Concerns about treatment

Hi. Welcome to the community. Sorry to see you here but you’re in the right place for help and advice.
I didn’t have chemotherapy but in my recollection of other posts here you have blood tests, wait for the results before they make your chemo up,  a bottle of saline run through to protect your kidneys then you get the cisplatin and radiotherapy gas to be fitted in somewhere, so that accounts for the long days. 
Your mask will be tight after the chemo so best be prepared for that but it doesn’t last long. 
Ask to have eyeholes cut in your mask. It makes it much easier if you can see. 
im sure somebody will be along soon to describe their day 

PS were you not given a leaflet to read? Most centres make sure their patients know exactly what’s happening. 

I had the same surgery and treatment. If your chemo is Cisplatin then it takes around 5 hours comprising 2 hours of fluids, 1 hour of chemo and two more hours of fluids. Side effects vary but mine were mild. However, due to increased tinnitus after wk1 they moved me onto Carboplatin. There was no hair loss etc, maybe a little nausea but nothing much. They’ll give you anti nausea tablets and steroids to take home with you between sessions and a hotline to contact if you get worried about anything. Basically the chemo is to make the radiotherapy work a little better so you’ll run down to radiotherapy as soon as you’ve finished to get your treatment. That’s what happened to me anyway.
I was claustrophobic too but, as Dani suggests, eyeholes made a big difference. After a couple of sessions I was quite relaxed about it.  
Good luck with it all. The anticipation is far worse than the actual treatment in my experience. 

Thanks for your reply. They gave me a photocopied advice leaflet on the Cisplatin but I didn’t find it very detailed or helpful to be honest & it didn’t give any detail on the length of time it would take. Do you think they would cut the eyes out? I do think that might help.

Oh Thankyou so much for your reply. It’s great to have someone who went through the same. It’s gonna be a very long day on chemo days then as I have 90 minutes drive each way also, but has to be done. They never mentioned adjusting the mask at all but I will ask. Did you have any problems with swallow after the tonsillectomy? I still have 4 weeks on & wonder is that normal.

Mmac said:

Do you think they would cut the eyes out?

Yes they should. It was the first thing I asked as soon as the fitting and planning CT was done. It was a tip I picked up here. I can’t thank the forum members, past and present, enough  for the help they have given me and others through the years. 
We are a close community and there is no question you can’t ask. Somebody will help. 

Hello. I had bilateral tonsillectomy, PEG fitted then 6 weeks of chemoradiation. 6 x chemo - Cispaltin & 30 x radio. I had every Monday on chemo suite approx 9am - 3pm. Saline before & after the Cisplatin to flush the kidneys. The saline makes your face ‘plumper’ & so the mask fits v snugly on that day. I didn’t have eye holes, just shut my eyes & imagined I was on a beach somewhere or sang songs in my head. You only wear the mask for a v short time each radio session. I did lose hair from the chemo - it thinned all over & regularly clogged up the shower   I also had a bald crescent at the back due to radio. Chemo made me v sick but it doesn’t affect everyone the same. 

Hi. My chemo was planned like this. Friday was blood test thrn  Monday am 0830 I was on chemo ward providing bloods were ok my cisplatin was made up by on-site chemist. I was infused with steroids 30 min  via cannula then an infusion of saline mine was approx 2.5 hours of course there were gaps waiting fir staff tk change bags. Then the cisplatin was infused in that used to happen after lunch again approx 2 hours then set up for another saline infusion in between I went down to radiotherapy which usually took 30 mins by time I toddled along with my drip and waited my turn a risk radiotherapy took 10-12 mins. Then back to finish saline by this  tine was usually 630 pm  another hour ti get home so a 12 hour day. I am only 5 foot and nurses said my height meant the infusions took longer with being smallish how true I’ve no idea. I took I pad kindle and headphones to pass  tge time. The mask was tight on chemo days because if all the fluid.but following day was ok. I had 3 chemo sessions some do 5 which are shorter days. I ended up having 2 of planned 3 we don’t all have the full amount.  
You will be given medication to take after top tip take it even if you don’t feel sick. I was lucky wasn’t sick at all but if you are yiu can ask for different anti sickness meds. 
Dani tip re eyeholes is worth asking for it does make a huge difference. 
hope thus helps. Hazel x

Thankyou for your reply. I’m having the same as you had. More worried about the chemo. I’m so used to being active the thoughts of sitting round for hours is daunting.

Take a book, ipad, puzzle book. Have naps.