1. What is Good for the Goose is Not Quite Good for the Gander
The side effects of medication vary from person to person. In cancer chemotherapy, it could be nausea or vomiting, fatigue or hair loss, bruising or bleeding, anemia and infection. You may have issues with your bowels and appetite or weight, sore throat, mouth and gums, nerve and muscle malfunction, skin, kidney or bladder and reproductive problems.
2. Are These Side Effects Permanent?
They may last for a while or for ever, depending on how serious they are. Most of them go away once your treatment ends and your cells get a chance to recover from the toxic menu. However, certain kinds of chemotherapy can cause devastating damage to your vital organs such as heart, lungs and kidneys, reproductive or other organs. There may be a risk of a second cancer, many years down the road.
3. Managing Temporary Side Effects is Simple
The key is to prevent them or reduce their impact by a skillful combination of drugs or their timing. Or for a non-drug method, for example, to overcome nausea and vomiting, use ginger in tablets or in ginger ale, relaxation exercises, guided imagery and soothing music. If weight loss is a problem, you could consult with a dietitian for ways to maintain appropriate body weight. Similarly, constipation can be treated with diet and fluid intake. Diarrhea must be treated promptly to avoid any risk of dehydration or electrolyte imbalance. Taste changes, sore throat or mouth are temporary. Don't worry if you lose your hair, either. And your physician knows how to help you cope with your fatigue. Even your liver damage can be temporary.
4. Side Effects May Not Always be Simple
Let your doctor or nurse know right away if you suffer from shortness of breath, dizziness, swollen hands and feet, or weight gain. To prevent any further damage to your heart, your medication will be withdrawn. Also, watch out for any numbness, tingling, blurred vision, ringing in the ears, or if you feel clumsy with your routine. Your physician might consider lowering the dose to prevent any further nerve damage. If you are over 70, you may want to avoid drugs like bleomycin, which is known to cause permanent lung damage. Chemotherapy can also damage your immunity, so you notice a flare-up of any old infection.
5. It's Your Health and Your Choice
You decide if you need to take a specific drug despite the side effects. As important as it is to let your doctor know of all your symptoms and side effects, there is only so much modern medicine could do. However, there may be a substitute--a medicine, substance or technique--to counteract another medicine or its side effects. So changes can be made to your treatment to lessen any side effects, temporary or long-term. The bottom line: Eat well, exercise and regularly flush your system with plenty of water.
