Foods during chemo

[HemaPunshi]

Hi,

My mother had breast cancer surgery and now have started with chemo sessions. Her 1st session is done. She is vegetarian. What foods should she avoid now and what she should have. Also can she have lentils. She is also feeling weakness. After how much time will she feel better. Thanks

[MsLockYourPosts TeamBCI]

I am also a vegetarian, working on going to vegan. Some treatments interact with grapefruit, Seville oranges (bitter oranges used to make marmelade - not regular oranges), and pomegranate. There may be others depending on which chemo your mother is getting. Ask her doctor.

If your mother is neutropenic (low neutrophils, which makes her at greater risk for infection) she should follow a neutropenic diet, which means all foods should be well cooked, with the exception of a few things like oranges or bananas with thick skins, which need to be washed well before peeling. She should avoid food that is cooked and then left sitting out before it is put away, no salads, no soft cheeses or yogurt, no unpasteurized milk products. Careful food preparation is as important as which foods are eaten. I have never seen a reason not to eat well cooked lentils. Ask her doctor if he/she has information about a neutropenic diet. If not, there is a lot if you google it.

If your mother does deal with neutropenia she may get injections to boost her count. In the US it would be neulasta or Neupogen - Might be called granix there. Can someone help with this? Many find that if they take Loratidine (Claritin) for a few days before the injection and several days after it helps if they experience bone pain. Again, ask her doctor.

Under pinned posts - either on the side or at the bottom of this page - there is a post I wrote with Tips for dealing with chemo. I hope this helps!

Pat

[sumeet_shah Administrator in reply to MsLockYourPosts]

Very well written, Pat!

[MsLockYourPosts TeamBCI in reply to sumeet_shah]

Is the neutrophil boosting injection called Neulasta / Neupogen there or does it go by something else? I know that in different countries it has different names.

[sumeet_shah Administrator in reply to MsLockYourPosts]

Neulasta and Neupogen, both are available here. There are some local brands as well.

[HemaPunshi in reply to MsLockYourPosts]

Thanks a lot