What To Expect During Chemotherapy

Preparing For The Treatment

If a patient knows they will be undergoing chemotherapy, there are several things they can do to prepare for it. It is a good idea for these patients to visit the dentist and have any necessary work done prior to the start of chemotherapy. Females should have a PAP smear done before starting treatment to avoid false results. If an individual is going to lose their hair, they may want to find and purchase a wig ahead of time. Since some pre-treatment session medications given cause drowsiness, patients should arrange for transportation to and from their treatment sessions. For the same reasoning, patients undergoing chemotherapy should arrange for childcare ahead of time. Wearing comfortable clothes and eating a light snack prior to arriving at the physician's office for a chemotherapy session can also be also helpful. Depending on the type and stage of cancer being treated, a chemotherapy session may take anywhere from several minutes to several hours. Taking a book or crossword puzzle can help pass the time during longer treatment sessions.

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Safety Precautions Related To Treatment

Chemotherapy drugs are potent and toxic, so patients being treated with them need to take certain safety precautions to protect themselves and others around them. Most chemotherapy drugs are out of the body around forty-eight hours after treatment. These drugs exit a patient's body in multiple ways, making for anything that comes into contact with bodily fluids a hazard to young children and pets. When chemotherapy drugs are outside of a patient's body, they can cause irritation or harm to the skin of the patient undergoing treatment and others around them. An individual should close the toilet lid and flush it twice after using it during or within forty-eight hours of treatment. The patient should clean the toilet after each use while wearing disposable gloves. Any caregivers should wear two pairs of disposable gloves when coming in contact with any bodily fluids. Any linens or clothes that come into contact with bodily fluids within forty-eight hours after a chemotherapy session should be machine washed with normal laundry detergent. If any sanitary pads, adult diapers, or disposable underwear are being used, they should be discarded in doubled up plastic bags.

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