Fasting for Chemo – Does it Work?

Of course, we won’t know for sure whether it works or not without randomised clinical trials, so I can only speak from my own experience and, whilst I have been through some deeply unpleasant times, I do feel as though it could have been worse. To give you an idea…

• Infection is common as the immune system is weakened by the chemotherapy. I have not had any infections throughout treatment and my temperature has remained normal;
• Anaemia is a common side effect as red blood cells drop. My red blood cells have dropped from 4.81 to 3.62, and haemoglobin has dropped from 155 to 114, but not to the extent that a transfusion is needed or treatment postponed;
• Nails often become discoloured or brittle. My nails have weirdly never been healthier;
• It is common for skin on the fingertips to become dry and cracked during treatment. I have experienced a very mild version of this (a slight drying of the skin) after some treatments, but it has lasted only 1-2 days with no cracking;
• Whilst my hair has fallen out, my brows and eyelashes have been very slow to start falling out and have only recently become noticeably thin;
• My digestive system has been noticeably better when I have fasted for longer. In particular the sense of internal disintegration (caused by acid) appears to reduce whilst fasting.
• Nosebleeds are a very common side effect. I have had three minor nosebleeds in total across the 8 treatments.
• Mouth pain is common and you are given bottles of mouthwash to help reduce this side effect. On just one occasion I had mouth pain that required painkillers to eat;
• People often report a metallic taste in the mouth and tainted taste buds. For the first few days after treatment food and drink does not taste quite right to me, but I have not experienced a metallic taste and I have been able to enjoy food to a greater or lesser extent during each treatment;
• Whilst there is no avoiding the nausea caused by EC chemotherapy immediately following treatment, careful management of the digestive system (see Principle 2, below) can help manage this symptom;
• I have found that fatigue has crept up on me as treatment has progressed.On September 23rd I posted three emerging principles of Fasting for Chemo based on my own personal experience during EC chemotherapy. I said I would continue to test these principles whilst receiving Taxol infusions and, on reflection, I have added in one more principle.  So, my four Fasting for Chemo Principles, developed whilst writing this blog, are:

My Four Principles of Fasting for Chemo

1. 350 calories-a-day for six days (2 days before and 4 days after treatment)
2. Take care of your digestive system
3. Break fast by eating little and often
4. Whilst breaking fast, watch for warning signs

Principle 1: 350 calories-a-day for six days

Using scientific papers to inform my approach, I have been fasting for two days prior to each chemotherapy treatment and for four days afterwards. The two days before treatment allows the body sufficient time to enter into a state of ketosis, which allows cells to ‘hide’ from the damaging effects of the chemotherapy. The four days after treatment allows time for as much of the chemotherapy agent as possible to leave the body, without having a detrimental impact on your overall health.

Whilst on both Taxol and EC chemotherapy I tried slightly relaxing the duration of the fast and experienced more negative side effects to the digestive system. Specifically, I found that by breaking fast earlier when there is more chemotherapy agent in my body, my digestive tract became much more acidic and I experienced a sense of ‘internal disintegration’. Whilst correlation is not causation, I remain convinced that this unpleasant sensation improved when I fasted for longer.

Principle 2: Take care of your digestive system

This seems like an obvious thing, but I cannot stress enough the importance of following the instructions your medical team give you in relation to taking care of your digestive system! In short (and I will spare you the details…!), the sooner you excrete the chemotherapy drugs from your body the better you will feel.  So… pad out your diet with as much low calorie fibre as possible (celery, spinach, cucumber), throw in supplements like Fybogel and Silicol Gel, then take everything the hospital gives you to keep things moving!

Principle 3: Break fast by eating little and often

This was particularly important for EC chemotherapy because even four days after treatment there is still a considerable amount of the medication in your body, so it’s a matter of eating small amounts and waiting to see if there is a negative reaction. After six days fasting my body is usually craving carbohydrate, but go easy if you can, especially at first, because you don’t want to flood your system with sugar and overstimulate your cells if there is still chemotherapy in your body.

Principle 4: Watch for warning signs

Once I have broken fast and am eating little and often, I find it’s best to wait 1-1.5 hours after eating to see how my body responds. If I feel nauseous, acidic or deeply fatigued, I know I have probably eaten too much too soon and will wait a while before trying again. I gradually build my diet up from full fast in this way, and try not to be disappointed if I have to take one step back to take two steps forward.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read this. If you or someone who care for is going through cancer treatment, I wish you all the very best.

Della x

Disclaimer:

The information contained in this post or any other post on this blog is based on personal experience and should not be viewed in any way as medical or other advice. If you are considering fasting for chemo, please consult your healthcare provider.

Copyright © 2015 Johnson