Starting treatment soon -- what happens the first day with chemo?

Hospitalization
I know some people are hospitalized during chemo weeks. However, I believe more people are not than are. I was not. I had a port, not a picc line. The chemo (Mitomycin) was delivered by IV in the infusion suite following a couple of drips with anti-nausea meds. After the Mito finished up, they hooked the bag of 5FU up to my port, put the bag in a fanny pack that I wore around my waist. It really wasn't a big deal, except for the fact that bathing was a challenge. I really don't understand the need for hospitalization, as I got along fine. After hearing some horror stories about nausea and vomiting on day one of chemo, I fully anticipated the same to happen to me. However, I had no issues, except light queasiness in the evening of day 1, which was effectively controlled with the anti-nausea meds I had at home. I can understand hospitalization if there are other mitigating circumstances, but if the patient is otherwise fairly healthy, I see no reason for it. My second chemo week was a little rougher, due to cumulative effects. By that time, I had developed thrush in my mouth and my appetite had gone to zero. But again, I don't think being in the hospital would have changed any of that. The chemo cycles for this treatment are 28 days. The first 14 days, your immune system is being attacked and those two weeks may be the roughest during both cycles. Around day 14 is usually when the blood counts are at their lowest--this is called Nadir--then they will begin to rebound. By the time the second chemo round comes around, you might be feeling fairly good, except for any skin issues from radiation, which is another subject. The first two weeks of the second chemo cycle will probably be your last two weeks of radiation. At the end of that, you will probably be dealing with cumulative effects of both the chemo and radiation. That said, you can get through it--most of us on this board did without any major problems.

It's very important to stay well-hydrated--drink lots of water! Also, eating protein in every meal or snack will promote healing. Things that can help control nausea in addition to the meds are: ginger tea, hard candy (such as Jolly Rancher or lemon drops, which I carried with me at all times), soda crackers, 7-up, gingerale. Diarrhea can be curbed by eating the BRAT diet (Bananas, Rice-white, Applesauce & Toast-white). Imodium AD can be effective or you might want to ask for a prescription for Lomotil. If you have diarrhea, it is vitally important to replace the fluids that you will lose, so again, drink lots of water! Also, one more tip--do NOT use toilet paper, as it's much too abrasive. Get some flushable wipes that do not contain alcohol.

Sorry, this is probably much more information than you were asking for, but I hope you will find at least some of it useful. You will get through this--REALLY, you will!

First day-week
The first day wasn't quick. I had to have the picc line "installed". That involved a rather long procedure of finding the correct vein, running the line, getting an x-ray to make sure it was in place and then getting the mitomycin as well as having the pump put on and started. Then I went for radiation which took probably about 45 minutes. It takes some time to get placed exactly and then I had 19 different "beams".

The chemo the first day was no problem at all. They give you medication to keep you from getting nauseous and it works well! It also made me REALLY hungry! I felt like I had a ton of energy. During the week I started feeling bad. On Thursday I was sick but it only lasted about 24 hours. Once they took the picc line out on Friday I felt great! We actually went out to dinner on Monday because I was feeling so good.

I will warn that the experience is not the same for everyone. Some people react to the chemicals adversely. I think most get through it O.K. Some don't get sick at all.

I hope that helps and I hope it all goes really well for you.

modern said:

First Day of Chemotherapy
Expect a blood test -> Get ready to wait -> Calming techniques
Food, drink, and clothes. Check with your doctor, but most recommend you eat normally before your treatment.
Here comes the treatment. Once your IV is working successfully, they’ll start administering medications through it.
Hair and fingers. New studies have shown that keeping your scalp and fingers cold during treatment helps protect them from damaging side effects.
. You can do it! I wish you strength, love, and survival.

I started Chemo and Radiation This Week, and it's almost complet
So far, not so bad. My first day was very rushed, the PICC was inserted the week prior.
My infusion nurse, gave me my pre-medication Kytril and Decadron over 30 minutes and then infused the Mitomycin over about about 30 minutes to an hour. After it was complete, she initiated the 5 FU, instructed me on the pump(fannie pack) and sent me on my way to my first Radiation treatment.

