Welcome to the forum BanditDave although I'm sorry for the reason you are posting.

Like you say, it can be scary knowing about all the side effects that may occur as a result of the chemo but fingers crossed your husband will be ok and won't experience too many of these.

We have many members here on the forum that have shared their chemo experiences with the Cancer Chat community which you can find using the 'search forum' option in the blue bar above but I'm sure some of them will pop by here when they can to say hello and offer their advice and support.

I hope all goes well BanditDave. Do keep us updated when you can as you'll find many here who will know what you and your husband are going through at the moment.

Kind regards, 

Steph Cancer Chat Moderator

Hi BanditDave,

The pre-chemo talk is always worrying, but you will hear on here how different everyone's experience is.

I obviously can't speak for what your husband will go through, and I'm probably on a different chemo too, but I have had what feels like a really easy time of it to be honest.  I had chemo 3 yesterday and that one gave me a bit of sickness, but the sickness is coming on as soon as I eat, and in between the sickness I feel genuinely fine so it's not impacting much on me. Was back in hospital today just to get IV fluids so I don't dehydrate but it's done in the treatment bay rather than a ward so much nicer environment (not sure what it will be like where you are of course).

If it helps any I've used a LOT of mind over matter.  All we hear is how awful chemo is and how everyone is sick all the time and can't eat properly etc.  I've been having healthy but small breakfasts, lunches and dinners with two healthy snacks in between and drinking a lot of water.  If I wake up feeling sick I repeat to myself "I feel fine, I feel fine" for a number of minutes, and often it turns out I do actually feel fine.  On occasion it is that I genuinely feel sick.  I think our brain knows what it has heard about chemo over the years and can trick is.

During my chemo I've started a new job, not managed too many days but have managed some.  I've had lunches with friends, swum a lot, been to the cinema, had some celebratory meals out, taken up sewing (want to make some younger style chemo headwear to gift to charities for those that struggle financially).

I would like to think that all the preventative stuff I'm doing is having an effect (eating healthily, drinking lots of water, moisturising lots, looking after my teeth and gums, avoiding crowded public spaces, having my own set of face towels as single-use handtowels that I just rewash regularly, resting plenty and also exercising) but who knows.  It certainly can't do any harm though.

One thing lots of other cancer sufferers have said to me (and I did this too) is for your husband to get a dentist appointment before starting chemo and get anything that needs done done before it if possible.

Hopefully his age and fitness will give him a good starting point too.

All the best to you both, and just ask away with any questions you have.

LJx

Hi,

Don't worry about all the doom and gloom pre-chemo briefing, in this increasingly litigious World doctors have to tell everyone the worst case scenarios in order to receive the patient's informed consent. Sepsis is very rare but is a risk with almost any procedure. I was a bit naughty with my oncologist and asked him how the risks of having chemo compared with the risks of not having chemo. He was equally blunt and said that without it there was a 50:50 chance I'd be dead within 6 months compared with a very small (less than 5%) percentage risk of complications caused by the chemo killing me. So in my case, it was a no-brainer. He also said that my relatively young age (55 then) and high level of fitness made it more likely that my body would be able to cope with the chemo - which it did.

Whilst on chemo, I was constantly having my white blood cell count monitored for signs that my immune system was compromised. I was OK throughout but friends have had their chemo suspended until their white cell count was back at normal levels to minimise the risk of infection.

Good luck to you both

Dave

Hi Bandit Dave

imhas my first chemotherapy last Monday likes wise am for 61 years old lady who walks and cycle s never I’ll dontbeven take paracetamol unless I need to. 

Onkyntip I can give take plenty if water in with younreading material  I pad id I can download tv programmes at home wireless headphones lay back and let the nurses take over.

you will be given tablets do what I did make a chart wow when to take them an please please take them any adverse effects ring the number don’t be brave I was fine all last week but I religiously took what I was told there was no oh I will be fine  I wasn’t sick had a few 0200:ams when thiughtbumm ok get a antulmsickness tablet and touch wood wasn’t sick  

the bowel movements I have found the hardest but was given movicol advise from me use it from starts strange tombe advising a total stranger re bowel movements ! But as Tescomsay every little helps.

good lick mine is cancer if the tonsil rightbside 2/3 chemo sessions along withn35 radiotherapy sessions has 5 so far  throat will be ragged by the end of it but CURE is the word that they are using using somgoing with that

good kuck

Hazel aka RadioactiveRaz 

Maybe a bit late to post plenty of fluids and excercise when he can stay away from people who are poorly and cleanliness the fluids are realy important .p