What to expect with chemotherapy?!
Question: What to expect with chemotherapy.?
My mom just found out today that she has stage 4 aggressive, non-hodgkin's lymphoma. They told her what her treatment would be. Rituximab, vincristine, cyclophosphamide. What I am wondering is will the first treatment be the worst or will it get worse as she goes along.? Anyone out there that has gone through this or knows anything about it feel free to e-mail me. Health Question & Answer
Answers:
What you should expect is that chemotherapy will do it's job and reduce the size of the tumor or eliminate it all together.
Here is what happens:
Your oncologist will have a blood test performed before the chemo treatments..Then she will either see her oncologist or see the nurse. They will take her weight and spend some time with her before she gets her chemo injection.
They will ask how she is doing, and answer any questions that you may have before she goes for the actual chemotherapy treatment.
By this time you should know how many treatments your mom is scheduled to receive.
Then she will go to the place where she does the injection. They offer my wife a warm blanket and food. They giver her 3 bags of fluids. The first is to calm her nerves, the second is anti nausea and the final is the chemo drugs themselves.
This can take some time.
After five treatments my wife's tumor had been reduced by over half and there is now no evidence of cancer in her lymph nodes where before there was.
Here is what my wife has experienced after 8 treatments.
1. Hair loss
2. Sensitivity in her hands
3. Chemo cough
4. dry mouth
5. Hemorrhoids
Chemotherapy is cumulative, that means that the treatments builds on one another. The first treatment should be the easiest, if there are complications after she leaves the hospital let the nurses know ASAP!
Good luck, your moms aggressive cancer stage 4 is also it's weakness. You will notice a difference after several treatments. Even now, my wife can tell it has even grown smaller in the last 3 treatments. Sure, there is a little discomfort, but the results are more than worth it!Health Question & Answer
Here is what happens:
Your oncologist will have a blood test performed before the chemo treatments..Then she will either see her oncologist or see the nurse. They will take her weight and spend some time with her before she gets her chemo injection.
They will ask how she is doing, and answer any questions that you may have before she goes for the actual chemotherapy treatment.
By this time you should know how many treatments your mom is scheduled to receive.
Then she will go to the place where she does the injection. They offer my wife a warm blanket and food. They giver her 3 bags of fluids. The first is to calm her nerves, the second is anti nausea and the final is the chemo drugs themselves.
This can take some time.
After five treatments my wife's tumor had been reduced by over half and there is now no evidence of cancer in her lymph nodes where before there was.
Here is what my wife has experienced after 8 treatments.
1. Hair loss
2. Sensitivity in her hands
3. Chemo cough
4. dry mouth
5. Hemorrhoids
Chemotherapy is cumulative, that means that the treatments builds on one another. The first treatment should be the easiest, if there are complications after she leaves the hospital let the nurses know ASAP!
Good luck, your moms aggressive cancer stage 4 is also it's weakness. You will notice a difference after several treatments. Even now, my wife can tell it has even grown smaller in the last 3 treatments. Sure, there is a little discomfort, but the results are more than worth it!Health Question & Answer
www.cancer.org the Nat. Cancer Institute provides some details of side effects etc.
also you might want to read Lance Armstrong's first book. He gives a good description of what it feels like getting Chemo treatment.
For me and my fellow survivors, the second cycle was when the side effects were the worse. nausea, hair loss, skin irritation.
Take care and I am sure you will be a great comfort to your mom.Health Question & Answer
also you might want to read Lance Armstrong's first book. He gives a good description of what it feels like getting Chemo treatment.
For me and my fellow survivors, the second cycle was when the side effects were the worse. nausea, hair loss, skin irritation.
Take care and I am sure you will be a great comfort to your mom.Health Question & Answer
I am so very sorry to hear about your Mother. I will send you an email with some details for you. I will also star your question to get it out to a lot of people.
God Bless you & your family and help you thru this horrible time in your life. :`(
The two answers above me both have some great info.!Health Question & Answer
God Bless you & your family and help you thru this horrible time in your life. :`(
The two answers above me both have some great info.!Health Question & Answer
Sorry to hear about your Mom!
BIG GIANT HUGS!!!
I am not sure of your answer, but starred it to help your question get out there!!!!
Best of luck to you!Health Question & Answer
BIG GIANT HUGS!!!
I am not sure of your answer, but starred it to help your question get out there!!!!
Best of luck to you!Health Question & Answer
crap! thats terrible, rooting for you!!! good luckHealth Question & Answer
oh im sorry
try webmd.com u can get alot of info there
wish she gets better soonHealth Question & Answer
try webmd.com u can get alot of info there
wish she gets better soonHealth Question & Answer