what are the side effects for chemotherapy ?

Answer 1

The side effects depend upon the type of chemotherapy, the dosage you receive, and how long you need to be treated.

There are over 50 different chemotherapy drugs. Many cancers have a chemotherapy 'protocol' which is a guide for the treatment of a specific type of cancer, it's grade, and stage.

In general, than depending on the type of chemo drug, the length of time patient takes the drug, and the overall health of a patient . . some of the common and not so common side effects include:

temporary hair loss, nausea and/or vomiting, fatigue, headache, anemia, bruising, diarrhoea, sore mouth, taste change, infertility, lowered resistance to infection, skin and nail changes, loss of appetite, cramps, temporary liver effects, temporary bladder effects, constipation,rashes, breathlessness, dizziness, chills.

Many of the side effects are temporary and last only while taking the chemotherapy. During chemotherapy treatment modern medicine has become good at controlling the symptoms. Most patients can have round the clock anti-nausea and anti-anxiety medications to treat the symptoms.

My son had 8 month of high dose chemotherapy. He was hospitalized for each cycle. A cycle occurs every 21 to 28 days and is measured from the minute you begin chemotherapy (5 or 3 days) until you begin it again. Usually he had 5 and 3 day cycles in the hospital, but it could vary. (he also had surgery and heated chemoperfusion, followed by 8 more months of maintenance chemotherapy)

Some of the cycles he handled better than others. Hair loss, nausea, and fatigue were the biggest obstacles. All were temporary.

Cancer Backup: Side effects of Chemotherapy
http://www.cancerbackup.org.uk/Treatments/Chemotherapy/Sideeffects/General

Answer 2

I went through chemotherapy for 16 weeks last year for breast cancer. I had Adriamycin, Cytoxan, and Taxol. I did lose my hair less than 3 weeks into chemo, including my eyebrows/eyelashes. I felt tired after about 2 weeks, and remained that way throughout the course of treatment. I also had some tingling feeling in my hands once the Taxol was begun, and after the taxol felt like someone had beat me for about 2 days. Although I did not "feel" anything, I know my WBC count went very low, and I did get an infection which lasted about 4 days. I did feel nauseauted, but did not vomit, there are many drugs they can give you for the nauseau and vomiting, I was on Emend and Zofran, and they worked very well. If you will be undergoing chemotherapy, please ask your doctor for specifics, and remember, although they can tell you what may happen, everyone is different and reacts differently, so what happened to one may be totally different than what happens to the next person. Good luck!

Answer 3

There are different types of drugs that work on specific parts of the body (depending on where and what type of cancer) for chemotherapy, but some general side effects are hair loss, stomatitis ( inflammation or ulcers in the mouth), infertility, bone marrow depression, maybe some nausea/vomiting, anorexia, diarrhea, and constipation. Drugs used to treat cancer can also have many side effects.

Answer 4

My aunt had cancer last year (she is now in remission), and the symptoms she complained of included the following: extreme tiredness, sometimes to the point of not being able to get out of bed at all; nausea; pain in her gums; bruising easily; hair thinning/loss; sadness (though that may have been just at life in general, not the chemo in particular). She also had radiotherapy so I'm not sure whether all of these were to do with the chemo. But she is okay now - she is still tired but that's because she also has a heart complaint that makes her fatigued. The chemo symptoms will go away over time, once the treatment finishes. Good luck.

Answer 5

Dozens, Some or None is the answer! I work with Cancer patients and although all lost their hair, I would say 35% have NO side effects at all. Nausea and tiredness are the main 2, but it really depends on the drug and the patient.

Well worth any side effects though.

Answer 6

If you are unfortunate to be having to have this treatment, I sympathise with you , but if it will assist your recovery please go ahead with it,it will, in most cases, now cure and prolong your life, there are various side effects , of which could be vomiting , nausea, tiredness, loss of or dryness of hair , loss of appetite, one of the effects it had on my wife was, that she dreaded going there that much, we one day saw the nurse who administrated the drugs to her in a shop , immediately my wife was ill , when you can say the sight of that person makes me ill, then you can imagine the psychological effect the treatment may have,so these are some but be brave and take them in your stride, get through the other side and live the life.

Answer 7

Usually vomiting, general feeling of tired/unwell, certain foods can taste nasty or metalic and hair loss. Most people feel okay for a couple days after the dose, then start to feel worse in the second week, better in the third week and the next week its time for the next dose. I wish you luck and good health xx

Answer 8

my wife has reteria cancer which is a form of bladder cancer that destroys all the veins and will probaly kill her in the next year she has been taking treatment now over two years i'm not anxpert on this but to answer you ,you get really tired joints musles hurt loss of all body hair it can be very painful ans stressful on you and your loved ones

Answer 9

Can vary from person to person e.g. nausea, vomiting, hair-loss, weight-loss, loss of appetite, mouth ulcers.
Out-patient departments e.g. oncology units, usually have various leaflets on this information, too.

Answer 10

horrible, just horrible.

hair loss, bone pain, can't eat. thirsty, but when u wanna drink, difficult. throwing up, sooooooooooo tired. bladder problems.