Almost everyone knows someone who has battled with cancer. As one of the leading causes of death today, cancer touches the lives of nearly everyone. Still, with so much being said about cancer, it is still difficult to know what the side effects of cancer are.
Most people know that hair loss is one of the more visible side effects of cancer. Hair loss happens around two to three weeks into chemotherapy treatment and will not begin to grow until two to three months following treatment. Hair falls out due to all the chemicals that are entering the body during chemotherapy.
Another side effect of chemotherapy is fatigue. During chemotherapy, a person’s red blood cell count will be lowered making the person anemic. Anemia makes a person feel very tired and lethargic. Other issues like depression, having trouble sleeping, and medications can make a person feel tired.
Most people on chemotherapy will also experience a loss of appetite. Due to the side effects of chemotherapy, many people just do not feel like eating. Some people going through chemotherapy say that their food tastes metallic making them not want to eat.
For many people going through chemotherapy, the days that they go to chemotherapy are their worst days. On these days, they may experience nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. People are more likely to feel better on days following chemotherapy.
Some people going though chemotherapy may experience memory loss or have trouble remembering certain things. This is something that should be brought to a doctor’s attention. The doctor will help to determine if the memory loss is due to the cancer, medication, or stress.
While many people know that hair loss is a side effect of chemotherapy, there are so many more side effects than losing hair. During chemotherapy, patients need a lot of support and understanding as they are going though many changes that are difficult to handle.