Best Practices - Lessons Learned

In the last 7 cycles of chemotherapy, I have been experimenting.  This is because I want to minimize the discomfort, weakness and other mild and moderate side-effects I have experienced with taking a 5 day on, 23 day off maintenance cycle of Temodar for the past 7 months.  Temodar is an Anti-Neoplastic agent.  I may do a more in depth nerd-style posting in the future of things I have learned about this last year.  Anyway...to continue.

If anyone takes Temodar (Temozolomide) and has not been able to minimize the side-effects to their liking, consider the following.  For my 5 days on, I keep a rather strict schedule.  I normally keep a fairly strict schedule anyway, but definitely do not stop during chemo week.  I don't adjust my schedule for chemo week so I don't have anything to re-adjust to something different later.  I just keep my normal schedule:
- Wake up early, eat whole grain cereal and fruit breakfast and go to work.
- Get off work (early evening)
- Get home and immediately go into exercise mode.  Light to moderate weights and cardio...90 minutes of exercise is my ideal goal.
- Finish, shower and eat dinner.
- Right after dinner begin cycle. Anzemet (anti-emetic chemo prep drug) then an hour of no food or drink...then chemo...then nothing for another hour.
- When I can eat again, I like to have a granola parfait with Activia yogurt and fruit.  Making sure to drink plenty of water.  Activia was chosen due to its active cultures.  This can also be helpful as chemotherapy can suppress your immune system.
- When I go to bed about an hour or two after that, I don't feel much different than normal.
Now, rinse and repeat for 5 days...

Anyway, after 7 variations of when to take the chemo, what to eat and when to sleep, this honestly is the best routine I have locked in on...I don't plan on changing anything else now.

I hope this can help someone who may have some difficulty with this type of process.  Please feel free to ask questions or comment as this type of process can be part of a tough time in one's life and you never know when you can help someone else.

Peace, Love & Prayers to you all.

Sincerely,
Leif