If you’ve of chemotherapy, chances are you’re familiar with its potential side effects, like hair loss or chemo brain. Though you are determined to fight your cancer, it’s natural to worry about how treatment might impact your appearance, well-being or overall health.
Those concerns are completely normal. The good news is that understanding chemotherapy side effects can help you feel empowered to manage them effectively—and there are many ways to do that. Let’s take a closer look at why side effects occur and explore ways you can try to control them.
Why Chemotherapy Side Effects Happen
Chemotherapy drugs pack a killer punch. They travel throughout the body, destroying cells that grow and divide quickly—a hallmark of cancer cells. The trouble is, some healthy cells, like those in your bone marrow and hair, grow and divide quickly, too. As a result, chemotherapy can harm those cells while also destroying the cancer cells. Side effects occur when healthy cells become collateral damage.
When Should You Expect Side Effects?
It’s hard to say when, or even if, chemotherapy side effects will occur. And, not everyone gets them.
Specialists called medical oncologists use more than 100 types of chemotherapy to treat cancer. You can receive some of these medicines through intravenous, or IV, infusions. Others you can take by mouth, apply as a cream or get as a shot.
The medicine and its delivery method, along with other factors, play a role in whether you have side effects. Side effects may depend on:
- The medicine’s dosage
- The specific chemotherapy drug you take
- Whether the treatment happens through an IV, by mouth or in another way
- Your overall health
Certain side effects, such as nausea, may show up within minutes or hours of starting chemotherapy. They may clear up after a round of treatment or once you complete the full course.
Other side effects may happen later in treatment, or in some cases, long after it ends. Known as late side effects, these posttreatment reactions, which can include hearing loss or heart problems, can happen years into your life as a cancer survivor. These side effects can last anywhere from months to a lifetime.
Fortunately, most side effects eventually go away as your healthy cells recover.
6 Common Side Effects of Chemotherapy
Here are some of the most common chemotherapy side effects, and how to minimize them.
1. Fatigue
Chemotherapy can drain your energy, a side effect known as fatigue. More than 8 in 10 people receiving chemotherapy (as well as radiation therapy) develop fatigue, according to the National Cancer Institute.
If you feel unusually tired, try taking short naps during the day and practicing good sleep hygiene so you can rest well at night. Eat small, nutritious meals throughout the day and go for regular walks to help boost your energy level.
2. Nausea
Do you feel sick to your stomach after chemotherapy? Nausea is another common side effect, and it can lead to vomiting. Let your care team know if chemotherapy makes you nauseated. Your doctor may prescribe an antiemetic—a medicine to prevent nausea and vomiting.
To reduce nausea, try eating crackers and other bland foods, and try eating small snacks instead of big meals. Tart foods, such as pickles or lemons, may help you feel less queasy. Avoid foods that can be hard on your stomach, such as fried foods.
3. Hair Loss
Healthy cells in your hair follicles grow quickly, making them frequent casualties of chemotherapy. Here’s what you can do if you notice hair thinning:
- Avoid blow-drying or flat-ironing your hair.
- Cut back on hair washing, and only use a mild shampoo.
- Pat your hair dry after washing.
- Use a soft-bristle brush.
Cover your scalp with a hat or scarf or use sunscreen to protect your skin. If you’d prefer not to manage hair thinning, you can shave your head or try a short cut. You might also consider wearing a wig or turban.
4. Changes to Blood Counts
Some chemotherapy side effects can reduce your blood counts. Anemia, for example, occurs when you don’t have enough red blood cells. That’s a problem because you need hemoglobin (a protein in the cells) to carry oxygen around the body. Your doctor may prescribe medicines or iron supplements to treat anemia. You can help by eating iron-rich foods, such as beans, red meats, spinach and fortified cereals.
Chemotherapy can also reduce your white blood cells, a condition called neutropenia. Because you depend on these cells to fight infection, you may need medicines to protect against infection or prompt your body to make new white blood cells. In the meantime, take steps to prevent infection, such as avoiding crowds, washing your hands and getting recommended vaccines.
5. Peripheral Neuropathy
Chemotherapy can damage the nerves in your hands and feet, causing numbness, tingling or pain. This is known as peripheral neuropathy.
Your doctor may prescribe pain medicine to provide relief. Wear shoes indoors and outdoors to protect your feet from cuts and scratches that may be harder to feel with damaged nerves. If you have diabetes, keep your blood sugar levels within their target range. If your blood sugar gets too high, it can worsen nerve damage.
6. Chemo Brain
Some people who get chemotherapy treatment have trouble thinking or concentrating, which is known as chemo brain.
If you experience chemo brain, structuring your day can help. Stick to a regular routine and work on tasks that require the most focus when you feel good. Write down reminders and make to-do lists. Exercise to help increase alertness, and participate in activities that challenge your mind, such as playing board games or doing crossword puzzles.
Concerned About Chemotherapy Side Effects? Tell Your Care Team
Anytime you’re worried about a side effect, even if your care team prepared you for it, reach out to them or your nurse navigator. Let them know if you develop potentially serious symptoms, such as a triple-digit fever, bleeding, an allergic reaction, a rash, or bloody stool or urine. Your doctor may want to see you as soon as possible to find out what’s going on and adjust your treatment plan, if needed.
Chemotherapy is just one of many treatments Capital Health Cancer Center experts use as part of personalized treatment plans. Ready to create yours? Make an appointment with one of our specialists.