Taking aspirin or other related drugs can also weaken blood platelets. Many chemo drugs lower the number of platelets for a time. It’s important that you tell your doctor about all medicines, including over-the counter medicines, vitamins, herbal or dietary supplements you are taking– even if you only take them “as needed.”įor instance, platelets help blood clot and prevent bleeding. These interactions may make side effects worse and affect how well chemo drugs work. When looking at how best to combine chemo drugs, doctors must look at interactions between chemo drugs and other medicines the person is taking, including over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and supplements. Chemotherapy drug interactions and side effects Learn more about these and other problems in Managing Cancer-related Side Effects. Chemo brain, which can affect concentration and focus.Urine and bladder changes and kidney problems.Skin and nail changes such as dry skin and color change.Peripheral neuropathy or other nerve problems, such as numbness, tingling, and pain.Mouth, tongue, and throat problems such as sores and pain with swallowing.Here are some of the more common side effects caused by chemotherapy: Most people worry about whether they’ll have side effects from chemo, and, if so, what they’ll be like. They also may be able to suggest ways to reduce any pain and discomfort you have. You may be able to change your medicine or treatment schedule. If you feel this way, talk to your cancer care team. People often become discouraged about how long their treatment lasts or the side effects they have. ![]() ![]() Certain types of chemo sometimes cause delayed effects, such as a second cancer that may show up many years later. Sometimes the side effects can last a lifetime, such as when chemo causes long-term damage to the heart, lungs, kidneys, or reproductive organs. Many side effects go away fairly quickly, but some might take months or even years to go away completely. Be sure to talk to your cancer care team about which side effects are most common with your chemo, how long they might last, how bad they might be, and when you should call the doctor’s office about them. While side effects can be unpleasant, they must be weighed against the need to kill the cancer cells. Ask your doctor if the chemo drugs you’re getting have long-term effects. Still, many people have no long-term problems from chemo. Some chemo drugs cause long-term side effects, like heart or nerve damage or fertility problems.Your doctor may give you medicines to help prevent certain side effects before they happen.The severity of side effects (how bad they are) varies greatly from person to person.Every person doesn’t get every side effect, and some people get few, if any.What do I need to know about side effects? They also try to avoid using multiple drugs that have similar side effects. There are also treatments to help relieve side effects.ĭoctors try to give chemo at levels high enough to treat cancer, while keeping side effects at a minimum. Sometimes, you can take medicines with the chemo to help protect your body’s normal cells. Some chemo drugs can damage cells in the heart, kidneys, bladder, lungs, and nervous system. Cells in the mouth, digestive tract, and reproductive system. ![]() The normal cells most likely to be damaged by chemo are: Side effects are not always as bad as you might expect, but it's normal to worry about this part of cancer treatment. Damage to healthy cells causes side effects. But because these drugs travel throughout the body, they can affect normal, healthy cells that are fast-growing, too. Why does chemo cause side effects?Ĭancer cells tend to grow fast, and chemo drugs kill fast-growing cells. ![]() There are also other drugs that are used to treat cancer in different ways, including targeted therapy, hormone therapy, and immunotherapy. The information below describes side effects that might be caused by traditional or standard chemotherapy.
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