Full Answer
What really happens after your 1st chemo treatment?
- Avoid people with colds or other infections. Chemotherapy weakens your body's immune system. Your immune system helps fight infections.
- Drink lots of fluids for 48 hours after chemotherapy. This helps move the drugs through your body.
- Whether there are activities to do or avoid doing on future treatment days.
What to take with to first chemo treatment?
- Your toothbrush (especially if you are using a soft toothbrush due to chemotherapy)
- A scarf or hat when you have no hair (it gets cold)
- Lip balm
- Your medications (make sure to bring along any vitamins, as well as herbal or nutritional supplements you have been using)
- Hand sanitizer
- Soft, fluffy socks
- Lotion
How does first chemo treatment affect a person?
- Blood clots
- Hot flashes (in men as well as in women)
- Increased risk of other cancers
- Menopausal symptoms
- Osteoporosis
- Sexual side effects (men and women)
What to expect on your first day of chemotherapy?
- Keep taking lots of fluids, be moderately active, eat small meals often.
- Take your nausea medication if you feel any degree of nausea. In most cases when people suffer from nausea, it is because they did not take their medication.
- If the given medication does not relieve nausea, contact your treating doctor. ...
What can I expect after my first chemo treatment?
The most commonly reported side effect after receiving chemotherapy is fatigue. 7 Give yourself time for extra rest and sleep in the days after a session. Tell your healthcare provider if your fatigue begins to affect your ability to function or complete basic tasks, like bathing.
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.
Does first round of chemo Make You Sick?
Chemotherapy can make you feel sick (nauseated) or cause you to vomit. Not everyone feels sick during or after chemotherapy, but if nausea affects you, it will usually start a few hours after treatment. Nausea may last for many hours and be accompanied by vomiting or retching.
Does chemo get worse with each treatment?
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.
How do I prepare my home for 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...•
Do you need someone to drive you home after chemotherapy?
Ask your provider if the chemotherapy has fatigue or drowsiness as a side effect. In most cases, your healthcare provider will ask you to get a ride home after your first session to see how you will tolerate the chemo. If you feel well the first time, they say that driving home for future sessions is okay.
How soon after starting 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.
How many hours is a chemo treatment?
Chemotherapy treatment varies in length and frequency and depends on the individual treatment plan prescribed by your doctor. Some last as long as three or four hours, while others may only take a half-hour.
When do you feel worse after chemo?
Nausea and vomiting can start within the first few hours after chemotherapy drugs are given and usually last about 24 hours. However, nausea and vomiting may start more than 24 hours after treatment and last several days (called delayed nausea and vomiting).
What is the hardest chemo?
Doxorubicin (Adriamycin) is one of the most powerful chemotherapy drugs ever invented. It can kill cancer cells at every point in their life cycle, and it's used to treat a wide variety of cancers. Unfortunately, the drug can also damage heart cells, so a patient can't take it indefinitely.
Does all your hair fall out with chemo?
Most people think that chemotherapy drugs always cause hair loss. But some don't cause any hair loss at all or only slight thinning. Other types of chemotherapy may cause complete hair loss. It might include your eyelashes, eyebrows, underarm, leg and sometimes pubic hair.
Does chemo make you lose weight?
Moderate weight loss is a normal and common side effect of cancer treatment. A rapid weight loss, however, is a concern. Rapid weight loss is defined as an unintentional weight loss of more than two pounds in a week when you are eating normally.
Before You Start Chemotherapy
Meeting with your oncologist. Before you start chemotherapy, you will meet with your medical oncologist. He or she will review your medical records...
Questions to Ask Before Chemotherapy Starts
Before chemotherapy starts is a good time to ask questions. These may include: 1. Learning more about the schedule and side effects of your specifi...
Planning For Your Chemotherapy Treatments
Preparing for side effects. Depending on the most common side effects of your chemotherapy, your doctor may recommend planning for nausea and vomit...
What Happens on Your First Day of IV Chemotherapy
You may want to bring a friend or family member on your first day of treatment. This person can support you and help you remember information. You...
