CHEMO TOP TIPS UPDATED

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CHEMOTHERAPY TOP TIPS UPDATED

Take a warm drink to your appointment

Take a scarf and gloves to your appointment

Heat pack/wheat bag to soothe tender arm

Good moisturiser for hands and feet eg. Aveeno with Shea butter, Udderly smooth

Keep gloves with grips on by the fridge for getting things out

Make sure all drinks are room temperature or above

Watch out for ‘cold things’ - sometimes cutlery or the toilet handle can give you a tingle

First bite syndrome - sharp pain up by ear when taking a first bite - take a small bite initially then your next bite should be ok

Have a thermometer in the house

Keep a diary of side effects and how you’re feeling. Arrange treats for your good days

Ring the 24 hour helpline if you’re worried - it’s not just for emergencies 

Talk to the nurses - there are a lot of different pills and potions so if 1 antisickness med doesn’t work then don’t suffer in silence - the next one might! 

www.macmillan.org.uk/.../xelox-or-capox

FORUM USERS ADDITIONAL TIPS

My hot water bottle was my friend during the colder months! A hit of instant heat stopped the cold tingles.

CBD oil helps a lot, particularly with nausea and sleep.

Take anti-sickness in the evening as it helps when you have to have breakfast with your capecitabine.

Always clean teeth with luke warm water not cold

If you have to prepare for chemo during the colder months and have a longer car journey home you can actually get heated blankets for the car

Nairns stem ginger oat biscuits have helped me with nausea.  They are not too sugary and made with wholegrain oats. I even nibble on them through the night if I wake feeling slightly sick.

I was told to get myself a hot take away drink after oxaliplatin to sip in the car on the way home.

Oven gloves are great if you need to access anything from your freezer.

Something I didn't know till my 3rd chemo was not to touch the Capecitabine tablets:-

• It is a powerful medication, if you get it on your hands you might put fragments around your house and other people may come in contact. Particularly bad for anyone pregnant or trying to conceive. The best thing is to open them and swallow direct or wash your hands after if you think you touched them. Carers should wear disposable gloves if they handle chemo medication.

https://www.mkuh.nhs.uk/patient-information-leaflet/safety-at-home-after-chemotherapy-or-when-taking-chemotherapy-tablets-home

Baby wipes are a must when going to the toilet. Non fragrance body wash, a book, orange squash when having radiation you will soon get sick of forcing the water down you, tissues. Lots of clothes layers and a scarf to cover your mouth as sometimes it hurts to breath in cold air. Sucky sweets for when you feel sick. Lots of change for parking and find out if you can get cheap parking on day one. Money for McMillan cake stand. Don't forget to talk to everyone one around you, it’s a scary time for everyone and it’s good to chat and support each other. Most of all rest, get plenty of sleep, forget the house work and chores, get the duvet out and lay on the sofa

Haribo tang tastics  were great at removing /relieving the weird metallic taste

I'd also suggest Dermol 500 (we can get on prescription):

• Can be used with or without water so great when home with IV attached and not allowed to shower/bath.
• Plus gentle and moisturising for neuropathy pained hands and feet.
• Can be used as a bottom wash when toiletting has not gone so well.

Its also good to have a ready supply of blankets, oversized fleece hooded blanket tops, scarves, duvets, hats and gloves 

Other recommendations that can be prescribed, from my experience:

• Hylo Night - amazing eye cream you put in your eyes at night. Very effective for when chemo makes you lose your eye lashes and eyes get easily irritated and very sore
• AnuSol - for bottoms that get sore or itchy from lots of unsettled toiletting (or piles). Use as and when needed
• Cetraben cream - this moisturiser seems to help mitigate sole and palm pains (Palmar Plantar). My oncologist recommended I apply morning + night everyday.

Wig - for those on regimes that cause hair loss, sourcing a wig before chemo starts can make things easier in chemo period. Macmillan can help authorise NHS wig referral

A top tip for anyone experiencing neuropathy in their hands - A device that looks a bit like a handled, long metal pronged comb that really is known as "slicer cutter holder". Prongs go into your onion, fruit or veg with handle at top. You can then cut with your knife between the holder prongs

Just wanted to add if you are going to hospital for an infusion take lots of treats for yourself decanted into zip lock bag. I had crisps, sweets etc.  Much easier to open a zip lock bag than a packet of crisps etc. Trying to do things one handed is not at all easy!

Wear clothing that is easy to deal with one handed when visiting the loo attached to a drip stand. I also found putting a keyring circle or bit of ribbon loop onto my trouser zips helped

I lost my hair on capox and was advised that once it started to grow back to only wash it once a week with very mild shampoo

 I lost my hair on 5FU and found Dermol500 soothing for scalp both in the loss phase and gentle on scalp+new hair during my current early regrowth phase