Understanding The Side Effects of Chemotherapy
If you know someone getting chemotherapy treatment for breast cancer, colon cancer, lung cancer, or virtually any other cancer, you probably think you know what they are experiencing. But different drugs used to treat cancer can cause various side effects, and they don’t affect every patient in the same way, if at all.
You might think that hair loss and nausea are the only side effects people deal with when getting chemotherapy. But there is a long list of other things that can occur when someone is getting cancer treatments. Understanding the range of possibilities can be helpful if you know someone getting chemo.
What Are Some Common Side Effects of Chemo?
Below is a list of some of the most common side effects of chemotherapy. Not everyone will experience these side effects. For those who do, they can vary widely in severity and the length of time they last.
Side effects of chemo can include:
- Loss of hair on the head and entire body
- Fatigue
- Nausea and vomiting
- Brittle nails
- Skin discoloration and dryness
- Diarrhea
- Constipation
- Fertility problems
- Changes in mood, including anxiety and depression
- Weight changes
- Chemo brain (poor concentration, focus, memory)
- Bruising
- Anemia
- Bladder and urine changes
- Infection
- Fever
- Rigors
- Decreased libido
- Changes in sexual function
- Mouth sores
- Trouble swallowing
- Sensitivity to eating or drinking cold things
- Changes in appetite
- Neuropathy or other nerve problems like numbness or tingling
For the lucky few who don’t experience serious side effects of cancer treatment, chemotherapy is not much more than a necessary inconvenience. For others, however, chemotherapy can be tough to tolerate.
What Can You Do For Someone Getting Cancer Treatments?
Cancer patients need support. It helps to know that people are thinking about them and can help when needed.
Being part of a support system for a friend or family member with cancer is an important role you should not take lightly. Now that you know some of the potential side effects of chemotherapy, how can you help?
At Rock the Treatment, we make it easy for you to provide support and relief to the cancer patient in your life.
Our cancer gift baskets contain items that are proven to help ease some of the physical side effects of chemotherapy, like nausea and dry skin.
A gift box from Rock the Treatment also lets someone know that you care enough to send useful, thoughtful items – easing the emotional side effects of cancer treatments too.
Send a Cancer Care Package
If someone you love has cancer, send them a helpful cancer gift basket from Rock The Treatment. Chemotherapy Care Packages are packed with the essentials needed to ease side effects of treatment, as well as enhance physical and mental well-being. See all of our cancer care packages and find the one that best supports their journey.
We offer gift boxes for:
- Men getting chemotherapy
- Men and Women getting radiation
- Women getting chemo
- Chemotherapy and radiation combo care packages
- Children getting cancer treatments
