Common side effects of chemotherapy and how to deal with them. Nicotine withdrawal syndrome: side effects of fighting a bad habit How to alleviate the consequences

Almost all of these drugs are administered intravenously into the body.

Each cancer cell has the ability to divide very quickly, which has a fruitful effect on the rapid development of the tumor and metastasis to subsequent organs of the patient. The method of chemotherapy is aimed specifically at stopping active growth and finally destroying the cells that have appeared. Of course, modern medicine has not yet reached the required level and has not created a drug that can only destroy cancer cells. The consequences of this treatment are quite complex, as they destroy the body of a sick person.

Treatment of the consequences of diseases

Each oncological disease never ends with a banal treatment course. After passing through this process, oncologists move on to the next stage, eliminating the consequences of that same treatment. The nature of chemotherapy is inherently most damaging to the immune system and gastrointestinal tract of the human body. In a normal situation, doctors prescribe drugs to patients that can balance and support the gastrointestinal tract. An important point is the increase in the amount of consumed dairy products, pomegranate and liver. This food is endowed with vitamins that increase hemoglobin in the blood.

The main medical drugs after the treatment course are:

  1. Loperamide, which eliminates acute diarrhea after chemotherapy;
  2. Diarol, raising weakened immunity;
  3. Zofran, which suppresses vomiting and nausea;
  4. Ativan, contraindicated in people suffering from frequent allergies, breathing disorders, sleep disorders and liver disease;
  5. Diflucan;
  6. Ferlatum, fixing hemoglobin during chemotherapy;
  7. Maltofer;
  8. Wobenzym.

Chemotherapy, oddly enough, is rich in a wide variety of consequences:

  • Diarrhea;
  • Vomit;
  • Baldness;
  • The decline of immunity;
  • The formation of ulcers in the oral cavity, that is, stomatitis;
  • The occurrence of viral infections;
  • A decrease in red blood cells in the blood, leading to regular anemia;
  • Inflammatory process in the walls of the veins and other ailments.

What classifications of consequences by gender exist

By their natural structure, all cancer cells are sufficiently aggressive, they are endowed with a high dividing rate. Slowing down this active growth is difficult, but still possible. This is what chemotherapy is used for. Men and women have almost the same consequences. However, there is also a certain list of differences associated with the physiological structuring of the body.

After treatment and the use of a huge list of drugs, the male sex suffers from the incorrect functioning of their genital organs. The ongoing chemotherapy treatments deal a severe blow to reproductive abilities. This factor is explained by the decline in the number of spermatozoa and their activity, which often leads to infertility after chemotherapy. There are also favorable moments when the cells begin to quickly restore and improve their numbers.

Often men cannot control themselves and plunge into psychological problems. It is known that depression and stress directly lead to the loss of one's own libido and, of course, erection. In order to get around this moment, it is necessary to constantly feel support after discharge from the beloved woman. After a while, the erection and natural attraction returns.

It is important to note that every man for a year after undergoing treatment should use protective equipment - condoms - during sexual intercourse. Otherwise, the fact of conception of a child with various disorders and deviations in further development is likely.

The consequences of the disease entail many radical changes in lifestyle. First of all, it is necessary to carefully treat health, balance nutrition, eat vegetables, a large amount of cheese, fruits, meat and, of course, fish. Secondly, it is necessary to bring positive emotions into your life, high-quality full sleep, active walks in the fresh air and minimize stress on the body.

All the consequences of the treatment course in women are reduced to disturbances in the functioning of the ovaries. During this period, menstruation is irregular or completely absent. An important point is the temporary infertility. It will take some time to restore fertility. Doctors cannot name specific dates, since everything depends on the physiological orientations of each individual woman. Often there are symptoms similar to menopause. This situation is also not permanent.

Many health care workers who treat women after chemotherapy do their best to protect the ovaries, making it possible to subsequently give birth to a child. In cases where tumor cells are found during pregnancy, doctors can sometimes postpone chemotherapy until after childbirth. In the case of a woman, as with a man, it is imperative to use condoms during sexual intercourse. Chemicals directly affect the unborn child.

As for the consequences of treatment in children, in this case everything is very significant. Each child is exposed to varying degrees of severity, it all depends on the immunity developed at that time, and, as you know, in babies it is weak even without chemotherapy.

The most important point for children is increased attention from parents, as well as compliance with the rules prescribed by doctors:

  1. To avoid diarrhea and vomiting, you should limit yourself to unsweetened and low-fat foods. The portion of food should be small and preferably fractional. The amount of water intake is maximum;
  2. Teeth should be brushed after an illness exclusively with a brush with a soft base, the use of cavity sprays is desirable;
  3. The head is washed only with a mild shampoo. The comb should not have hard ends;
  4. In the event of the formation of any disease, an urgent need to contact your doctor;
  5. The control of a cardiologist is necessary, since chemotherapy mainly affects the cardiovascular and reproductive functions.

