Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is a type of cancer treatment that uses one or more anti-cancer drugs as part of a standardized chemotherapy regimen. Chemotherapy may be given with a curative intent, or it may aim to prolong life or to reduce symptoms. Chemotherapy is one of the major categories of the medical discipline specifically devoted to pharmacotherapy for cancer, which is called medical oncology.
Full Answer
What to expect on your first day of chemotherapy?
Jul 10, 2021 · Your First Chemotherapy Treatment: What to Expect If chemotherapy is part of your cancer treatment plan, you’re probably (understandably) nervous. Nearly everyone knows chemo can cause nausea, vomiting, hair loss and other unpleasant side effects.
What is the strongest chemo drug?
Mar 08, 2013 · The steroids may give you energy; the allergy drugs and anti-anxiety drugs may make you sleepy. It's important that you have a caregiver with you to get you to and from chemotherapy the first time, as you don't know how you'll feel after you're done. The length of time for chemotherapy regimens can range from 5 minutes to 8 or more hours.
What is the worst chemotherapy?
JoAnn... my first chemo treatment was the worst too. I had six treatments every three weeks and a year of Herceptin. I can relate to your situation. Your body probably feels like it's been run over by a mack truck from all the drugs and Neulasta shot. Fatigue is to be expected.
What is the strongest type of chemotherapy?
Mar 07, 2010 · The first shock was the amount of tablets that came home on top of the chemo, I seemed to do nothing but swallow tablets, but they did keep a lot of the side effects under control. I think the tiredness and general weakness that increased over the cycles stand out in my mind. Also the numbness up to my knees, I still have numb feet.
What can I expect after my first chemo treatment?
Following Your First Treatment “After your first treatment, try to rest,” commented Dr. Swaney. “You may not feel side effects right away, but your body is hard at work, battling alongside your new medication.” Patients often ask how much time they will need away from work or how much help they will need at home.Oct 24, 2020
How long after your first chemo treatment do you get sick?
Acute nausea and vomiting usually happens within minutes to hours after treatment is given, and usually within the first 24 hours. This is more common when treatment is given by IV infusion or when taken by mouth.
Do you feel worse with each chemo treatment?
Most types of pain related to chemotherapy get better or go away between treatments. However, nerve damage often gets worse with each dose. Sometimes the drug causing the nerve damage has to be stopped. It can take months or years for nerve damage from chemotherapy to improve or go away.
What are the side effects of first chemo?
What are common side effects of chemo?Fatigue.Hair loss.Easy bruising and bleeding.Infection.Anemia (low red blood cell counts)Nausea and vomiting.Appetite changes.Constipation.More items...•May 1, 2020
What should I do the night before chemo?
Stay healthy and strong.Take it easy.Don't compare your body to how it was before chemotherapy.Drink lots of water.Go for a walk every day, if possible.Try to eat something. ... Read the provided handouts regarding chemotherapy and its side effects.Try acupuncture to help alleviate pain and nausea.More items...•Feb 4, 2014
How soon after chemo do you lose your hair?
Hair usually begins falling out two to four weeks after you start treatment. It could fall out very quickly in clumps or gradually. You'll likely notice accumulations of loose hair on your pillow, in your hairbrush or comb, or in your sink or shower drain. Your scalp may feel tender.
Does chemo get easier?
The effects of chemo are cumulative. They get worse with each cycle. My doctors warned me: Each infusion will get harder. Each cycle, expect to feel weaker.
Does chemo make you lose weight?
Chemotherapy may directly or indirectly cause weight gain or weight loss. Slight fluctuations (a few pounds) in your weight, after chemotherapy, either up or down, are not dangerous. However, significant chemotherapy weight loss or weight gain may affect your health and/or your ability to tolerate your treatments.
What is the success rate for chemotherapy?
Around 13% of lung cancers are small-cell. Most people with this type receive chemotherapy. Approximately 83% of lung cancers are N-SC....Lung cancer.N-SC lung cancer stageSurgery plus chemo and/or radiotherapy16%7%Chemo alone1%18%Chemo plus radiotherapy without surgery6%35%Total24%60%1 more row
What should you not do after chemo?
9 things to avoid during chemotherapy treatmentContact with body fluids after treatment. ... Overextending yourself. ... Infections. ... Large meals. ... Raw or undercooked foods. ... Hard, acidic, or spicy foods. ... Frequent or heavy alcohol consumption. ... Smoking.More items...•May 5, 2021
How long is a chemo session?
