How Should You Prepare Before Your Chemotherapy Treatment?

The most successful treatments for cancer involve a tailored treatment plan based on the most up-to-date medical research on treating the particular type of cancer, but they also require a focus on the broader aspects of mental, physical and social health.

This is particularly true for chemotherapy treatment, due to the variable lengths of treatment and the broad differences in how people feel between the different rounds of treatment.

This, alongside the varying lengths of chemotherapy treatments themselves means that an effective treatment will focus not only on killing cancer cells but providing tailored support for someone throughout their entire treatment journey.

If your specialist treatment plan involves the use of chemotherapy, either as a primary treatment or in combination with radiotherapy, here are some ways that you can get ready for treatment and make it easier to manage.

Ask Your Team About What To Expect

Your cancer team, including your lead doctor and nurse, will provide clear, helpful answers to any questions you may have about your treatment, and what they will say about the practical aspects of cancer care will often shape the types of preparations you may need to make.

They will often provide straightforward advice for managing cancer treatment, but the most important question to ask is about how the chemotherapy drugs will be administered, how long it will take, and whether they are affected by other medications you are taking or may take in the future.

If the infusions will take hours, days or weeks, you may need to pack a chemotherapy bag with essentials, changes of clothing and entertainment to pass the time.

Make Preparations For Fertility And Dental Health

Depending on where you are being treated, chemotherapy might have an effect on other parts of your overall health. Your cancer team will inform you of this and in some cases provide direct support through our holistic approach to cancer care.

In other cases, it may be important to have other medical work undertaken ahead of time, such as necessary dental work to avoid infection, storing eggs and sperm for future fertility or other options for preserving long-term health if it could be affected by the nature of the treatment.

Start A Healthy Living Routine

If you already have a workout and diet routine, it may be worth exploring how you can maximise your nutrition and physical health in preparation for cancer, as this can not only help with managing the effects of chemotherapy but also maintain your energy levels and mood.

This process is known as prehabilitation and many cancer teams will have dedicated physiotherapists and nutritionists to help provide advice, meal and workout plans tailored for and based around your treatment.

Because of the cyclical nature of chemotherapy, this routine is particularly important.

Discuss Your Situation With Work

Some people will work whilst undergoing cancer treatment, but it is important to discuss with your employer (or business stakeholders if you are self-employed) about your treatment and potential options for either taking medical leave or a reduction of hours.

Depending on where you live and local employment laws, your employer may be required to provide reasonable adjustments to enable you to keep working, such as flexible hours, additional breaks and time off so you can attend medical appointments.

Having this discussion ahead of time will enable you and your employer to manage your workloads and reduce any additional stress that could affect your treatment.

If you are unable to work during your treatment, there are various forms of financial support available, although the exact amounts and how to claim them can vary by region.

Make Sure You Have Day-To-Day Support On Standby

Because chemotherapy has spikes in intensity that the body recovers from, there will be days when you have a lot of energy and are able to do everything you want to or need to do, but on other days you might struggle to handle your day-to-day needs.

Exactly how chemotherapy will affect you depends on a wide range of factors, including your overall health and the treatment plan itself, but it is extremely beneficial for both your mental and physical health to talk to people you can trust and your cancer team about your practical needs.

Your friends, family, loved ones and neighbours will often be there to help with essentials such as having easy-to-cook meals, shopping, housework and personal care.

Having this available for your first session means you have fewer worries and can focus on relaxing, recovering and recuperating whilst the cancer treatment works.