Full Answer
What should I expect when I go to therapy?
You can expect respect, not judgment. Most people who seek therapy are just going through rough patches, like everyone experiences: rocky relationships, job stress, grief, life changes. That they need a little help dealing with these rough patches doesn’t make them crazy – it makes them normal and proactive.
What are the side effects of treatment?
While most people feel no pain when each treatment is being delivered, effects of treatment slowly build up over time and may include discomfort, skin changes, or other side effects, depending on where in the body treatment is being delivered. The 2-day break in treatment each week allows your body some time to repair this damage.
What can I expect during radiation therapy?
Most people feel little to no discomfort during this treatment. But some may experience weakness or nausea from the anesthesia. You will need to take precautions to protect others from radiation exposure. Your radiation therapy team will provide these instructions.
What should I expect after my first chemo treatment?
The day after your first treatment you may feel tired or very fatigued. Plan on resting, as this gives your body the chance to respond to the chemotherapy, and begin the recovery cycle. Remember that chemo affects every cell in your body. Stay well-hydrated by drinking lots of water or juice.
How do you know if treatment is working?
6 Progress-in-Therapy IndicatorsYour moods and emotions have improved. Depending on the reasons for entering therapy, check if any of your symptoms have improved. ... Your thinking has shifted. ... Your behaviors have changed. ... Your relationships with others are better. ... You have better life satisfaction. ... Your diagnosis changes.
What do you feel after treatment?
After treatment, you may still feel angry, tense, sad, or blue. For most people, these feelings go away or lessen over time. For up to one in four people, though, these emotions can become severe. The painful feelings do not get any better, and they get in the way of daily life.
What should a treatment summary include?
It usually includes results of laboratory tests (such as pathology reports and biomarker tests) and imaging tests (such as x-rays, CT scans, and MRIs), and whether a patient took part in a clinical trial. A treatment summary may be used to help plan follow-up care after treatment for a disease, such as cancer.
How do you write a treatment decision?
Understanding Your Options and Making Treatment DecisionsKnow all treatment options.Talk about the details of each treatment option with your cancer care team.Learn as much as you can and understand the information being given to you.Are a partner with your doctor in making treatment decisions and planning your care.
Do you feel worse with each chemo treatment?
Most types of pain related to chemotherapy get better or go away between individual 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.
How many rounds of chemo is normal?
During a course of treatment, you usually have around 4 to 8 cycles of treatment. A cycle is the time between one round of treatment until the start of the next. After each round of treatment you have a break, to allow your body to recover.
What is an end of treatment summary?
The End of Treatment Summary is a clinical summary of diagnosis, staging and cancer treatment received by a patient and indicates any ongoing clinical needs or potential side effects from treatment along with any psychological, social, financial and social prescribing support offered to the patient during treatment.
What are the treatment options?
Treatment OptionsRadiation therapy.Chemotherapy/Infusion.Clinical trials.Inpatient care.Rehabilitation.
What four areas decide if a patient's treatment decision is competent?
The four key components to address in a capacity evaluation include: 1) communicating a choice, 2) understanding, 3) appreciation, and 4) rationalization/reasoning.
Do all cancers need treatment?
There are no cures for any kinds of cancer, but there are treatments that may cure you. Many people are treated for cancer, live out the rest of their life, and die of other causes. Many others are treated for cancer and still die from it, although treatment may give them more time: even years or decades.
What to expect from a therapist?
You can expect your therapist to be open to sharing their credentials when you ask. They should also be willing to explain how they work – whether they focus more on the past or the present, or focus more on teaching or skills. You can expect explanations in response to your questions because….
How does therapy work?
For therapy to work, you have to show up regularly and actually do what the therapist asks you to do between sessions; you get what you put in. Consequently, you can expect your therapist to be consistent in return by making time for you, providing insights and alternative skills, as well as keeping you accountable.
What is talk therapy?
Talk therapy involves talking about your experiences and having the therapist ask you questions in order to make clear things about yourself that, on some level, you already know. Therapy helps patients connect their experiences, understand their patterns of behaviour, and learn ways to be more effective and skillful in their approach ...
Why do you need to stay neutral in therapy?
They need to stay neutral in order to be most helpful to you. Going into therapy with an understanding of what happens in therapy and what to expect from therapy is the best start to achieving your goals. With these expectations clarified, you’re well set.
What are the rough patches of therapy?
