Chemotherapy Questions:

Question #1 Is it normal for a person to be extremely nervous before chemotherapy starts?

Definitely. For one, you would be thinking that you'll be getting "potent" drugs. Drugs that could could kill every cell in your body. Plus it doesn't help that whenever the chemo nurse comes and gives you the treatment she has her chemo gown, chemo gloves and eyeshields on. And when you ask her why she is wearing that, she tells you "to protect myself from those chemicals". Chemicals! Just the word sends chills to majority of patients.

Before starting, your nurse needs to start a clean stick IV (we want to make sure we give chemo in a freshly start IV). We usually want a large bore needle. If you are squemish about this or you have a hard time, your nurse might use an EMLA cream (per MD's order) first to numb that spot where she would poke you. If you are a frequent chemo patient, the doctor might order a PICC placed or a PORT (I'll discuss port and PICCs next post.) They would be easier for the patient because it would mean less poke from the rest of the medical staff.

Relaxing is the key. Some patients think of it as "another regular IV bag or another IV push" just to get them over the experience. Others ask for a "relaxing medication" (Xanax or Ativan) prior to the treatment. While some, at the time of the injection, they bring their CDs or iPods with earphones and they listen to some soft music, or a relaxation tape.

Hair Loss With Chemotherapy

Being in the "cancer field" of nursing, my patients often ask me if they will lose their hair. Well, with chemotherapy, there is almost 80-90% chance that they will eventually lose their hair. But I must say that there are newer chemo drugs that are being introduced in the market now that are able to target cancer cells better and leave hair cells intact.

So, why do they lose hair? The hair follicles are rapidly growing cells. Chemo drugs don't know the difference of a cancer cell and normal cell. They just totally wipe out everything that is on their way.

They do grow back but the new hair growth might be different in color and texture since the hair bulb might be permanently affected. I had patients that before they started treatment, their hair is all curly and black. After the treatments, the curls disappeared.


Losing hair is harder in women. Our hair is our crowning glory. I tell them that if their hair falls in clumps, it would be easier to shave them off. Personally, the trauma of losing hair all at once would be somehow less painful than watching it fall from my scalp one batch at a time. But, I do let them decide on it though.

At the hospital, when we have a newly diagnosed patient, we talk to them about resources that are available for them including a list where they can get wigs or head accessories - that helps a lot.

I am creating this blog so I can share my experiences as well as what I have learned in my 13 years of practising nursing. Iwill try to explain everything in lay man's term as much as I can. I know that it's very hard when a patient is being bombarded with medical terminologies. It's very confusing.

With this, I am hoping that in my small little way I can help.