What are the ways to mitigate the consequences?

Since ancient times, chemotherapy has been recognized as a fairly effective technique that allows for an active fight against cancerous tumors. None of the medical workers hides the fact that such treatment, in addition to good results, also has serious consequences and complications.

A large number of complications are able to stop the so-called sorbents, which remove toxins from the body through urine. This process allows you to reduce the aggressiveness of the consequences, making them much weaker. The most commonly used sorbent in modern times is enterosgel.

In addition to the above symptoms, the patient may experience problems with the liver after treatment. In this case, a woman or a man is prescribed hepaprotectors that restore damaged functions.

There are patients who do not want to use pills and other drugs anymore. For them, the best way of treatment, in their opinion, are folk methods. Often, the composition of the use of patients includes tincture of angelica root, chicory or sweet clover. If you want to accelerate the growth of hair on your head after falling out, it is better to use burdock root and hop root.

Almost all people after chemotherapy are offered to undergo a course of rehabilitation in specially designed sanatoriums and dispensaries.

What are the complications after chemotherapy for various tumors?

The consequences of the disease directly depend on the type of tumor. A cancerous tumor can be located in the following organs:

  1. Lungs' cancer. The main complications of this tumor are rapid hair loss, frequent nausea and no less rare vomiting;
  2. Ovarian cancer. The main consequences are hair loss, diarrhea, vomiting, infectious diseases, educational blood pathology, anemia, edema and difficult urination. Restorative processes and their methods are reduced to the biopsy results of all clinical studies. It is noted that relapses occur more often in the first two years. They are sent to the uterine canals and the rectum. Prevention and regular visits to the doctor will help eliminate this complication at an early stage;
  3. Lymphoma. Lymphoma is followed by vomiting, swelling, and hair loss. These processes are explained by the active influence of toxic substances on humans. Each course prescribed by a doctor has not only positive aspects, but also, accordingly, consequences and relapses. In the case of aggressive type lymph, the risk of complications is absolutely justified;
  4. Leukemia. Bleeding and nausea are common side effects. Women develop ovarian complications, irregular or absent menstrual cycles, and menopause. Infertility is not uncommon for both women and men. It is important to remember the physiological state of each patient;
  5. Breast cancer - red chemotherapy. Most often, vomiting, loss of appetite, peeling of the skin, exfoliation of nails, vein discharge and various inflammatory and infectious symptoms are formed. All patients with the cancer in question should remember that in the process of treatment, in no case should you use various chemicals, do makeup on your face and avoid all kinds of allergic remedies. Each complication after breast cancer is not severe, but very unpleasant for a woman. Therefore, relatives and friends should be given maximum attention to their half and as soon as possible to return a person to the usual rhythm of life and daily routine.

Often after chemotherapy there are long-term consequences. These include infertility. In order to preserve the possibility of becoming parents in the future, sperm are frozen in men, and eggs in women.

Recovery of the body after chemotherapy

All doctors have established that not only medical drugs and preparations contribute to the restoration of the body, but also a healthy active lifestyle. It is imperative to adhere to high-quality and full sleep, regular walks in the fresh park air, exceptionally proper nutrition and regimen. It is important to note that meals should not be less than four times a day, but it is better that six times and in small portions.

As food, the best vitamin products will be dairy and dairy-free cereals, fish products and seafood, fermented milk nutrients, freshly squeezed natural juices, cereal and legume germinated plants.

Qualitative replenishment throughout the body of protein, mineral salts, sucrose and potassium is facilitated by absolutely all dairy products in large volumes.

All dietary therapy after chemotherapy is prescribed strictly by an oncologist. Each sick patient should not interfere with the recommendations and appointments of medical workers.

Prolonged exposure to the scorching sun can lead to the progression of the disease. Overheating of the entire body adversely affects patients.

Swelling of the legs after completion of chemotherapy should be consulted with a specialist in surgery. It will easily help to get rid of this side ailment. In normal cases, swelling of the extremities is accompanied by some pain and discomfort. The presence or absence of the factor under consideration depends on the previously taken medications, as well as on the reaction of the whole organism to them. In a situation where the pain cannot be tolerated, it is worth asking the medical worker to change the medicines to more gentle ones.

A variety of symptoms and side effects after chemotherapy do not occur in every sick patient. However, it is also difficult to call them rare. Before starting the process of cancer treatment, it is necessary, together with your doctor, to make an attempt to reduce the heavy load of chemicals on the human body.

The main and fundamental rule in the treatment is to immediately go to the hospital if any complications occur.

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How to make chemotherapy easier

Improving well-being occurs due to an increase in vitality and a decrease in general intoxication.

