Ways to make your treatment more comfortable
You’ve just been diagnosed with cancer and chemotherapy is part of your treatment. Getting this news is scary. The thought of chemotherapy is frightening too.
Yet the more you know about chemotherapy the less intimidating it will become for you, says cancer experts. There are many resources to help you through the process and understand what’s happening.
If you or someone you know is about to go through chemotherapy for the first time, here are some tips our patients find helpful.
1. Establish a support network. One of the first things we tell patients: Set up a network among family and friends who are able to help out and give you emotional support during your treatment. “Whether it’s someone to sit with you during chemo or do small chores around your house, you’ll have peace of mind with someone you trust taking care of things,” Snyder says. You’ll also need a designated driver to take you home after treatment — some medications will make you drowsy or you may not feel well enough to drive.
2. Check with the oncologist about your medications. Make sure your oncologist is aware of all the medications you’re taking, including vitamins and supplements. Your doctor may have to adjust your dosage in case it interacts with the chemotherapy drug you’ll be taking.
3. Hydrate the day before (and the day after). Drink eight 8-ounce glasses of water, and any non-alcoholic non-caffeinated beverages that you like. On the day before, it prepares your body for the dehydrating effects of treatment. On the day after, it helps to flush the chemo meds out of your system.
4. Pack items that will keep you comfortable and busy. Many treatment centers will allow you to bring your lunch and light snacks. You can bring books or an e-reader, electronic devices, needlework — whatever you like to do. “We also suggest you bring lip balm and skin moisturizer, because air in treatment centers can get very dry,” she says.
5. Wear comfortable clothes. Wear layers and loose-fitting clothes that are easy to work with if you need to go to the bathroom. If your treatment requires that you use a port, a small device implanted under your skin that allows more direct access to your veins, wear clothing that permits easy access to it.
6. Ask questions. It’s completely normal to be anxious about what you’re going through, Snyder says. The staff will do their best to ease your worries, so don’t hesitate to ask questions. If you have concerns about your chemo drip, how much you can move around during treatment or about bathroom breaks, nurses and staff will help.
7. Get help for nausea and vomiting. “We like to say how you feel going in to sit in the chair is how you should feel leaving the chair,” she says. “If you’re feeling sick let the chemotherapy nurses know right away. There are many nausea-prevention medications, too, which your oncologist will prescribe for you based on the chemotherapy medications you’ll be taking.”
8. Avoid risk of an infection. Your body has enough to handle without dealing with an infection from an outside source. Your immune system is decreased during chemo. So it’s best to avoid crowds. Keep your hands clean with sanitizer. Don’t touch surfaces and keep your hands from your face.
9. Eat well and maintain your body weight. Going through chemotherapy isn’t the time to go on a diet! Your goal should be not to either lose or gain 10% of your body weight, Snyder says. A dietitian can help you eat well and stay as strong as you can, or guide you if you have special dietary needs. Also: don’t eat your favorite foods on the day of your treatment — your mind will tend to associate everything that day with the chemotherapy.
10. Keep your body on a schedule. To help cope with the fatigue common with cancer treatment, keep your sleeping patterns consistent: Get up and go to bed around the same time, even on the weekends. Exercise can help too, she adds, even if it’s just 30 minutes of walking divided into 10-minute segments.
Remember there are many avenues of support for you during this time. Never hesitate to ask for help. It’s there for you!
Fevers: When Cancer Becomes an Emergency
A fever is a critical symptom to address
A fever may not send most people to the doctor’s office. But for a cancer patient, fever, along with weakness and pain, could signal an infection – and may prompt a visit to the emergency room.
When a person’s immune system is compromised because of cancer and its treatments, it’s harder to rebound, even from common illnesses. Some can even become life-threatening.
That’s why you need to take special care if you are undergoing cancer treatment and develop signs of infection, including fever, chills, abdominal pain, and a productive cough.
If this happens, make sure you:
Conditions that may prompt a doctor’s visit
In terms of urgency, some symptoms are more subjective than others in prompting a doctor’s visit. Cancer patients may want to see their doctor because of pain, weakness, shortness of breath, vomiting and diarrhea.
