Liddy's side effects
It seems that the side effects are based a lot on your treatment regimen/protocol (what drugs you receive, and how much). The following is a partial list of the side effects that I have, along with what can be done.
 | neutropenia: low white blood count. The range for the white blood cell count is 3.54-9.06. Most of the chemotherapy drugs that I am taking kill white blood cells (along with red blood cells, platelets and cancer cells). When my white blood cell count gets to be too low, I will be neutropenic. I have to be careful about being around sick people and young children (guidelines for minimizing risk of infection), and I have to change my diet slightly (guidelines for a neutropenic diet). I take daily injections of with neupogen (also called filgrastim and G-CSF) for 10 days, starting 24 hours after chemo, to speed the recovery of white blood cells. I have also injected with neulasta (also called pegfilgrastim), which is a one-dose version of neupogen). Side effect of the neupogen/neulasta: achy bones. | ||||
| anemia: low red blood count. The hemoglobin drops and
my body does not get enough oxygen. I become extremely tired physically and
mentally. Extra sleep doesn't normally help. I become dizzy on movement, and
short of breath. I have pounding in my head. What can be done:
I haven't found much on chemo-caused anemia, but here is one link that includes a paragraph on anemia. | ||||
| esophagitis: burning of the esophagus. The cells
that line the esophagus and throat are fast-dividing cells, and are therefore
also killed by my chemo. So, swallowing really hurts. (I hear that this is
similar to heartburn, but I can't vouch for this.) I take Protonix. (Other suggestions). | ||||
| nausea and vomiting: The anti-emetic drug that I receive during chemo is Kytril. (I take Ativan and dexamethasone to help the Kytril.) The anti-emetic drug that I take more than 24 hours after chemo is Compazine. | ||||
| tender tummy: abdomen feels swollen and very tender to touch. | ||||
| confusion: I just can't parse questions very well. (Thank God this is a known side-effect for my drugs; I was worried a bit there.) | ||||
| hair loss | ||||
| tingling/numbness in fingers and toes: this is from one of my chemo drugs. This usually improves slowly a few months after the treatment is finished. | ||||
| menopause: hot flashes, night sweats. loss of my period: There wasn't much that I found published on chemo-induced menopause. Information here. | ||||
| abdominal cramping | ||||
| temporary taste changes: foods and water taste different |
Side-effects that might affect me:
| mouth sores | ||||||||
| loss of fertility | ||||||||
| chemo brain, chemo-fog: difficulty in thinking
|