The results of statistics of accompanying phytohealth.

The numbers represent the number of people observed.

"Without phyto-support" - complaints and severity of symptoms after one or more sessions of chemotherapy before contacting a phytotherapeutist.

“Accompanying herbal medicine” - complaints and their severity after chemotherapy courses in the same patients after connecting a course of accompanying herbal medicine.

Table. The effect of phytocourse on improving the patient's well-being.

Therefore, schemes are used - one drug adjusts all clone cells to one stage of the cell cycle, other drugs have maximum cytotoxicity at this stage. Anti-inflammatory hormones may also be included in the regimen.

Chemotherapy regimens can vary greatly. Chemotherapy oncologists work to ensure that chemotherapy works as effectively and safely as possible. Why, so far, chemotherapy courses remain one of the most difficult trials that fall to the lot of patients?

No chemotherapy drug is ideally tolerated. Even if it is a so-called “targeted” drug, it has significant side effects.

Most chemotherapy drugs have an extremely negative effect on the rapidly forming cells of organs - the intestinal mucosa, liver, kidneys, skin and mucous membranes.

As a rule, after the establishment of an oncological diagnosis, it is he who becomes the main one. And chronic diseases, which probably led to the malignant process, become "comorbidities."

Oncologists practically do not deal with these diseases. But in vain. Indeed, the exacerbation of chronic pathologies often makes it impossible to continue chemotherapy courses.

How to make chemotherapy easier?

1) If it concerns the chemotherapy regimen, then oncologists often select drug regimens that are best tolerated - “sparing chemotherapy”.

2) It is possible to facilitate chemotherapy, that is, tolerability of chemotherapy, by strengthening all its functions with the help of an accompanying complex phytohealth. Phytohealing in oncology is the use of phytoinfusions, phytoextracts, external phytoextracts in order to correct concomitant pathologies, taking into account the oncological process. Accompanying phytohealth is the safest and at the same time the most reliable way to remove the effects of intoxication, increase the internal reserves of the body, and protect against infectious complications.

3) Chemotherapy can also be facilitated by adding an anti-cancer diet.

4) Psychotherapy to facilitate chemotherapy is desirable. Because it helps to overcome the barrier in perception. Many people break down psychologically already at the stage of diagnosis and often even in the initial stages of the disease. Psychotherapy and a change in life attitudes allow you to find inner spiritual strength for later life, for restoring health.

How to relieve chemotherapy with herbs.

The mechanism of action of herbs is that they directly affect the toxins in the intestinal lumen, and the second mechanism is indirect. Entering the bloodstream, plant components are able to activate our own mechanisms - metabolism improves, the work of our own antioxidant system accelerates, enzymes are activated, blood supply to internal organs and skin improves. All functional reserves of the body are replenished.

How to take herbs for chemotherapy.

The scheme for receiving phytocollections provides

Stage 1 - Cleansing. It starts from the moment of diagnosis and before specialized treatment (surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy).

Stage 2 - Anti-inflammatory, protective (during chemotherapy).

Stage 3 - Recovery (after chemotherapy, usually within 14 days).

© Mezhenina Galina Alexandrovna, pharmacist, specialist in medicinal plants and accompanying phytohealth in oncology.

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Light chemotherapy: how to facilitate chemotherapy treatment?

Unfortunately, there are more and more people with cancer who need appropriate treatment. One of the stages of treatment of such patients is chemotherapy. We will not talk about the consequences of chemotherapy on the body and how it is carried out, but consider what can be done so that the patient endures all the hardships of treatment as painlessly as possible, how to facilitate chemotherapy.

Light chemotherapy and its features

Probably, not everyone knows what light chemotherapy is. It is recommended for the treatment of the most initial manifestations of malignant tumors. Such chemistry is prescribed for people who have weak immunity, as well as for children and adolescents. The use of this therapy depends on the results of the necessary studies of the tumor tissue.

Such chemotherapy is distinguished by much more gentle targeted drugs that act pointwise on the tumor itself and minimally damage all healthy cells. The necessary individual treatment regimen is selected, and courses of chemotherapy are prescribed with the necessary breaks for rest.

In addition, mild chemo has far fewer side effects than regular chemo, but it requires the same safety precautions: sun protection (no beaches required), proper diet, etc. Its continuation depends on many factors. In the case of positive tests, the patient is transferred to treatment with hormonal drugs.

Such a question, probably, was of interest to many who were involuntarily associated with such a serious disease as cancer. So, how to make chemotherapy easier?