Most people who seek therapy are just going through rough patches, like everyone experiences: rocky relationships, job stress, grief, life changes. That they need a little help dealing with these rough patches doesn’t make them crazy – it makes them normal and proactive.
Is talk therapy a magic?
You can expect to understand therapy. Talk therapy isn’t a magical or mystical art that only the therapist can know; it does not involve palm reading, gem stones, or past life regression. Therapy is about self-improvement and wanting something to be different in your life, but not quite managing the shift on your own.
Can you leave a therapy room without permission?
You can expect confidentiality – no exceptions. What happens in therapy, stays in therapy; no matter who you’re seeing or what your situation is, the information you share should absolutely not leave the room without your permission. It doesn’t matter if the therapist is a family friend (if so, someone else might be more impartial ...
What to expect when getting radiation therapy?
What to Expect When Having Radiation Therapy. It is normal to feel worried or overwhelmed when you learn that you will need radiation therapy. However, learning more about this type of cancer treatment may help you feel more prepared and comfortable.
How long does radiation therapy last?
It is the most common radiation therapy treatment for cancer. Each session is quick, lasting about 15 minutes. Radiation does not hurt, sting, or burn when it enters the body.
Why is it important to be in the same position for radiation?
It is important for your body to be in the same position for each treatment. Your radiation oncology team cares about your comfort. Talk with the team to find a comfortable position that you can be in every time you come in for radiation therapy.
How often should you check for radiation?
During your treatment, your radiation oncologist will check how well it is working. Typically, this will happen at least once a week. If needed, they may adjust your treatment plan.
How long does it take for radiation to go away?
The 2-day break in treatment each week allows your body some time to repair this damage. Some of the effects may not go away until the treatment period is completed. Let the health care professionals if you are experiencing side effects. Read more about the side effects of radiation therapy.
Can you be nauseated from radiation?
But some may experience weakness or nausea from the anesthesia. You will need to take precautions to protect others from radiation exposure. Your radiation therapy team will provide these instructions. The need for such precautions ends when: The permanent implant loses it radioactivity. The temporary implant is removed.
How to know if you have a symtom?
Call your doctor for if have the following symptoms: 1 Any symptom that concerns you 2 A fever of 100.5 Fahrenheit or greater (38.05 C). Notify your doctor immediately if you develop a temperature, do not delay 3 Bleeding or unusual bruising 4 Burning pain when you urinate 5 Constipation (no bowel movement in 2-3 days) 6 Diarrhea (loose, watery stools) for more than 24 hours 7 Nausea, vomiting or unable to eat or drink for more than 24 hours 8 Pain not controlled by your medications 9 Redness, pain or sores in your mouth 10 Unusual cough, sore throat, lung congestion or shortness of breath
How long does it take for chemo to leave the body?
Most chemotherapy medications will be out of your body in less than 48 hours. We have outlined general precautions that you should follow during your infusion and for 2 days (48 hours) after your chemotherapy is done.
What should a pregnant woman wear for chemotherapy?
Pregnant or breast feeding women should wear Nitrile® gloves and gowns when caring for patients receiving chemotherapy. This includes changing chemotherapy bags, discarding wastes and cleaning body substances such as diapers and "baby spit".
How to get rid of chemo rash on skin?
Skin Care. Skin can become irritated from chemotherapy. If you get chemotherapy or body wastes on your skin, wash the body part with soap and water, then dry. Call your doctor if there is redness or irritation on the skin that lasts longer than one hour.
Can you flush a toilet twice after chemotherapy?
If you are exposed to any body wastes, wash the body part with soap and water. Others in your household may use the same toilet as long as you close the lid and flush twice.
Is it sad to end cancer treatment?
You are probably relieved to be finished with the demands of treatment and are ready to put the experience behind you. Yet at the same time, you may feel sad and worried. It's common to be concerned about whether the cancer will come back and what you should do after treatment.
Can you go home after infusion?
It also has suggestions about caring for yourself during treatment. Once your infusion is done you can go home. Your doctor will review what you can expect after treatment.
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.
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 happens if your neutrophil is low?
If your neutrophil level is too low, you may be at risk for infection. 2 . With some chemotherapy regimens, your oncologist may recommend treating you with either Neulasta or Neupogen, which are medications that increase the number and activity of white blood cells in your body.
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.
Can you drive yourself to chemo?
Some people plan on driving themselves to chemo if their first infusion goes well. Yet there are many reasons why it's beneficial to have a chemo buddy who can drive you, take notes and help ask questions, and keep you company through your infusion.
