Chemotherapy Side Effects
- Common side effects include nausea and fatigue
- Doctor may prescribe anti-nausea medication
- Exercise, adequate sleep, and good nutrition can also help patients mitigate side effects
“A common question that we get is whether or not chemotherapy will cause a lot of nausea and vomiting,” says Dr. Amer Karam, gynecologic oncologist at Stanford University in the San Francisco Bay Area. “That may have been true a number of decades ago, but we’ve gotten very good at being able to prevent nausea and vomiting, particularly right after chemotherapy.”
Read More- Changes in taste
- Fatigue
- Diarrhea and abdominal cramping
- Hair loss
- Loss of appetite
- Nausea and vomiting
- Mouth sores
- Neuropathy (numbness, tingling or pain in the hands and feet)
Be Proactive About Nausea
It’s no secret that cancer treatment can wreak havoc on your gastrointestinal tract, but with today’s arsenal of tools, doctors can mitigate the hit with a variety of medications before, during and after treatment.
“Patients will get medications before and during the chemotherapy to reduce their chances of getting nauseous or vomiting right after chemotherapy,” Dr. Karam says. “They’re also provided with a lot of very powerful medications to prevent nausea after the chemotherapy.”
Common anti-nausea medications include:
Most of these anti-nausea medications last for more than eight hours. In fact, one of the infusions that’s commonly used reduces nausea for up to three days. “So, nausea is not as common as people imagine, and many patients describe little to no nausea after chemotherapy,” Dr. Karam says.
Fatigue is Commonplace
Fatigue is much more common than nausea, and it usually lasts for seven to 10 days after treatment. “Unfortunately there’s no good way to prevent this side effect in terms of medications that physicians can provide,” Dr. Karam says. And just when you begin to feel the fatigue passing, it’s usually time to ramp up for the next treatment cycle.
The good news: According to Dr. Karam, staying active and engaged during and after their chemotherapy can help minimize the impact of the treatment on your level of fatigue. Here’s how:
- Exercise: While it may be counterintuitive, exercise can also help alleviate side effects, especially fatigue. In fact, performing specific exercises and moving your body can help alleviate symptoms like neuropathy and enhance recovery.
- Eat well: Even though nausea may interfere with your ability to eat a healthful diet, it’s important to make sure that you’re eating appropriately, getting enough protein, and not losing weight.
- Sleep: Since chemotherapy may cause fatigue, it’s especially important to maintain your regular sleep-wake cycle while on treatment. Sticking to a set sleep schedule will not only reduce fatigue, but it may help you recover more quickly by keeping energy levels high during the daytime hours.
Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy
When patients receive chemotherapy prior to surgery, it’s called neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Receiving chemotherapy treatment preoperatively can help reduce the volume of disease, so doctors don’t have to remove as much tissue during surgery.
“For patients with extensive disease where surgery may be unsuccessful, or the prospect of a very large surgery is too daunting because of their medical condition, neoadjuvant chemotherapy is safe and effective alternative,” Dr. Karam says. “There are a number of clinical trials, particularly in patients with advanced stage ovarian cancer, suggesting that neoadjuvant therapy is on par with upfront surgery followed by chemotherapy in terms of being able to control the cancer.”
No matter which type of chemotherapy you’re on, whether before, after surgery, or on its own, it’s important to keep your doctor informed about how you’re tolerating treatment. There are a number of medications available to help manage things like nausea, vomiting, and fatigue. Plus, if you’re experiencing debilitating side effects, your doctor may choose to modify your treatment regimen.
In every case, conversations with your health care team and careful planning can help you navigate the experience with the greatest ease.
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