[TSund]

There is a wide difference of opinion on supplements during chemo, however:

Ruth has done GREAT on the WBC issue without Neulasta through 5 TCH treatments and I am convinced it is because of the astragalus root and reishi mushroom extract. She has not suffered any aches and pains associated with Neulasta or treatment. She is taking L-gluatamine also so perhaps that helps also. Ruth has only missed one day or work, and that was the day of the port surgery. The onc had to admit that she did not believe it affected the treatment, possibly enhanced it, as Ruth's pre-surgery tumor shrinkage response has been one of more dramatic the onc has ever seen. She said to "keep on doing whatever you're doing" after first treatment checkup. Her WBC has gone down each time, but was still at 6.5 the day of treatment five.

I hope this helps. She avoids a 3 day window on either side of the chemo. Ruth also takes probiotic, fish oil, multi-vit, and benefiber. Bentonite clay controlled the diahrehha through the first couple treatments, but then she had to add Immodium to the mix. She takes an acid blocker starting 2 days before treatment through about a week afterwards. The fatigue has been as issue, but ginseng extract tea seems to help.

He onc chose to give her RBC booster on treatment 4. Returned to low normal on day of treatment 5. I'm betting she might need it again on treatment 6 as her fatigue has been worse this last time.

Her steroid dose has been different than others here. No steroid before-hand. She gets it in the drip day of chemo along with an anti-nausea drug (aloxi?), and takes 2 mg twice a day on days 2 and 3. Onc cut out day 4 when it was evident Ruth had no nausea issues. The Emend (days 1, 2 and 3) has worked absolutely great.

Hope this helps.

Terri