- Nausea
- Diarrhoea
- Radiation “burns”
I think these are going to be my
trifecta.
Nausea
Most people associate nausea with
chemotherapy but there is also the possibility of nausea from radiation
therapy. Nausea affects our appetite. While the goal during treatment is to
stay healthy and an important part of that is eating healthy but what do you do
when you have no appetite or you mouth has developed sores from the treatment?
If you are like me, you spend a fortune at the grocery store and stock up on comfort food, easily prepared food and easy to eat food.
Diarrhoea
Cody, our dog recently had diarrhoea
and the vet prescribed a diet of white rice, cottage cheese and extra lean
ground beef. Did you know that the same foods are recommended for humans?
It’s not the healthy whole grain
carbohydrates we are usually told to eat but white rice, white bread, white pasta.
It’s also recommended to avoid
spicy foods, acidic foods, and caffeine.
Bland, bland, bland.
Right now my cupboards are filled
with white rice, white bread (for toast and French toast), pancake mix, cream
of mushroom soup, split peas soup, Kraft Dinner, Hamburger Helper (beef
stroganoff not tomato), Rice Krispies, 10 flavours of pudding cups, Jell-O cups, assorted
yoghurts, eggs, canned tuna, cold cuts, ginger ale and decaffeinated Red Rose
orange pekoe tea.
Not so bland after all.
Radiation “burns”
This is one side-effect that I
don’t think I will escape.
I’ve written about the sunburn feeling that is going to develop on my derriere where the radiation comes in contact with my skin but I haven’t mentioned the burns and rashes that will develop in the groin area.
I’ve written about the sunburn feeling that is going to develop on my derriere where the radiation comes in contact with my skin but I haven’t mentioned the burns and rashes that will develop in the groin area.
At first I thought that this is
caused by radiation travelling through the body and exiting the other side but
as I write this I am wondering if it might be caused by the radiation treatment
to my pelvic lymph nodes. I’ll have to get back to you on that.
The burns and rashes on the backside are another reason to have a bland diet.
The burns and rashes on the backside are another reason to have a bland diet.
Other advice includes:
Drinking plenty of fluids.
Sitz baths or soaks in warm shallow bath with salt or baking soda added (add that to the grocery list).
Sitz baths or soaks in warm shallow bath with salt or baking soda added (add that to the grocery list).
Moisturizing with lanolin-free and
unscented moisturizers. If those don’t work I can ask for medicated creams or
sprays from the nursing station in the radiation clinic at PMCCC.
Wearing loose fitting underwear and
pants so that nothing is rubbing the groin area. Boxers with non-elastic leg
openings are perfect
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