“Is chemotherapy painful?”

Hello. It is normal to have worries about chemotherapy. Chemotherapy drugs can have side effects some of which can be uncomfortable but others that cause no side effects. The most common side effect which is very common to many drugs is nausea and vomiting. This, however, is likely controlled by drugs given to decrease or prevent these symptoms. Anti-emetics have become very effective in the past few years. A second side effect common to a few drugs is neurotoxicity which are symptoms of numbness and tingling most common in the hands and feet. Many drugs have been tested and approved to prevent or decrease the intensity of these symptoms.
I encourage your father to try chemotherapy. You and he should discuss your individual fears with the oncologist who is treating him. Asking about expected symptoms do to treatment is expected by the oncologist and should not be considered threatening. The oncologist should be able to help you and your father go through the treatment. More questions will likely arise during treatment and these should be written down as it is easy to forget to ask them in the future.

Chemo is painless
Quality of life is another matter
Ask your doc
He can avoid some side effects
Adjust doses drug choices give premeds
Communicate which symptoms you most want to xboid

It's very important that he remains hydrated as chemo often causes both GI upset with nausea and vomiting and diarrhea. There are now good medications to lessen nausea and his chemotherapist will prescribe this both as a pill but also IV along with the chemo infusions. While we now how important a good diet is, for now, forget about that and think high caloric and comfort foods (ice cream, milkshakes, smoothies etc...)