Chemotherapy Tips

Pre chemo, make a dental appointment if possible. Dental care is more difficult during chemo due to infection risk.

For the whole duration of chemo, paint finger and toenails in dark pigment nail varnish to help save your nails (dark colours stop light entering the nail bed preventing nail loss).

Take the antihistamine Clarityn (Loratidine) the day before and for 5 days after each neulasta/filgrastim injection to prevent bone pain.

If you are starting chemo from September onwards, arrange a flu vaccine and take tamiflu if necessary.

Drink at least 2 litres of water a day to keep hydrated. Add slices of fresh lemon to water to make it more palatable.

Moisturise, especially hands and feet (for example E45). Moisturise 2/3 times daily to keep skin soft.

If people offer help, take them up on it! Let them bring you meals, drive your kids, drive you!!

Take anti sickness medication religiously. If they're not effective, let your team know, there are other medications available, however they're more expensive so the cheaper one is often used first.

If you're unwell, especially with a temperature, call the chemo hotline. Far better to "bother them" when you can be sorted with some oral antibiotics rather than wait and need admitted to hospital to have IV antibiotics. "Just a cold" to others can be a real problem when you're having chemo.

Having cancer treatment (England), you are entitled to free prescriptions for a minimum of 5 years. Make sure you get a form from either your oncologist, Breast Care Nurse or GP to complete and return.

Heartburn is a common side effect. If Gaviscon doesn’t help, ask for Omeprazole or Lanzoprazole.

It can be cold in bed with a bald head, a beanie hat worn in bed will help to keep your head warm.

A hot water bottle or microwave wheat pack or two will help ease taxol reactions.

Get a thermometer. Check your temperature over several days approaching the start of chemo to find your normal range, then keep a daily diary of temperature and side effects that you can use for discussion at appointments. Ring the hospital at any time if your temperature is rising beyond normal range.

Strong tasting food can be better as sometimes a horrible taste develops during treatment.

If something doesn't feel right let your team know, you know your body better than anyone.

Carry antiseptic hand gel and wipes in your handbag for when you're out and about.

Buy a cooling pad for bed to help with hot flushes during the night. They can be chilled in the fridge to make them extra cool and kept under your pillow.

Keep a pad and pen nearby to note down questions for Oncology, making it easier to remember questions as they spring to mind. Things can get overwhelming and it's easy to forget.

Take steroids as early in the day as possible, steroids can disrupt sleep and keep you awake.

If you're still having periods, they can suddenly become heavy and prolonged and then stop altogether. They can also stop as soon as chemo begins.

If you need a break and want to get away for a few days, check with your team for advice and make sure you're within easy reach of a hospital at your destination in case of sepsis or neutropenia.

Be careful of affectionate pets, you sweat chemo out, wait for a couple of days before indulging overaffectionate pets.

Take an Imodium before bed a couple of times during each Docetaxol cycle to help slow things down and aid sleep.

On FEC drink cranberry juice on day 1-5 to reduce bladder irritation.

For hot flushes, invest in a fan (one for the house and a little hand-held one that you can pop into your handbag).

Take all the medication you're prescribed even if you're feeling okay.

Take a book, magazine or I-Pad to chemo to help pass the time.

Enjoy tasty homemade smoothies with banana, almond milk, frozen berries, spinach or cabbage, plain yogurt and a teaspoon of honey. Also throw in a handful of oats as well.

Some people are admitted to hospital for something during treatment, knowing this before you start can be really helpful for feeling prepared. Do you need to leave a key with the neighbour so they can feed your cat, do you have a pair of hospital suitable pyjamas, do you have a phone charger with a long cable, do you have a list of your medication and a list of contact phone numbers? Have a small bag of essentials that you may need just in case.

Epsom salts or Dead Sea salts with a few drops of lavender oil and frankincense oil in the bath are great for aches and pains.

Buy an electric blanket if you feel shivery in bed.

Cancer Kits are available from Cancer Support UK, please consider making a donation if you order a kit.

When using the cold cap take a couple of paracetamol before treatment and a flask with a hot drink. Sipping the hot drink takes the edge off when the cap freezes the scalp.

Use scalp oil to ease sensitive scalp.

How to tie headscarves.

If you have long hair, have it cut to a shorter style in advance of chemo starting, there's less mess when hair starts to fall out.

