I start chemo on Tuesday for Breast Cancer?

Question

My question is this: I know chemo effects each person differently, but I think that everyone gets a tad bit tired at least. Will I start feeling that effect immedietly, like that day or the next, or will it take two or three days before I start feeling tired? I know that it will have 10-14 days before my hair starts to fall out (According to my doc).......that's a whole different post! I asked about my hair but forgot to ask about tiredness.....

Thanks in advance for your answers!

One reason I ask is because my son graduates High School on the 21st (Next Monday). We have all sorts of luncheons, parties and assemblies, the baccalaureat (sp?), to attend starting Thursday.

Answer 1

I recently had a mastectomy due to breast cancer. I'm sorry that you are needing to go through all this. You are right, chemo affects everyone differently - and it depends on your attitude and outlook on your disease. I have a friend that was diagnosed with stage 4 non-Hodgkins lymphoma and was scheduled to 8 rounds of chemo. He tried to rush the first two infusions and ended up having a migraine headache and nauseous. The next infusion, he came in more relaxed and decided that it wasn't worth getting all worked up over it, and he sailed through the rest of his treatment without any additional problems. My advice to you is to do exactly what the doctors tell you to. They've been through this many times and have learned from experience with other patients on how to make this experience less stressful. For the first time, my doctor prescribed a couple of Xanax just to take the edge off of my anxiety - it really helped. You might want to ask your doctor about your fears and anxieties towards your treatments and if this would be appropriate for you. You have other women that have gone before you - so know that you are not alone in facing your disease. Cancer sucks - and there's no other way to put it. Be kind to yourself, listen to your body and rest when you need to. Your family and friends will understand when you are tired - you need to give yourself permission to give yourself time to take care of yourself and heal.

Answer 2

You probably will be feeling the effect of chemo right after treatment. Hopefully you will tolerate it on the better side. But it will make you tired/ill etc to some degree. I went thru many many chemo treatments and I suggest you have treatment and if you feel any activity is too much no one will blink an eye if you can't be there. Especially your son. He'd rather you keep the strength for your journey to beating this cancer. He wants you to be around for things like his wedding, grandchildren and every other minute he can get. Stay strong and never think it will beat you. You will make it - but let your body tell you what you can do and don't second guess it. God bless and you go girl!

Answer 3

Hi there, first I want to say good luck on your treatment, try not to be nervous. Just the stress of going can tire you out along with the chemo. It can kick in the tired feeling that very day but for most forms of chemo it takes a week or so before it starts to drain you. There are some different things you can do to minimize the hair loss too, put ice on your head during your treatment, if your doctor allows it, take vitamins, lots of them, you need the C, B, and D the most right now with chemo. Make sure you get plenty of sleep and what helped me the most during cancer was short naps during the day, take care of yourself, do things to baby yourself like a long bath, reading a magazine, "ME" time.

Answer 4

In my case, the tiredness from chemo took about a month. Also, I have a friend that would call me and ask if I felt good enough to come with her to go shopping. Of course, I was always willing.

Since she'd gone through breast cancer herself, I trusted her. Now, I think that the activity kept my spirits up. That helps more than I can say.

Answer 5

When you go in for your 1st chemotherapy, ask the nurse who administers the drug for a copy of the "patient information"
I administer chemotherapy to cancer pts and it would be hard for me to tell you what to expect unless I know what the chemo drugs are you will be recieving.
I suspect you may recieve Taxol and Carboplatin, but I am not sure.
I can tell you, you may feel tired for a couple days after the treatment `It usually starts the evening of or the day after the infusion. The pts I treat describe it as a feeling of tiredness almost like having the flu. One of my patients always gets her chemotherapy on a Friday, so she has the weekend to recover and then returns to work on Monday.
Taxol makes a lot of womens face turn really red and flushed. We call it the Taxol flush. It goes away in a few days.
God bless you and keep you in his care.
PS about the hair. It doesnt all fall out at once, It usually takes more like 3 weeks to really notice it coming out and usually it thins first and then comes out.
RN

Answer 6

You may feel tired on the day itself or after. Like you mentioned, chemo affects everyone differently.

A lot also depends on your attitude while going through treatment. If you generally feel positive about things, you will feel less tired and edgy.

Answer 7

well first of all dont go by what everyone says .i had chemo for breast cancer a year and i never got tired .. i did lose my hair
now my caner has went to my bones and im in chemo ,,i do get tired now from time to time ...best thing to do is to go to wal-mart in the yogart section and buy you some stuff to drink called dan-active and drink 2 a day it will help build your immune system up .. thats what i do...good luck to you its not easy...i had chemo, then masectomy, then chamo , then radation, after all that it spread to my bones and im going through it all over.2nd year with all that stuff ...if you need to talk e-mail me.....

Answer 8

I dont exactly know how to answer this, but I just want to say Good luck and I hope everything works out the best for you.

Answer 9

good luck and i hope everything goes well

Answer 10

good luck i hope that you are okay.