but I was overweight going in. I'd caution you about overdoing fasting if you’re already underweight. My understanding of the purpose of fasting while on chemo is to keep your blood sugar down so that cancer cells have no glucose to feed on and consequently get hit harder with the chemo. I don’t think there’s been a clinical trial so a lot of this is based on conjecture.

You’re going to lose weight while on chemo whether you fast of not. My point is don’t weaken yourself by fasting too much. You’re going to need your strength to get thru the chemo. I think you can probably achieve your goal going into chemo by just eating a low carb diet that will lower your blood sugar. Good luck.

[Vangogh1961]

I did a modified fast, 1000 calories for two days before and one after for the last 3 doses of taxotere. I work full time and was concerned about energy levels. It did seem the metallic taste was better and energy loss was shorter. There are some studies, just not large ones that show some potential benefit.

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...

[MarkBC]

I didn't alter my diet or routines before chemo. I dealt with the side effects as they came. I didn't find chemo as bad as I expected it to be and it really knocked my cancer back.

I would advise you not to drink much fluid before. Dragging the equipment with you to go to the toilet is a pain. Drink lots of fluid afterward to help flush the chemicals out of your body.

Good luck

[Hidden]

I drank watermelon juice on fasting days .

[MateoBeach]

There is a “Fasting Mimicking Diet” or FMD that shows some efficacy.nature.com/articles/s41467-...

A product and regimen for it is made by Prolon:

prolonfast.com/products/pro...

It seems expensive to me, so I would try to find out what it consists of (veggies, broths and supplements?) and mimic it oneself.