There are certain ways to facilitate the portability of the procedure. This:

Selection of the optimal treatment regimen that would be best tolerated directly by a specific person;

Carrying out phytotherapy. With the help of appropriate decoctions and infusions, you can hold the immune system, as well as remove the intoxication of the body;

Conducting psychotherapy. For many patients, such a diagnosis as cancer is perceived as a death sentence. It is necessary to help the patient to slightly change the direction of thought. Only a positive attitude and faith in your victory over the disease will help not only to recover, but also to cope with all the hardships of treatment;

Dieting. We know that during such a procedure, appetite is significantly reduced, and vomiting may occur. It is necessary to use such products that, at the very minimum volume, saturate the body with all useful substances - for example, cottage cheese, whipped cream, nuts, etc .;

The use of baths with the use of medicinal plants. Such procedures are carried out absolutely at all stages of chemotherapy, as well as after it. The duration of the bath should be about 25 minutes, several times a week;

So, you already know how to make chemotherapy easier. The main thing is not to lose heart and remember that everything will be fine. Good luck!

Diagnosis and treatment of oncology in medical centers in Israel detailed information

If you have questions for oncologists, you can ask on our website in the consultation section

Chemotherapy: how to ease the pain of treatment

Many cancer patients fear chemotherapy like hell. And not without reason. The physical hardships that fall to their lot at this time are sometimes comparable, and even exceed those that the disease itself brings them.

However, not everything is so dramatic, experts say, if the treatment of cancer is carried out against the backdrop of maintenance therapy.

The word is given to our experts - Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, Head of the Department of Anesthesiology and Resuscitation of the Research Institute of Pediatric Oncology and Hematology of the Russian Cancer Research Center. N. N. Blokhin of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences Alexander Saltanov and Ph.D. N. N. Blokhin, Chairman of the Working Group on Maintenance Therapy of the Professional Society of Oncologists-Chemotherapists (RUSSCO) Anton Snegovy.

With sense, with arrangement

Nausea, vomiting, headaches... Almost everyone who has been or is being treated with cytotoxic drugs that suppress cancer cells faces these and other unpleasant symptoms.

But the toxic drug effect on the body exhausted by a serious illness can be reduced. How? On this account, the RONTS im. N. N. Blokhin and other leading oncological institutions of our country have accumulated successful experience.

To begin with, doctors calculate the possible risks of the patient's upcoming chemotherapy. Before taking him for complex and expensive treatment, oncologists evaluate everything: the age of the patient, his general condition, the functioning of internal organs, the stage of the disease, and nutritional status. Indeed, in order to defeat the disease, oncologists are increasingly resorting to intensive, so-called dose-compacted treatment regimens, with short intervals, which not every patient can endure.

When prescribing chemotherapy, patients are divided into two groups: those who receive it in the adjuvant (prophylactic) mode, after radical therapeutic effects (surgery, radiation therapy), and those who receive drugs in the therapeutic mode. Doctors track the first group especially closely - in order to maintain the result that their predecessors (surgeons, radiologists) have achieved.

With the support

Doctors are trying to overcome the inevitable adverse reactions in patients to antitumor therapy in different ways: drug support for the blood system, bone tissue, kidneys, and liver, which take on the greatest toxic burden.

Oncologists also attach great importance to the nutritional support of patients, without which it is difficult to carry out chemotherapy in full. After all, as a result of the disease itself and aggressive treatment, the work of the gastrointestinal tract can be disrupted in patients, and it becomes problematic for them to take regular food. Not to mention the fact that it is quite difficult to replenish the energy balance necessary in the fight against a serious illness in this way.

In addition, in some cases, patients develop the so-called anorexia-cachexia syndrome, from which every 4 out of 20 cancer patients die. Those suffering from this syndrome turn off the need for food, there is a violation of all metabolic processes (the absorption of fats, proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals), and the person dies from exhaustion and insufficient work of internal organs.

To cope with this situation, the appointment of special artificial mixtures enterally (through the mouth) or parenterally (that is, intravenously) helps, which cancer patients receive free of charge while in the hospital.

no casualties

In order to successfully undergo chemotherapy and not collapse physically, cancer patients need not only supportive therapy, but also adherence to certain rules of life.

First of all, it is important to keep moving. The generally accepted view that a cancer patient should rest, according to doctors, is detrimental. Oncologists recommend that their patients walk more. After all, our feet are our second heart.

Do not limit yourself too strictly in nutrition. At the time of chemotherapy, doctors only ask to reduce the consumption of foods that irritate the gastrointestinal tract - spicy, salty, spicy. Reduce, but don't give up. After all, these products stimulate appetite, which is often reduced in cancer patients.

And of course, don't treat chemotherapy like torture. The time of hard trials will pass. You just need to be patient. Extensive clinical experience shows that good contact with the attending physician and inner readiness to go through this difficult path increase a person's resources and give him more strength to fight the disease.

