Starting Chemo

Now that all the cancer they found has been taken out my Fiancee has to go thru Chemo treatments which will start on the 1st of October. Her schedule consists of 4 separate treatments each 3 weeks apart and if all goes as planned will be over the 3rd of December. I have done a lot of research and found quite a bit of information which has helped me to understand what the next few months dealing with this will be like. I pray that there will be no complications or surprises and she will be cancer free as the end result.

Many people fear chemotherapy because they have heard that it can have uncomfortable side effects. But side-effect management has come a long way over the last few decades. Today, many side effects once associated with chemotherapy can be prevented or controlled. With some types of chemotherapy, you may experience only minimal side effects. And chemotherapy may be your best option for a successful outcome.

Chemotherapy Side Effects

* Low white blood cell count * Low red blood cell count * Low platelet count * Nausea * Vomiting * Hair loss * Fatigue

More than half of all people diagnosed with cancer receive chemotherapy. For millions of people chemotherapy helps treat their cancer effectively, enabling them to enjoy full, productive lives.

Chemotherapy is designed to kill cancer cells. Chemotherapy can be administered through a vein, injected into a body cavity, or delivered orally in the form of a pill, depending on which drug is used.

Chemotherapy works by destroying cancer cells; unfortunately, it cannot tell the difference between a cancer cell and some healthy cells. So chemotherapy eliminates not only the fast-growing cancer cells but also other fast-growing cells in your body, including, hair and blood cells.

Some cancer cells grow slowly while others grow rapidly. As a result, different types of chemotherapy drugs target the growth patterns of specific types of cancer cells. Each drug has a different way of working and is effective at a specific time in the life cycle of the cell it targets. Your doctor will determine the chemotherapy drug that is right for you.

I have set up a really good help web page for anyone who may want more information about cancer treatment and it really has helped me just click on the Title at the top of this post Starting Chemo.