Dealing with chemotherapy side effects
Mairead Ni Chonghaile, Specialist Nurse
Chemotherapy has a reputation for causing side effects. However, it’s important to remember that all medicines have side effects. Not everyone who has chemotherapy has all of the side effects. Your experience with chemotherapy depends on which type you are being treated with and how it happens to affect you.
The side effects that you might have with chemotherapy are because of the way the treatment works. Chemotherapy attacks cells that are multiplying rapidly and this can wipe out lymphoma cells but may also affect some of your healthy cells.
If you do experience side effects, remember that most are temporary and stop once you complete your treatment. You should report any side effects to your doctor because some of them might mean that your body is reacting against the medicine. Your doctor or nurse may be able to suggest ways to manage side effects so that they disrupt your life as little as possible. It can also help to join a local support group so that you can share your feelings and exchange techniques.
I have outlined some of the things that I recommend to my patients in the following table. The list of possible effects might look daunting, but remember that most people only have a few of these.
