Facing Chemotherapy: What to Expect

If you or a loved one is facing chemotherapy treatments, this can be a very scary thing to face. There are more than 100 chemotherapy drugs used to treat various types of cancers. Chemotherapy attacks cancer cells, but not only does it attack cancer cells, it also destroys healthy cells as well. Some side effects include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and hair loss.

Not everyone will have the same side effects. Some may experience severe side effects while others may experience moderate to little or no side effects. Chemotherapy used to be used as a last resort when radiation or surgery were not effective. Sometimes it is now used as the first choice in treating many cancers. Taking chemotherapy is a choice you have, however, most people choose to take the treatments because they want to fight their cancer.

The kind of chemotherapy you will take depends on the type of cancer you have, the stage, the goals of you're treatment and the response you have to the chemotherapy drugs. Chemotherapy is often given in cycles with rest periods in between to give your body a chance to build healthy new cells. You may have treatments everyday, every week, or every month depending on the type of treatment. Most people will feel very fatigued with chemotherapy so it is a good idea to have someone to help get you to and from you're treatments.

Chemotherapy is administered in different ways. The most common way is inter-venous administration. You will have a small IV needle inserted into a vein. You should not experience much discomfort from this, however, if you do you will want to inform you're nurse immediately. Once the infusion is complete, the IV will be removed. Other ways chemotherapy is administered is by mouth, injection, or topical creams or lotions applied to the skin.

Some of the most common side effects to chemotherapy and how you you can deal with them are:

- Fatigue: To help you cope with fatigue, you may want to take short naps, try shorter versions of your favorite activities, take short walks or light exercise. It's still important to exercise, just don't try overdoing it. Eat well and drink plenty of fluids, limit the amount of caffeine intake, and most importantly, allow others to help you and do things for you.

- Nausea & Vomiting: Eat small meals throughout the day instead of two or three large meals. Drink small amounts of fluids frequently instead of large amounts at a time. Eat foods that are cold or room temperature so strong smells won't be a bother. Avoid fatty fried foods and rest after a meal.

- Hair Loss: Not all chemotherapy drugs cause hair loss, but many do. If you have hair loss due to you're treatments, you will want to wear a hat or a scarf when in cold weather or to protect your scalp from the sun. If you wear a wig, you may want to wear a thin scarf to protect your scalp from the lining of the wig.

Anemia is a common problem when undergoing chemotherapy. Chemotherapy can reduce the bone marrow's ability to make red blood cells. Anemia can cause you to feel short of breath and fatigued. You will usually get a blood test prior to your treatment to check your blood cell count. If your blood count is low, your doctor can prescribe a medication that can help boost red blood cell production. In some cases you may require a blood transfusion. Some people may experience pain due to their illness. Your doctor will prescribe pain medications to help elevate pain to make you more comfortable. Pain medications will range anywhere from analgesics to narcotics depending on the severity of the pain.

Many patients suffer from anxiety or depression during their illness. It is only natural to feel a sense of hopelessness. It is important to have a good support system to help you overcome some of your anxiety. Your doctor may prescribe anti-anxiety medication or anti-depressants. Counseling is an important part of your recovery. You should never feel like your in this alone. If you become depressed, speak to your physician immediately to get the support and treatment you need. There are many support groups available, your cancer treatment center should be able to assist you with this. Sometimes speaking with others going through the same thing you are is the best emotional therapy.