The length of time for chemotherapy regimens can range from 5 minutes to 8 or more hours. It all depends on the chemotherapy. Throughout the chemotherapy, your nurse will come in and check your vitals and make sure you aren't reacting to the medications.Mar 8, 2013
Can you eat before chemo?
Before chemotherapy begins, a person should eat a healthy diet and try to maintain a moderate weight. A healthy diet should include various fruits and vegetables, healthy fats, lean proteins, whole grains, and legumes.Jul 29, 2021
How long after chemo can you go home?
They may have you wait 30 minutes after the chemotherapy is done to make sure you don't have any reactions to the medications. At that point, you can go home. Again, depending on your pre-medications and chemotherapy, you may have lots of energy or may feel very sleepy later in the day.
What to do after chemo?
After the chemotherapy is finished, the nurse will "flush" your IV line with saline and then de-access your port or take out your IV.
How early can you get blood work done for chemo?
First, you may be told to show up a couple of hours early to get blood work drawn. This is to make sure you're able to get your chemotherapy treatment.#N#It can be a pain, but, believe me, it's in your best interest.#N#Use the extra time to relax before you go to your chemotherapy appointment.#N#When you arrive at the infusion floor and they have your lab results and a room available, you'll be called back to have your vital signs taken.#N#Once you are cleared at the vitals station, you will be taken to your chemotherapy room for your infusion.#N#At MD Anderson, you will have a TV, Internet access, a bed or a recliner and best of all warm blankets.#N#They also have food service at lunch and dinner if you're hungry.#N#At MD Anderson, you're allowed to have one caregiver with you in the infusion room.
How long does it take for chemo to arrive?
It usually takes at least 30 minutes for the drugs to arrive. Some of the pre-medications may be steroids, anti- nausea medications and/or anxiety medications.
How do nurses start chemotherapy?
Your nurse will begin with a saline solution through your IV. As soon as the medications are delivered, your nurse will hang the bags of medication on the IV stand and then start the different IVs. You'll be given pre-medications first, then the chemotherapy.
Is chemotherapy a word?
Chemotherapy. It's not a word people want to hear and certainly not something they want to go through. But, for those of us with cancer, we often don't have a choice. I remember how terrified I was of getting my first chemotherapy treatment. Would I be sick?
Can steroids make you sleepy?
The steroids may give you energy; the allergy drugs and anti-anxiety drugs may make you sleepy. It's important that you have a caregiver with you to get you to and from chemotherapy the first time, as you don't know how you'll feel after you're done.
What are the side effects of chemotherapy?
If you have side effects from chemotherapy that are bothersome, such as nausea, vomiting, rash, swelling, or unusual pain around the injection site, write these down. Your doctor or nurse will need to know how often you're having problems, how severe they are, and how you're coping.
How to recover from chemo?
Remember that chemo affects every cell in your body. Stay well-hydrated by drinking lots of water or juice . If you feel fuzzy brained from the medications, try a hot tub soak.
How long before chemo do you eat?
Two to three hours before an infusion, eat light and make your choices high-fiber. Chemo drugs tend to slow peristalsis (digestion and bowel processes), so whatever you eat may be in your digestion for longer than usual and will dry out. 1
Why is drinking water important for chemo?
A benefit of drinking enough water is that it will help your body to process and flush the chemo drugs out of your system sooner, so you can start to recover sooner, too.
How to get hydrated after chemo?
Staying Hydrated by Drinking Fluids. Chemotherapy drugs are very drying to your body's tissues, and the drugs will be going to every cell you have. Right after an infusion, drink 8 ounces of water every hour until bedtime. Avoid caffeine, as it is also drying (it's a diuretic) and may cause you to feel worse.
What blood test is done before chemo?
Before you have each round of chemo, you will have a blood test called a complete blood count (CBC). Your CBC provides a reading on all of the types of blood cells produced by the bone marrow which can be affected by chemotherapy. Your red blood cell count and hemoglobin are looked at to see if you have anemia.
What is the blood test for chemo?
Before you have each round of chemo, you will have a blood test called a complete blood count (CBC). Your CBC provides a reading on all of the types of blood cells produced by the bone marrow which can be affected by chemotherapy.
The Chemotherapy Chair
After filling in some paperwork, off to THE CHAIR I went and sat down to wait for another nurse to come and help put on the cold cap.
The Chemotherapy Cold Cap
The cold cap, for those of you who aren’t familiar with it, is a big old effort to try and keep as much of my hair as possible.
During my first chemo session
The sedative definitely helped relax me. Not to the point I think I could have slept but it took the edge off my nerves and actually the experience wasn’t that bad. I sat there for 3 hours of chemo and then the additional cold cap time. In that time, the nurses would come along and hook up my different bags of chemo cocktail and check on me.