Giving Chemotherapy With A Port
Before your first appointment, you might have minor surgery to put in a port. This is a round metal or plastic disk that the IV goes in during trea...
How Long Does IV Chemotherapy take?
Your IV chemotherapy can take minutes, hours, or several days if you have continuous infusion chemotherapy. You do not need to stay at the hospital...
After Your IV Chemotherapy
After your treatment is finished, the nurse or another team member will take out your IV. If you have a port, it will stay until you finish all of...
What to do during first chemotherapy infusion?
During Your First Chemotherapy Infusion. Plan to spend the day at the hospital or treatment center. When you arrive, a healthcare provider will check your vital signs, height and weight. You’ll probably have blood drawn as well. This information helps the healthcare team provide the proper dose of chemotherapy drugs.
What to do before starting chemo?
Before Starting Chemotherapy. If possible, ask your healthcare provider for a tour of your infusion center. Some cancer treatment centers have private rooms for chemotherapy; at others, patients are in a common area. Seeing the space in advance will help you prepare mentally—and decide what to bring along during chemo sessions.
How long after chemotherapy do you feel better?
Still, you should plan for someone else to drive you home. Side effects don’t typically hit until 4 to 6 hours later—and in some cases, not until a day or two later. A member of your healthcare team will probably call you the next day.
How is chemo administered?
Types of Chemotherapy. Chemotherapy can be administered via pills, capsules or medicated liquid. It can also be infused into the bloodstream via an IV or injected directly into the body. You and your doctor will discuss which chemotherapy drugs and administration process is most likely to successfully attack your cancer.
Can chemo cause hair loss?
Nearly everyone knows chemo can cause nausea, vomiting, hair loss and other unpleasant side effects. But your doctors and treatment team will guide you through the process and help you manage these symptoms. Learning more about chemotherapy drugs, how they’re administered, and chemo side effects may help put your mind at ease as you prepare ...
Can you use perfume on chemo?
For instance, it’s now common for patients to receive anti-nausea medication before undergoing chemo. Don’t apply perfume or cologne on treatment days. Chemotherapy can alter the sense of smell, and you don’t want to unwittingly cause extra discomfort for anyone (including yourself).
Can you feel routine chemotherapy?
Report your side effects. Your healthcare provider can help you figure out how to manage any uncomfortable symptoms. While it will never feel routine to receive chemotherapy, in time, the process will become less scary and more familiar.
When is the first round of chemo?
on September 23, 2020. If you're about to go for your first round of chemotherapy, you may have lots of questions along with some fears. Your oncologist will talk about the drugs you will receive and potential side effects, as well as how often you will need to be seen. Yet there are many tips that don't often make their way into those ...
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 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.
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 to do before breast cancer treatment?
Marisa Weiss, M.D., president and founder of breastcancer.org, says before, during, and after your treatment, “keep up your fluid balance. Make sure you keep drinking before and after your treatment. Keep lots of drinks around that you enjoy, but not ones that are full of sugar.”. Listen.
Can you give chemotherapy through infusion?
Note: Since chemotherapy is usually given through infusions, that’s what we’ll talk about here. Keep in mind that there are other types of treatment, including chemotherapy creams, drugs given in certain areas of the body, pills, shots, and more. Check with your doctor for more information.
Is chemo scary?
We know your first chemo treatment can be a scary experience, to say the least, so we gathered some information to help you. Treatments vary, but these are some basics you can expect. Knowledge makes us strong, so take what you can use, breathe deep, and remember-you can do this.
How is chemo given?
The most common way that chemotherapy drugs are given is through a needle into a vein. This is called intravenous or IV chemotherapy. Chemotherapy can also be taken as a pill, capsule, or liquid by mouth, as an injection or shot, or as a cream that is put directly on your skin.
How to help someone with chemotherapy?
Make a caregiving plan. People receiving chemotherapy may need extra help during treatment with transportation, household chores, and other tasks. Family and friends can provide valuable support during this time, called caregiving. Ask your team what type of caregiving at home you may need during and after treatment.