By your second chemo cycle, your head will start to prickle, hurt and feel sensitive, this is your hair beginning to fall out, you may find it easier to take control by getting it removed. You can have it clipped (using clippers) once it's beginning to fall out, or attend a hairdresser for them to do it for you, take a friend for support.

Use an app for mindfulness.

Don't beat yourself up if you need a duvet day.

Manage your m

ental health - write notes and stick on the door ‘it’s killing the cancer’ for when you forget why you’re doing it! If you're struggling, speak to your GP.

Embrace every good day. Get out when you can, do something you would normally do.

We all find it hard, but accept help when it's offered.

Just know that it’s not for ever, take one day at a time.

Leave the housework and do something for yourself.

If you're fed up that you can't do all the things you used to do and/or are feeling low and don't know what to do with yourself and your anxiety, try something different that can give you a sense of achievement, occupy your mind or take you to to another place. For example a gentle stroll round garden or in the country, photography, listen to audio books, painting.

Make the most of your good weeks. Plan something to look forward to.

Make sure you rest as and when you feel the need – and make sure that your family are aware that you may suddenly need a nap or a day in bed. Noting down in your journal which days you feel like this is helpful as you may find you feel the same on corresponding days of each cycle.

Aloe Vera drink is great for oral mucositis. It contains sugar so be careful not to drink too much. The aloe helps to soothe the mouth and throat affected by ulcers.

Eating pineapple can help ease a sore mouth.

Make your own mouthwash to help prevent ulcers, a bottle of water with 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp of baking soda and leave by your sink. Any time you're in the bathroom rinse your mouth with it.

Difflam spray can be purchased over the counter, free on prescription to help with oral problems.

To help with metallic taste, water flavoured with fresh lemon juice, elderberry cordial, chew sugar free gum or eat lemon sherberts.

If you struggle to eat or have a sore mouth/throat try frozen fruit (grapes, melon) and/or vegetable smoothie.

For a dry, sore mouth try Biotene or Gengigel mouthwash.

Use a baby toothbrush to prevent soreness, replace with a new brush each chemo cycle.

If you're struggling to brush your teeth, due to pain, try Corsodyl (Chlorhexidine mouthwash ) this is an antibacterial mouthwash. It must be used at a separate time to toothpaste as it binds to the surfaces and toothpaste can prevent this happening.

For oral thrush, ask the Oncologist to prescribe you Fluconazole.

Frozen fruit kebabs, chopped melon, pineapple, kiwi etc and popped in the freezer for an hour. They're soothing for mouth ulcers.

Carry lip balm to soothe dried lips.

If toothpaste makes your mouth sore Oranurse toothpaste is good as doesn’t have any flavour and doesn’t foam. Make sure you spit excess toothpaste and don’t rinse after as it will protect your teeth for longer.

Gelclair can be prescribed by your oncologist if you suffer from mucositis.

Medication can cause your mouth to be very dry your GP/ Dentist can prescribe a high fluoride toothpaste (Duraphat) to give you extra protection and artificial salva.

Ice cream and ice pops are soothing if your mouth is sore.

Crystallised Ginger or Gin Gins ginger sweets from Holland and Barrett help with nausea.

Travel bands/anti sickness wristbands.

Eat peppermint sweets, plain biscuits, grapes, melon cubes.

Avoid, rich, fried, fatty or highly spiced foods that often make nausea worse.

Avoid milk and dairy products such as yoghurts, porridge, ice cream immediately after each chemo and for the following few days to reduce nausea and feeling bloated.

If you're suffering from morning nausea, eating something bland before you get out of bed can really help, like a ginger biscuit.

Some people find they get constipated, others experience diarrhoea. Senna, natural eating liquorice, prunes/prune juice and dried apricots are good for constipation. Imodium is good for diarrhoea. If necessary, your medical team can prescribe lactulose or similar. If you do suffer from diarrhoea, make sure you drink plenty of water to prevent dehydration and if it doesn’t subside, you may need supplements from your medical team.

If you suffer from stress incontinence, try drinking more rather than less. It's because the drugs irritate your bladder, so drinking more to dilute the drugs is key. It seems counterintuitive but really helps.

Ask your GP for barrier creams if your vaginal area becomes uncomfortable.

To soothe vaginal/anal pain, use Sudocream.