What happens during chemotherapy?!
Question: one of my friends has esophageal cancer and is going in for chemotherapy next week. She doesn't like to talk to about it, but I want to know what happens during chemotherapy. Do they give you a shot? Do they give you pills? Is it very dangerous? What are the side effects? Will her personality change after the chemotherapy?
Answers: one of my friends has esophageal cancer and is going in for chemotherapy next week. She doesn't like to talk to about it, but I want to know what happens during chemotherapy. Do they give you a shot? Do they give you pills? Is it very dangerous? What are the side effects? Will her personality change after the chemotherapy?
There are different types of chemotherapy some are tablets, some are injections, some are infusions. It soulds like your friend will be getting an injection or infusion. Infusions are more likely as drug is more dilute as the drugs are very toxic and can damage cells around the injection site.
There are risks associated with chemotherapy. The side effects can include; going bald - for some this can be very hard, hair will grow back after chemo but may not be the same, may be thinner or be straighter if curly before or vice verrsa.
Also the vomiting and nausea, there are some drugs that help with this but it can be severe, especially on the day of the chemotherapy.
One of the serious side effects is the effects that chemo can have on blood cell counts, low white blood cell levels will leave her prone to infection. This can be very dangerous and can force chemo to be stopped until white blood cell levels improve. Therefore if you have a cold or any type of infection it is really important that you dont visit your friend until a few days after it has cleared up. Symptoms of low white blood cell levels are sore troat and fever.
As well as that it can cause low platelet levels which will lead to prolonged bleeding if cut, ie blood takes longer to clot and she will bruise easily.
Red blood cell levels can also be affected leading to tiredness an dlack of energy.
Her personality may or may not change this wont have anything to do with the drugs but rather to do with the situation, the fact that she has cancer, the fact that she has to have chemo and have loads of blood taken, that people are always asking her how she is. It is a terible experience she may need someone to listen to her or someone to natter away about their own lives and let her forget about it all. The best thing you can do is follow her lead and try to be there for if she needs you.