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Everyone is
individual and therefore everyone reacts to chemotherapy
differently. Some people have no side effects at all. This does not
mean that your chemotherapy is not working. Some of the possible
side effects are:-
Bone marrow
depression
The chemotherapy drugs can affect the blood cells which are made in
your bone marrow (this is called bone marrow depression). Blood
counts may fall as cells do not have enough time to reproduce
properly. This is why chemotherapy may have to be delayed if your
blood cell counts are too low and for this reason the treatment has
built-in breaks. The kinds of blood cells which may be affected by
the chemotherapy are:-
• White blood cells
These cells help you to fight infection. If your white blood cell
count falls after chemotherapy, you are more prone to infections.
Signs of infection may be raised temperature, feeling hot and sweaty
or a general feeling of being unwell. If any of these occur, contact
your hospital immediately as antibiotic treatment or a blood test
may be required.
Don't be tempted
to leave this until the next day.
If possible
during your course of chemotherapy, try to avoid people with coughs,
colds or obvious infections.
• Platelets
These cells help your blood to clot and if your platelet count falls
after treatment you may notice that you bruise more easily than
usual. Small red-purple spots may appear under the skin, or your
nose or gums may bleed. If any of these symptoms occur, you must
contact your hospital.
• Red blood cells
Red blood cells carry oxygen to all parts of your body. If they are
affected by the drugs, you may notice you feel tired and look pale
or you may be short of breath. Occasionally this may require a blood
transfusion.
Skin
Occasionally we find some drugs cause slight discoloration along the
veins. Some drugs can cause dryness of the skin; if this happens you
may use a moisturising cream.
Hair
Contrary to general belief, not all chemotherapy drugs cause hair
loss, however some drugs do. This hair loss is usually gradual; it
may just thin out, although in some cases there may be complete loss
of scalp hair and sometimes body hair. If you experience any hair
loss, remember that this is only temporary. Your hair will regrow
when the drugs are discontinued, in fact it sometimes shows signs of
regrowth during treatment..
Urine
Some chemotherapy drugs cause your urine to temporarily change
colour; this is a harmless effect and should not worry you. If
however, you notice any blood in your urine you should tell your
nurse or doctor.
Digestive tract
If your digestive tract is affected, you may experience:
• Soreness of the mouth and gums (stomatitis)
Keeping your mouth clean is very important to reduce the severity of
mouth and gum soreness. If possible, clean your teeth after each
meal or milky drink, to remove debris and to reduce the risk of
infection. Use a soft toothbrush to help to prevent bleeding gums.
You may use a mouthwash, but avoid those which contain alcohol.
The signs of
infection are:-
- redness or soreness of the gums or mouth
- bleeding gums
- white patches on the tongue or inside of the mouth
- mouth ulcers
Try to avoid
eating spicy, very hot or cold food, and acidic food such as citrus
fruits. Reducing smoking and alcohol can also help, as these lower
your immunity.
With some
treatments, sucking an ice cube while you are being given your
chemotherapy may reduce the risk of this stomatitis.
If you need dental
treatment during chemotherapy, contact the hospital before arranging
an appointment.
• Taste and smell changes
You may notice changes to your taste and smell with some
chemotherapy drugs. This may continue throughout the treatment.
Sucking a strongly flavoured sweet at the time of injection may
help. Your taste may change constantly throughout treatment but this
should not be permanent.
• Nausea and sickness
This is certainly not a side effect of every drug, although it is
possible that you will feel sick following your treatment. Some
drugs cause a greater reaction than others.
There are many different anti-sickness drugs that can be used to try
to prevent this from becoming a problem. A pre-medication of an
anti-sickness drug may be given before the start of treatment and
then regularly afterwards. Sickness may last for a few days. If it
goes on longer, please tell your nurse or doctor.
Smaller meals may be more appealing and easier to manage. Low fat
foods may be easier to tolerate. Avoid spicy and strong smelling
food if you feel sick. Dry crackers or toast may reduce the feeling
of nausea. Fizzy drinks help settle the stomach, and foods
containing ginger may also help.
Distraction such as reading, watching television, or relaxation
techniques may help in managing nausea.
• Diarrhoea
This can occur with a few of the drugs and can usually be controlled
with medicines. It is important that you drink plenty of fluids
during this time, to stop you becoming dehydrated.
• Constipation
It is advisable with all chemotherapy treatments to drink extra
fluids (approx. 2 litres daily). A high fibre diet may be followed
if you are able, or laxatives may be given to help you. Don't put up
with constipation as it can make you feel extremely unwell if left
untreated.
• Tiredness (fatigue)
You may feel tired and lethargic during your treatment especially
towards the end of the course and after it has finished. This is
very common, and can last a variable length of time. Staying as
active as possible is advisable as extra rest can actually increase
fatigue.
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