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But there’s one symptom that indisputably requires a trip to the doctor: fever. All cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy need immediate attention if they have a temperature of 100.5 degrees Fahrenheit or higher.
Fever, the critical symptom
Chemotherapy often leads to a reduced white blood cell count, called neutropenia. This condition causes the patient’s body to be less effective at fighting off infection. Neutropenic fever is common in chemotherapy patients. Fever can indicate infection. And in patients with a weakened immune system, infections need to be treated before they cause greater complications.
“About 5 to 25 percent of patients receiving chemotherapy will get neutropenic fever,”. “The more aggressive the chemotherapy, the higher the risk. Age and other underlying illnesses also play a role.”
Treating neutropenic fever
According to Doctors, any cancer patient with a fever or other emergent condition should call his or her oncologist immediately. The oncologist will determine if the patient should go directly to an emergency room or to the doctor’s office.
Patients who go to an emergency room should clearly indicate that they are undergoing cancer treatment. It will make a difference in how they are triaged.
A healthy patient with a fever and cough might get a flu swab or throat swab or chest X-ray. The Doctor may give them acetaminophen and send them home to rest. But a cancer patient with the same symptoms will need a more intense evaluation to find the source of their infection.”
The Doctors says they’ll keep cancer patients in isolation to prevent exposure to any new infections while they do a culture of their blood and urine to check for bacteria.
The Doctor will start them on antibiotics right away until he identify the cause of their fever. We can always stop the antibiotics later if we find they don’t have an infection.
The important thing, especially for cancer patients with a fever, is to get medical attention right away.
Should You Go on Vacation When Being Treated for Cancer
Before you start planning, ask yourself these questions
You’re in the middle of treatment for cancer — one of the most serious, scary and intense experiences ever. Does the idea of going on a vacation trip seem somewhat frivolous?
If you’re a cancer patient, taking a vacation might be exactly what you need. So much of your daily life and mental energy can revolve around treatment and visits to the doctor. A vacation trip can provide a respite from all of that.
Planning a vacation also gives us something to look forward to and can transport our minds to pleasant thoughts. We can daydream about warm beach breezes, gazing at beautiful gardens, paintings or sculpture, trying new foods or any of the other vacation experiences that can stimulate our senses and restore our souls.
Before you get started, though, you may want to ask yourself – and your doctor or nurse – a few questions.
The answer to this question depends on where you are on your cancer journey. If you are just starting treatment, for example, or are undergoing chemotherapy, your doctor may say it’s important to maintain your treatment schedule. Check with your doctor or nurse and ask if this is a good time to get away.
If the time for a vacation is right, ask your doctor or nurse if they have advice about health precautions that you may need to take while traveling.
For example, if you’re just finished chemotherapy, you might be more susceptible to infections. So you may wish to avoid a long international flight aboard a germy airplane. Or if you’ve had surgery recently, your doctor might advise you to avoid or postpone air travel, as it can increase the risk of developing blood clots.
The answer to this will differ depending on your diagnosis and treatment, but here is some general advice that our patients find helpful:
Some people may wish for just a brief break – and there are advantages to a short trip. A quick getaway won’t tax you physically. Also you may want to avoid the expense, stress and detailed preparation of a big trip.
Consider taking a “staycation” in your home town. Check out the local sights for which you’ve never really made time. You’ll be in familiar surroundings, but can make the day special by visiting an intriguing restaurant or being pampered with an overnight stay at a luxurious hotel. A short vacation also could take the form of a long weekend to a place not far from home.
If you’re at the end of treatment, you may want to celebrate with a special long trip. Go with a supportive person – someone who can laugh with you and understand your situation.
Think carefully – and talk with your doctor or nurse – about whether you are up for the vacation and, if so, what kind of trip would be compatible with where you are physically.
For example, a beach trip that features lots of relaxation time might be easier and more beneficial than a trip to a big city where you’ll be doing lots of walking. Or consider a cruise, where everyone can follow their own interests.
It’s OK to get away and do something fun even while you’re in the very serious process of cancer treatment. People who are undergoing cancer treatment need vacations just as do people who are not. The memories you create during a trip with a supportive partner can help to sustain you during the stressful parts of treatment and beyond.
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