CANCER: QUESTIONS ABOUT CHEMOTHERAPY
Q. Will I definitely lose my hair?
A. NO. Patients do not always lose their hair. It depends on the amount of chemotherapy drugs the doctors choose to use, the type of drugs being used and the length of the treatment. Chemotherapy affects each person differently. There are no set rules as to who will suffer which particular side effects. Often if you are young, the doctors choose a more intense chemotherapy program and if this is the case, you will most likely lose your hair. Etoposide or Vpl6, a common chemotherapy drug, does cause temporary hair loss. One saving grace is that hair loss is temporary and the hair tends to grow back when treatment is stopped.
Q. If I lose my hair, will it grow back the same?
A. No. Not exactly the same. Often the hair will grow back much thicker, shinier, and healthier, and often a different texture. Many times it grows back curlier, as chemotherapy affects and deforms the hair follicle, making it grow curly and sometimes a different colour altogether. In the beginning, it grows back just like baby’s hair. In a way, after chemotherapy is completed, the overall appearance of your hair and skin is similar to being ‘reborn as a baby’.
Q. Can I still have children after chemotherapy?
A. In most cases yes, although this cannot be guaranteed. In the past, the chemotherapy drugs used were extremely toxic and this often led to infertility. Today treatment is less intense and with time, everything should return to normal. Try to support and protect your reproductive organs during chemotherapy with the right nutritional supplements. Most likely you will not be fertile for one to two years after chemotherapy. It can affect the transport of the eggs to the fallopian tubes and often doctors suggest IVF treatment for a successful pregnancy. For men and women, it is suggested to remove healthy sperm and eggs before chemotherapy to be safe. Before, during and after chemotherapy, it is advisable to use nutritional supplements and a healthy diet to support your reproductive system.
Q. Should I drink lots of water during chemotherapy?
A. YES. Try to drink two to three liters of water during treatment. This is very important, as one of the most common side effects of chemotherapy is damage to the kidneys. By flushing the kidneys with adequate water you will prevent kidney damage. Chemotherapy tends to fill you with large amounts of fluid, yet dehydrates you at the same time.
Q. Is there anything else I should be cautious of during chemotherapy?
A. YES. It is important to maintain your immunity levels during treatment. Chemotherapy kills white blood cells as well as cancerous cells, making your body’s immune system prone to infections, fevers and other illnesses. Keep your immune system strong by avoiding substances which weaken your immunity, i.e. stress, alcohol, smoking, recreational drugs, fats and sugar. Maintain a good and varied diet, rich in nutrients and supplements.
Q. Are there any other procedures I should be aware of during chemotherapy?
A. YES. The nurse will perform a blood test every day to check on nutrient levels, red blood cell count, white blood cell levels and kidney function. You may feel like a pincushion. It is all part of the process in avoiding long-term side effects. They say you become used to needles. I highly doubt this; you may become more tolerant, but that doesn’t mean you’ll ever grow to like them – would anybody?
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