COPING WITH CHEMOTHERAPY
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE SIDE EFFECTS OF CHEMOTHERAPY?
• Nausea and vomiting and loss of appetite can be a side effect of chemotherapy. The severity will depend on the drug, the amount that is given, how often you get it, and how you take the medications prescribed for nausea. It may start as soon as 2 hours after your treatment but should not last much more than 24-48 hours.
• Hair loss (alopecia) could be a side effect of chemotherapy. This will depend on the drug that is given to you. The extent can be just thinning of your hair to total loss of all body hair. Generally hair loss will begin 1-3 weeks following your first treatment. It will usually begin to grow back 2-3 weeks after your last treatment. Some insurance companies, including Medicare, will assist with the cost of a wig or hairpiece. Ask your health care team if you have any questions.
• Low blood cell counts could occur after chemotherapy. Blood cells that fight infection, clot your blood, and carry oxygen are made by the bone marrow. These cells can be sensitive to some chemotherapy drugs. If your white blood cell counts become low, you might not be able to fight off an infection very easily. If your platelet count becomes low, you might bruise and bleed more easily. If your red blood cell count becomes low, you might become “anemic,” tiring easily and getting short of breath. Your health care team will be watching your blood cell counts carefully and will let you know if you need to take extra precautions because of low blood cell counts.
• Diarrhea or constipation can occur after chemotherapy. These are commonly treated just like diarrhea or constipation caused by an illness. If these are caused by chemotherapy, they will generally clear up quickly, but if they do not, you will need to contact your health care provider.
• Fatigue is quite common after chemotherapy. Unfortunately, there are no medications for fatigue. It will be important for you to get plenty of rest, eat well, and do some form of physical activity each day.
• Mouth sores can sometimes occur after chemotherapy. There is a special mouthwash that can be given to you to ease this discomfort. These generally do not last more than a few days.
• Numbness or tingling in your arms or legs can occur as a result of some chemotherapy’s effects on certain nerves. These will generally go away when the chemotherapy is stopped.
• Stopping of menstruation either partly or totally can occur. This may or may not be permanent. Hot flashes may be experienced. Some chemotherapy can cause sterility (the inability to have children) in both men and women. Discuss this with your health care provider before your chemotherapy treatment if you have concerns over this.
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