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Diet prior to radiotherapy

User
Posted 11 Oct 2024 at 10:51

So they've given me my diet, I'm vegetarian πŸ˜‚ 

Meat, chicken, fish, potato, rice, bread, milk and cheese

Strictly no veg, fruit or salad stuff

They said it's to reduce gas and clean the bowel/rectum 

My question, is it all veg or just green veg?

Are carrots, mushrooms, onions ok ?

Is there a link to a more extensive list ?

Edited by member 11 Oct 2024 at 12:33  | Reason: Not specified

User
Posted 11 Oct 2024 at 12:11

It looks like you're left with rice crackers and water.  Enjoy, and go steady on the crackers. πŸ˜‰πŸ™‚

Edited by member 11 Oct 2024 at 18:02  | Reason: Not specified

User
Posted 12 Oct 2024 at 21:29

The diet instructions vary enormously from one hospital to another.

We were told not to change our normal diet unless/until we had to. They don't want your body to change weight or composition from the planning scan to the end of treatment. One person who was losing weight was told to go and eat some cakes!

In practice, most of us had to change to a low or no fibre diet around 2 weeks in to keep bowels manageable.  That was:

No veg except peeled potatoes, white rice.
No fruit except peeled apples, pears, bananas.
No brown or wholemeal bread/flour.

Lettuce may be OK, because it's basically got nothing in it except water. (BBC Food Program mentioned that you need to eat 5000 lettuces to make up 1 of your 5-a-day). It's even very low on fibre.

If you're on hormone therapy, and also during the radiotherapy, both of these need more protein intake than normal. I ate lots of chicken and salmon. (I tend to avoid red meat anyway.)

A friend who was vegetarian did get away fine on his normal vegetarian diet including broccoli which is usually a disaster for bowels during radiotherapy (and for many other bowel conditions). I tried some broccoli on a Friday after my radiotherapy session thinking I had until Monday and it should be passed by then, but I spent all weekend on the toilet, and had a bleeding bum from all the wiping by Monday. Live and learn, and laugh about it now, 5 years later. (I can eat a whole broccoli now without any problems.)

User
Posted 12 Oct 2024 at 22:37

Originally Posted by: Online Community Member
So they've given me my diet, I'm vegetarian πŸ˜‚ Meat, chicken, fish, potato, rice, bread, milk and cheese Strictly no veg, fruit or salad stuff They said it's to reduce gas and clean the bowel/rectum

Given they've totally ignored the fact that you're a vegetarian, they've also dismissed the reality that you've worked out your diet in such a way that it doesn't cause you problems like excessive gas or indigestion, so don't get carried away with their advice!

Cleaning the bowel sounds like something from a 1950's nursing manual. What on earth do they mean?

It sounds as though you're on top of it anyway with the whey, eggs and cheese but beyond that, just avoid anything you know to be too gassy and you'll be fine.

Jules

User
Posted 13 Oct 2024 at 10:41

It was almost a year to eat broccoli (although not a whole one). For everything else, it was back to normal in 6-9 months (possibly sooner but I didn't push it).

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User
Posted 11 Oct 2024 at 12:11

It looks like you're left with rice crackers and water.  Enjoy, and go steady on the crackers. πŸ˜‰πŸ™‚

Edited by member 11 Oct 2024 at 18:02  | Reason: Not specified

User
Posted 11 Oct 2024 at 16:48

Oh dear, that’s a bit strict, especially as you’re a Vegetarian. It’s funny how each centre is different, mine said eat my Normal diet as they don’t like to upset your digestive system. I did avoid brocoli and curries the night before treatment. I have no idea though as a vegetarian what would happene if you stopped eating themπŸ€”πŸ€” Why not call them and explain…or speak to your CNS?

Good luck,

Derek

User
Posted 11 Oct 2024 at 17:45

πŸ˜‚ they said suck it up, got a call today saying my tortestorene is too high so my radiotherapy has been put off until 28 November (assuming my tortestorene drops).

I'm allowed protein whey so I think that'll be breakfast, egg on toast or egg mayo sandwich for lunch and jacket potato and cheese for dinner.

