Stay well hydrated. Chemotherapy can be dehydrating. Drinking plenty of water before and after treatment helps your body process chemotherapy drugs and flush the excess out of your system.
The goal is to drink at least ten 8-ounce glasses of fluid every day. That amount should increase if you have diarrhea, vomiting, or a fever. Don't count on thirst to tell you when you need to drink. Always keep a beverage with you, so you can take sips throughout the day.
Your skin may appear loose and crinkled and could keep standing up in a tent when lightly pinched and pulled up. Secretions may become thick and dry. Little or no urine output.
For most people the side effects were worst in the first few days after treatment, then they gradually felt better until the next treatment. Some said the effects were worse with each successive treatment. Most side effects don't persist and disappear within a few weeks after the end of treatment.
Chemotherapy can be dehydrating. Drinking plenty of water before and after treatment helps your body process chemotherapy drugs and flush the excess out of your system.
You may also want to avoid cold drinks and frozen treats like smoothies and sorbet with certain types of chemotherapy, as they can cause discomfort if you have chemo-related cold sensitivity. It's fine to take a nutritional supplement if your doctor prescribes it.
Bathe every day and use warm water. Avoid soaking in spas or hot tubs. Use a mild soap for bathing. Use a soft towel to gently wash skin.
Nagi Kumar, director of cancer chemoprevention at Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Florida, feels it is, and recommends that her patients drink bottled water from a reputable source. Her advice is to look for the words “reverse osmosis” on the label, which indicate that the water was cleaned in a specific way.
Take care going to the toilet
For a week after a chemotherapy treatment session, both men and women are encouraged to sit down to use the toilet. Put the lid down before flushing to avoid splashing.
Plan to get at least seven hours of sleep every night. To optimize your chances at getting good sleep, practice healthy sleep habits: Avoid caffeine for at least eight hours before bedtime. Stick to a regular sleep schedule.
Unwashed fresh fruits and vegetables, especially leafy vegetables that can hide dirt and other contaminants. Unpasteurized fruit juice or cider. Raw sprouts like alfalfa sprouts. Raw or undercooked beef (especially ground beef) or other raw or undercooked meat and poultry.
Choose desserts that aren't as sweet, such as yogurt, custard, pumpkin pie, fruit, baked fruit, fruit with cottage cheese, fruit crumble, plain doughnuts, or graham crackers.
You might notice an improvement in cancer symptoms, such as less pain, reduced lymph node swelling, and improved energy levels. If you use topical chemotherapy on skin lesions, the area might feel irritated and look red and swollen for the first few weeks. These are all signs that chemotherapy is working.
Some raw foods can contain germs that can hurt you when cancer or treatment weakens your immune system. Ask your health care provider about how to eat well and safely. Eggs can have bacteria called Salmonella on their inside and outside. This is why eggs should be cooked completely before eating.
Be careful when you have dairy products: All milk, yogurt, cheese, and other dairy should have the word pasteurized on their containers. Do not eat soft cheeses or cheeses with blue veins (such as Brie, Camembert, Roquefort, Stilton, Gorgonzola, and Bleu).
Short, planned delays in chemotherapy for good-risk GCT patients (less than or equal to 7 days per cycle) appear to be acceptable since they may prevent serious toxicity in this curable patient population. Delays of longer than 7 days are strongly discouraged except in extraordinary life-threatening circumstances.
The effects of chemo are cumulative. They get worse with each cycle. My doctors warned me: Each infusion will get harder. Each cycle, expect to feel weaker.