Living with the path of cancer treatment is not only associated with the disease itself but also with the arduous side effects of some treatments. If you’re treated with chemotherapy, radiation, or some other type of cancer treatment, it’s very essential to take care of these side effects in order to maintain your quality of life. As a cancer specialist in Ahmedabad, Dr. Vikesh Shah sees patients on regular follow-ups with the disadvantages of their treatment. Few Effective Tips and Strategies that Help Achieve More Better Side Effect Management:
Common Side Effects: What Are They?
However, a victory over these symptoms does not begin without first knowing what these symptoms are. General side effects of the cancer treatments include the following:
- Nausea and Vomiting: These can often be associated with chemotherapy and seriously affect your eating or even your ability to stay strong.
- Fatigue: It typically becomes all-consuming after chemotherapy or radiation.
- Pain: This could be one of the major challenges for you, depending on your kind of cancer and type of treatment.
- Loss of Appetite: Your sense of taste is affected or you even begin to hate particular foods from some of your treatment.
- Hair Loss: Hair loss can be distressing emotionally, but it is not toxic.
- Oral Mucositis: Pain in the mouth can make eating and drinking quite pain-provoking.
- Constipation or Diarrhea: Changes in the bowels are caused by medication and diet.
Knowing what such side effects may be can even help prepare for them and allow you to be proactive in dealing with them.
Helping You Tolerate Side Effects
- Communicate with Your Health Care Team
Probably the most practical method to cope with side effects is to keep the providers informed. I usually advise most patients to discuss their side effects with their providers over a visit to the doctor’s clinic. Involvement with your treatment team in discussing your side effects will empower them to modify or alter the treatment given or to offer supportive care in an effort to reduce symptoms for you. - Nutrition Planning
Nutrition also has an extremely active role in managing side effects. Nutrition helps improve your immunity, counters fatigue and maintains your strength. Some of the nutritional strategies are as follows:- Hydration: Drink more fluids to avoid dehydration, especially during nausea or diarrhea.
- Eat Small, Frequent Meals: Take more frequent, not more filling, meals to control nausea.
- Encourage Nutrient-Dense Foods: You should eat foods rich in vitamin and mineral content and which contain fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains.
- Take Supplements: You may need to or wish to take nutritional supplements if you have a low appetite, or quite literally can’t eat certain foods. Your doctor will be in a position to advise you on the proper supplements to use and dosages.
- Vomiting Cure
Nausea is one of the most common side effects of many therapies for cancer, but there are several ways to deal with nausea.- Medications: Anti-nausea medications can be very helpful; talk to your oncologist about these.
- Ginger: Ginger tea or ginger candies help soothe the stomach.
- Acupressure: Many patients report that the bands worn around the wrist, called acupressure bands, are helpful in reducing nausea.
- Coping with Fatigue
Fatigue was one of the worst side effects of some patients. Here are some tips on how to cope with this side effect of fatigue.- Pacing: Divide tasks into smaller steps and allow for rest time.
- Get Enough Sleep: Try getting between 7 and 9 hours per night. Establish a regular sleeping schedule for you to improve the quality of sleep.
- Light Exercise: Walking or some sort of yoga might boost your energy and lighten your mood.
- Pain Management
Pain is a topic that you should discuss with your health professional. Pain management is part of life that can dramatically reduce the burden associated with the diagnosis. Other treatments include:- Medications: There are medications that are pain-relieving, including prescription strength drugs and non-prescription strength medications, that might make your pain more tolerable.
- Physical Therapy: A doctor of physical therapy can guide you toward some return of movement with less pain.
- Mind-Body Techniques: Meditation, deep breathing, and guided imagery can actually control pain, in addition to reducing stress.
- At times, the effects of cancer treatment can be as much psychological as they are physical, however, these techniques can help your mind find a sense of the situation:
- Join Support Groups: Of course, talking to others who share similar experiences is very comforting and reassuring.
- Seek Professional Counseling: Get in touch with a psychologist or counselor who deals with oncology so that he can give you some valuable coping techniques.
- Relaxation Techniques: Through mindfulness, yoga, and meditation, you’ll decrease the level of anxiety, which in general gets you into an overall much better state.
- Skin and Hair Care
If you are losing your hair or the color and texture are changing, take proper care of yourself:- Skin Care: Take gentle treatment for your dry skin. Moisturize with gentle moisturizers. Protect your skin from the sun.
- Hair Care: Take care of your scalp too. Use mild shampoos and avoid chemicals. If you are losing your hair, use a wig or headscarf.
- Keep a Symptom Diary
A symptom chart will prove extremely useful when monitoring patterns and, perhaps, the nature of your condition. You will record what takes place at the onset of your symptoms, the intensity of them, or how you can alleviate them. This can provide useful information to share with your healthcare team regarding your treatment.
Conclusion
Side effects of cancer treatment management are an integral component of recovery. Understanding your symptoms, sharing with your healthcare providers how you are doing, and using the most effective coping strategies all help you enhance your quality of life during treatment. The difficult time you are experiencing right now does not have to be made any worse by uncertainty and fear. That’s why Dr. Vikesh Shah as the best Cancer Specialist in Ahmedabad is here to provide treatment for cancer. scheduled your appointment today!
Whether you or someone close to you is diagnosed with cancer and you want to talk about it, we’re always here to talk to you. Together, we can work toward better treatment for you and good health in general.