FIN Tips Please note that this page is only for tips and suggestions from people who have experiences to share from their own cancer diagnosis. IT IS NOT for medical advice and the suggestions are only a reflection from personal experiences which may be of help to others. If in any doubt please see your doctor! If you would like to share one of your own tips please email me I know I'm supposed to drink 2 liters of water a day, but it's a struggle because water (like many things) tastes terrible to me right now. If you're the same, try adding lemon juice to your water. There's also easy to use all-natural lemon in powder form that you can get free samples of at www.Truelemon.com or find it at the grocery store. It comes in little packets so you can add just as much as you need to make the water taste good. I alternate lemon water with ginger ale to get the most hydration with the best taste. If you have a tram flap reconstruction, keep a step stool next to your bed to help you get in and out rather than boost yourself up. Or get into bed on your knees and then lower yourself down; at a week after surgery, I was able to do this. Sea Bands are a lifesaver for chemotherapy nausea, but if you've had a traditional lymph node dissection, check with your surgeon whether these are okay. Because of the limitations on weight bearing with my arms immediately following surgery bilateral mastectomies w/latissimus flap reconstruction, it was difficult to transition from lying down to sitting positions. Even scooting to the edge of a chair while seated was difficult. Once home, I learned it was much easier to do this while wearing silky type pajamas. When I had my masectomy, I found night gowns at wal-mart that have buttons at the shoulders, and they don't have sleeves. You just pop that one button on the shoulder and they fall down. During chemo, my mouth was both sore and dry. Along with drinking lots of water, using Biotene mouthwash helped reduce these side-effects. It's alcohol free and anti-bacterial. I knew my hair would go so I went to a stylist who cuts hair and sends it to the people who make wigs for children with cancer. Knowing it went to a good cause helped reduce the emotional back-lash. Metallic taste: I found that using plastic utensils when eating helped to overcome the 'metallic' taste experienced while having chemotherapy Mouth Sores: get a perscription for "Swish & Swallow"....it works great and also drink lots of fluids. Ginger Ale is very good if you are a bit nauseaus. When having chemo, you may have days when you feel you have much more energy than you thought. This is usually when the cells are rejuvenating. It is still very important for you to rest as much as possible. Sometimes you can make it worse for yourself by doing too much just because you feel like it! rest is very important while having chemo. When having treatment make sure if you go outside in the sun you are well covered and have sunscreen on. It is very important to try and not get too much sun. A nurse told me to use a bag of frozen peas under my arm for the lymph node surgery. It works well, conforms to my arm and can be thrown back into the freezer later for re-use. Just don't plan on cooking them later! Frozen seedless grapes are a refreshing treat when your mouth is dry...but not right after a chemo treatment, wait a day or two. After my surgery, I used old maternity pjs made for nursing. They were roomy and comfortable. I pinned the drains up inside the pjs but could un-pin them and pull them through the nursing openings to empty them. If you are too tired to shower, place a resin plastic patio chair in the tub/ shower to sit and get washed. Have someone nearby to hold the chair or pick up items if they fall. I taped my drains to the chair to keep them from pulling in the shower. Before having your mastectomy..make yourself a small dacron filled small pillow. About 6" square..( I made a heart shaped one!)...use this to place under your armpit after operation.It will help a great deal from your inside upper arm rubbing against the wound. When going for chemo treatments, have a pillow and blanket in the car. Also, it is a good idea to take along a wet wash cloth. If you have a tissue expander in place, DO NOT let any of your doctors send you to get an MRI. There is metal in the expander. Be sure to cut your toenails before surgery. You may not be able to reach them for a while. Also use an electric razor on the underarm area after lymph node surgery. Buy yourself some gel ice paks and when you are feeling hot, place them on your neck and body. Helps to cool you quicker. The volunteers at the Breast Care Center where I had my surgery, made these little bags with ribbon strings to tie around my waist to hold my drain. They gave us two, one for in the shower and one for keeping dry. I would alternate them, so one was always clean. Bags were about 6" x 6", made from a nice calico. I always have lots of white wash cloths and towels on hand. For the few days I felt lousy after a treatment I kept a stack of them