Have you ever had to have chemotherapy?

Question

How painful is it? How long does it take before you start to loose your hair? How much better chances do you have if you choose to have chemotherapy? Someone said it makes you very tired. Is that true?

Answer 1

Yes. I've had chemo. The hair on my head starting falling out about a week after my first treatment and within three days it was all gone. I lost every hair on my body-eyelashes, eyebrows, even nose hair. A friend of mine recently had the same treatment and never lost all her hair and I don't think she lost any of her eyelashes and eyebrow hairs. It varies a lot from person to person.

I didn't get very sick, but I did get tired. I had trouble sleeping at night, so I slept a lot during the day and paced myself, only doing things that were really fun.

There are lots of different cancers and chemos and the side effects and effectiveness vary with each kind and from person to person. My doctor told me I would die if I didn't have chemo ( I had advanced cancer) and it has been six years now since I was diagnosed with cancer.

Many types of cancer are not the death sentence now that they used to be. The treatments are getting more effective all the time. And so are the drugs to help prevent side effects.

Answer 2

It was rough for me, but I think that I have lived longer than if I had not had it. I can't remember how long it was before my hair started falling out, maybe 2 to 3 weeks after the first treatment. It wasn't particularly painful, but it is the side effects. I don't think everyone has the same side effects and I think it might also depend on the drugs used in chemotherapy. I felt very tired. I couldn't keep the same speed as before chemo. Foods smelled pretty awful, especially meat, but also anything with a strong scent. I wanted very bland food. I didn't want fat. I seemed to move in slow motion. The treatments were every 3 weeks and I did this for about 6 months. I also had to have shots daily because my white blood cell count was knocked low from the chemo. This was all a pain and I wondered if it was even worth it. It was, because I wanted to live. I started gradually feeling better after the treatment was done. Take it slow and easy and surround yourself with lots of support. You can do it.

Answer 3

The drugs aren't painful, though your skin might tingle as they go in. However the side effects can be painful (sore hands, feet, aches)

Not all chemo drugs make you lose your hair - different drugs are used for different cancers.

And only your doctor, with the full facts of your situation, can tell how much better the chances are if you have the chemo. There are cases when it makes no difference (e.g. very early colon cancer, where surgery alone is as effective as surgery + chemo).

Chemo kills the cells that are changing fast - which means new normal cells as well as the cancer cells. It's the need to work hard to replace the new normal cells that makes you tired with chemo. But again, each person and cancer is different - you might be completely wiped out by chemo, or just a bit under the weather.

If you know the type of cancer, and the drugs, then you can look at the cancer society sites for more specific information.

www.cancerbackup.co.uk
www.cancerresearch.co.uk
american cancer society (sorry, forgot the url)
are all good and have reliable information.

Good luck!

Answer 4

My son was diagnosed with cancer two and a half years ago and has undergone four different chemotherapy protocols. Chemotherapy is not painful, but it can make you feel like you have the worst case of the flu you've ever had. Nausea, fatigue, headache, diarea, and vomiting . . . fortunately anti-nausea medications have come a long, long way in the past five years. If a chemo patient takes medication to control the symptoms BEFORE they start than they can handle the days they are on treatment. It is only the days the patient is actually getting the chemotherapy that he feels sick . . . the chemo lasts anywhere from two days to ten days and with medication a patient is generally okay (much like you'd feel taking medication if you were sick with a cold or flu).

Not all types of chemotherapy have the same side effects. Some chemo does not cause the hair to fall out and some has no nausea. My son is on a protocol right now that has no side effects other than his blood pressure being slightly elevated. He still has all his hair and he has not had any nausea at all.

In general, if a patient does have hair loss . . the hair starts falling out anywhere from the first month to the third month of treatment. It all depends on an individuals hair growth patterns .. how long it takes your hair to grow normally . . you lose your hair during those times your hair is suppose to be growing (chemo kills cells that grow . . like hair cells . . and cancer cells).

It is hard to say about the 'chances' with chemotherapy . . as every case is different and there is no guarantee that it will work against your cancer. With cancer you try to take the best chance possible . . usually based on scientific based evidence of either the treatment or for how it has worked in other people with the same type of cancer.

Chemotherapy is not the only treatment for cancer . . cancer is generally treated with a multi-modality approach . . it depends on the type of cancer, location, stage, and grade of tumor as well as the health and age of the patient. Treatment consists of chemotherapy to shrink tumors or to kill off microscopic disease from metastatic cancer, surgery is used to remove all visible disease, and radiation is used for single tumor areas to try and shrink single large tumors or kill off microscopic cells in one area. Radiation is not good for cancer that has spread. There are many, many different combinations of drugs, new drugs, new treatments, treatment used together . . radiation during surgery . . chemo during surgery.

Cancer treatment can make a patient tired . . but in general it is only during the actual treatment. Treatment often calls for two to three weeks of 'rest' in between the chemotherapy. So, while a patient may not feel well for a few days a month, the rest of the time they may actually be well enough to work or go to school or do anything anyone else does. Contrary to popular belief, no all cancer patients experience pain. Many are asymptomatic for long, long periods of time, fortunately.

Answer 5

I had small cell lung cancer, which spreads faster than large cell. It was caught early, thank the Lord, and after six months of chemotherapy and radiation therapy, I am now in remission. Yes, Chemo and radiation both cause you to be tired, and it took me about two weeks to start losing my hair. Everyone is different. Once it started falling out, It was mostly all gone with in a week. Some people experience nausea, but I didnt. Chemo is not nearly as bad as it used to be, and Im so glad I listened to my Onocologist or I would have been dead by now. It took six months for me to go into remission, and I think thats a miracle, expecially being that it was in my lung and the fact that it was small cell. It isnt painful, at least it wasnt for me. Being tired is a small price to pay for your life. Good luck and God be with you.

Answer 6

It all depends. I have had about 12 months of chemo and never lost my hair, got fatter and experienced no pain (other than a few blown IV's) The only thing I had was some mild nausea, some constipation and a head ache, all of which where kind of mild and lasted a few days. Feeling tired was more of a problem but even that was bearable. I worked throughout treatment.

It affects everyone different, depending on you, what you have and the chemo you will get. Once you find out what you will get, ask your doctor for info on side effects or go online. All chemo combos have much info about them in books and on the web listing side effects and odds of getting each one and how to deal with them.

Knowledge is your best weapon.
Be prepared in advance.
Keep very hydrated!
Take your anti nausea meds BEFORE you get nausea or even get to the place wher you get treatment.

get plenty of rest and eat right.
Unfortunately, only time will tell exactly what side effects you will get. Most likely it will be lway less than what you expect!

Answer 7

Your doctor should be able to answer all of these questions. For each person and situation it is different. Chemo can be a tough thing to go through. Getting a second or even a third opinion from an oncologist is important so you are very sure of what you are doing and understand it very well. I am about to start chemo in the next few weeks. I am fully educated now about it and know my odds of recurrence and a lot of detail. Make sure you educate yourself. Check with your doctors, support groups in person and on the Internet, plus research books and the Internet.

Answer 8

I can tell you that I was tired for the first couple of days but thats all.. I was told that some people get nasuated and dry heaves.. I did not get either.. My taste buds got screwd up though for a few days things tasted like a tin can, then no taste.. after the 2nd session my hair came out... Grant M in Pennsylvania

Answer 9

it basically depends on the combination of drugs used
I was tired, but not overly, I never lost my hair, when the drugs were adminstered I had the tast of incectsoide, bug spray,.
so it depends on the drugs, your Dr hasn decieded what is best for you

Answer 10

yes i dont really rember it tho cuz i was 5, srry