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Consequences after chemotherapy

Cancer cells have a feature of rapidly dividing, which allows the tumor to grow very quickly and metastasize to other organs of the human body. To prevent their growth and destroy existing cancer cells, medicine uses such a technique as chemotherapy. But at the current level of development of medicine, it has not yet been possible to create a drug that would selectively destroy only cancer cells. Therefore, the consequences after chemotherapy are quite complex and destructive for the patient's body.

After undergoing such therapy, the patient subsequently has to undergo a rehabilitation course.

The consequences of chemotherapy in men

Cancer cells are quite aggressive and have a high rate of division. To slow down this growth and destroy cancer cells, treatment with chemical medicines will be used. The consequences of chemotherapy in men are for the most part the same as in the fairer sex, but in the light of physiological differences, there are differences. The drugs used significantly affect the function of the genital organs of the strong half of humanity. After medical procedures, reproductive abilities decrease, as the number and activity of spermatozoa decreases. This becomes a factor of temporary infertility. With a favorable outcome, after a certain period of time, germ cells are restored, their number is normalized.

Another, purely psychological problem, may be the loss of libido and erection. Here, the support of the second half of the patient is of great importance in helping to restore “lost” functions. Over time, in the vast majority of cases, erection and attraction to the opposite sex returns. During chemotherapy and for another year after it, during sexual intercourse, a man must use condoms, since there is a high probability of conceiving a child with a developmental deviation.

The consequences of chemotherapy in women

Cancer is over, and now we have to face the consequences of chemotherapy in women. The very way of life after the hospital, some have to change radically.

  • You need to be more careful about your health.
  • Take a closer look at a balanced diet.
  • Raw and stewed vegetables and fruits should be the basis of the table.
  • Do not forget about meat and fish.
  • Positive emotions are also a medicine that will help the patient to go through the rehabilitation process in the shortest period of time.
  • Sleep and walks in the fresh air.
  • Minimize physical activity.

The consequences after chemotherapy in women can result in a violation of the ovaries. In this regard, menstruation becomes irregular or even able to disappear for a while. This factor is the cause of temporary infertility in women. Over time, all reproductive functions should be restored. The term depends on the characteristics of the physiology of a particular woman. Symptoms akin to menopause may occur. But this is also all passing.

If, during chemotherapy, the attending physician took care of protecting the woman's ovaries, then this will give her the opportunity to become a mother in the future. If a malignant tumor is recognized at the time when the fair sex is pregnant, doctors may, if possible, postpone chemotherapy until the postpartum period. During the procedure, sexual partners must use contraceptives, since pregnancy is unacceptable during this period. The consequences of exposure to chemicals can affect the development of a small person.

Consequences of chemotherapy in children

Many parents understand that the effectiveness of chemotherapy in destroying malignant cells is not in doubt, but the consequences of chemotherapy in children can be significant and manifest with varying degrees of severity. Little men after such a procedure need increased attention from parents and special care. Some things have to be limited. All the complications that adults experience are also inherent in small patients, with the only difference being that, due to the imperfection of the immune system, they endure them much more acutely. Therefore, parents need to know a few simple rules that will help the baby to go through the procedures more easily and survive their consequences.

  • To avoid or reduce the severity of vomiting or diarrhea, do not give your baby spicy, sweet and fatty foods. Eating should be fractional, in small portions. The child needs to drink enough fluids. Three to four hours before the procedure, the baby should not be fed. If these complications nevertheless appear and are quite severe, it is necessary to inform the oncologist who will prescribe medications that relieve this problem.
  • The child needs to brush his teeth with a soft brush so as not to damage the mucous membrane. In case of dryness in the oral cavity, rinse with medicinal infusions, rinses or sprays into the hygienic complex.
  • When washing your hair, you must use a mild shampoo, when combing - not a hard comb. When going outside, the baby's head should be covered with a panama hat, hat or scarf. Older children should buy a wig, after discussing the color and hairstyle, so that they feel more comfortable in it.
  • The baby needs to drink enough fluids so that there is no delay in the removal of urine from the body.
  • It is necessary to monitor the nutrition of the baby. It should be varied and must contain products that help restore hemoglobin levels in the blood.
  • If during the rehabilitation process any symptoms of a disease of any genesis occur, the attending physician of the child must be immediately notified.
  • Often in a baby, the consequences after chemotherapy can appear even years later. Most often, reproductive and cardiovascular functions can suffer. Therefore, such children are kept under control by a cardiologist.

How to alleviate the effects of chemotherapy?

Chemotherapy is an effective technique in the fight against cancerous tumors, but it brings with it complications that patients have to deal with during rehabilitation. How to alleviate the effects of chemotherapy? This question is asked by any person who has encountered these problems.