nearby. When I would feel a bit queasy I would put cool water on the cloth and lay it on my face and neck. It really helped and if it is warm it will feel especially good. Make sure you are stocked up on lots of things that are easy on the tummy before a chemo treatment. Everyone has different tastes. Sometimes you may want nothing at all, but you know you have to eat something. I ate a lot of Yoplait Custard style yogurt in vanilla. ( no other kind tasted as good to me) I put it in the freezer for about 30-45 minutes before eating and it would get icy cold and softly frozen, it worked very well for me. If you start losing your hair from your chemo treatments you may hate getting hair all over your pillow at night. I found some little soft bonnets at the beauty supply and drug store and wore those at night. I could not stand having the hair all over the place. After surgery while you still have drains and you get to the point of showering, I used some long mardi gras beads that I had from Las Vegas, I put them around my neck to sort of hang my drains on. I know it sounds unusual, but sometimes you have to improvise. And...You'll look so cute! I found that it made me feel better if I talked to the people around me who were also having chemo. this made the time go by faster and also helped me to make new friends. I couldn't concentrate on reading. Sometimes your sense of smell is horrid while having chemo.I found by putting some flavoured lip gloss on my lips it helped some. If you are not able to take someone with you when going to appointments, make sure you have a notebook to write everything down or a tape recorder! This way you will not forget what you have been told. When having chemo, if you like music. Take along a walkman and listen to the music while having the IV. It can make the time go so much quicker. After surgery, when you have the drains and you are feeling up to taking a shower,I found an old apron. The drain balls could go in the pockets, they didn't have to just hang from my body. I tried to shower after surgery first time without the apron, those balls hanging hurt me. Any kind of apron with pockets will work! Also be very careful getting out of a recliner chair, that is what I slept in after surgery for about 3 weeks. Got up once and the drain ball had wedged itself. Fluid, fluid, fluid...water is best, but just keep it up. Flush that poision that is chemo out with all the little blighter cancer cells. Put lemon in it if you need to, but be careful because what you drink during chemo never tastes great later. You may spend a great amount in toilet so take a book! Anytime you can, take someone with you to your appointments with your physicians. Sometimes the anxiety you feel about what you are hearing, shuts down the ability to remember what was said., This person can even take notes for you while you're focusing on what's being said. Radiation: While doing rads and you want to use deodorant, mix equal amounts of cornstarch and baking soda in a bowl and dust on underarms with a cotton ball. Have an acid stomach?? Leo's tip: 1/4 tsp. of baking soda in a small amount of water (2 oz.) mix and drink. You may drink water to clean your mouth. It should work in 15 seconds, if it doesn't do it again. Whilst going through chemo,I had a hard time focusing visibly and mentally. So I purchased some of the magnifying reading glasses. This worked wonders! I was told not to have my eyes examined for about 3-6 months, so that they would stabilize and the chemo was mostly out of my body. Testing may not be accurate so soon after or during chemo. The same with a pap smear, it will not read accurately during or just after chemo. So wait the chemo out of your body, then go for that eye doctor visit, unless your doc tells you otherwise. While on chemo and rads I had a terrible time reading - seems like nothing would focus. I love reading it passes the time and puts you into a different world. A dear friend of mine brought me books on tape from the library and it sure helped pass the day and kept me up on my reading. I am forever grateful to that dear friend - I never would have thought about this as an alternative. I purchased 6 housedresses (housecoats) and use them to sleep in. They have snaps all the way down. I made sure that the sleeves were wide. I am able to get in and out of them without any help. Why 6? Because I constantly wash and dry them, I have a fresh housedress to wear everyday. I purchased sports bras with hooks in front, so I can get in and out of it by myself.(easy to get over my bandaged hand and arm.) I found Wal*Mart was the place to go for sports bras. You may experience 'weepy eyes' while having chemotherapy. Buy yourself some 'No more Tears' drops from a pharmacist. This will help enormously. Before going for your operation, buy yourself some nightdresses/clothes which button all the way down the front . This will make it easier for you if you have drains and also will help undressing as you may have some lack of mobility with your arm. Back to Friends in Need