User
Posted 11 Oct 2024 at 22:47

Your testosterone?πŸ€”πŸ€”πŸ€”
Surprised they are measuring that rather than your PSA. My Onco liked it to be <1 before RT

User
Posted 12 Oct 2024 at 05:02

My PSA is 3

User
Posted 12 Oct 2024 at 20:51

It's good to get PSA down to 1 before RT, although that's not always possible.

What was your Testosterone?

Which hormone therapy are you on?

User
Posted 12 Oct 2024 at 21:29

The diet instructions vary enormously from one hospital to another.

We were told not to change our normal diet unless/until we had to. They don't want your body to change weight or composition from the planning scan to the end of treatment. One person who was losing weight was told to go and eat some cakes!

In practice, most of us had to change to a low or no fibre diet around 2 weeks in to keep bowels manageable.  That was:

No veg except peeled potatoes, white rice.
No fruit except peeled apples, pears, bananas.
No brown or wholemeal bread/flour.

Lettuce may be OK, because it's basically got nothing in it except water. (BBC Food Program mentioned that you need to eat 5000 lettuces to make up 1 of your 5-a-day). It's even very low on fibre.

If you're on hormone therapy, and also during the radiotherapy, both of these need more protein intake than normal. I ate lots of chicken and salmon. (I tend to avoid red meat anyway.)

A friend who was vegetarian did get away fine on his normal vegetarian diet including broccoli which is usually a disaster for bowels during radiotherapy (and for many other bowel conditions). I tried some broccoli on a Friday after my radiotherapy session thinking I had until Monday and it should be passed by then, but I spent all weekend on the toilet, and had a bleeding bum from all the wiping by Monday. Live and learn, and laugh about it now, 5 years later. (I can eat a whole broccoli now without any problems.)

User
Posted 12 Oct 2024 at 22:37

Originally Posted by: Online Community Member
So they've given me my diet, I'm vegetarian πŸ˜‚ Meat, chicken, fish, potato, rice, bread, milk and cheese Strictly no veg, fruit or salad stuff They said it's to reduce gas and clean the bowel/rectum

Given they've totally ignored the fact that you're a vegetarian, they've also dismissed the reality that you've worked out your diet in such a way that it doesn't cause you problems like excessive gas or indigestion, so don't get carried away with their advice!

Cleaning the bowel sounds like something from a 1950's nursing manual. What on earth do they mean?

It sounds as though you're on top of it anyway with the whey, eggs and cheese but beyond that, just avoid anything you know to be too gassy and you'll be fine.

Jules

User
Posted 13 Oct 2024 at 03:13

I don't know what my tortestorene is nor do I know what hormone therapy I'm on.

 

User
Posted 13 Oct 2024 at 10:32

Originally Posted by: Online Community Member

The diet instructions vary enormously from one hospital to another.

We were told not to change our normal diet unless/until we had to. They don't want your body to change weight or composition from the planning scan to the end of treatment. One person who was losing weight was told to go and eat some cakes!

In practice, most of us had to change to a low or no fibre diet around 2 weeks in to keep bowels manageable.  That was:

No veg except peeled potatoes, white rice.
No fruit except peeled apples, pears, bananas.
No brown or wholemeal bread/flour.

Lettuce may be OK, because it's basically got nothing in it except water. (BBC Food Program mentioned that you need to eat 5000 lettuces to make up 1 of your 5-a-day). It's even very low on fibre.

If you're on hormone therapy, and also during the radiotherapy, both of these need more protein intake than normal. I ate lots of chicken and salmon. (I tend to avoid red meat anyway.)

A friend who was vegetarian did get away fine on his normal vegetarian diet including broccoli which is usually a disaster for bowels during radiotherapy (and for many other bowel conditions). I tried some broccoli on a Friday after my radiotherapy session thinking I had until Monday and it should be passed by then, but I spent all weekend on the toilet, and had a bleeding bum from all the wiping by Monday. Live and learn, and laugh about it now, 5 years later. (I can eat a whole broccoli now without any problems.)

Wow, 5 years to eat broccoli 

User
Posted 13 Oct 2024 at 10:41

It was almost a year to eat broccoli (although not a whole one). For everything else, it was back to normal in 6-9 months (possibly sooner but I didn't push it).

 
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