Sorbents will help to stop many complications that have arisen after chemotherapy. They absorb (take on) toxins and remove them from the body with the help of the urinary system, thereby reducing the aggressiveness of complications, making them less noticeable. One of the sorbents used in this situation is enterosgel.

Enterosgel. The course of admission is purely individual. On average, it ranges from a week to two, and in more severe cases of intoxication with an interval of three days, the cycle of administration is repeated. The drug is available in the form of a paste. Apply it inside, washing down with a decent volume of water. The medicine is drunk two hours before or after a meal. The daily dosage for adults is 45 g, divided into three doses (one-time - 15 g or one tablespoon).

Contraindication to the use of the drug is only acute intestinal obstruction.

Anticancer drugs do not distinguish between a cancer cell and a normal cell, destroying with the same effort. Due to this defeat, the immune system suffers significantly, creating excellent soil for pathogenic flora and viruses. If the temperature rises and other signs of the disease appear, it is necessary to consult an oncologist and start treating a progressive disease. The doctor may prescribe antibiotics.

The nutrition of such a patient should be balanced, enriched with a vitamin-mineral complex. Meals - fractional, small portions, five to six times a day. Dairy products that can fill the need for a weakened body with calcium are very shown.

In order to support liver function, hepaprotectors, such as phospholipids, are attributed to the cancer patient during the recovery period. This drug is used intravenously at a dosage of 0.5-1 g, two to three droppers per day, previously diluted with a 5% dextrose solution (or the patient's blood in a ratio of 1: 1). The duration of admission is up to three months.

The drug is contraindicated for use only in case of hypersensitivity to its components.

In any case, only a doctor should prescribe all drugs! And in everyday life, the patient will need to adjust their habits.

  • Diets and food restrictions are discussed by the attending physician.
  • Reduce physical activity.
  • Rest more in nature.
  • If the kidneys are not significantly damaged, then they can be supported by abundant consumption of slightly alkaline mineral water (without gas). It perfectly cleanses the body, removing the results of cellular decay.
  • To normalize the pressure - take diuretic herbs.

Many patients are so tired of injections and pills that they prefer alternative methods of recovery. For example, to increase the number of white blood cells (leukocytes), they drink infusions from angelica roots, chicory flowers, sweet clover. But the tincture of Eleutherococcus, nettle, yarrow, golden root will help raise hemoglobin, the number of platelets and red blood cells in the blood. In order to quickly restore the hairline on the head, our grandmothers also recommended washing it with infusions of burdock root or hops.

If desired, the patient can undergo rehabilitation support in a specialized dispensary or sanatorium.

Consequences after chemotherapy for lung cancer

Any anti-cancer drug is toxic to the body. Medicine and pharmacology have not yet been able to obtain such a drug that would effectively destroy cancer cells and bypass healthy ones. Therefore, the most common side effects after chemotherapy for lung cancer are hair loss, nausea, and vomiting. How to deal with these symptoms is written above.

After chemotherapy for lung cancer, the patient needs to control the components of the blood for a long time, since the complications of the late period include inhibition of hematopoiesis.

Modern medicine offers a fairly wide selection of antiemetic drugs that perfectly relieve nausea. There are innovative methods of dealing with hair loss - consult your doctor and he will tell you what to do.

Consequences after chemotherapy for ovarian cancer

To date, there are no more significant methods for preventing ovarian cancer than preventive examinations of women by a gynecologist. If a disease is suspected, an ultrasound tomography is also prescribed, and when the diagnosis is confirmed (whether it be a malignant or benign tumor), it is removed, quite often along with the ovaries.

The latest techniques in the field of oncology allow you to treat the patient's body more sparingly than a few years ago, while the main thing is to choose the right dosage of the drug and the protocol for their administration. The consequences after chemotherapy for ovarian cancer are quite diverse and are similar to the complications that patients receive after chemotherapy of other organs. Although doctors are trying to minimize them.

Complications after chemotherapy:

  • Hair loss, which psychologically hits a woman.
  • Nausea with manifestations of vomiting, diarrhea.
  • Infectious diseases due to a decrease in the body's defenses.
  • Pathology of blood formations.
  • Anemia.
  • Problems with urination.
  • Puffiness.

The methods used during the recovery period directly depend on the results of the biopsy and other clinical studies. And, first of all, it is necessary to speed up the process of strengthening the protective properties of the body, which are significantly weakened by the action of chemicals. Chemotherapy in the case of cancer patients is 100% justified, since this is sometimes the only way to give the patient hope for life.

Most often, relapses of this disease appear after treatment in the first one and a half to two years. Most of the affected cells are localized in the space of the rectum - uterus. Therefore, do not ignore preventive trips to the gynecologist.

