Looking for someone knowledgeable about chemo side effects

@naturegirl5 Thank you for asking 🙂 yes, I had the one-day surgery two days ago. I went home the same day/early evening after I was able to pee on my own (can't be discharge if the patient can't pee). I feel very sleepy, and still have pain that I managed with tylenol (I don't want to take the prescribed tramadol). Tylenol so far is effective with the pain I have. The pain is getting better; it's just not easy to cough or laugh, because I feel like my stomach's going to fall off haha...

@c3b4 You are, for sure, a warrior. How did you find Mayo Clinic Connect so soon after your surgery? I found Connect on the Mayo Clinic Patient Portal but that was at least 6 months after my surgery.

I know what you mean about coughing or laughing. The nurses also told me not to bear down when I'm having a bowel movement. I was mostly fatigued after my hysterectomy more than anything else. My surgeon told me that even though I had just a few small incisions on my belly that this was major surgery and my pelvic muscles and tendons had all been "rearranged". So, to keep in mind that on the inside I had a lot of healing to do. I took naps as needed during the day and went for walks. My surgery was in August so it was still pleasant enough to walk outdoors.

Thank you for coming here and offering so much support for our members. I wish you good healing over these next few weeks. When do you see our surgeon again for your follow-up?

@again2 Here are a few of our members, @loribmt @val64 @cancerback @tjperry @mrsisaiah4113 that may be able to provide you with more suggestions on chemotherapy side effects and neuropathy. Since you finished the chemotherapy 4 months ago what are you experiencing in side effects?

I have neuropathy on my feet after six cycles of carbo/taxol chemo followed by radiation. My toes feel numb and when I walk the soles of my feet feel like I am walking barefoot on stones. I also have balance issues that have caused me to fall.
For me, I have found the following routine helpful:
1. Doing the neuropathy exercises by Kelly, an oncologist physical therapist, found in YouTube. She shows 10 different exercises that help with neuropathy and balance.
2. Using compression stockings during the day.
3. Wearing laced sneakers all day long. I have a pair to use indoor and one for outdoor.
4. Taking a daily walk that I started doing for 5 minutes and have increased slowly to a 15 to 17 minute walk. I started very slow and now I can walk at a quicker pace and I do a full mile of walking in the 15 - 17 minutes.
5. I rub Vicks VaporRub on my feet at bedtime and wear socks. This has helped me because when lying down I always had the most uncomfortable feeling on my feet.
It has been three months since I finished my chemo and I don't know if my neuropathy will go away but, the above routine has helped me.

Thank you for responding. Carboplatin, Taxol and Keytruda.

How does fasting help? I find that I feel terrible if I don't have much to eat.

Going to look up Kelly on YouTube. I too wear lace up sneakers all day and have found it helps quite a bit. I do take them off at intervals as the tops and sides of my feet hurt quite a bit so I rub StopPain on and that quells the pain for a few hours.
Use MagniLife at night as it is longer acting. My heating pad is my best friend.
I have chronic back pain due to sciatica, herniated disc and ankylo spondylosis, Surgery helped for a while. Have trouble standing for more than a few minutes without holding onto my cane, something or my my husbands' hand.

Has any had any experience with the devices that look to be like TENS units? Looks like a pad with the outline of two feet and stimulation pads. The ads seem to be everywhere wit prices ranging from 20 to 200+

@naturegirl5 we are all warriors, aren't we 🙂 How are you feeling now? Do you feel you've been healed completely, or do you still have pain?

I've been reading a lot of Mayo Clinic articles/comments/whatever they have for many, many years, even before my diagnosis. My wonderful PCP who retired a few years ago told me about Mayo Clinic, and that it's one of the best. Yes, it's a major surgery and need to be careful; every time I need to get up from sitting or from bed, I always support my belly with my hands, as if it's going to fall off, and it really helps. I roll myself like a log when I go to bed and get out of bed. Yes, can't bear down when having bowel movement, and for me, I added even during peeing; you know sometimes we rush to pee, right:-)? And I can't lift anything heavier than 15 pounds...It's been raining and cold outside, so I walk around our living room/kitchen/bedroom which drives our beloved dog nuts :-)! Yesterday afternoon, I was able to go outside/backyard and walk. And like you, I take naps as needed.

I'll see my oncologist/surgeon next month, 3rd week of February. He actually called me the day after the surgery, and then the next day, his nurse called me, too, to ask how I'm doing/feeling...really nice of them 🙂

@again2 I hope you're feeling much better than before...
Fasting has a lot of benefits...if you don't have other medical issues like diabetes, maybe you'd like to try it. You could also talk to your doctor if he/she is open minded (not all physicians are), and maybe ask for a referral (open minded dietician) who could work with you.

Fasting is something of a habit for me, and I always fast every time I do my lab works/tests, even though most of the time fasting isn't needed for labs. Yes, you'll get hungry, but only for a little bit; when i fast, I make sure I'm hydrated. I had six rounds of chemo, the last one was the day after Christmas. I fasted in all these chemo days (my chemo days are almost seven hours in the infusion center). I didn't get dizzy/nauseated...In addition to fasting, I brought with me my almost frozen gel gloves and used them during chemo. I never felt hungry, and never had any bad reactions. After day 4 of treatment, I don't have a need to take anymore of the prescribed medications for nausea and such. The neuropathy on my fingers started when I completely forgot to take the prescribed pills the night before my 5th chemo. Maybe it was just a coincidence. I'm now back to fasting, ice, and massage; I have very little neuropathy now and not as bad as before. Our bodies react differently, so I hope you try everything to make yourself comfortable. I also hope you have a journal/notebook to write everything down, from your diagnosis and the feelings you have after hearing about it from your doctor, your prescriptions and time/day you have to take them, and your reactions/side effects from taking them, and anything you want to write about...it's going to be really helpful for you...