Cancer consists of abnormal cells which rapidly reproduce. Chemo kills these cells. It also will kill healthy cells that rapidly reproduce, which is why the chemo used for breast cancer may cause you to loose your hair. Chemo isn’t as brutal today as it was forty years ago, in part because there are many drugs to counteract the side effects . On the other hand, for most people, it isn’t a walk in the park either. Different people have different side effects some caused because of your immune system being lowered during the chemo. What I want to emphasize is you will have support throughout the whole time. There are treatments for every side effect you may have. For example, they may give you an injection of Neulasta after the chemo, which helps your white blood cells reproduce quickly, lowering your chances of infection. Some patients get a sedative before the chemo if that is necessary. I suppose you might then sleep through the infusion! Some patients don’t need these drugs at all. Patients get an infusion of anti-nausea medicine before the chemo infusion. They give you an infusion of an antihistimine to prevent an allergic reaction to the drugs. They give a number of medications before the chemo to prevent side effects. After an infusion when you go home, you will have phone numbers to reach nurses or a PA at any time . They will have access to your records and will know what type of chemo you received. Even if you are anxious or depressed and need to talk to someone, they will be there for you. These nurses understand that having cancer and chemo can be overwhelming. There is someone available 24/7. If you call after hours, there will be a doctor or PA on call. You don’t have to suffer alone. They know all of the side effects that may occur and will have suggestions, or prescriptions for managing them. You won’t be sick the whole time and side effects after the first infusion may be worse than the side effects later. After my first infusion I experienced a fatigue and weakness that I had never had before. It seemed terrible at the time but it didn’t last.
You may feel I am evading the question about the specific side effects of chemo. I don’t want to list the side effects I had, because not every patient has the same side effects. If you look up the side effects, the list will be long. There is no point of worrying about getting a side effect that you might not get. Instead of dwelling on what might happen, know that there will be help and support for you throughout the entire time.
Was it worth it? At the time I may have wondered; but ten days ago, I celebrated being five years out from cancer.
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