HER2 Support Group Forums - View Single Post - First TCH treatment and digestive problems

jaykay · 12-26-2013, 07:13 PM

I used biotin mouthwash and spray for dry mouth. You can buy them at any drugstore. I also had a prescription for " magic mouthwash", which is a mixture of several drugs that you gargle with. Each oncologist has their own formula. You can google it to get more info. There is also a lozenge that can be prescribed if the mouth sores get really bad. Just try to keep your mouth moist with non-alcohol based mouthwash like the biotin, I lived off of that stuff. As a point of reference, my onc reduced my chemo dosage because the mouth sores came on almost immediately.

The steroids that you take for the first couple of days after chemo constipate you, then the diarrhea arrives. You can take Imodium but double the recommended dosage with your doc's approval. I had to get a prescription for lomotil to get me through the week after chemo. Eat very bland - bananas, white bread, rice, applesauce, turkey for protein. No yogurt, veggies, etc.

Don't blame your health team; everyone reacts differently as seen by all the different responses.

It's ok to feel sorry for yourself - I would bet we all did at one point or another. Cancer sucks but you're fighting it.

Best
Janis

12-26-2013, 07:13 PM	#7
jaykay Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Posts: 645	Re: First TCH treatment and digestive problems I used biotin mouthwash and spray for dry mouth. You can buy them at any drugstore. I also had a prescription for " magic mouthwash", which is a mixture of several drugs that you gargle with. Each oncologist has their own formula. You can google it to get more info. There is also a lozenge that can be prescribed if the mouth sores get really bad. Just try to keep your mouth moist with non-alcohol based mouthwash like the biotin, I lived off of that stuff. As a point of reference, my onc reduced my chemo dosage because the mouth sores came on almost immediately. The steroids that you take for the first couple of days after chemo constipate you, then the diarrhea arrives. You can take Imodium but double the recommended dosage with your doc's approval. I had to get a prescription for lomotil to get me through the week after chemo. Eat very bland - bananas, white bread, rice, applesauce, turkey for protein. No yogurt, veggies, etc. Don't blame your health team; everyone reacts differently as seen by all the different responses. It's ok to feel sorry for yourself - I would bet we all did at one point or another. Cancer sucks but you're fighting it. Best Janis __________________ March, 2000: 48, Post menopausal (5 yrs HRT) Left breast, IDC 3mm/DCIS 1.6cm, ER+/PR-/Her2+++, mod differentiated, MIB low, lumpectomy, node neg via SNB, rads=33 Stage 1a June, 2000: Tamox 4.5 years,Femara for 5 years (end in Jan. 2010) Sept, 2012: 61, Via mamm, ultrasound, biopsy, right breast, 2.3cm tumor, ER+/PR-/Her2+++, poorly diff, KI67 60-70% BRCA 1 and 2 negative October, 2012: Bi Mast with tissue expanders, port placement Final Path: IDC 2.8cm, DCIS, 1/4 sentinal nodes positive (@#$%). Stage IIB Nov 29, 2012: Begin TCH/6x/every 3 wks, H for 1 year/every 3 weeks. March 14, 2013: Finished chemo April 9, 2013: Begin radiation 28x May 22, 2013: Finished rads June 1st, 2013: Started Aromasin for 5 yrs. July 15, 2013: Switched to Letrozole (Femara). Probably for the rest of my life October 16, 2013: Exchange surgery October 31, 2013: Finished Herceptin December 5, 2013: Port removed Glad this year is over!