One of the effects of chemotherapy that many people are aware of is hair loss. But apparently, that's not all. The following is an explanation of the effects of chemotherapy.
Chemotherapy is a cancer treatment that many patients choose. However, the effects of chemotherapy can vary from person to person.
Patients can feel the side effects of chemotherapy while undergoing treatment and disappear after treatment is finished.
However, there are also side effects that take a long time to return to normal.
Come on, identify some of the side effects that can occur in the body after the following chemotherapy treatment.
Know How Chemotherapy Works
Chemotherapy is a common treatment for cancer patients. Chemotherapy drugs and treatments will vary from person to person, depending on the type of cancer you have.
The drugs in chemotherapy work by attacking cancer cells in the body. Cancer cells grow and divide very quickly and also out of control. Well, chemotherapy drugs are made by targeting the growth of these cells.
However, the human body is made up of many types of cells. Apart from cells with abnormal growth (cancer cells), there are also healthy cells.
Unfortunately, these chemotherapy treatments cannot differentiate between cells damaged by cancer and healthy cells. For this reason, in addition to killing cancer cells, chemotherapy also damages healthy cells.
There are many effects of chemotherapy on healthy cells. These side effects include anemia, decreased immune system, nausea, and also hair loss.
Although chemotherapy has the risk of triggering side effects, not everyone has the same reaction to chemotherapy treatment.
What Happens to the Body After Chemotherapy?
Some of the effects after chemotherapy on the body include:
1. Feeling Tired and Lack of Energy
Fatigue and lack of energy (fatigue) are the most common conditions that the body feels as a result of chemotherapy.
In addition to fatigue, you may also feel sleepy and confused. Feeling tired will hinder your daily activities.
Fatigue can appear suddenly, but sometimes resting does not relieve it. You may still feel tired for weeks or months after treatment ends.
To relieve fatigue, consult your doctor for post-chemotherapy vitamins.
2. Changed Appetite and Nausea
Quoted in the Cancer Council Victoria, appetite usually changes when you undergo chemotherapy. Chemotherapy drugs that are given can temporarily change the taste of food.
Sometimes, you may lose your appetite or you may prefer certain types of food.
In addition, chemotherapy drugs can also make you feel nauseous and vomiting, although not everyone experiences them. If nausea really affects you, consult a doctor for medication.
Usually, nausea occurs a few hours after treatment. The taste can last for hours and is also accompanied by vomiting. Sometimes, nausea also lasts for days after treatment.
3. Impact on Fertility
Chemotherapy can also affect your fertility and ability to have children, in both men and women.
Quoted in Web MD, the effect of chemotherapy on fertility depends on the type of drug you use and the dose. The higher the chemotherapy dose, the more likely it is to have an impact on fertility.
If either partner has had chemotherapy, talk to your obstetrician about post-chemotherapy fertility problems.
4. Hair Loss
Many people who undergo chemotherapy worry that they will lose their hair. The effects of hair loss on people undergoing chemotherapy can also vary.
Some lost all their hair in the first chemotherapy, but some experienced hair loss after several chemotherapy sessions.
Apart from hair on the head, hair loss will also occur on the eyebrows, eyelashes, hair on the armpits, hair on the legs and chest, and the pubic area.
Hair loss occurs due to chemotherapy treatment, besides killing cancer cells, it also kills or damages surrounding healthy cells, including skin cells and hair cells.
Still at Cancer Council Victoria, usually before and during hair loss, the scalp may feel hot, itchy, tender, or more sensitive. Some people also find pimples on their scalp.
After chemotherapy ends, it takes 4-12 months for a strand of hair to grow back.
When your hair grows back for the first time, it may be different in color, texture and shape than before. However, over time, your hair usually returns to its original state.
5. Influence Brain Memory
Quoted in Healthline, some people claim to have difficulty concentrating, focusing, and remembering after undergoing chemotherapy. This is also known as cancer-related cognitive impairment.
Changes in thinking and memory can be caused by the effects of chemotherapy drugs. This problem usually gets better over time. However, some people can experience this problem for years.
Tell your doctor about any memory changes or problems you are experiencing so that they can be treated appropriately.
6. Cause Anemia
Sometimes, chemotherapy side effects can cause anemia in a person. The red blood cells in the body carry oxygen from the pulmonary organs.
If chemotherapy treatment affects red blood cells and lowers their numbers, anemia can occur.
The main signs of anemia include fatigue and weakness. This health problem can also cause shortness of breath, irregular heartbeat, dizziness, headaches, and cold hands / feet. When undergoing chemotherapy, doctors will usually monitor the patient's blood levels.
When anemia is detected, doctors will usually provide iron supplements. In some cases, the patient can be given a blood transfusion.
Those are some of the things that happen to the body when receiving chemotherapy. The effects of chemotherapy are normal and will improve over time.
If these effects have disturbed your daily life, do not hesitate to consult a doctor.
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