Chemo

Chemo, as it is often referred to, is a shortened term for chemotherapy. This is where a person suffering cancer is treated with the aid of drugs to either cure the disease or help reduce the symptoms so other courses of action such as surgery can be taken.

Anyone undergoing treatment by Chemo needs to take extra care of their health during the process as it usually affects their immune system as well as the diseased cells. This makes them much more susceptible to sickness. They need to stay away from people who have coughs and colds or the flu. They should also be aware of physical injuries as they will possibly suffer more from bruising and infections as the blood cells normally associated with fighting these afflictions become depleted.

By eating the right foods you may help to build up your strength to help you cope with the normal daily activities. However you will still require extra rest and need to pace yourself with your duties. By working as in conjunction with your health care treatment providers you have a greater chance of being able to help yourself.  Just by knowing how to help yourself through some of the situations you will find yourself facing can make you feel more in control.

Many people can experience feelings of sadness, anger, or fear while going through Chemo. To deal with any feelings you may have it is best to talk to someone, preferably a professional councillor. These few tips on ways that you can help yourself can help you begin to feel in control again.

So what can you really expect during chemotherapy? While some people want to know every detail about their condition and how it is to be treated others prefer just to know a bit of general information. You have the choice as to how much information you seek but there are questions everyone going through Chemo should ask. These include but are not restricted to questions like:

•    Why do I need chemotherapy?
•    What are the benefits of this treatment?
•    What risks are involved?
•    Are other possible treatment methods available for my type of cancer?
•    What method is the standard care for the type of cancer I have?
•    Are any clinical trials being conducted for my type of cancer?
•    How often and how many treatments will I need given?
•    Can you tell me what drug or drugs I will be taking?
•    How will the drugs be given to me?
•    Which clinic or hospital will I be getting my treatment in?
•    How long between each treatment and how long will each treatment last?
•    What possible side effects am I likely to experience?
•    How quickly are the side effects likely to occur?
•    What side effects are normally related to my particular type of cancer?
•    Which side effects should I report to my doctor right away?
•    Is there anything I can do to relieve the side effects?

Your Chemo treatment schedule may occur every day, every week, or every month. It is often given in cycles that include alternate treatment periods with rest periods. These rest periods give your body a chance to rebuild some healthy new cells and regain strength.

Sticking with a treatment schedule is very important for the anti-cancer drugs to work properly. Sometimes, your doctor may delay a treatment based on certain results of your blood tests. They will let you know the procedure during this time and when you may restart your treatment however it is entirely up to you whether or not you engage in treatment by Chemo.