Consequences after chemotherapy for lymphoma

All types of cytostatics of the latest generation are quite selective, directing the maximum effect on cancer-affected cells, while treating healthy cells more sparingly. But they are still exposed to this toxic effect, which results in complications that are the same for the effects of chemotherapy with tumor localization in other organs. Therefore, if you list the consequences after chemotherapy for lymphoma, then they are, in many respects, the same as described earlier.

But medicine does not stand still, and drugs (monoclonal antibodies) appear that selectively destroy only B-cells, though both tumor classification and normal B-lymphocytes. Complications appear during the procedure for administering the drug, or after it, but they are still more narrowly focused. These are easier to deal with. At the level of laboratory research, there are drugs that specifically destroy only cancer cells - this is just a breakthrough in oncology. Having received such a medicine, the patient will be almost completely deprived of the consequences after chemotherapy. But while it may not be far, but still the future.

When prescribing a treatment course, the oncologist considers the prospects for possible complications and relapses. For example, if this type of lymphoma is aggressive and has a severe course, then the risk of using chemotherapy, with all the ensuing complications, is justified. It is better to treat the consequences than to lose a life.

Consequences after chemotherapy for leukemia

The most common consequences after chemotherapy for leukemia can be identified as bleeding, nausea, in severe cases, vomiting, and hair loss. The reason for their manifestation is the inhibition or slowdown in the growth of rapidly dividing healthy cells of the body.

The consequences of chemotherapy for some types of leukemia can be infertility. Moreover, this can also affect the prospect of not having children later in still young patients. If an adult man who is indicated for chemotherapy still plans to have heirs, the attending physician suggests freezing the sperm before starting the course of treatment (later it can be used for reproduction). This is suggested because after exposure to anti-cancer drugs, the male reproductive organs stop reproducing spermatozoa, becoming infertile. Over time, this function may be restored, or it may remain lost forever.

In the case of women, the ovaries are affected. Such a pathology entails disruptions in the menstrual cycle, manifestations of menopause are possible. As with men, a woman, after chemotherapy, has a high probability of infertility, therefore, if she ever wants to know the joy of motherhood, she needs to undergo a procedure for the removal and cryo-freezing of the egg before the treatment course.

The consequences after chemotherapy are quite different. It all depends on the physiological characteristics of each patient, the severity of the disease, the dosage of the drugs taken and the time spectrum of treatment.

Consequences after red chemotherapy

Medical professionals often refer to breast cancer as red chemotherapy. And do not assume that this pathology applies only to women. Yes, their number among patients with this diagnosis is higher in percentage terms than men. But the disease does not parse by gender.

The consequences after red chemotherapy are, for the most part, temporary. Some of them, with little effort on the part of the patient, pass on their own, and some require medical treatment.

In addition to nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite and other complications discussed above, scaly areas appear on the skin of the body and on the nail plates, a venous pattern can be outlined, and inflammatory processes appear. It is desirable to open such lesions as little as possible to direct sunlight. It would be nice if the underwear and clothes were made from natural materials (preferably cotton and linen).

The patient after a course of chemotherapy is obliged to nullify contact with aggressive chemical environments and household chemicals. A woman will have to do without cosmetics for some time, as there is a possibility of an allergic reaction to the components of the substance, even if there were no such occurrences before treatment.

Hair loss and brittle nails are psychologically unpleasant, but fixable. There are manifestations of a more severe degree, when the nail plate is simply removed, moving away from the skin. This allows pathogenic bacteria and viruses to enter the weakened body. In this case, the nails must be cut short, it is forbidden to use varnish and false nails. Otherwise, the restoration of the nail will be much slower. It is advisable to carry out household chores with gloves on. Until the hair grows back, you will have to make do with a wig.

Complications after chemotherapy for breast cancer, as a rule, are unpleasant, but not severe, and with adequate therapy pass quickly enough, allowing the woman to return to her usual rhythm and daily routine.

Long-term effects of chemotherapy

Long-term effects of chemotherapy are rare, but manifest. After undergoing a course of treatment using the method of chemical attack on a cancer cell, there is a small chance that the anticancer drugs used can eventually cause the development of other types of cancer. The percentage of such relapses is small (1 - 2%). But anyway. Usually such "déjà vu" appears after the passage of ten years.

In some cases, the consequence of the use of chemistry may be the infertility of the patient who has undergone treatment. To enable patients to become parents later, the oncologist in charge suggests undergoing a procedure for the removal and freezing: in men - spermatozoa, and in women - eggs.

Rehabilitation, or recovery, which a cancer patient must undergo in order to eliminate the consequences after chemotherapy, can take a significant period of time (from six months to two years). Only a complete restoration of all body functions can unambiguously say that this stage is completed. But no matter how frightening chemotherapy with all its complications, sometimes it is the only saving straw that can bring the patient back to life. Whatever the diagnosis is, it is necessary to fight for life! And go in this fight to the end!

