Hi karma912

So sorry to hear about your cancer. 

I was diagnosed with Hodgkins Lymphoma and ended my chemotherapy with the beacopp regime which is a very aggressive treatment.  There is no real preparation as the chemotherapy reacts differently to each person. The only thing that is 99% is you will lose your hair so in readiness I had mine cut really short. A lot of people are physically sick with the treatment, I wasn't even though I felt it, I ate food all the time and I think this helped me overcome it. Losing weight with treatment and worry was another reason I made myself eat. Depending on your medication, you will be very tired or the exact opposite (steroids) so don't feel guilty about sleeping, you will need it, it's going to be a hard journey. It's not easy but you must stay positive in your mind that this is a battle you can win. And if you feel like crying, do it, it relieves some of the emotional pressure you are going through. 

I hope this helps and if you want to ask anything else, let me know

Hi Karma912

I came across this website looking for advice for my upcoming radiation treatment and came across your post and felt i could tell you a little about my experience. I was diagnosed with breast cancer last August,had a lumpectomy and full lymph node removal and have just finished 6 months of chemo. And have so fortunately handled it well with very few side effects.I am not sure if it is good luck or the changes i made. These are them! So as soon as i wake up every morning i drink the juice of 1 lemon in a large glass of warm water. This is incredibly good for your liver. I then meditate for half an hour.......doesnt this just seem so hippy dippy but it really has worked for me. I drank very little alcohol and ate very little

meat. So i guess i have tried to put no added pressure on my body whilst undergoing the chemo process. It was really important to me that i function throughout this  journey as i am a single mother of 15 year old twins!! 

Paint your fingernails and toenails. This will protect them as the drugs grow out.

Get a good eyebrow pencil and never leave home without them drawn in. 

Have some fun with your hair before it all comes out. I gave myself a mullett!

Lots of good luck.

Hi Karma,

A pre-emptive strike in the form of a hair cut might help - less traumatic if done voluntarily and less hair to plug the drain hole of your shower with if it does fall out or thin.

Allow plenty of time for sleeping - no-one tells you how exhausing chemo can be. 

Be ready for long periods of boredom and waiting at the chemo clinic. I always kept my Kindle fully charged with a choice of reading matter ready to use. 

Be ready to ban visitors if you are not in the mood to have them call, but welcome them if you are in the mood :-)

Good luck!
Dave 

Hi

Just wanted to say a very big thank you to you guys who have given me some advice and shared a bit about your chemo experience. It is genuinely appreciated. I'm still waiting for my appt and its driving me mad. Think i was spoilt with my surgeon, really nice man, seemed to genuinely care and very fast to action anything he said he'd do. Quite a hard act to follow.

I had given some thought to a wacky haircut and now that i've been off work for a few weeks i've actually got some nails to paint!

Hope all is going well for each of you and if i can be of any help with my own experience of treatment just let me know.