What I Bring To My Chemotherapy Treatment

By Carole McCue

2 min read

Chemotherapy may be administered in different settings. These may include an outpatient clinic, physician's office, or hospital. The total time for the treatment may vary from one hour to several hours or even overnight if the physician feels patient observation is indicated. Labs may be drawn, and premedication may be administered to manage any untoward side effects of the chemotherapy agent.

Since this may be a tedious process, it is vital that you be comfortable. This requires planning and preparation and a proactive approach to self-care.

Preparing for chemotherapy

Try to get a good night’s sleep before your scheduled treatment. I was nervous and tried to find something positive such as counting down to the number of treatments until I was finished.

Drink fluids the day and night before. I had elected not to have a port, so my veins were an issue. If I was well hydrated, veins were easily accessible.

Make transportation arrangements. You are not sure how you may feel after the pre-treatment medications. Be safe and have someone else drive.

What to bring to your appointment

Plan how you will keep comfortable and use this “downtime” during the chemotherapy infusion. I selected a special tote bag that I named my “to-go” bag. I listed my supplies and replenished them after each treatment. The bag I chose was personalized with pictures of my granddaughter, the love of my life.

Comfortable clothes

Consider the necessary access to a port or arm for the intravenous infusion/IV. Bring a sweater, sweatshirt, or light blanket as the room temperature may be cool. If you have experienced hair loss, try to keep your head warm with a hat or scarf. I also brought a small pillow and blanket to help me comfortably doze as the medication made me sleepy.

Snacks and fluids

A water bottle can help prevent dehydration and the water can help flush the toxins out of the bloodstream. I was hungry during my treatment and did enjoy my favorite snacks. I did not experience nausea but ginger and tea have helped some of my fellow patients receiving chemotherapy.

Entertainment

What do you enjoy to pass the time? Listen to music with headphones. My son made a playlist of my favorite music. Music and meditation are great distractions and can reduce anxiety. Consider bringing your phone, laptop, or tablet with your charger. Coloring books, puzzles, games, and crafts may be helpful. I found reading romance novels set at the beach to be most relaxing and helped me pass the time. Journaling has been shown to promote relaxation, allow you to express feelings, and chronicle your journey with cancer.

Check off your to-do list

I used this chemotherapy administration time to get organized and list the things that needed to be done. This gave me some control during a most difficult time.

Miscellaneous

Remember to bring a good pen, eyeglasses, toiletries, lip balm, and a toothbrush.

Finally, bring a friend if you can

The most important item on your list should be a friend. No one should face cancer alone. Many times, friends may feel helpless and not know how to help. Consider asking a friend to keep you company if this is permitted at your facility.

The above suggestions can help make you more comfortable during a difficult situation. I have found a sense of humor is extremely valuable at this time.

This article represents the opinions, thoughts, and experiences of the author; none of this content has been paid for by any advertiser. The Blood-Cancer.com team does not recommend or endorse any products or treatments discussed herein. Learn more about how we maintain editorial integrity here.

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Katelynn Bauer Moderator & Contributor
What great tips! I was very fortunate that my friend Ellie was with my for most of my chemo. They were so helpful advocating for me and making me laugh and just letting me feel whatever I needed to. Couldn't agree more with bringing a friend if you can! Warm wishes, Katelynn (team member)
Amanda Brunson Moderator & Contributor
great advice! I never really had out-patient treatment, most of my treatment was in-patient treatment. Bringing a friend or family member does give a lot of relief. Your so right humor was/is still my tool in stressful, anxious, and scary situations. I hated looking at the chemo bags above my head so I would buy or bring a pillow case decorated with cartoons or something I like, cover the chemo pole and chemo bags.So every time I looked up I saw my decorated pillow case instead of the chemo bags. Amanda Panda <3 (Blood-cancer.com team member)
Ann Harper Moderator & Contributor
 Great advice. We did a lot of these things when Crystal had cancer. Her bag was a lifesaver so many times. Of course other times, the bag did matter at all because she was too sick to need it. As a caregiver, I also had a bag. I was so glad I had it because it helped me pass the time. Ann (Blood-Cancer.com Team Member)
Ramae Hamrin Moderator & Contributor
<inline-mention username="Carole McCue" user-id="3639606"/> Yes, yes, and yes! I've been on oral chemo for years now, so it's been a while since I had an infusion. And luckily my trips to the infusion center were fairly short. But I always brought ice packs (in hopes that cryotherapy worked for my hands and feet) and headphones. Then I put on a guided meditation and let the chemo juice do its thing. As an introvert, I always preferred to be there alone, but you're right that a sense of humor and a good attitude are the most important things to pack. If I were to go now, I'd bring along some watercolors and paint! 🎨
Dennis Golden Moderator
When I was undergoing my chemo - I asked myself how do you sit in one place for 6+ hrs. I had a pair of sound canceling head phones and a picked up a subscription to a music service ($10 a month) for my cell phone. Next I purchased several books for my Kindle. After that it was a soft side cooler and some small bottles of apple juice or cranberry juice and water along with a sandwich, nuts and fruit - Never finished all of the snacks but had variety if I got bored. In the end I read a lot ... dosed off due to drug reactions and the time flew by - Amazing really Always a front button shirt ( as I had a port in my chest) An extra sweat shirt and I was good to go. The infusion center had blankets, and snacks as well ... along with a small TV in each room that i never turned on. Getting lost in music and books proved to be the best combo Dennis(Blood-cancer.com TEAM)