Discovering that you have cancer can be frightening, but many types of cancer can be effectively treated with a rigorous chemotherapy schedule. Chemotherapy drugs are administered directly into your body through an intravenous needle in a process known as an infusion.

Preparing for your first infusion can be challenging, but here are three things that you can do to ensure your chemotherapy treatments are as comfortable as possible.

1. Avoid drinking caffeine prior to your infusion.

Once you discover that you need chemotherapy infusions, it can be beneficial to eliminate caffeine from your diet. The consumption of coffee, soda, and caffeinated teas can make your infusion treatments more uncomfortable.

Caffeine can cause the body to become dry and dehydrated. This dehydration can make it difficult for a nurse to insert the intravenous needle into one of your veins, causing you serious discomfort. By eliminating caffeine from your diet prior to your first infusion, you will be prepared for your first chemotherapy treatment.

2. Drink a lot of water.

In addition to avoiding substances like caffeine that could dry out your body, you need to take action to ensure you stay hydrated. This usually means consuming plenty of water prior to your chemotherapy treatment.

Not only will increased water consumption make it easier for a nurse to get your intravenous needle inserted, providing your body with a lot of water will help you flush the chemotherapy drugs from your system once they have served their purpose. Flushing out chemotherapy drugs more effectively can help reduce the severity of the side effects that are associated with infusion treatments.

3. Eat only a high-fiber snack before your infusion.

Many people are surprised to learn that chemotherapy drugs can slow peristalsis (the movement of the bowels that aids in digestion). When peristalsis is slowed, foods that you consume stay in your digestive system longer.

These foods can become dried out over time, causing you pain and discomfort. By making the choice to limit your food consumption to a high-fiber snack prior to infusion, you can eliminate digestive discomfort. Fiber retains moisture while in the digestive system, allowing it to more easily be digested once peristalsis resumes.

Preparing for your first chemo delivery can be frightening. By eliminating caffeine from your diet, increasing your water consumption, and eating only a high-fiber snack, you will be able to ensure that you are as comfortable as possible throughout the infusion process.