Boosting your immune system

[Coxsar]

Hi ladies I’m due to start 2nd line treatment Friday 13th 😬 carb/taxol

I just wondered if you can take any vitamins to keep your immune system healthy ?

[Caroles1]

Hi love,

I struggle with my immune system 3 1/2 years after end of chemo, I look after my 2 germ factory grandsons 3 days a week and get whatever they have to give to me😬

Back to your question, I was told whatever you do to boost your immune system will be cancelled by the chemo and just to steer clear of people that are ill.

I am doing all Ican to boost it now.

Hope someone can help you more than I,

Regards,

Carole xx

[Seasun36-uk]

Hi Coxsar,

I think food is better than supplements....lots of summer fruits, green vegetables, a bit of sunshine, 8 hrs sleep and a positive frame of mind - confidence in the treatment & your team 🙂 and....some distractions/plans/treats for when you feel stronger ⚽️🎾⛱🥗🍓🍉🥂

[Coxsar in reply to Seasun36-uk]

Thankyou for your reply .

I will follow your advice x

[RonLitBer]

Vitamin D3. I was told this by 2 different oncologists. You can get your levels tested. Where I live it costs $35 but I think well worth it. Your level should be around 100. Mine is 99 and to get there I take 2,000 mg as a supplement every day (1,000 mg in the morning and 1,000 mg at night). I also consume dairy products so the supplements seem to be necessary. I tend to not go out in the summer sun too much. The winter sun does not confer too much vitamin D3 if you live in a northern climate and during this time of the year it means that supplements are even more necessary. Also skin tone plays a part since if you are out in the sun and have a darker complexion you need more just in terms of absorption.

[27-359 in reply to RonLitBer]

Sorry. Should read Propax Gold.

[Hidden]

Papaya leaf tea

[tara108]

Hi. There is a very good site online to check all vitamins etc. Just type into google, Sloane Kettering Memorial Cancer hospital and then herbs. The reason I say this is because many oncolgists say, don't take anything when on chemo! Some vitamins can interfere with the chemo. First time, I didn't even put a vitamin C in my mouth and I really suffered! Now my 1st recurence I am using this medical cancer site to check everything.

So I take Vitamin B12 complex and activated Vitamin B to stop neuropathy as well as icing hands and feet during carboplatinum/taxol chemo. I agree with vitamin D and also 50 million probiotic every day to help digestion and lower abdominal cramping. I just started taking paw paw tea and extract because my white blood cells and nutrafils ie, immune system has got low. Also its good to take something to keep your red blood cells and hemoglobin not getting low, like iron and magnesium.

But I am not an expert so it would be good to talk with someone like a naturopath or an expert in a health food shop etc but make sure they know about your chemo etc.

Alternatively if you are interested, you can go to the Inspire site on line in USA via google and go on ovarian cancer string. There are hundreds of posts on your question with great information on natural vitamins etc which are safe during chemo and after. Let us know how you get on.

Hope it helps. Hugs and good luck from Australia.

[BeeWild]

Hi I took vitamins with iron, liposomal vit C, curcumin etc throughout my first line and kept well. I’m now on a trial for my first recurrence weekly taxol plus cediranib and have had to stop all my supplements. I spoke to the Prof who runs the trial as I felt nervous about stopping them all. He explained that even though I felt they benefitted me throughout first line that was actually just a placebo effect as the chemo wipes out your bone marrow so it can’t utilise the iron etc but he kindly said if I really wanted to I could take them again. I decided not to and to be honest although on the low side of normal my bloods have held up up to now after 7 doses x

I will however be back on them after chemo stops to help replenish my bodies reserves

Hope that helps xx

Bev

[Lizchips]

I was told no vitamins during chemo, but I take vitamins D3 5,000. 1 a day, coq10 200 2 a day, cinnamon 2000 twice a day, turmeric/curcumin 1000 1 a day, a good multi vitamin , been doing it religiously after chemo ended 4 yrs plus ago. I drink lots of green and black teas. Good luck, best wishes for good health ❤❤Liz

[Susansew]

Just finished carbo /Taxol. 9 months. Never once got sick. Took multi vitamin for women, calcium/vit D combo, and 1500mg of vitamin C. I also had a Neulasta shot after every chemo. First three treatments the Neulasta boosted immune system hugely. Last three not so much, in the two's, but enough I guess. I work in a bacterial petri dish - an elementary school! Made it through the horrible flu season here in the U.S. Don't know if my vitamin regimin helped, but I haven't been sick with even a cold for a couple years so I will keep at it.

[Coxsar in reply to Susansew]

How did you find carb/taxol ? Was it very harsh ?

[Susansew]

Yes and no. Very first treatment I had an allergic reaction to the Taxol. Pretty scary. So before each chemo, which I received every three weeks, I was given a bag of benedryl and my steroid regimen changed a bit. I never felt nauseous, just wiped out. Got neuropathy each time and by 4,th or 5th treatment it didn't go away. Still fighting it. I had 25 days of radiation thrown in between my 6 treatments too, so I had a bit of a rest after three treatments. I tolerated the radiation pretty well. It took me a week after each chemo treatment to get back to work, mainly due to the Neulasta shot I would get the day after every treatment. I didn't tolerate that well, was in excruciating bone pain for 4-5 days, but without it I probably wouldn't have been able to return to work and it helped me avoid infection. Lost all my hair and six weeks after last treatment there is no evidence that it's beginning to grow back. But, there's no evidence of disease either.

[SuziTench1]

Hiya .. b12 and zinc all the way for me .. I ve managed not to get any illnesses(cold flu etc) and worked with general public .. i swear by b12 and you can get it on prescription.. good luck 🤞🤞xx