All was very uneventful, but I have to say I didn't get a chance to be overly anxious because of the time factor.

The first night I had a huge meal, and later ate an entire box of "Hot Tamales" you know the cinnamon candy. I didn't sleep well. The next day, I had the hiccoughs, likely because I was still too full. I took a Zofran.
Overall, my GI symptoms have been limited to some queasiness, feeling car sick when in the car, and feeling too full.

Radiation, first week impression, it's over before it starts, my scrotum does feel slightly sensitive, like it had a heat lamp over it, but not burned yet. Nothing really to pin point.

I can not wait to detach from the chemo line. I will keep the PICC for the duration until my second round of treatment. I wish they would pull it out and reinsert, but I guess the cost of doing so, prevents this.
I am not sure if the Decadron made me feel more depressed or not, but I am totally down. I have completely shut down, in terms of isolating, and just wanting this week to be over...!
It seems unfathomable that I have 32 more radiation treatments in front of me. I am looking at the first week of October in terms of completing treatment. I have set a goal to return to work on October 15th. I hope it's possible.
I am glad Strutantoot decided to stay at home with his baby, it would be hell to be in hospital for this week. At least at home you can flop around in your boxers and t-shirts and most of all not talk to every single person that comes into the room. I have my big yellow lab hear to scratch on and look up at me with his sad understanding eyes.

Rants from a madman, but the days are passing and now I have the first week of treatment nearly behind me. Thanks all that pathed the way.

kirby77 said:

I started Chemo and Radiation This Week, and it's almost complet
So far, not so bad. My first day was very rushed, the PICC was inserted the week prior.
My infusion nurse, gave me my pre-medication Kytril and Decadron over 30 minutes and then infused the Mitomycin over about about 30 minutes to an hour. After it was complete, she initiated the 5 FU, instructed me on the pump(fannie pack) and sent me on my way to my first Radiation treatment.

All was very uneventful, but I have to say I didn't get a chance to be overly anxious because of the time factor.

The first night I had a huge meal, and later ate an entire box of "Hot Tamales" you know the cinnamon candy. I didn't sleep well. The next day, I had the hiccoughs, likely because I was still too full. I took a Zofran.
Overall, my GI symptoms have been limited to some queasiness, feeling car sick when in the car, and feeling too full.

Radiation, first week impression, it's over before it starts, my scrotum does feel slightly sensitive, like it had a heat lamp over it, but not burned yet. Nothing really to pin point.

I can not wait to detach from the chemo line. I will keep the PICC for the duration until my second round of treatment. I wish they would pull it out and reinsert, but I guess the cost of doing so, prevents this.
I am not sure if the Decadron made me feel more depressed or not, but I am totally down. I have completely shut down, in terms of isolating, and just wanting this week to be over...!
It seems unfathomable that I have 32 more radiation treatments in front of me. I am looking at the first week of October in terms of completing treatment. I have set a goal to return to work on October 15th. I hope it's possible.
I am glad Strutantoot decided to stay at home with his baby, it would be hell to be in hospital for this week. At least at home you can flop around in your boxers and t-shirts and most of all not talk to every single person that comes into the room. I have my big yellow lab hear to scratch on and look up at me with his sad understanding eyes.

Rants from a madman, but the days are passing and now I have the first week of treatment nearly behind me. Thanks all that pathed the way.

They took my picc line out
They took my picc line out and reinserted it for the second round.

my two cents...
I had a picc line that stayed with me through my second round of chemo. My husband found a special "wrap" for it that made showering so much easier than plastic wrap. I highly recommend getting one of these if you get the picc line. My chemo nurses had me drink some super duper ice cold water before they started and then had me munch on ice chips while the Mito was given. It apparently dilates the blood vessels in your mouth and can prevent mouth sores. (Probably the same idea for the head and hands someone mentioned.) It worked for me as I did NOT get mouth sores. The strangest thing did happen for me, the first morning after I started chemo I fainted out of the blue! So of course, as directed I went to the ER and everything checked out fine and off to radiation I went. With my PICC line I had to have the "dressing" changed once a week and that is when I discovered I was allergic to the "choloraprep" they use to clean the site, so I was dealing with hives and itching like crazy at my picc line, as well as being allergic to adhesives! I had very mild nausea that was handled with the Zofran.

