How do you manage severe diarrhea during cancer treatment?

It's encouraging that you reached out to your oncology team right away - that was exactly the right step to take when dealing with severe treatment side effects. Many others in the cancer community have found that working closely with their medical team to adjust medications, manage hydration, and sometimes modify treatment plans can make a significant difference in managing severe diarrhea. Hopefully others here will share their experiences and practical tips that helped them through similar challenges during their treatment journey.

Hi Carmine. I don’t know what chemo treatment you’re taking but I did 6 rounds of TCHP and everyone called the P (perjeta) in the TCHP “poopjeta.” Not fun, not fun at all. I used to hate to eat out or eat at home and then go out or go to any functions that was wrapped around food. I had an extra set of clothes at work and my car. I would tell people that if we’re speaking and I interrupt and say I have to go to the ladies room, I’m sorry but I have to go at that moment. I noticed sugary stuff upset my stomach more than anything, but honestly everything did. I’m not sure if there is any food that you should stay away from. I took Imodium D when I would go out but sometimes that went in the total opposite direction and I would be constipated for a couple of days. Didn’t like that feeling. Would rather deal with the diarrhea. It’s going to be trial and error for you. I don’t know what stage you’re at also with your treatments that maybe the one that causes the diarrhea can be stopped. I wish you the best.

Thank you- I don’t leave my house. Sometimes I am up all night with runs to the bathroom or sometimes all day. I would much have this problem, then nausea and throwing up. I have had two rounds of chemo another one coming up on the 16th. It’s probably the perjeta then that’s causing this. I have a recurrence of breast cancer stage one. Blessings

Sorry to hear this. I did not have it this badly. Chemo affects everyone differently. One thing, you definitely need to stay hydrated. Drink water with electrolytes. I didn’t have the nausea either. The day before and the day of I would have chemo, I would fast and just have green smoothies. That seemed to help some with the other side effects. I used to also get some medicine first before they gave me the chemo that help with nausea. I think it was called adevant. I didn’t experience nausea. Keep a journal of what you eat to see how it affects you. Try the Imodium to see if it will help you.

Carmine I have been on Enhertu and Perjeta and like you I couldn’t leave the house taking up to 8 Imodium a day to at least eat anything. Treatment 2 they took Perjeta away and it helped somewhat. Here is what I discovered, taking Imodium when you wake up take Imodium just before you eat take another Imodium. If you have a loose tool that means watery in the morning when you go to bed that’s the only thing that did it for me to not exceed eight a day. Drink a bunch of water.