What Should I Know Before Starting Chemo?

Hi Sheila, We prepared meals in advance & froze them so we could just pull one out if we were too tired to cook. I had to Ativan before chemo because there was a lot of difficulty accessing my port. Pamper yourself, watch a good movie, read a book or take a bubble bath. Wishing you all the best as you begin your treater.

Thank you for all the suggestions. Very much appreciated. Accessing the port is my anxiety.

Make sure the nurse uses the lidocaine spray before accessing the port . It really does help

Hello Sheila, my last chemo is next Tuesday. You got this!! Best advice I can share is always tell, mention, discuss all side effects. It took me until #4 to get much stronger nausea meds. I was suffering thinking this was just how it will be. Be your own advocate! Take care of yourself and give yourself grace.

I found it important to pay attention to how your body feels. If you need to rest do it. My biggest problem was fatigue.

I am glad I did not have to work the week of the infusion. I underestimated the fatigue. The amount of sleep disruption took me by surprise. And the hot flashes.

Ice pack works great on the port

Stay hydrated and juice . Also put the lidocaine cream on the port an hour and a half to two hours before the treatment

Stay super hydrated, small meals and take meds.

Stay hydrated and rest after your treatment. Listen to your body.

Yes all of this is great advice stay hydrated listen to your body rest when you need too fatigue is real don't be afraid to ask for help and lay back helps access the port better as well lay back cough really hard and you should get great flow I don't have any side affect and I'm on the red chemo it's is HARDDD I do have fatigue for sure but we all are gonna get through this as a family take it easy on yourself

Hello all, I am new here and will start my Chemo treatment on 6/18. Someone mentioned applying lidocaine cream prior to treatment. Is that an over the counter item or something to request from my doctor?

Hello Eric, Welcome to the chat. Ask your care team about getting a prescription for the cream. My nurse put in mine with other meds I might need during chemotherapy.

Pamela, thank you for your response and advice. I will give them a call today.

Please stick with a plant based diet. Drink plenty of water. Prepare green based smoothies. Eat a lot of watermelon and pineapple and blue berries

All of you are awesome! I got so off track with everything happening that I failed to keep up. Its overwhelming, but I'm much better. Thank you

Welcome to the community! Starting chemotherapy can feel overwhelming, and it's wonderful that you're thinking ahead and seeking advice from others who understand this journey. Many community members find it helpful to prepare comfort items for treatment days, stay hydrated, and have easy-to-digest foods ready at home. Consider sharing more details about what you're most concerned about - whether it's managing side effects, preparing your home space, or emotional preparation - so fellow thrivers can offer more specific guidance based on their experiences.