What do you pack in a chemo bag?

What should I take to my first chemo treatment?

Whats a chemo bag?

If you are scheduled for chemotherapy infusions, consider packing what many call a chemo bag. Most of the time, the treatments take several hours to all day long. Having a tote filled with items that can provide you comfort and entertainment can go a long way in making these sessions easier.

Why do cancer patients carry a bag?

“The duration of chemotherapy varies from patient to patient, so we often suggest that patients pack a small bag of things to bring with them,” says nurse practitioner Mailey Wilks, CNP. “Having a few familiar items from home can help ease anxiety and offer distraction.”

Does chemo come in a bag?

The chemotherapy drugs are injected directly into a vein through your cannula or central line over a few minutes. Sometimes, a bag of clear fluid is attached to plastic tubing and connected to the cannula or line in your vein first (called a drip or infusion).

What to Pack in a Chemo Bag

How do I prepare my home for chemo?

What is a chemo fanny pack?

On the two weeks that you'll have chemo, they give you a fanny-pack to wear. The fanny-pack will contain a small pump and the chemo medicine. A very small diameter tube will connect the fanny-pack-pump to the port in your chest. That's how the chemo is delivered to your body. You'll wear the fanny-pack for 4-5 days.

What candy is good for chemo?

Try some hard candies – Peppermints, lemon drops, root beer barrels, and ginger chews are often effective in relieving nausea and eliminating bad tastes in your mouth.

What are good snacks for chemo patients?

What should I do the night before chemo?

Try to stay as healthy as you can before and during treatment. Eat a nourishing food, drink lots of water, get enough sleep, and balance rest and physical activity. Good nutrition and regular exercise can help reduce some of the side effects of chemotherapy.

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 should you not do during chemotherapy?

What do chemo patients need most?

Healthy snacks and water.

Bring snacks (e.g., crackers, fresh fruit, chicken broth, ginger tea) to stay nourished. Chemo can cause dry mouth and taste changes so bring mints, lemon drops, ginger chews or hard candies.

How soon after chemo does your hair fall out?

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 days after chemo do you feel better?

Most people say it takes 6 to 12 months after they finish chemotherapy before they truly feel like themselves again.

What should I eat for breakfast while on chemo?

Does drinking water help flush out chemo?

Stay well hydrated.

Drinking plenty of water before and after treatment helps your body process chemotherapy drugs and flush the excess out of your system.

Why can't chemo patients have ice?

You are being treated for cancer with a chemotherapy medication called Oxaliplatin. This medication has an unusual side effect called “cold dysesthesia”. This means that different parts of your body may be very sensitive to cold – cold drinks, cold food, and cool or cold outdoor temperatures.

What to Eat When chemo makes you sick?

Eat bland foods, such as dry toast and crackers. Eat food cold or at room temperature to decrease its smell and taste. Avoid fatty, fried, spicy, or very sweet foods. Try small amounts of foods high in calories that are easy to eat (such as pudding, ice cream, sherbets, yogurt, and milkshakes) several times a day.

How can I make my chemo more comfortable?

Are Lemon Drops good for chemo patients?

Hard candy: Dry mouth can be a side effect from treatment, but hard candy can help. Try ginger candies or lemon drops, which may satisfy your sweet tooth and combat nausea, too.

How do you shower with a chemo pump?

You can place the pump under your pillow. Do not get the central line wet. To keep it dry when you shower or bathe, cover the central line with plastic wrap when you shower. Tape all sides of the plastic wrap to seal the dressing from water.

Why do you need a pump after chemo?

Chemotherapy pumps are also called infusion pumps. When you have chemotherapy through a central line (for example a PICC line) a nurse can attach a pump. This will give a controlled amount of drugs very slowly into your bloodstream.

How do you sleep with a chemo port?

If your port is on the right side of your chest, sleep on your left side, or vice versa. You'll want to avoid sleeping on your stomach, at least at first, since you might feel pain at the port site. Try not to sleep with your arm raised on the side of your body that has the port since that could pull on the port.

How do you clean the toilet after chemotherapy?

wipe the toilet seat and rim with a sanitizing wipe after each use. After cleaning, wash your hands with soap and water before touching anything. At the end of 7 days after treatment, wash the toilet and bathroom floor. If you have a low flow toilet, put the lid down and flush the toilet twice.