Chemotherapy

Just about everybody these days knows someone who is undergoing Chemotherapy for some form of cancer, and it amazes me how many of these people suddenly think they are an expert on what you are going through and what side effects you will have....

 I'm no expert, I can only tell you what I experienced, but having spoken to other chemo patients, many side effects are similar they just vary in degree.

 The only person who can determine what type of chemo you have is your Oncologist, and he bases this on your own physiology and the type and severity of cancer that needs to be treated - you can sit in a treatment room with 20 other people and there is a good possibility that there won't be 2 people having exactly the same treatment.

Will it hurt???

My chemotherapy was intravenous, basically they inserted a needle into a vein and the drugs were dripped into my arm. I'm not a fan of needles, but other than the initial prick of the needle there is no pain, or wasn't for me and nobody else in the chemo treatment room appeared to be in pain either. 

As the treatment went on it became harder to find a usable vein, but the oncology nurses are experts at finding what they need!

My chemotherapy was in two parts - initially I had 4 treatments with 3 weeks between each session, then I had 12 weeks of weekly chemotherapy.

For the first 4 I was given the option of staying in hospital overnight on the day of the chemo, I chose to do this as I wasn't sure what to expect, I don't take any medications (don't need any) apart from an occasional headache tablet, so was a little concerned how my body would react. I'm very glad I did, particularly for the first treatment.....

 Treatment 1...

 Funnily enough I was actually put into the same room I had occupied after one of my operations so I actually felt right at home. They brought in dinner which I happily ate, I would regret that later, I was hooked up to an intravenous saline drip to re-hydrate and I settled in for the night. I wasn't tired so watched tv for a while, then started to feel a little nauseous from the food. Turned the light off and slept for about an hour or so, then woke with a headache which quickly manifested into a full blown migraine - couldn't stand light, noise, movement, I lay there miserable till the nurse came in and gave me some stronger pain killers. 

Most people I've spoken to report getting headaches - some of this is probably reaction to the actual chemicals, but it is also from dehydration....

So...

 IMPORTANT POINT 1 - make sure you keep yourself well hydrated before and after your treatment!!!

My mum picked me up the next morning and was waiting for me in the coffee shop with a cup of tea and a cream cake - the sight of the cream turned my stomach completely. Other than that I actually felt okay, a little tired maybe.

 Of course, the oncology nurse and doctor had told me all sorts of things to be aware of and prepared for - I had a list to put on the fridge - what medications to take and when; to rinse my mouth with salt and water several times a day to avoid getting mouth ulcers; to do a crossword or sudoku puzzle to keep my brain active; to watch my temperature, if it rose I was to get to hospital; to expect to have my worst days 3 or 4 days after the treatment; and, of course, to expect my hair to fall out in 10 to 12 days.

Well, I have to tell you that for those 3 weeks in between the treatments I didn't have any of those apart from having a couple of days of really bad fatigue - I had a little thinning of my hair but not much, however.....

IMPORTANT POINT 2 - get yourself a wig before undergoing your first chemo and get your hair cut short, if you don't want people to notice, get your hair cut in the style of your wig. 

I didn't suffer too badly with nausea but there were some things that the mere thought of completely turned my stomach: alcohol, and dairy products like milk, yoghurt, cream. Also, I had a horrible metallic taste in my mouth which made everything tasteless, even my favourite Thai Green Curry. I found that the third week just before the next treatment that I could handle a white wine spritzer but I could only cope with a dash of milk in my tea.

 My hair was below my shoulders and takes forever to grow, but when I started to notice hair starting to come out I bit the bullet and asked my neighbour (who is a hairdresser) to cut my hair short, I figured it would not be such a shock when it really started to come out.

The first thing my oncologist said to me is "How come you still have your hair???" It was coming out but although thin was still fine. Now I know other people whose hair has fallen out in exactly 10 days from the first treatment - like I said, everyone reacts differently.

When admitted that evening I discovered that I was not on the oncology ward but the surgery ward and that I was sharing a room - the hospital was full! I was a bit concerned for whoever was to share with me as the one thing with being linked up all night to a saline drip is the need to constantly use the bathroom!!! As it turned out it was another breast cancer patient who had undergone her first chemotherapy treatment that day, it worked out really well.... I was able to tell her my experience - which was actually pretty non-eventful, and it relieved some of her worries. Warning her about the headache I had encountered we both took stronger pain killers from the start and had a fairly relaxed, pleasant night. 

Ten days later, under the shower my hair came out in huge chunks, I stayed patchy for a couple of days and then get the razor out and shaved it - I would suggest shaving it as soon as the big chunks fall out, it's more distressing looking at the parts that are left than a bald scalp, at least it was for me.

As the first round of treatments continued I did notice that I would have times where I felt great and energetic, but that I could descend into fatigue very quickly, sometimes it would be something as simple as being out for lunch, and suddenly my body would say enough.

 IMPORTANT POINT 3 - listen to your body, remember you are putting a whole lot of chemicals in to it, if you are feeling like you have some extra energy enjoy it but don't overdo it, otherwise you'll fall in a heap. 

 

After the 4th round of this cycle my oncology nurse called me to see how I was doing....I basically told her that if she wanted me to come back for another one of those that it wasn't going to happen!!! She promised that the second type of chemo was like baby doses.......we'll see.....I'll tell you about that next time!