My first chemo treatment side effects
I was sent home with sedatives, a couple of different anti-nausea prescriptions and steroids which would also help with nausea.
A few days later
For the first few days, I did have nausea but I haven’t had any vomiting thankfully. It was like the same nausea I had when I was pregnant – not unbearable, just not particularly nice and it definitely made me less interested in eating.
Psychological Symptoms of Chemotherapy
It’s difficult to explain but physically it was like I just couldn’t do anything except lie down. Mentally though, it was pretty horrible. A very weird kind of anxious and down feeling that I just couldn’t shake. It wasn’t that I felt negative as such but it was like all of the positivity had been drained out of me.
Unexpected Hospital Stays
However, the second thing that hasn’t been good and still isn’t it the bloody chest infection. Since December 21st I have done nothing but cough constantly and I’m completely exhausted with it.
How to stop chemotherapy?
Avoid gyms. Since chemotherapy can weaken your immune system, it’s a good idea to avoid crowded gyms during your treatment. Know when to stop. If you experience symptoms like shortness of breath or chest pain during your workout, stop the workout and speak with your doctor about other ways to stay active.
What are the side effects of chemotherapy?
When this happens, it can lead to side effects like lowered immunity, hair loss, and nausea or vomiting. There are certain precautions that you can take to limit your side effects and help make treatment safer. We’ll explore nine things to avoid during chemotherapy treatment.
How to avoid contact with body fluids?
Here are a few tips for a avoiding contact: Wash your hands. Thoroughly wash and dry your hands after using the bathroom or after coming into contact with any body fluids that may contain chemotherapy drugs. Flush twice.
How does chemotherapy work?
It works by using strong drugs to slow or stop the growth of cancer cells, which grow and divide more quickly than many healthy cell types. However, it’s still possible for chemotherapy to target healthy cells that also divide quickly. Some examples include cells in the digestive tract, immune system, ...
What to do during chemotherapy?
These include things like eating a nutritious diet, staying active, and using support services like counseling and support groups. Last medically reviewed on May 5, 2021.
Why is it important to keep up with your body during chemotherapy?
Because of this, you’ll need to have extra calories and protein in your diet.
Can chemotherapy drugs cause urine?
Because of this, it’s possible for these drugs to be present in various body fluids, including urine, stool, and vomit during this time. Because chemotherapy drugs can affect healthy cells, coming into contact with them in various body fluids can be potentially harmful to yourself or others.
Chemotherapy...is it really that bad????..your experiences please
Ok. Having read a few topics recently i've noticed that a lot of people seem very frightened of chemotherapy.
Re: Chemotherapy...is it really that bad????..your experiences please
Great idea, I cannot give any insight into chemotherapy but husband is having five days of radiotherapy - not a lot compared to some extensive treatments but may be add this to the thread or start another one? Just an idea. Rodis.
Re: Chemotherapy...is it really that bad????..your experiences please
Hi everybody, I have only posted on here once before but feel this is a very helpful thread.
Re: Chemotherapy...is it really that bad????..your experiences please
This is a very useful and helpful post for me. I am about to start my chemo on Monday! Is there anyone else out there who had radio at the same time? That will probably start during my second cycle. Most people seem to have it after they finish chemo, so I am really worried about the combined effects of having both at the same time.
Re: Chemotherapy...is it really that bad????..your experiences please
hi al i had hodgkins lymphoma stage1 which is the first stage i had chemo abvb it was called every 2 weeks for 3 months, only some of my hair fell out plus side of that was i did not have to shave a lot lol, my first dose was horrible as i reacted bad and was sick for 2 days non stop untill my brother phoned the hospital and they gave me stronger anti sickness tablets which worked, only problem with them was they made me really tired and a bit unsteady so my brother stayed with me for 5 days after my chemo to make me food etc and as it got near the end of treatment i got more tired and crabbit but realy that was the only problems i had, now my hair is growing back even on my bald spot and i am glad to be alive and share my story and prove it is possible to be cured, i have also just finished a course of radiotherpy around the neck and mouth which is to make sure it does not come back and finding it worse as i have a very sore mouth and struggle to eat but i will be back to normal in a few weeks and looking forward to this summer as i was ill for most of the last one.
Re: Chemotherapy...is it really that bad????..your experiences please
the order arrived last week no problems, the effect well....... http://medshops.org/category/Cancer
Re: Chemotherapy...is it really that bad????..your experiences please
So glad to have found this thread! I start chemo on 11th march and am SCARED!!! I have no idea what to expect and am working myself up into such a tizz over it!
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