what are characteristics after chemotherapy?

Question

body symptoms

Answer 1

There are three basic side effects from Chemotherapy; nausea, early fullness in the stomach and change or loss of taste. It depends on the tumor, the severity, and the physician as to what type of chemotherapy will be used.

As a dietitian working in a cancer center, I find that people suffer the most from early fullness. Their ability to eat is dependent on how much the stomach will allow in at any feeding. They often can not eat very much at a time. We usually suggest that people eat small feedings 6 or more time a day.

Change of taste is also a difficult side effect to deal with. Often people get to the place where they do not want to eat because it all tastes the same. In that case, they still need to eat, and should consider food as a medicine, because they need the calories to keep up their strength.

I hope this answers your questions. If you need more answers, be sure to get in touch with a dietitian.

Lenore Hodges, PhD, RD, LD

Answer 2

These symtoms can very with people & the drugs used. Some experience nausa, but they have drugs that usually control this one quite well. Tired, exhaustion the need for lots of sleep, sore muscles, if appetite, change in taste. Hair lose all over the body. Some lose weight Others gaain & bloat. I think the worst was that this was the longest most drawn out time of my life. Treatments were 3 weeks apart & while you began to feel human by the time 3 wks were up, it was time for another. I had 4 treatments but it seemed never ending. Still it does end. I was never really sick, but by the end I was pretty beat up. These symptoms do disappear rather quickly though after the treatments are done. A month after, you are beginning to really mend & 3 mos. your pretty good.

Answer 3

Chemotherapy affects each person differently. The most common side effects are :

Nausea & Vomiting
Weight Change
Diarrhea & Constipation
Mouth Sores
Pain
Temporary Hair Loss
Depression & Anxiety

However, some people go through the treatment without any of those. My grandfather had it for colon cancer and it was like injecting him with water because he was completely non-reactive to it and did very well. My ex also had chemo for the same type of cancer and he got very ill from it.

Answer 4

Are you asking about right after each treatment or after you have completed "all" your chemo treatments. This is advice from a person who just went through Chemo for treatment of Breast Cancer. I chose the strongest regiment out there. My last does was in June. I continue to have several problems with Chemo such as dealing with menopause that the Chemo threw me into and I'm only 37. Unfortunately, it has taken a very long time for my hair to grow back. I have yet to have what I would consider to be a "normal day". Although my body no longer shows signs of cancer (yeah!) you tend to have a higher level of anxiety. I also fight "chemo brain" on a regular basis. Trust me....it's worth putting up with all this to continue to live.