To avoid getting sick while undergoing chemo treatments, practice good hygiene, eat well, exercise regularly, and talk to your doctor about getting a flu vaccine. What Are Common Infections in Cancer Patients?
Eat bland foods, such as dry toast and crackers. Eat food cold or at room temperature to decrease its smell and taste. Avoid fatty, fried, spicy, or very sweet foods. Try small amounts of foods high in calories that are easy to eat (such as pudding, ice cream, sherbets, yogurt, and milkshakes) several times a day.
About sickness from cancer drugs
If a drug can cause sickness, it doesn't mean it will make you sick. Everyone reacts differently. All cancer drugs have side effects, but they don't affect everyone. The reasons why drugs cause sickness are complex.
For most people the side effects were worst in the first few days after treatment, then they gradually felt better until the next treatment. Some said the effects were worse with each successive treatment. Most side effects don't persist and disappear within a few weeks after the end of treatment.
Feeling and being sick
Sickness caused by chemotherapy can start within a couple of hours of starting your treatment and only last a day or so. Or it can come on more than 24 hours after the start of treatment. This is called delayed onset nausea and vomiting and usually lasts about a week.
Short, planned delays in chemotherapy for good-risk GCT patients (less than or equal to 7 days per cycle) appear to be acceptable since they may prevent serious toxicity in this curable patient population. Delays of longer than 7 days are strongly discouraged except in extraordinary life-threatening circumstances.
Nerve damage can occur with chemotherapy, and this may get worse with each dose. Sometimes, treatment has to be stopped because of this. However, other side effects, including nausea, constipation and diarrhea, are not typically cumulative with repeated treatment.
The effects of chemo are cumulative. They get worse with each cycle. My doctors warned me: Each infusion will get harder. Each cycle, expect to feel weaker.
Is there any risk to family and friends? You may worry about the safety of family and friends while you are having chemotherapy. There is little risk to visitors (including children, babies and pregnant women) because they aren't likely to come into contact with any chemotherapy drugs or body fluids.
A return to normalcy is typical, but it takes a while – usually six months or so. “All who have done chemo do finally get back to normal,” Patricia said.
It is estimated that approximately 70-80% of the patients receiving chemotherapy are at risk for nausea and vomiting,4,13 while the same percentage of patients will experience the symptom if they have not received adequate antiemetic therapy.
Because chemotherapy affects normal cells as well as abnormal ones, your immune system becomes weakened. Avoid bacteria and viruses by washing hands frequently and keeping them away from your face. Also, stay out of crowds and only consume well-washed fresh foods and fully cooked meats. Keep exercising.
Research suggests that exercise can help women being treated for breast cancer by: easing nausea during chemotherapy. improving blood flow to the legs, reducing the risk of blood clots. easing constipation by stimulating digestion and elimination systems.
It is safe to touch other people while on chemotherapy. You can hug and kiss. But you do need to protect others from coming into contact with your medicine.
So you need to make sure caregivers and others close to you are not exposed to your body fluids during chemo and for a few days after treatment. It's OK to have normal contact with other people, including hugging and kissing.
Having Sex During Your Cancer Treatment
We recommend using a barrier device (condom or dental dam) during treatment and for a week after each treatment during oral, vaginal, or anal sex to prevent your partner from being exposed to any medication that may be in your bodily fluids.
Many people feel that hair loss is one of the most difficult aspects of chemotherapy treatment. Not all chemotherapy drugs cause hair loss, so talk to your physician or nurse about what to expect. Most often, hair loss begins about two to three weeks after starting chemotherapy.
#5: Pain. Why it happens: Chemotherapy may cause painful side effects like burning, numbness and tingling or shooting pains in your hands and feet, as well as mouth sores, headaches, muscle and stomach pain. Pain can be caused by the cancer itself or by the chemo.
Just remember your immune system is weaker than usual and it may be harder for your body to fight off infections. If you do go out, try to avoid situations where you might come into close contact with people who may be sick.
Many cancer patients do experience some side effects of chemotherapy—both short-term and long-term—but others experience very few.
For example, some types of chemotherapy may cause permanent damage to the heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, or reproductive system. And some people have trouble with thinking, concentrating, and memory for months or years after treatment. Cancer survivors also have a higher risk of second cancers later in life.
Nausea and vomiting: It is normal to experience nausea and vomiting after chemo. Gastrointestinal symptoms: You may be constipated or have diarrhea after chemo. Sore mouth: Sometimes chemo can make your mouth feel dry and sore.