Medical Oncologist
Your first cycle
What to take with you to chemotherapy
Your papers, your medicines, food and water, a charger, and something warm. The day is far longer than the infusion, most of it is waiting, and day-care units are air conditioned. Almost everything that makes the hours easier is something you brought yourself — and the two things people most regret leaving behind are a power bank and something to eat.
NG
Medically reviewed by Dr. Naresh GunduConsultant Medical Oncologist · MBBS, DNB (Internal Medicine), DM (Medical Oncology, AIIMS) · last reviewed September 2026, next review due September 2027
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The short answer
What should you actually carry to a chemotherapy session?
Your papers, your medicines, food and water, a charger, and something warm. The day is longer than the infusion, most of it is waiting, and day-care units are air conditioned. Almost everything that makes the hours easier is something you brought yourself.
The two things people most regret leaving behind are a power bank and something to eat. Phones die during long waits, and hospital canteens are not always open when you finally get a gap.
Pack the night before
Treatment mornings are rushed and anxious, and that is when the reports get left on the table. Put the bag together the evening before, with the file in it, so nothing depends on remembering at seven in the morning.
Ask your unit what is allowed at the chair — food, visitors, blankets — before the first cycle rather than on the day.The essentials
The things that must be in the bag
- Your treatment file, card and every report, including old ones
- All your medicines in their boxes, including anything bought over the counter
- A written list of what you take, with doses, in case the boxes are not enough
- Insurance card, scheme papers and identity proof
- A bottle of water, refilled through the day
- Dry plain snacks — biscuits, khakhra, roasted chana, a banana
- Phone, charger and a power bank
- A shawl, light blanket or jacket, because units are cold
- A written list of questions for the doctor
- Cash or a card, for the pharmacy and the canteen
Not sure whether this applies to you?
Ask an oncologistMaking the hours pass
What turns a long wait into a bearable one
None of this is essential and all of it helps. Take more than you think you need for a first cycle.
Something to occupy you
Headphones and something downloaded to watch or listen to, a book, or a game. Hospital internet is unreliable, so download before you leave home rather than counting on streaming.
Worth having
- Headphones, in a shared room
- Anything downloaded in advance
Clothes that make access easy
Loose sleeves that push up above the elbow, or a shirt that opens at the front if you have a chest port. Comfortable enough to sit in for hours, and warm enough for air conditioning.
Avoid anything tight on the arm that will be used.A small comfort kit
Lip balm, a soft toothbrush, tissues, wet wipes, hand sanitiser, and a mint or sweet for the metallic taste some people notice as the infusion starts.
A pillow or cushion
Chairs recline but are rarely comfortable for several hours. A small cushion for the back or neck is one of the more useful things people bring and almost nobody thinks of.
A notebook and pen
For what the doctor says, the date of the next cycle, and any change to the medicines. Nobody remembers these accurately afterwards, and a written note prevents most medication mistakes.
Something for the person with you
Whoever comes will also be there all day. Their own water, snack and charger stops the day becoming harder for both of you.
!
Tell the unit at registration, before treatment starts
You have a fever or felt feverish overnight · you have vomited or had loose motions since yesterday · you have a cough, cold or any infection · you have not been able to eat or drink for a day or more · you have new pain, breathlessness or swelling · you have started any new medicine, including anything bought over the counter or any herbal preparation. Say it at the desk rather than waiting to be asked. Treatment may need to be delayed, and that decision protects you.
Leave a number, we will call you
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The papers
Why the file matters more than anything else in the bag
Take everything, every time, including reports you think are too old to matter and scans from another hospital. The doctor reviewing you may not be the one who saw you last time, and what is in your hand is often more complete than what is on the screen.
Keep it organised
A single file, in date order, with the most recent on top. Blood reports, scan reports and discharge summaries kept together rather than loose in a bag. This sounds fussy and it saves real time on a day where time is the thing in short supply.
The medicine list is the other essential
Write down everything you take, with the dose and when, including tablets for blood pressure, diabetes, thyroid or the heart, anything bought over the counter, and any ayurvedic or homeopathic preparation. Many of these interact with treatment, and the list is what makes that checkable.
Take the record from home
How the last cycle actually went — how sick, for how many days, what you ate, your weekly weight, any fever readings. One sheet. This is what allows the plan to be adjusted, and it is the single most valuable thing a family brings to a review.