How long does chemo last?
Most chemotherapy treatments are given in repeating cycles. The length of a cycle depends on the drug (s) you receive. Most cycles range from 2 to 6 weeks. The number of treatment doses scheduled within each cycle also depends on the prescribed chemotherapy.
What type of doctor is best for cancer?
Medical oncologist. This type of doctor specializes in treating cancer with medication. Your medical oncologist works closely with other team members to create your overall cancer treatment plan. They also lead your chemotherapy treatments.
How to get a blood test for cancer?
Have a blood sample taken. Meet with your oncologist so they can check your health and blood test results. Meet the nurse or other health professionals who will give your treatment. Have your blood pressure, pulse, breathing, and temperature taken before starting treatment.
What to tell your chemo team?
Always tell your chemotherapy team about any prescription and non-prescription medicines you take. Include vitamins and other supplements, such as herbs. This is to avoid drug interactions and other unwanted side effects. Your doctor will tell you if you should not take them during chemotherapy.
What is the best treatment for cancer?
Relieving physical and emotional side effects is an important part of your overall cancer treatment. This type of care is called palliative care or supportive care . Talk with your health care team about the side effects you experience and ways to manage and treat them. Learn more about the side effects of 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.
Survivor Erika shares how it feels, physically and emotionally, to receive chemo treatment for breast cancer
The days leading up to my first chemotherapy infusion were filled with anxiety and fear—what would chemo feel like? How would my body react to 4 rounds of Adriamycin and Cytoxan followed by 12 rounds of Taxol? Would I be able to care for my young son and continue to work full time? Before I could agonize for too long, it was Thursday afternoon and I was spending my lunch hour and the remainder of my day at the cancer center..
My first chemo treatment begins
After the nurse accessed my port for the visit, they began the day’s combination of prescribed medications—a sequence that I would learn over 16 total visits. My chemotherapy treatment started with saline to flush my port, then pre-medications for side-effects management. Next came the bags of chemo drugs, and finished with more saline.
The day after chemo felt like a hangover
Around 6 p.m. the following day (TGIF!!) is when I would start feeling the worst hangover of my life… times a million. Every part of my body would ache with side effects—inside and out, I constantly felt like I wanted to throw up and had no energy.
What to do before chemo?
Meeting your oncologist. Before you begin chemotherapy, you will meet with your medical oncologist. She or he will examine your medical records and do a health examination. You will also have tests done to help plan treatment. Your specific treatment depends upon:
How long does it take to get chemo IV?
Your IV chemotherapy can take minutes, hours, or a number of days if you have continuous infusion chemotherapy. You do not have to stay at the health center or clinic for constant infusion. The nurse will provide you medication to prevent side effects such as nausea or possible allergic reactions.
What is the role of an oncologist in cancer treatment?
Your oncologist deals with other staff member to develop your treatment plan. She or he is also in charge of your chemotherapy treatments. Oncology nurse. An oncology nurse looks after patients with cancer, including giving chemotherapy He or she answers concerns and assists support you and your household.
How long is a chemotherapy cycle?
The length of a cycle depends on the treatment being given. The majority of cycles range from 2 to 6 weeks. The number of treatment dosages set up within each cycle also differs depending upon the drugs being given.
How long after chemo do you flush the toilet?
Chemotherapy damages your body’s immune system, which assists battle infections. Consuming lots of fluids for 48 hours after chemotherapy. This helps move the drugs through your body. Making certain to get rid of all your body fluids and waste after chemotherapy. For example, flush the toilet twice after using it.
What happens after chemo?
What Happen with You after the First Round of Chemotherapy Treatment. Patients experiece different body reactions after first-time (round) of chemotherapy. You can expect: Gaining weight during and after chemo. Losing hairs (that makes you having cancer very visible) You may start looking aged after the treatment.
What are the side effects of chemotherapy?
Depending on the most typical side effects of your chemotherapy, your doctor may advise preparing for nausea and vomiting, hair loss, reproductive problems, and opposite effects .
