Chemo starts tomorrow...Any tips or tricks to share?

MJG1
MJG1 Member Posts: 137 Member
in Head and Neck Cancer #1

Hello,

My husband's chemo starts tomorrow.  Cispaltin is the drug being used.  Any tips, tricks, ideas to make the day easier?

Thank you!

MJG1

 

Comments

  • CivilMatt
    CivilMatt Member Posts: 4,722 Member
    #2
    start

    MJG1,

    Be prepared for nausea!  Ask for a room or chair close to the bathroom (most desired spot).

    Start kicking cancer in the a _ _.

    Matt

  • MJG1
    MJG1 Member Posts: 137 Member
    #3
    CivilMatt said:

    start

    MJG1,

    Be prepared for nausea!  Ask for a room or chair close to the bathroom (most desired spot).

    Start kicking cancer in the a _ _.

    Matt

    Civil Matt THANKS

    Matt,

    We were sent two prescriptions for nausea, guess we should take them with us??  I dread this butt kicking, but it must be done.  My hubby is mierable and ready to defeat the tumor!

    MJG1

  • Drivingdaisy
    Drivingdaisy Member Posts: 263
    edited August 2016 #4
    Starting Chemo

    I had 2 different drugs for Chemo.  I think they were not as hard on the body as yours, tho yours is the one often used.  I was very fortunate that my cancer (SCC , Stage 3, 2 small spots one tonsil and BOT, HPV 16+)was contained and no lymph nodes involved.  No surgery since being small and difficult to reach, doctors decided on Radiation with Chemo.   For Chemo, I packed a bag with my iPad downloaded with movies & tv programs, Kindle Reader downloaded with books, snacks, warm socks, eyemask, Suduko puzzles, small back/neck pillow along with a small cooler filled with water bottles and my prepackaged Orgainic shake.  My sessions lasted about 4-5 hrs for 7 wks.

    I have began my 4 month post-treatment.  I was given my 1st NED (No Evidence of Disease), no sign of cancer.  So my recommendation would be stay as Positive as you can and, many sound Corney but really ...... Take it One Day at a Time .   Read the Superthread on this Forum and other Posts for information, ask questions, be proactive. Laugh when you can.  Less Stress is Best!  Good Luck tomorrow.     Lisa

  • swopoe
    swopoe Member Posts: 492
    #5
    Bring the nausea meds with

    Bring the nausea meds with you, but if he gets nauseous while at chemo, they can put something in the IV. he can use the meds if he gets nauseous on the ride home. my husband never felt sick from the chemo (cisplatin). He either did work on his laptop or we watched Netflix on my iPad. These are the things I brought to every visit (we were usually there all day because he had hydration on chemo days and there was always a wait too): blanket (always freezing in there), water and snacks (I usually ended up getting us or just me lunch from the deli in the building too), books or something to read, iPad/iPhone/chargers, nausea meds or other medication, food for tube feeding (when it got to that point), my notebook that I took notes in, documents/paperwork. I had a tote bag I took every week. The nurses in chemo were always really nice. i am sure you will find the same. Ask questions about what they are doing, speak up if your husband doesn't feel good, and hang in there. Once you start, you are on your way to being finished! Best of luck!

  • MJG1
    MJG1 Member Posts: 137 Member
    #6
    Drivingdaisy said:

    Starting Chemo

    I had 2 different drugs for Chemo.  I think they were not as hard on the body as yours, tho yours is the one often used.  I was very fortunate that my cancer (SCC , Stage 3, 2 small spots one tonsil and BOT, HPV 16+)was contained and no lymph nodes involved.  No surgery since being small and difficult to reach, doctors decided on Radiation with Chemo.   For Chemo, I packed a bag with my iPad downloaded with movies & tv programs, Kindle Reader downloaded with books, snacks, warm socks, eyemask, Suduko puzzles, small back/neck pillow along with a small cooler filled with water bottles and my prepackaged Orgainic shake.  My sessions lasted about 4-5 hrs for 7 wks.

    I have began my 4 month post-treatment.  I was given my 1st NED (No Evidence of Disease), no sign of cancer.  So my recommendation would be stay as Positive as you can and, many sound Corney but really ...... Take it One Day at a Time .   Read the Superthread on this Forum and other Posts for information, ask questions, be proactive. Laugh when you can.  Less Stress is Best!  Good Luck tomorrow.     Lisa

    Drivingdaisy

    All good ideas.  I hadn't thought of taking water with us in a cooler.  Congrats on the NED!!!  We are positive and anxious to get this dealt with and get back to whatever normal will be after this! ;)

  • MJG1
    MJG1 Member Posts: 137 Member
    #7
    swopoe said:

    Bring the nausea meds with

    Bring the nausea meds with you, but if he gets nauseous while at chemo, they can put something in the IV. he can use the meds if he gets nauseous on the ride home. my husband never felt sick from the chemo (cisplatin). He either did work on his laptop or we watched Netflix on my iPad. These are the things I brought to every visit (we were usually there all day because he had hydration on chemo days and there was always a wait too): blanket (always freezing in there), water and snacks (I usually ended up getting us or just me lunch from the deli in the building too), books or something to read, iPad/iPhone/chargers, nausea meds or other medication, food for tube feeding (when it got to that point), my notebook that I took notes in, documents/paperwork. I had a tote bag I took every week. The nurses in chemo were always really nice. i am sure you will find the same. Ask questions about what they are doing, speak up if your husband doesn't feel good, and hang in there. Once you start, you are on your way to being finished! Best of luck!

    Swopoe- Thanks!

    Thank you for the response.  All very good ideas.  We're going to throw in a small cooler along with the other things we had planned.  We're so ready to be finished!!  Thanks again!

