|  | Cancer | Chemotherapy

How Soon After Beginning Chemotherapy Do You Feel Its Effects?

Drugs used in chemotherapy attack the healthy parts of your body as well as those affected by cancer. The drugs interfere with rapidly dividing cells, targeting the cancer cells. They are so strong that they can cause sickness, hair loss, lethargy, memory loss, infection, nerve damage and bone loss.

  1. Potential

    • Some side effects begin shortly after you begin treatment. Others may take weeks or months to appear.

    Types

    • The side effects that present themselves in the early stages of chemo treatment include hair loss, nausea, fatigue and weight changes. This is because of the body's immediate response to the chemicals.

    Libido

    • According to Mayo Clinic, many people experience a loss of sexual desire during and after undergoing chemotherapy.

    Considerations

    • Most people will experience a variation of side effects because everyone's treatment regimen is different.

    Time Frams

    • Some side effects will go away rather quickly with the help of support drugs, but some may linger for months or even years. For example, according to breastcancer.org, some women may deal with uncomfortable nerve damage in their feet and hands because of Taxol or Taxotere for months.

Chemotherapy - Related Articles