2007-10-27 10:02:14 · 9 answers · asked by Anonymous in Health ➔ Diseases & Conditions ➔ Cancer
There are a few hundred different types of chemotherapy drugs. Some of them are more toxic than others because of the type of chemo that is needed to attack a specific type of tumor. Some chemo however, is not as toxic to the body and there are few if any side affects at all. Thus, when someone is taking a high dose toxic chemotherapy they often need to take medication to control nausea . . which makes them sleepy . . and than they should not drive. However, if they are taking a daily medication with very few if any side effects than they live a fairly normal life and driving poses no problem. So . . it depends . . on exactly which chemo they are taking and what dosage that would determine if they should drive or not. Chemo rarely makes anyone 'out of it or high' . . but if it is toxic they take anti-nausea meds to control being ill . . that would be the only thing preventing them from driving. If they chose not to take any anti-nausea meds they could drive but that might feel really sick.
2007-10-27 11:57:13 · answer #1 · answered by Panda 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Only the doctor or chemo nurse should decide this. They know the side effects of what you are being given. Sometimes the anti nausea medicine or antihistamine to avoid an allergic reaction and not the chemo will state clearly on the prescription to not drive. If the patient has had the treatment long enough to know how it affects them, then they should decide with the okay of the medical staff involved.
2007-10-27 20:18:49 · answer #2 · answered by whatever 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It certainly isn't like being high as in on drugs or drunk. You might be a bit tired, but a lot of people have a chemo treatment and then go to work. I took the streetcar home by myself. It really depends on the particular chemo and how well the person is generally.
2007-10-27 17:49:23 · answer #3 · answered by hanora 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It all depends on the type of chemo the person is having. On my "short chemo days", I usually go to my office for a few hours, go to oncology and have my chemo and then return to work. No big deal. Even on my longest day,about 5-6 hours, I still drive myself. I am very lucky that my oncology building is only 2 miles from my home! When I was doing very intense chemo last year, for a stem cell transplant,(which failed) I had to go to Yale for part of the treatments and for those, I had someone drive me. Like I said, it all depends on what kind of chemo you are doing.
2007-10-27 18:41:06 · answer #4 · answered by widow1963 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I was told that and had drivers, however, I lived quite close to where it was done and had no effects right after treatment that would have hindered my driving. Perhaps some medications could affect your alertness. I didn't have a problem there.
2007-10-27 21:23:26 · answer #5 · answered by Simmi 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It takes a lot out of a person mentally and physically and he/she does need to have someone drive them home after treatments.
2007-10-27 17:09:17 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes. They should not be driving at all. Someone should go with them to take them home after the treatment.
2007-10-27 17:07:07 · answer #7 · answered by ssweeps 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It depends on the individual chemotherapy involved. Some people are fully themselves afterward. Some are groggy or exhausted.
The doctor setting up the therapy knows whether the patient can drive and will tell him/her if it's unsafe.
2007-10-27 17:11:10 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I had a friend who did fine on her day of chemo. She drove herself. It was the day after, that it hit her and hit her hard.
2007-10-27 18:15:47 · answer #9 · answered by janice 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