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i start chemo next week and i looked up the 2 chemo drugs on the internet and all the side effects scare me.?
Question : i start chemo next week and i looked up the 2 chemo drugs on the internet and all the side effects scare me.?
the 2 drugs are adriamycin and cyclophosphamine. i saw one had mustard gas. pretty scary.
chemo drugs
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I’ve heard that Chemo is a horrible thing to go through, and I know it’s scary. I know one thing though, if you hold your head up high, and believe that it will be all over with soon, you’ll get through it.
I’m sorry you have to go through such a horrible thing. I hope you do overcome the cancer.
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#3 written by Verite R 1 year ago
Dave described very accurately what happens – he mentions side effects (splitting nails, etc). and if you go to http://www.after-cancer.com there is lots of information about dealing these, plus other side effects.
And good luck – some people are lucky and get very few side effects – hope you are one of those.
Verite R
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#4 written by Dave 1 year ago
My wife did 15 weeks of those two drugs to shrink her breast cancer tumor. The experience every person goes through is unique to them. So what my wife felt you may not necessarily go through.
If you did then you are in for a battle, and need to prepare yourself mentally and physically because it will challenging.
Cytoxin another name for the cyclophosphamine was taken daily and the adriamycin was once a week injection through my wife’s port. The sessions in chemotherapy would total about three hours. Count on one hour for blood draws and seeing your oncologist and then two hours for the injection.
My wife would bring those Suduko puzzles to do while she was getting her injection. Bring comfortable slippers and request warm blankets to make you as comfortable as possible.
The first time will take longer because they want to see how your body does with the injection (will be done with a nurse by hand).
They will offer you sandwich, fruit, and a cookie. We had our session towards the evening and I would always have a prepared meal that all I would have to do is re-heat in the oven so she could just eat something and then go to sleep.
You should not experience sickness, there are drugs to take to prevent that from occurring.
What we experienced:
Dry mouth, mouth sores, aches and pains, fatigue, constipation, hemorrhoids, brittle nails, hair loss after four treatments, watery eyes, and those are only what I can remember. Other things are depression and sadness.
What helped:
We used a naturopatic doctor that would work in conjunction with the oncologist and assist us with supplements to take through every phase of my wife’s cancer journey.
We got a humidifier that was put in the bedroom so it helped her sleep at night and aid with the mouth sores.
Eat plenty of protein in the morning to rebuild your body.
Here is how we experienced these drugs physically.
Our appointments for chemo drug injection was Thursday.
Thursday was the best day for us…
Friday, fatigued through Sunday.
Monday took it easy
Tuesday started to walk
Wednesday walked longer
Thursday walked before chemotherapy injection.
That went on for 15 weeks, then we took three weeks off and she had a mastectomy. Another chemotherapy drug Taxol was for 12 weeks followed by 6.5 weeks of radiation.
Going through chemotherapy it seemed like it would never end, but it does end. But then not really.
We are experiencing fatigue, numbness in her toes that could be there for the rest of her life.
Usually it takes as much time for your body to heal as it did going through treatment. So, if it took you a year to go through treatment then it could take a year for your body to heal from it. Then it takes another year for you to mentally heal from the ordeal.
It is extremely difficult road to travel, but beats the alternative. You be brave and strong. If you need help from your family or friends ask for it. If people are offering to do things for you take them up on it.
That is what we learned. Friends and family are important for you to survive and it is a battle.
Gather your army and victory will be yours!
What the drugs did:
Before there was evidence of cancer in three lymph nodes, after treatment only cancer found in one lymph node the size of a grain of rice. The size of the tumor was reduced from a fifty-cent piece in her breast to the size of a small grain of rice.
So even though you may feel like hell at times, you may possibly feel the tumor itself shrink.
Blessings to you!
