Eating Well During Chemotherapy, Support

by National Cancer Institute

(Page 8 of 10)

It is very important to eat well while you are getting chemotherapy. Eating well during chemotherapy means choosing a balanced diet that contains all the nutrients the body needs. Eating well also means having a diet high enough in calories to keep your weight up and high enough in protein to rebuild tissues that cancer treatment may harm. People who eat well can cope with side effects and fight infection better. Also, their bodies can rebuild healthy tissues faster.

What If I Don't Feel Like Eating?

On some days you may feel you just cannot eat. You can lose your appetite if you feel depressed or tired. (See "Getting the Support You Need" for advice). Or, side effects such as nausea or mouth and throat problems may make it difficult or painful to eat (see "Mouth, Gum, and Throat Problems" for helpful hints). In some cases, if you cannot eat for a long period of time, your doctor may recommend that you be given nutrition intravenously until you are able to eat again.

When a poor appetite is the problem, try these suggestions:

• Eat frequent, small meals or snacks whenever you want, perhaps four to six times a day. You do not have to eat three regular meals each day.
• Keep snacks within easy reach, so you can have something whenever you feel like it.
• Even if you do not want to eat solid foods, try to drink beverages during the day. Juice, soup, and other fluids like these can give you important calories and nutrients.
• Vary your diet by trying new foods and recipes.
• When possible, take a walk before meals; this may make you feel hungrier.
• Try changing your mealtime routine. For example, eat in a different location.
• Eat with friends or family members. When eating alone, listen to the radio or watch TV.
• Ask your doctor or nurse about nutrition supplements.
• Speak with your dietician about your specific nutrition needs.

Can I Drink Alcoholic Beverages?

Small amounts of alcohol can help you relax and increase your appetite. On the other hand, alcohol may interfere with how some drugs work and/or worsen their side effects. For this reason, some people must drink less alcohol or avoid alcohol completely during chemotherapy. Ask your doctor if and how much beer, wine, or other alcoholic beverages you can drink during treatment.

Can I Take Extra Vitamins and Minerals?

You can usually get all the vitamins and minerals you need by eating a healthy diet. Talk to your doctor, nurse, registered dietician, or a pharmacist before taking any vitamin or mineral supplements. Too much of some vitamins and minerals can be just as dangerous as too little. Find out what is recommended for you.

Getting the Support You Need

Chemotherapy, like cancer, can bring major changes to a person's life. While it can help cure your cancer, it can sometimes affect overall health, cause stress, disrupt day-to-day schedules, and strain personal relationships. It is no wonder, then, that some people feel tearful, anxious, angry, or depressed at some point during their chemotherapy.

These emotions can be perfectly normal, but they can also be disturbing. Fortunately, there are ways to deal with these emotional side effects, just as there are ways to cope with the physical side effects of chemotherapy.

How Can I Get Support?

You can draw on many sources of support. Here are some of the most important:

Doctors, nurses, and other health professionals. If you have questions or worries about your cancer treatment, talk with members of your health care team. Tell them if you are feeling anxious or depressed, or if you are experiencing other emotional or physical changes.

Counseling professionals. There are many kinds of counselors who can help you express, understand, and cope with your feelings. If you are depressed, you should consider seeking professional help. Feeling hopeless, worthless, guilty, or that life is not worth living are signs of depression. Depending on your preferences and needs, you may want to talk with a psychiatrist, psychologist, social worker, sex therapist, or member of the clergy. There are also medicines that can be used to treat depression. Many cancer centers have "psycho-oncology" programs with psychiatrists, psychologists, and social workers trained to work with cancer patients. Your doctor, nurse, or social worker may be able to suggest who to contact.

Friends and family members. Talking with friends or family members can help you feel a lot better. Often, they can comfort and reassure you in ways that no one else can. However, you may need to help them help you. At a time when you might expect that others will rush to your aid, you may have to make the first move.

Asking friends and family for help. Many people do not understand cancer, and may withdraw from you because they are afraid of your illness and not know what to do to help you. Others may worry that they will upset you by saying "the wrong thing." You can help by being open in talking with others about your illness, your treatment, your needs, and your feelings. By talking openly, you can correct mistaken ideas about cancer. You can also let people know that there is no single "right" thing to say, as long as their caring comes through loud and clear. Once people know they can talk with you honestly, they may be more willing and able to open up and lend their support. Accepting help may be hard. When you allow others to help, you make them feel less helpless. In a sense, you are helping others deal with your illness.

Support groups. Support groups are made up of people who are going or have gone through the same kinds of experiences as you. Many people with cancer find they can share thoughts and feelings with group members that they do not feel comfortable sharing with anyone else. Support groups also can serve as an important source of practical information about living with cancer. Some studies suggest that not only can support groups help with how you are feeling emotionally, but may also help you recover physically from your cancer.

Support can also be found in one-to-one programs that put you in touch with another person very similar to you in age, sex, type of cancer, and so forth. In some programs, this person comes to visit you. In others, a "hotline" puts you in touch with someone you can talk with on the telephone. Later, you may want to help others who are going through the same experience you did.

Sources for information about support programs, counseling advice, financial assistance, transportation to and from treatment, and information about cancer include neighborhood organizations, local health care providers, and your hospital, clinic, or medical center where you are being treated. At public libraries and patient libraries at hospitals, a librarian can help you find books and articles through a literature search. The National Cancer Institute's Cancer Information Service (1-800-4-CANCER) is also an excellent source of information and publications.

How Can I Make My Daily Life More Enjoyable?

• Share your feelings with friends and family.
• Watch funny movies.
• Help someone else.
• Listen to music.
• Try new hobbies and learn new skills.
• Exercise, if you can.
• Do things that interest you.

About the Author

www.nci.nih.gov
The National Cancer Institute's research programs are extensive and contain many innovative initiatives. I invite you to explore our Web site to find out more about the exciting work being conducted here at NCI and by NCI-supported scientists throughout the country.