If the person is elderly or unwell, the family member who knows the answers should come too. The file cannot answer questions.Being straight with you
What this page cannot tell you
It cannot tell you how long your day will be, and that is the main thing this list is built around. Some infusions run briefly and some for several hours, and the waiting for blood results and pharmacy is unpredictable. Ask your unit what is typical for your schedule.
It also cannot tell you what your unit permits. Whether food is allowed at the chair, how many visitors can come in, whether blankets from home are acceptable — these differ between hospitals and sometimes between days.
What to do next
Pack the bag tonight rather than in the morning. Put the file in it first. Write your questions down and write the medicine list. Ask the unit about food, visitors and roughly how long to expect, and tell whoever is collecting you to plan for later than you think.
Questions we are asked
Common questions about what to bring
Can I take my own food into the unit?
Most units allow it, but ask yours before the first cycle. Dry plain snacks travel best — biscuits, khakhra, roasted chana, a banana. Avoid anything strongly smelling in a shared room, and anything that has been standing, particularly during the low-count days.
How long will I be there?
Usually far longer than the infusion itself, because blood results, the doctor's review and pharmacy preparation all come first. Ask what is typical for your schedule and plan transport for later than that. The unpredictable waiting is the commonest complaint about treatment day.
Do I need to bring all my old reports every time?
Yes, keep them in one file and bring it each visit. The doctor seeing you may not be the one who saw you last, and what is in your hand is often more complete than what is on the system. Keep them in date order with the most recent on top.
Should I bring my regular medicines?
Bring the boxes and a written list with doses, including anything for blood pressure, diabetes, thyroid or the heart, plus anything bought over the counter and any herbal or ayurvedic preparation. Several interact with chemotherapy, and the list is what makes that checkable.
Can I drive myself home afterwards?
Ask your team, because pre-medication makes many people drowsy and some schedules leave people unfit to drive. For a first cycle, arrange a lift regardless — you will not know how you react until afterwards, and finding out on the road is not the way to learn.
Is it worth bringing a blanket?
Yes. Day-care units are usually air conditioned and sitting still for hours gets cold, particularly with fluids running into your arm. A shawl or light blanket is among the most appreciated things people bring. Check your unit is happy with items from home.
What should the person coming with me bring?
Their own water, a snack, a charger and something to do. They will be there as long as you are, often with less to sit on. If they are also the person who knows your history and medicines, ask them to bring the written record from home.
Anything I should not bring?
Avoid valuables and large amounts of cash, strong perfume or anything heavily scented in a shared room, and food with a powerful smell. Keep the bag small enough to manage, since space beside the chair is usually limited.
Meet the Specialists
17+ senior cancer specialists. One panel for your case.
Trained at AIIMS, Tata Memorial, and leading international centres. Combined 150+ years of experience. Every complex case is reviewed by 3+ of them — together.
Medical Oncologist
Dr. C. Raghavendra Reddy
MBBS(Gold Medal), DNB(General Medicine), DM(Medical Oncology)(Gold Medal)
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Dr. Bharati Devi Gorantla
MBBS, MD(General Medicine), DM(Medical Oncology)(Adyar,Chennai), ECMO, MRCP SCE(UK)
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MBBS, MD (General Medicine), DrNB (Medical Oncology), ECMO, MRCP SCE (Medical Oncology) (UK)
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MBBS (AIIMS), MS (Surgery) (AIIMS), DNB (Surgical Oncology), MRCS (Edinburgh)
Surgical Oncologist
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Dr. Vinay Mamidala
MBBS, MS(General Surgery), M.Ch(Surgical Oncology), FMAS, FARIS(Ongoing)
Surgical Oncologist
Radiation Oncologist
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Hematologist
Surgical Oncologist
Dr. Vajja Sandeep Kumar
MBBS, MS (General Surgery), DrNB (Surgical Oncology), FALS Oncology
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Sources
- Cancer Research UK — Having chemotherapy
- Macmillan Cancer Support — Having chemotherapy
- National Cancer Institute — Chemotherapy to Treat Cancer
This page is general information, not a prescription. Do not change or stop any treatment based on what you read here. If anything is worrying you, contact your own treating team — or call our helpline and we will help you reach the right specialist.
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