Lizzy’s Tips

Having successfully used cold caps through 6 rounds of TCH treatments, I learned a whole bunch of things that I really would have liked to have known earlier. Please find below a list of some of my observations and tips. If you have any others that we should put up here for everyone else please send them to me lizzy@chemocoldcaps.com and I’ll get them posted.

You can do this!

Basic Chemo Tips

Before you begin treatment make an effort to eat very well; a prepared body makes for a better chemo experience.

Read Beating Cancer With Nutrition by Paul Quillin.

Drink LOTS of water, especially the day of treatment and the day after.

To prevent mouth sores you will need to rinse your mouth with a mixture of ¼ tsp baking soda and 1/8 tsp of salt and warm water. I used Dixie cups and pre-measured the soda and salt in each cup and stacked them inside each other that way all I had to do was add water.

Stop using deodorant with aluminum, get a natural one like Tom’s. I found a powder I love called PitPowder by MuddyH2O which is designed to encourage the lymphatic system to release waste and toxins.

Stock up on some good paraban-free body products as chemo will cause your skin to become dry. I am constantly asked by patients what kinds of changes I made after being diagnosed with breast cancer. I recently discovered a new line of beauty products that have a safety rating that beats just about anything currently available in the US. There are things BANNED in Europe that are allowed to be used in the US. Our skin is our biggest organ. Moving forward one of the things we can do to protect ourselves from toxins in the products we use is to become better educated on what we are putting on our bodies as well as in them. I love everything that this company makes and their message is even better. They even have trusted partners that they donate to including The Breast Cancer Fund, EWG,Healthy Child, Healthy World. I encourage you to read the company mission and decide for yourself if maybe it is time to clean out your bathroom cupboards and drawers.

Visit beautycounter.com/lizzycronin and see what is available to you as you begin to live a new lifestyle!

Senekot S is a great laxative to use, the chemo drugs can be constipating.

Go for a walk every day that you can, it is counter intuitive but even when you feel not so great a good walk can make you feel better!

Don’t worry if you gain weight during your treatment, I became “puffy and fluffy” but about 6 weeks after the last treatment I was back to normal.

I took a long sleeved t-shirt and cut a large hole where my port was so I could stay warm yet provide access for my infusions.

Have the BRACA gene test done, it is important to know if your cancer is hereditary.

I felt different after every round of my 6 TCH infusions. The first one is difficult because you don’t know what to expect and you fear the worst. I was more tired than anything else and just felt yucky. I had a funny taste in my mouth within the first couple of days after the first round but it does go away. Remember that this is a temporary situation and you will find that you are stronger than you think you are.

Another side effect of chemotherapy is dryness in the vagina. Make sure you purchase silicon based lubricants for intercourse, NOT water based. Replens is also an OTC vaginal mosturizer that is recommended for women going through chemo.

Hair Tips

You should not wash your hair three days before or three days after your treatment.

If you need to color your hair, do so two weeks before your first treatment and then not again until 3 months after the first round.

Trim your hair only during treatment, this is not the time for a style change.

Wash your hair no more than twice a week during chemo, use water that is no warmer than your body temp and use a mild shampoo and conditioner that contains no sulfites or parabans. Your hair will feel greasy at first but after about a week this will go away.

Be very gentle with your scalp; don’t scrub your head when you wash your hair.

Avoid a high-power shower head.

If you have long hair you can style the ends with a blow dryer, curling iron, or straightener. You want to protect your roots.

Use a wide tooth comb when your hair is wet. If you need added conditioner, Kertase Spray leave-in conditioner is a good one.

Sleep on a satin pillow case.

If you pull your hair back in a pony tail use a loose band and don’t pull it too tight.

I did a partial highlight on my hair 3 months after the first round. My hairdresser used a light color with no bleach and low ammonia. I did another partial highlight 6 weeks later and have decided to stop all-over color and just do highlights. 7 months after the first round I did get a highlight with some bleach. If you color your hair this can be one of the most trying aspects about this process but you will be happy in the end that you have hair to color!

Treatment Day Tips

Eat breakfast and wear comfortable clothes.

Use an electric blanket to help you stay warm and toasty during the day.

DRINK LOTS OF WATER!!! I tried to drink 4oz every 15 minutes.

The first 3 to 5 minutes of the cap application are the hardest, just stay focused and push through.

The first few caps are the most important, be sure to follow the instructions.

What you can expect…

You will shed some hair and to you it may seem that a whole lot is coming out but it isn’t. Don’t get discouraged and think that it is not working. You will still have a lot of hair and again you will be the person who notices it the most. I shed up to 6 weeks post my last treatment and then it stopped. My hairdresser estimates that I lost about 20% of my hair during treatment. For me, having 80% of my hair remaining versus it being 100% gone was well worth the effort of this process!!

Establish a good relationship with your chemo nurse, even if you don’t get a warm fuzzy feeling from them at first. Remember that this may be your first brush with cancer but these caregivers see hundreds of patients and can become desensitized. Kill ’em with kindness:)

Happy Capping!

Lizzy