L-Carnitine

[seussfan]

My oncologist has told me to take L-Carnitine twice a day once I start chemo. I think he said 2000mg a day split between AM and PM. I will be seeing him tomorrow, but wondered if anyone else has used this? He said it will help with fatigue.

[missjv]

hi,
i have not heard of taking that for fatigue but it is possible it is something that works. i was told to take b6 for tingling of fingers and toes when i was on folfox thats the only supplement my doc told me about but i would ask again cause the fatigue sucks. i did find however tired i felt if i got off my ass and went for short walks it helped i still napped of course but the fresh air outside works. also i would sit in the sun just for a few minutes a day, not long enough to get burned but just to soak in some rays. people find their own ways of coping with the chemo side effects you will find yours. also i had ginger candies that helped if i felt a little nauseated they were called quesy drops. good luck on starting your chemo it will be over before you know it i have 4 more to go and it doesn't seem like i have been on it for 10 months but i have and truthfully in my case it was not as bad or scary as i first thought it would be and some horror stories i was told.


missjv

[sean]

I'm always wiped on day 3 & 4 (I sleep all day), but the general fatigue has gotten a lot better since I was put on Restoril (temazepam) for sleep. It has been really helpful on day 1 & 2 to counter the steroids which had kept me up all night. I tried Ambien first & I was just popping wide awake at 4 am. With restoril I sleep 7-10 hours and wake up feeling really relaxed.

I try to get 10 hours of sleep most nights and never less than 8. If I wake up too early, I stay in bed. I also try to get some moderate exercise every day.

I'm start cycle 4 tomorrow & had last week off, so it may also be that I'm not far enough in to get really nailed.

Let us know of the L-Cartinine works for you & good luck.

[klryder02]

Hi Sean-

What is Restoril exactly?

Is it stronger than Ambien?

[sean]

I'm typing w/gloves! On a whim I thought the local bike store might have more options in thin superwarm gloves. Found that two layers of thin biking gloves work great for my intense day of cold sensitivity (right now). One medium covered w/ one large for me. Bike store has some socks of same material the owner is going to dig out of storage for me tomorrow.

Restoril (generic temazapam) is a completely different drug than ambien. The pharmacist said he thinks its better. He told me that Ambien is for people who have trouble falling asleep while restoril keeps you asleep. Its been around a long time & is very safe. When I mentioned "popping awake" w/ ambien to one of the chemo nurses she said she'd heard that a lot. Even if I'm wakened by our 3 year old inn the middle of the night I fall right back asleep - sometimes my wife tells me later & I never knew.

If you don't already have one you like, I'd recommend searching out a good pharmacist in your town & ask yours about it - our pharmacist here is great - he knows about all the stuff I'm taking & has had great advice. There are 2 in the same store that I don't like (they are too busy to take time to answer questions in any detail & aren't very approachable) & I just go when the guy I like is working. I take tips from anywhere I can get them.