Chemotherapy is one of the effective and widely used treatments for fighting cancer. It destroys cancer cells but along with it also affects healthy cells in your mouth, intestinal tract, vagina, nose, nails, hair and blood which eventually lead to a number of side-effects like nausea, vomiting, fatigue, mouth sores, nerve damage, diarrhea, constipation and hair loss. You cannot escape from the side-effects of chemotherapy, but with proper measures you can relieve yourself from the pain of going through these side-effects. Moreover, these steps of coping with side-effects of chemotherapy have yielded positive results in many cancer patients and so you can follow these steps described below without any hesitation.
Nausea and vomiting
Nausea and vomiting are one of the most common types of side-effects experienced by almost every cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. In most of the cases, you will be given anti-nausea medicines to prevent the occurrence of nausea and vomiting, but in addition to prescribed medicines, you can also deal with this symptom by the following ways:
- Do not eat and drink rapidly and avoid large meals during breakfast, lunch or dinner and instead make a habit of having small meals all around the day.
- Avoid having fatty, fried and sweet foods and also foods with strong smells.
- Drink enough fluids and have nutritious foods.
- Take your anti-nausea medicines as directed by your physician.
Fatigue
Fatigue is another prominent side-effect of chemotherapy and with proper techniques you can considerably reduce it to a great extent.
- Take short naps or breaks frequently throughout the day in a very comfortable chair instead of bed.
- If possible, do light exercise or take short walks.
- Avoid involving yourself in complex activities and instead try to involve yourself in short and easier activities.
- Do not try to perform any sort of tasks that you find tiring or difficult.
- Do not waste your energy in trifling things and save your precious energy for things that are essential for you.
- You can consult oncology nurse or oncology social worker for more advice as they can provide you with more solutions to manage fatigue.
Mouth sores or mucositis
Mouth sore or mucositis is one of the painful side-effects of chemotherapy which causes difficulty in eating, drinking and swallowing. Though mouth sores disappears once your treatment ends, but during the period of its occurrence it is important for you to maintain a good oral health. Here are some important tips on how to take care of your mouth to minimize the effects of mucositis:
- Consult your dentist before the treatment begins as taking precautions before the occurrence of mouth sores can prevent its harmful effects and also makes it less painful.
- Brush your teeth with a soft bristle brush.
- In certain cases, due to exposure to radiations, your mouth becomes sensitive to strong substances like toothpaste and other similar products. In such situations, you can keep your mouth clean by using a mixture of 4 cups of water and ½ teaspoon salt.
- Take 1 quart water and add ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon baking soda. Gargle with this solution regularly for effective results.
- Drink a great deal of fluids every day.
Nerve damage
Some people undergoing chemotherapy experience symptoms of nerve damage or peripheral neuropathy like numbness and tingling in hands and feet. More serious symptoms of neuropathy include problems in keeping balance, difficulty in walking, difficulty while picking up objects, jaw pain and hearing loss. Neuropathy may not occur instantly as soon as your treatment begins but can show its signs after several weeks of taking chemotherapy. So, if you experience any symptoms of neuropathy, consult your doctor immediately. Nerve damage is not permanent but it may take time to disappear and so during this period, avoid handling sharp, hot or any objects that may be dangerous for you. If possible, avoid stairs and if not, use handrails while climbing stairs and also take a supporting object while taking shower or while you are in the tub.
Diarrhea
You can easily manage diarrhea caused by chemotherapy by simply adjusting your eating habits and by drinking plenty of water every day. So, here is a list of some healthy foods that can give you proper nutrients without making any contribution to diarrhea:
- Avoid fried and fatty foods like sausage, chicken nuggets, bacon, fried seafood or pizza and instead have high protein and well-cooked foods like eggs, poultry, fish, lean meat, beans or smooth peanut butter.
- Change your regular milk and cheese to skimmed or low fat milk, cottage cheese or yogurt.
- Avoid having raw vegetables.
- Avoid dried fruits and instead have skinless fresh fruits or canned fruits.
- Always have low fat desserts instead of ice creams.
Constipation
Certain chemotherapy drugs, anti-nausea medications or pain medications can cause constipation. You can overcome constipation by taking certain medications prescribed by your doctor and also by maintaining your diet. So, here are some suggestions you can employ to get rid of constipation:
- · Drink large amount of fluids.
- · Eat plenty of foods rich in fiber. Grains, beans, cauliflower, broccoli contains a good deal of fiber and including these foods in your every day diet will surely help you in easing the problem of constipation.
- · If possible, make light exercise daily and if you find this difficult then take short walks every time you feel healthy enough to make some physical movements.
Hair loss
Hair loss always accompanies frustration, especially for women. Depending on the number of chemotherapy sessions, you can experience 30%, 50% or 90% hair loss. You may start losing hair after one week of starting the treatment or after two or three weeks. Once your treatment ends, your hair also starts growing back but it takes some time to regain all the lost hair. However, there are some ways to minimize the hair fall to a certain degree:
- Do not sleep on cotton pillowcase and instead use satin pillowcase. It helps in decreasing hair pull on.
- Cut your hair short as combing and brushing longer hair results in more hair fall.