I am soooo thankful I wasn't hospitalized during chemo weeks, so much easier to rest and get comfortable at home. I would have been absolutely miserable with out my three little four legged friends.

Joanne

kirby77 said:

I started Chemo and Radiation This Week, and it's almost complet
So far, not so bad. My first day was very rushed, the PICC was inserted the week prior.
My infusion nurse, gave me my pre-medication Kytril and Decadron over 30 minutes and then infused the Mitomycin over about about 30 minutes to an hour. After it was complete, she initiated the 5 FU, instructed me on the pump(fannie pack) and sent me on my way to my first Radiation treatment.

All was very uneventful, but I have to say I didn't get a chance to be overly anxious because of the time factor.

The first night I had a huge meal, and later ate an entire box of "Hot Tamales" you know the cinnamon candy. I didn't sleep well. The next day, I had the hiccoughs, likely because I was still too full. I took a Zofran.
Overall, my GI symptoms have been limited to some queasiness, feeling car sick when in the car, and feeling too full.

Radiation, first week impression, it's over before it starts, my scrotum does feel slightly sensitive, like it had a heat lamp over it, but not burned yet. Nothing really to pin point.

I can not wait to detach from the chemo line. I will keep the PICC for the duration until my second round of treatment. I wish they would pull it out and reinsert, but I guess the cost of doing so, prevents this.
I am not sure if the Decadron made me feel more depressed or not, but I am totally down. I have completely shut down, in terms of isolating, and just wanting this week to be over...!
It seems unfathomable that I have 32 more radiation treatments in front of me. I am looking at the first week of October in terms of completing treatment. I have set a goal to return to work on October 15th. I hope it's possible.
I am glad Strutantoot decided to stay at home with his baby, it would be hell to be in hospital for this week. At least at home you can flop around in your boxers and t-shirts and most of all not talk to every single person that comes into the room. I have my big yellow lab hear to scratch on and look up at me with his sad understanding eyes.

Rants from a madman, but the days are passing and now I have the first week of treatment nearly behind me. Thanks all that pathed the way.

Thinking of you...
Kirby, You are one week down, thats great and one week more than you were last week. I think most of us felt kind of like closing out the outside world, thus the importance of this site. Take the time to focus on you, rest, read, meditate, whatever your body tells you. Its enough some days to just get upand go to radiation. Its a tough time, but look at the big pic. and you'll see it as a short period on the whole scale of life. (Much easier to say when done, I know) I'll have you in my thoughts and prayers.

Hammah said:

ports, infusion pumps and medication
Hi,
Your post to me was spot on. back in 04 I was diagnosed with stage 2 squamus cell carcinoma anal/rectal cancer. the first day of chemo I had a port installed on my left side of my chest. my difference from you is that they hooked up a bag with both the 5FU and the Mitomycin which pumped directly into my heart over the weekend so by monday morning I was ready to start radiation treatment. my only complaint was that they only gave me a local when they installed the port. the nurse said I would feel pressure on my collar bone when they did the procedure. (yeah right) the second week of chemo I said I wanted to be out and they complied. I found out that the first week of chemo they had undermedicated me. so, the second week at the end of my radiation they made up for it and gave me a much more powerful dose of the two chemo meds. I will not go into any further detail about my treatment because I'm sure you have already "been there, done that" However, that said I am happy to report that I have been totally cancer free since Dec 04 and am checked regularly. One thing I will tell you is that during that time I lost about 20 lbs due to my only eating soup and drinking gatorade. solid food was not an option for me as you already well know. but guess what? we made it and modern medicine technology is getting better every day. rock on lady.
Hammah!

Hi Hammah!
I am SO glad to hear that you are doing well! While treatment is for only a short time, it can be a bumpy road for some. However, once it's over, most people recover quite nicely and go on with life that is for the most part normal. I'm happy for you and thank you for coming to this site to share your story--we need to hear from long-term survivors such as yourself! Stay well and keep on rockin'!