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#5 written by Mark 1 year ago
Maybe you should quit looking, then? I usually recommend that folks with any kind of cancer (including leukemia) learn all they can about their cancer and treatment, but your chemistry skills sound kind of “rusty”, LOL! Or maybe you didn’t take chemistry? Or didn’t take it yet? Cyclophosphamides are generally used to successfully target very specific cancers because of the way they work; the drug itself doesn’t fight the cancer, it’s the metabolites your own body converts the drug into that kill the cancer cells.
Incidence of side effects with either of these drugs is pretty low (except for the nausea thing, but they all do that) so if I were you I wouldn’t worry about it.
Cyclophosphamide doesn’t “have mustard gas” in it, although you do have mustard gas to thank for the discovery of the mechanism of many chemotherapies… hopefully they’ll let you have a laptop while you’re having treatments and you can learn all about it!
Remember, the biggest “side effect” of chemo is that you get to keep being you! Good luck…
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#6 written by Panda 1 year ago
The drugs are meant to hit cancer cells and hit them as hard as possible to rid your body of them forever. What is scarier than the side effects is the cancer . . which has the ability to kill you. With a deadly disease like cancer . . which has no known cure . . just treatment . . it is cancer which should be scaring you.
You do not mention the type of cancer, stage, or how long you will be taking this combo . . but for a little perspective . . my 17 year old son also took Adriamycin (doxirubicin) and cyclophosphamide (cytoxan) along with Vincristine, Etoposide, and Ifosimide . . . five chemo drugs at high dose for nine months as a first line treatment. Even at the high dosages the chemo could not kill all his cancer . . he was an inpatient at the childrens hospital for his treatment and on a 21 day cycle. He usually took ativan to get through the rough patches and there were a few . . but for the most part he slept during the days he had chemo and than went home for three weeks before coming back.
There is medication that you can take to help with any side effects you experience . . they can keep you comfortable while the drug hopefully does its job. Best of luck to you. Stay strong.
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#7 written by Designer Girl 1 year ago
My husband recently had rectal cancer and had to take chemo for 5 weeks. He had surgery and now will be on chemo for 8 more weeks. Don’t be alarmed. My husband had NO nausea at all, didn’t lose any of his hair, no symptoms except he just got more tired than normal. That was it. The doctor also told us it depends on “how much” of a dosage they give you. They go by your weight and size to try to give you the right dosage. He took the ‘chemo pills’ which are the same as the IV. If your insurance covers the pills, that is the way to go for sure. My husband was just fine through it all.
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#8 written by billyvnilly 1 year ago
cyclophosphamide and adriamycin are both drugs meant to kill, and doctors know that! They will manage your symptoms from the drugs as best as they can– controlling your nausea and headaches, etc.
you should be able to look both of them up here, for free, and on the right side you’ll see Adverse reactions. You cannot always trust what the internet has to offer, but this is reliable.
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I survived cancer twice so there’s no reason you can’t beat it once.
I’m not gonna beat around the bush. It’s going to be scary, you’ll be scared, some days you just want to die and let God take you home away from the misery and the pain but he’ll keep you here on Earth because your purpose hasn’t been fulfilled yet. How I personally viewed chemo is
If I die then I go to heaven where there is no Chemo or pain. If I battle through it then the Chemo can’t last forever. Either way chemo can’t beat me.
I want you to take this attitude and use it. Read the bible for strength. Here’s a couple of verses
We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair …
2 Corinthians 4:8
I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.
Matthew 17:20
For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.
2 Timothy 1:7
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
Psalm 23:4
And when you don’t know what he’s doing just follow him with every fiber of your being and you’ll find his strength. I found it. One day I was puking so hard my eyes where watering. I was not scared, I was not in pain, I was calm. I could not have possible kept cool in that situation. That was all God’s doing. He comforted me. He spoke to me. He said, “People do get through this.” His voice was everything good. Comfort, warm, welcoming, soothing, anything good. ANYTHING YOU CAN THINK OF that was him. If you put your life in his hands and say here you go then you’ll be fine.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.
Proverbs 3:5-6