Remedies for Side Effects of Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy is a medication regimen used to slow the production of cancer cells. The side effects of chemotherapy are commonly known: pain, nausea, fatigue, vomiting and autoimmune conditions such as planters warts. Cancer patients can make chemotherapy more bearable, and hopefully offset some of the uncomfortable side effects.

Nausea

• One of the most common side effects of chemotherapy is nausea. The nausea can become so severe that there may be vomiting for hours after treatment. There are some remedies that a cancer patient can try to reduce the effects of nausea, and it may require trying several solutions before the ones that work are found. Alternative remedies such as acupuncture have proven to be effective, and the active ingredient in marijuana known as THC can be prescribed in a pill form to offset nausea. Doctors will normally prescribe anti-nausea medication to cancer patients, and one of the ways that cancer patients can increase the effectiveness of their medication is to take it as prescribed even on days they are feeling fine. Sometimes a change in the diet can help offset nausea. Make sure you drink plenty of water during the day, and try eating four or five small meals each day as opposed to two or three large meals. Avoid greasy and salty foods as well.

Pain

• The most important thing to remember about pain associated with chemotherapy is that it is not something you should force yourself to put up with. Keep a journal of your pain, note the time of day that it comes on and keep a log of how severe it is on a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being the most severe. Your doctor can help prescribe medications for the pain based on when it happens and how severe it is. Other methods of pain reduction include acupuncture, massage therapy or even hypnosis. In some cases it can help to have the mind focus on something other than the pain to help defer the intensity for a while.

Fatigue

• The fatigue side effect of chemotherapy can be frustrating because it reduces the amount of energy you have to get daily tasks completed. In some cases it may be prudent to just accept the fatigue and allow people to help you complete daily tasks just to be sure they get done. Try getting exercise for at least 20 minutes a day to keep your body active, and when you feel tired take a nap. It is a good idea to expect to take two or three one-hour naps a day when you are undergoing chemotherapy. Dietary considerations such as drinking at least eight glasses of water a day and eating four or five small meals instead of two or three large meals can help your body create energy reserves to be used later.