What to Expect After Chemothe... Health Article

Ask your oncologist and chemotherapy nurse for the details on each drug’s side effects. Side effects are different for everyone and vary based on the drugs you take.

Side effects may be short-term, called acute. Or they may be ongoing, called chronic. Here are some acute side effects you may have. Ask your doctor which are most likely for you based on the drugs you’re taking.  

• Appetite changes, including a decrease in or complete loss of appetite

• Constipation

• Diarrhea

• Fatigue

• Hair loss

• Nausea

• Numbness and tingling of hands, feet, or both

• Skin changes

• Sores in your mouth or throat

• Vomiting

It’s likely that your doctor will take blood samples from you often during the period of time you are getting chemotherapy to make sure your blood counts are not too low. Make sure you ask your doctor what signs, if any, mean you should call your him or her immediately. You can have a lowered white blood cell count, called neutropenia. Or you can have a lowered red blood cell count, called anemia. Or you can have a lowered platelet count, called thrombocytopenia.

Signs of neutropenia. White blood cells help fight infection. So a lowered white blood cell count can make you more prone to infections. You should call your doctor if you have any of the following symptoms.

• Fever

• Sore throat

• Shaking chills

• Redness, swelling, and warmth at the site of an injury

• New cough or shortness of breath

• Burning during urination

Signs of anemia. Red blood cells carry oxygen to your cells and remove waste products from the cells. A lowered red blood cell count, called anemia, can cause these symptoms. They are listed from the most to the least common.

• Fatigue, especially with exertion

• Dizziness

• Shortness of breath

• Rapid heart rate

• Ringing in your ears

• Weak feeling

Signs of thrombocytopenia. Platelets help stop bleeding by forming blood clots. A lowered platelet count, called thrombocytopenia, can cause these symptoms. They are listed from the most to the least common.

• Bruising easily

• Tiny red or purple spots on your skin

• Bleeding gums

• Prolonged bleeding from a cut

• Black or bloody stool

• Brown or red urine

• Increased vaginal bleeding