Do you start chemo right away?

Most people want to start treatment right away. They worry that the extra time taken to do tests or make decisions will take up precious time that could be spent fighting the cancer. Cancer treatment should start very soon after diagnosis, but for most cancers, it won't hurt to wait a few weeks to begin treatment.

At what stage chemotherapy is given?

Chemotherapy is given in cycles — a period of treatment followed by a period of recovery. One cycle may include chemotherapy on the first day and then three weeks of recovery with no treatment. A chemotherapy treatment regimen is made up of several cycles.

How do you feel after 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 do I prepare for first round of chemo?

What happens at first appointment about chemo?

A: You may need to complete paperwork when you arrive. Bloodwork, a short physical exam to check your vitals, and a check of your height and weight will also take place – this helps determine the dosage of chemotherapy. You will likely meet with the oncologist prior to the treatment, as well.

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Do you need someone to drive you home after chemotherapy?

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 around, you may be advised that it's okay to drive home for future sessions.

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.

How many days after chemo Do you feel sick?

Acute nausea and vomiting happens within a few minutes to a few hours after you get chemo. It is usually worst during the first 4 to 6 hours after treatment and goes away within 24 hours. Delayed nausea and vomiting usually does not start until 24 hours or more after you get chemo. It can last for several days.

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.

What should you not do during chemotherapy?

How painful chemotherapy is?

The actual chemotherapy process is usually painless. Some chemo drugs may cause a slight burning as they enter your vein. For example, if the IV is in your hand or wrist, you may feel the burning sensation moving up your arm. This is perfectly normal and will ease as the infusion progresses.

Are chemo side effects immediate?

If you develop side effects, they can happen any time during, immediately after or a few days or weeks after chemotherapy. Sometimes late side effects develop months or years after chemotherapy. Most side effects go away on their own or can be treated, but some side effects may last a long time or become permanent.

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.

Why do oncologists push chemo?

An oncologist may recommend chemotherapy before and/or after another treatment. For example, in a patient with breast cancer, chemotherapy may be used before surgery, to try to shrink the tumor. The same patient may benefit from chemotherapy after surgery to try to destroy remaining cancer cells.

How many times a week do you get chemo?

You can have chemotherapy once a week or for several days, then rest for several days or weeks. The breaks give the drugs time to do their job. Rest also gives your body time to heal so you can handle side effects like nausea, hair loss, or fatigue. Each set of doses is called a cycle.

Does all chemo cause hair loss?

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.

Do you lose weight with chemo?

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 percentage of chemo patients lose their hair?

Approximately 65% of individuals undergoing chemotherapy will experience chemotherapy-induced hair loss, which is usually temporary and completely reversible when therapy ends. The use of molecularly targeted agents in cancer treatment has also been associated with hair loss rates as high as 60%.

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.

Can you drive yourself to chemo?

Have a friend or family member drive you to your first treatment. Most people can drive themselves to and from chemotherapy sessions. But the first time you may find that the medications make you sleepy or cause other side effects that make driving difficult.

Can you drive after having chemo?

Can I drive after my cancer treatment? With many cancer treatments it is fine to drive afterwards. But some medicines can make you feel sick or tired, so you might not want to drive home. Certain medicines can make you drowsy, so you shouldn't drive after having them.

Does everyone get sick from chemo?

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.

Do you stay in hospital after chemo?

Chemotherapy in hospital

You might need to stay in hospital overnight or for a couple of days. This is usually if: you need to have the drug in a very slow, controlled way. you need to have fluids through a drip for a few hours before or after the particular drug you're having.

Do chemo patients need 24 hour care?

Today, most cancer treatment is given in outpatient treatment centers – not in hospitals. This means someone is needed to be part of the day-to-day care of the person with cancer and that sicker people are being cared for at home.

How long does a chemo infusion take?

In general, it takes a few minutes for an IV push, while an IV infusion can take 30 minutes to several hours or more. A continuous infusion can last 1 to 3 days. In some cases, especially when you're getting a drug for the first time, you may need to stay a little longer for observation.