Living With Chemotherapy

If anything is more frightening that the diagnosis of cancer it is the prospect of facing a treatment that may actually be harder on your body than the disease itself.  As far as a cure goes, there is little to look forward to about chemotherapy, other than it presents a chance for survival.  But rather than getting lost in your fears, it is important that you understand the process and what you will need to do to help yourself, or a loved one, deal with this treatment that will eventually restore health again.

First of all, it is important to know that while the reputation of chemotherapy precedes it, the management of these symptoms has actually improved significantly over the past few years. Chemotherapy works by attacking the fast growing cells in your body, which includes not only the cancer cells but also hair and blood cells as well. This is why so many chemo patients lose their hair.  Remember that for the most part this hair loss is temporary, although it may cause you some sadness.  

The more dangerous side effects, such as a low white blood cell count leading to infections and hospitalization, have been much improved over recent years.  Many times these types of problems can be addressed by readjusting your dosage level.  You may still feel nausea or may need to vomit from time to time, but don't feel as though this will be a constant state for you over the course of your treatment.  Make certain that you talk with your doctor to address any questions that you may have and to gain advice on how to improve your quality of life while undergoing chemotherapy.