With the use of Oral Chemotherapy, oral chemo is treated. It is a drug which is used to treat the cancer and is taken by mouth. The chemotherapy is a medicine which is used for treating the cancer. Chemotherapy can be used in different ways. Chemo is of many types and it can be taken in the pattern of tablets, capsules or liquid. You will not require taking oral chemo through injection like other chemo. It provides better results and performs better like other forms of chemo. The chemo drugs are injected in the vein by an IV line. As such, it will be difficult to take drugs directly from the mouth because the body will not absorb it and your body will be damaged. Now-a-days, some kinds of drugs are available in oral form which is easy to use and easy to apply. With the instructions given to you by caretaker, you can use these drugs. On the basis of kind of cancer you have, will determines the duration of chemo. The medicines which are used in the treatment also determines the duration of chemo.
When to begin the oral chemo?
Firstly, you need to consult your doctor about oral chemo like:-
• Surely check that more than one drug don’t having the same name.
• Ask the time of taking it.
• The directions for taking drugs should be easy to apply.
• If the person is taking it with other drugs like- herbs, vitamins, supplements, food or other treatments, then you need to be careful about its safety.
• Method of storing the drugs.
• If there are any side effects of taking this drug then you should consult and discuss with your doctor.
• Time period of taking this oral chemo.
• What to do if u skips any dose?
• Find out any friend or family member who will support you during the treatment, if u needed?
• During the period of treatment, will your doctor call you to know about the outcomes of treatment you are having?
• Determine health problems which can forget you to take oral chemo.
How to take oral chemo?
The caretaker will guide you about taking the chemo medicine. The caretaker will tell you that when and how to take the medicines. And, you need to take it in the way as your caretaker guides you. The difficulties occurred with the chemo medicines should be told to your doctor so he can change the treatment plans. The oral chemo permits the body to keep the level constant which will help to kill the cancer cells. There may need to change but that should be done with the advice of your doctor. To feel good and comfortable with the oral chemotherapy, you can have health professional.
Side Effects of chemotherapy
There are number of Side Effects and you can have one of these. Many of these Side Effects are of short periods and exist no longer after the treatment. Side Effects of chemo are:-
• Hair loss: During the treatment of chemotherapy, the starting of hair loss is one common drawback. The hair becomes thin and then starts falling. It will happen all over the body where you are having the hair. At the initial stages of the treatment, you will face these changes. As such, these changes are for small periods because after the treatment it will start growing again.
• Blood problems: In our body, platelets, white blood cells and red blood cells are present. And these cells may change when you start taking the chemo. Anemia occurs when the blood in your body may not get enough red blood cells and this happens during the treatment of chemo. Throughout the treatment of chemo, you may experience problem of blood clotting. The change in blood cells can create a serious problem to health. So, you need to have blood tests to determine the problems:
• Diarrhea or constipation: The intestine can be affected by chemo so you can have constipation or diarrhea. You should consult your doctor if you face this problem for more than one day. As such, if you didn’t have BM for many days then you should tell about it to your doctor.
• Problems of mouth, gums and throat: At the time of the treatment of chemo, you can have mouth and throat sores. Whenever you found the white patches in the throat, you should consult your doctor for this.
• Vomiting or Nausea: Throughout the treatment of chemo, you may be vomiting and nausea. You need to take advice from your caretaker and take medicines to decrease these effects.
• Pain: you may feel some pain.
• Problems to your memory and mood: During the treatment of chemo, sometimes you may feel depressed or confused. You should talk with your family, relatives and your caretaker, about it.
• Fatigue: Throughout the treatment, you can felt tired. Unknowingly, fatigue may happen and last for days, weeks and months.
• Symptoms like flue: After the intake of chemo, you may feel flue. It will be for short period and lasts for some days. You can experience problems like muscle chills or and joint ache.
• Infection: During the treatment, chemo can damage the healthy white blood cells. The decreased white blood cells create the risk of infection.
• Skin problems: due to the chemo, the skin gets dry. You can experience some other skin problems like redness, rashes, sensitive and itching. The nails get cracked, peel and yellow.
• Sexual problems: the sexual organs can be influenced by chemo. The menstruation cycle of women can change or stops. Vaginal dryness can be caused which is painful and you will experience discomfort with sexual intercourse. All over the body, you may get hot flashes. It arise the difficulty in pregnancy for women.
Some tests during getting chemo
these test should be done to know the working process of chemotherapy. There are different types of tests and treatments, you will need to do and these are:
• Blood tests: The blood is taken through blood streams of arm. The purpose of doing this test is to see the working of the body. It will assist the doctor regarding the condition of your health.
• Chest X-ray: this test is done to check the working of heart and lung in the body. This test will assist the caretaker to see the working of lung and heart of your body. This test will be helpful in finding the infection like pneumonia and find collapsed lungs. It also indicates fluid, tumors around the heart and lungs.
• CT scan: It is also said to be CAT. For this treatment, a particular x-ray machine is used. Before having the picture, in your vein, through an IV first dye is given. The reason of giving the dye is to see better picture of cancer. As such, some people got allergy from this dye.
• Transfusion of blood: When blood cells get harmed by the use of chemo then the blood transfusion is required. The help of those family members or friends can be taken who are having similar blood group. As such, blood should be tested to protect from diseases like hepatitis, West Nile Virus, AIDS etc.
• Vital signs: The heart beats, temperature, blood pressure and pulse are checked. With placing the cuff on your arm and tightened, blood pressure is checked. The readings of blood pressure are showed through the cuff which is attached to the machine. Stethoscope helps the doctor to listen to heart and lungs. Vital signs assist the caretaker to check the working of heart and lunge.