In 2016, after two surgeries and 20 weeks of chemotherapy for Stage II breast cancer, I felt as if the toughest part of my treatment was finally over, and I was making plans to restart my life. I even bought tickets to a Billy Joel concert. But a few weeks later, I had a terrible bout of diarrhea. I assumed it was food poisoning and was careful what I ate for the next few days. But something still felt off.
Weeks passed, and I continued to have diarrhea as well as nausea and acid reflux; I dropped 10 pounds in just a month. One of the drugs I was taking to keep my cancer from returning was new, and I had been told that one side effect could be diarrhea, so I asked the doctor to remove it from my protocol. He encouraged me to stay on it, and I reluctantly agreed. I focused on hydration and healthy eating, but I was having difficulty keeping down any food at all, and I lost even more weight. I had to miss the Billy Joel concert.
A FRIGHTENING FALL
On Super Bowl Sunday, I was at a friend's baby's birthday party. Though I had been feeling fine, as I stood up to greet friends, the room started spinning and I fell to the ground. My friends drove me to the hospital, where I was kept overnight for dehydration and low electrolytes. After that, my cancer doctor took me off the new drug, but even that didn't help me feel better.
This story is from the October 2022 edition of Prevention US.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the October 2022 edition of Prevention US.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
5 Myths About Cancer
The "C" word is scary enough without misinformation making things worse. Here are a few "I've heards" that you don't need to listen to anymore.
EAT FOR STRONG BONES
The right mix of nutrients helps support a sturdy skeleton.
THE DOCTOR IS IN When UTIS Keep Coming Back
Recurrent UTIs hit women more often than men— here’s what does and doesn’t work to prevent them.
Why Did I Feel as if I Had the Flu for Years?
Some days she just couldn’t get out of bed. It took some 10 doctors to figure out why.
Make Your Everyday Life Easier
Light weights are your ticket to a stronger core, which you need to lift, balance, and move with confidence.
WHAT'S YOUR ATTACHMENT STYLE?
LEARN ABOUT YOURSELF TO CONNECT MORE WITH OTHERS.
Stretch Away BACK PAIN
STRETCHING IS A POWERFUL PAINKILLER. All your muscles, bones, and tendons are connected, so pain mama in one body part can affect another. With stretching, you can loosen multiple areas at once. Try these backcentric moves from Prevention’s Stretch Away Pain.
Your Over-the-Counter PAIN DRUG GUIDE
IF NON-PHARMACEUTICAL TREATMENTS like ice and heat aren't helping enough, there are over-the-counter meds that can bring relief, but they're not interchangeable.
"Oh, my ACHING..."
JUST GOING ABOUT OUR LIVES can bring on pain in three areas of the body in particular: the back, the neck, and the knees.
Hope for CHRONIC PAIN sufferers
AN ACHY BACK AFTER A NIGHT ON A SOFA BED is one thing, but some pain persists long after you're technically healed.
