Possibly the drugs? Idk… Not sure if i would go through all of that again, knowing what i know now. Finished the 12 weeks of combined drug chemotherapy. Finished the 4 weeks of radiation. Hormone Therapy will begin in a few weeks. All for breast cancer, Stage 1, HER2 Positive, a gene in the breast that has mutated and causes cancer cells to grow more aggresively.
Now facing the possibility it has metatasized in my brain, got a brain MRI scheduled. Been there, done that. Even though it is far less in quality and quantity. But I am alive. You are the only person who should be exposed to the chemo you are getting, but it can be irritating if it gets on your skin. Any spilled IV chemo, any powder or dust from a pill or capsule, or any liquid from oral or other kinds of chemo can be hazardous to others if they are around it. There are many things you can do during and after chemo to keep yourself and your loved ones from being affected by the chemo drugs while your body is getting rid of them.
Again, talk to your cancer care team about if these or any other precautions should be followed. But it's important to know that each chemo drug is excreted or passed through the body a bit differently.
Talk to your doctor or nurse about how the chemo you are getting is passed and what body fluids may be affected by chemo.
Some drugs take longer to leave your body. Most of the drug waste comes out in your body fluids, such as urine, stool, tears, sweat, and vomit. The drug waste is also in your blood, and may be in other body fluids such as fluids from semen and the vagina. When chemo drugs or their waste are outside your body, they can harm or irritate skin. Other people and pets could be exposed to the drug waste for a few days if they come into contact with any of your body fluids.
Most chemo drugs make you less able to fight infection, but there are ways you can do your best to avoid getting an infection. Your doctors will also check you for these effects for some years after your treatment. A long term side effect of some drugs is a risk of getting another cancer in the future. This is called a second cancer. For your own peace of mind, it is important to remember that this is a very small risk, and only occurs with some chemotherapy drugs.
Your doctor will talk to you about the specific risk with the drugs you are having. The risk of a second cancer is less of a risk to you than the cancer you are having treatment for. After cancer treatment, some people notice changes in their memory, concentration and the way they think. These changes are called mild cognitive impairment MCI or cognitive dysfunction. Some people call them 'chemo brain' or 'chemo fog'. It's not clear exactly what causes these memory and concentration changes in people with cancer.
So calling them chemo brain may not be accurate. It's possible that these problems might be due to other cancer treatments. Or more recent research has shown that some people with cancer have similar problems before they start any treatment.
So these changes could be due to the cancer itself. There are many different chemotherapy drugs and they all have different side effects. Ask your doctor or specialist nurse about the drugs you are having if you are worried about long term effects from your treatment. They are looking at the issues people have when they finish cancer treatment, including long term side effects, so that they get the support they need to lead as healthy and active life as possible.
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