    MJG1

  • Kari2007
    Kari2007 Member Posts: 108
    #8
    Nausea

    I'm also doing Cisplatin (3 infusions - last one is Tuesday) and the best advice I got was to stay on top of the anti-nausea meds. Don't wait until he's feeling nauseated, just take them on a regular schedule round the clock. I did this and never felt nauseated from the chemo; it's the mucus that does me in from time to time. Good luck to you both and keep him hydrated!! 

    Kari

  • yensid683
    yensid683 Member Posts: 349
    edited August 2016 #9
    Hydrate!

    Along  with taking the anti-nausea medications (and they will be necessary), be sure to keep hydrated. 

    I had a course of induction chemo, 5 days as an in-patient on continous high dose chemo.  Taxotere, Cisplatin and 3 days of 5=FU and the one BIG mistake I made was that I didn't push fluids.  Granted, I did not feel well, water from the tap tasted like a muddy rusty pipe, but I should have paid attention to what chemo does - it kills cancer cells which the body then breaks down, and flushes the residual toxins out through the kidneys.

    Since i didn't pay attention to hydration, I felt even worse and compromised my kidney function as well.

     

    So, my strong advice - hydrate, hydrate HYDRATE

    Good luck with the first sessions!

  • Barbaraek
    Barbaraek Member Posts: 626
    #10
    Ice chips

    one study I read somewhere along the line suggested sucking on ice chips during chemo Because it MAY reduce some of the severity of mucositis. http://news.cancerconnect.com/ice-chips-prevent-mouth-sores-associated-with-high-dose-chemotherapy/

    The other suggestions regarding hydration and nausea meds are spot on. Don't be surprised if the foot comes down two days after chemo and not the day of or even the day after. Make sure you monitor temperature and follow your doctors orders about when to call if there is an increase...you don't want to delay action if neutropenia develops.

    best wishes and prayers for you on your journey.

    Barbara

  • phrannie51
    phrannie51 Member Posts: 4,716
    edited August 2016 #11
    Two pieces of advice from me...

    for a first chemo.  One, Matt covered....sit close to the bathroom....I've never had to pee so bad in my life....and 2)  Take a lunch.  I thought I would starve to death.  Nausea won't crop up until the next day....or the day after that.  The first chemo was pretty tolerable.

    p

  • RottiesMom
    RottiesMom Member Posts: 167
    edited August 2016 #12
    Chemo

    I finished 3 cycles of chemo ( cisplatin ), 3 weeks apart last Tuesday.  They put anti nausea meds in my iv.  I also had 2 different anti nausea meds and I had to take both round the clock, like Kari said - don't wait.  Where I had chemo, there was food and snacks for patients, but I never felt like eating.  Good luck!

    Joanne 

  • MJG1
    MJG1 Member Posts: 137 Member
    #13
    RottiesMom said:

    Chemo

    I finished 3 cycles of chemo ( cisplatin ), 3 weeks apart last Tuesday.  They put anti nausea meds in my iv.  I also had 2 different anti nausea meds and I had to take both round the clock, like Kari said - don't wait.  Where I had chemo, there was food and snacks for patients, but I never felt like eating.  Good luck!

    Joanne 

    THANKS Joanne

    His first day was cisplatin and Abraxane back to back.  We made it through, but do you know that several times we've been told to go to appointments only to find out the appointment had not been made and the orders for treatments had not been sent.  It would be ok if it was just one day (3 separate Appointments that day), but it also happened on CHEMO day, No orders were sent for blood work, Dr. appointment, and chemo treatment!!  then we talked with the Dr. and nurse about it and we were promised it wouldn't happen again but it did the very next day when we went to get hydration!!  

     

  • MJG1
    MJG1 Member Posts: 137 Member
    #14
    Drivingdaisy said:

    Starting Chemo

    I had 2 different drugs for Chemo.  I think they were not as hard on the body as yours, tho yours is the one often used.  I was very fortunate that my cancer (SCC , Stage 3, 2 small spots one tonsil and BOT, HPV 16+)was contained and no lymph nodes involved.  No surgery since being small and difficult to reach, doctors decided on Radiation with Chemo.   For Chemo, I packed a bag with my iPad downloaded with movies & tv programs, Kindle Reader downloaded with books, snacks, warm socks, eyemask, Suduko puzzles, small back/neck pillow along with a small cooler filled with water bottles and my prepackaged Orgainic shake.  My sessions lasted about 4-5 hrs for 7 wks.

    I have began my 4 month post-treatment.  I was given my 1st NED (No Evidence of Disease), no sign of cancer.  So my recommendation would be stay as Positive as you can and, many sound Corney but really ...... Take it One Day at a Time .   Read the Superthread on this Forum and other Posts for information, ask questions, be proactive. Laugh when you can.  Less Stress is Best!  Good Luck tomorrow.     Lisa

    Thanks Driving Daisy

    The first day was Looooong espcially since the orders for pre chemo bloodwork, Dr. visit, and the chemo itself weren't made ...This was the 4,5,6th appointments that we were told to be at where there was no appointment and or no Dr. orders sent.  Then it happened the next day for IV fluids as well.  I was FURIOUS.  At any rate, my  hubby has been very fatigued this week, nausea a couple times, but nothing significant.  Just tired.  Tomorrow he gets only one of the chemo drugs and that will be the case for a couple weeks then the long day again...All of this for 9 weeks.  Then chemo and radiation for 7 weeks.  I know it' s a long road and we're at START. ;)  Thanks for your kind words and helpful ideas.  We did take a cooler and used it.  We also had games on our IPAD as well as many things we did not need. Very nice to have too much rather than not enough.

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