Are you getting cancer treatments during COVID-19?

I'm concerned about your local oncologist as well. This does not sound like good health care practices during COVID to me. I definitely would speak to someone in the office be it there office manager/ or the oncologist him/herself. My family Doctor even called me not to attend any of my lab appointments until further notice. My oncologist is going to do a telephone interview at the end of the month rather than having me go to the cancer clinic.-- this is all fine with me as I have very low immune system. Glad you are taking all the precautions even if they aren't. Stay safe.

@5qdeletio- Good morning. This situation is very bothersome. I agree with both Becky and @fismom2018 that you might want to talk to the office manager about this. I'm sure that they are aware of what they aren't doing. I'm wondering if you should contact the doctor who recommended him and talk with her about this and see what she says. How long have you been in treatments with this particular oncologist?

@5qdeletion when is your next 7 day cycle of chemo?

Hello @monroeed,

I noticed that your last post was some time ago and I was wondering how you and your friend were doing in dealing with his cancer diagnosis and the emotional roller coaster this has put you on. How is his treatment going? Have you been able to find enough support for yourself during this time of stress?

I have reduced my labs from weekly to monthly to reduce my exposure. My labs have been good so I have adjusted. I continue my 90day scans and see my local Oncologist. I am a liver transplant recipient and avoid as much contact as possible. I need some dental work but have delayed it until I feel safer.

I am about to start my cancer treatment and it really scares me. I realize the chemo breaks down your immune system and right now I have a good immune system but am terrified of what is about to happen. Any words of wisdom?

Hello @sqdncnws - I see this is your first post.

Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect, an online community where people can share experiences and ask each other questions about any health issue.
We're not medical professionals who can offer medical advice. We are a group of individuals that can hopefully answer some questions and provide some information from personal experience.

I can relate to your apprehension. Undergoing cancer treatment is not easy. I am a cancer survivor, (Large B Cell Lymphoma) I underwent about twenty chemo infusions. Five different types of chemo was used up to most harsh.

So, you are correct, over time the chemo does wear down the immune system. It has been over two years since my last treatment and my system is still compromised. To stay safe, I restrict my exposure in public, wash and sanitize my hands and never touch my face.

I am assuming your oncologist has reviewed the possible side effects with you. Heed these, in my case, i believe I had all of them with the exception of mouth sores. On the up side, there are excellent medications to combat many of the side effects to a great degree. More importantly the treatments can and do work.

Eating became very difficult for me. (Food simply became non-appealing, tasteless or worse) Plan on eating small amounts more frequently throughout the day/night.

Try to be active, plan some kind of regular exercise, I found this to be most beneficial. I always had someone tag along with me to give me those words of encouragement to keep me gong on my walks.

Are you currently physically active?
When is your first chemo infusion?

I know i just touched on a couple of things however, continue to reach out on Connect and ask questions, me and others on Connect will be more than happy to share experiences with you.

Bob

@sqdncnws
Well, if it's of any comfort to you, chemo (Taxol in my case) didn't seem to affect my immune system at all and never gave me nausea. I did keep exercising (a mile/day) during the entire three months, never became anemic, and ate whatever seemed to suit my fancy. I did have to stop the Benadryl after the first infusion as it was keeping me wide awake for days, and the first week, I got constipated. For the former, I took a mg/day of melatonin at bedtime, and for the latter, I bought some Smooth Move tea on Amazon which corrected the situation overnight. I also ate a 1/2 cup of applesauce each day which seemed to keep my innards in good shape. And, I took a 50Kmcg of Biotin each day which got my hair growing back, thick and silky.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that each of us is going to have or has had an individual experience. I would advise you not to anticipate a disabled immune system... you may be fine. The oncologist or his/her PA will give you a prescription for nausea which you may not need. If you get mouth sores, ask the PA for a prescription for Magic Mouthwash (which you can only obtain at a compounding pharmacy). The PA may know where one is close to you. You may want to get some Smooth Move tea, applesauce, and melatonin ahead of time, just in case, and try to exercise each day (which also helps with sleep and bowel regulation). You will find that your oncology team is prepared to address any issue which you may encounter.

Bring snacks (like those tangerine Cuties and almonds), water, napkins, and a good book for your infusions. You'll be there a while.

The other thing which I found helpful was having an Amazon Prime account where I could order whatever and have it in about 24-48 hours without having to shop outside for it. I was surprised how cold my head was (day and night) when I lost my hair and I found some wonderful soft knit chemo caps there in various styles and colors... that kind of thing. Before you know it, chemo will be behind you and you'll be focused on styling that beautiful, new head of hair. And, don't forget, your friends on MayoConnect always are here for you when you want to vent, comment, or ask questions!

Hello @sqcndnws. I see Bob has already introduced himself and given you some very good words of wisdom. My name is Nancy (1nan) and I have had a variety of treatments non stop for the past four years. At this point I am in remission. It isn’t expected to be permanent since there is no cure but I have no concerns about it coming back. You see, somehow you come to be master of your ship and know you can do whatever it takes. It makes perfect sense to have apprehension about both the knowns and unknowns. Can you tell us a little more about yourself and what you have been told so far?
Peace, Nancy

Hi sqcndws : I too am a cancer survivor and I had both Chemo and radiation. Bob told you some things to expect and I did loose my hair and my head was cold until I got the caps. the one thing I can tell you is I was very sick with my chemo. My oncologist did advise me to take anti nausea medication-- did I do it NO as I wasn't feeling sick so why take the medication right?? wrong !!! so my advice is if the oncologist orders a medication take it even if you don't feel like you need it. I am a great proponent of Boost juice not the milky kind the juice. I also became immune- suppressed and still am just sitting at 2.2 -I have been very careful since last October and since COVID really careful now there is only 2 in my bubble. Stay positive and do the walks it is the one thing I do even now. You will find you are tired so make sure you sleep when you can/ or at least try to. This is a great forum if you need to talk to someone please use it. Good Luck- sending you a virtual hug!