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Treatment of the consequences of chemotherapy

Strange as it may sound, but after the treatment course of oncological disease, oncologists have to start the next stage - the treatment of the consequences of chemotherapy. From the action of anticancer drugs, the gastrointestinal tract and the immune system of the body are exposed to the greatest destructive effect. Therefore, the doctor ascribes to his patient drugs that are able to stabilize and support the function of the gastrointestinal tract. It is also worth increasing the consumption of dairy products. Not the last place here is occupied by pomegranate with a liver, with daily consumption of which the patient's hemoglobin increases.

This drug is prescribed for acute diarrhea, which often accompanies the consequences after chemotherapy.

Babies are prescribed this medicine:

  • peanuts two to five years old - three times a day, 1 mg,
  • children from six to eight years old - 2 mg twice a day,
  • children from nine to twelve - 2 mg three times a day.

If diarrhea does not stop on the second day, the dose is increased to 2 mg after each bowel movement. The daily amount of the drug is determined at the rate of not more than 6 mg for every 20 kg of the child's weight.

An adult is prescribed a starting dose of 4 mg, and then each bowel movement another 2 mg (gradually reducing the dosage). The maintenance daily volume of the drug is 4-8 mg, the maximum dosage per day is 16 mg.

With chronic symptoms, the starting dosage remains the same, then the maintenance dose is calculated depending on the daily frequency of stools (the consistency of feces should be normal). If the toilet is calculated in one or two trips, then the drug intake is mg per day.

Side effects appear only with prolonged use of the drug.

The drug is prescribed for children over 12 years old and adults, 2 caplets immediately after the first case of liquid bowel movement. Further, one caplet after each bowel movement, but not exceeding 4 pieces per day.

  • from nine to eleven years old (with a weight of 27-43 kg) - 1 piece after the first liquid stool and half after each next trip to the toilet (no more than 3 pieces per day).
  • from six to eight years (with a weight of 21–26 kg) - the dosage is the same as for older children, with the exception that no more than 2 caplets should be taken per day. Taking the drug for no more than two days.

Contraindications: children under 6 years of age, individual intolerance to the components of the drug, diarrhea with high fever and if blood and mucus are visible in the feces.

To raise the patient's immunity, a vitamin-mineral complex is prescribed in tandem with food rich in trace elements and vitamins.

One of the unpleasant consequences after chemotherapy is the appearance on the oral mucosa of small but painful sores - stomatitis. Usually it goes away on its own within a few days, but in order to speed up this process, at home it is necessary to rinse your mouth several times a day with medicinal rinses and balms. You can rinse with decoctions of herbs that have antiseptic properties: calendula, oak bark, sage, chamomile ... It is advisable to brush your teeth with a soft brush so as not to injure gum tissue, and the toothpaste used should not contain sodium lauryl sulfate and calcium carbonate, which are quite a coarse abrasive . It's great when it is made on the basis of silicon dioxide, and it contains antiseptics and fluorides.

Against the background of chemotherapy, the patient often experiences nausea and vomiting. Modern medicine can offer a fairly wide range of drugs that can solve this problem, but only the attending physician should prescribe them. For example:

The doctor can prescribe a drug for an adult once in a vein or intramuscularly, in an amount of 8 mg before the procedure or 8-32 mg dissolved in 100 ml of 0.9% sodium chloride solution, through a dropper after chemistry.

Children aged six months to 17 years:

  • if the child has a body area less than 0.6 m2, then the starting dose is administered intravenously in an amount of 5 mg / m2 before chemotherapy. Then 2 mg every 12 hours for five days.
  • if the surface area falls within 0.6 - 12 m2, the drug is administered at the same dose before the procedure, and then 4 mg every 12 hours for five days.
  • the surface area of ​​the child is more than 12 m2, the starting dosage is 8 mg before the procedure and the same amount every 12 hours for five days.

This drug is injected into a muscle or vein. The bottle is diluted immediately before the injection. The solution is prepared by mixing the contents of a vial of Ativan with 5% saline for injection. The rate of administration should not exceed 2 mg per minute. This drug is not injected into an artery. It cannot be attributed to people suffering from an allergic reaction to the constituent drugs, if they have problems with breathing during sleep, functional disorders in the kidneys and liver, and other diseases (for a more complete list of contraindications, see the instructions for this drug).

Baldness is perhaps one of the most psychologically unpleasant consequences after chemotherapy, especially for women. This phenomenon can be attributed to temporary inconvenience. Over time, the hairline will recover on its own, and for the rehabilitation period, you can use the services of a wig. In order to partially prevent, and subsequently reanimate hair, you must adhere to a number of simple rules:

  • Wash your hair with a mild baby shampoo.
  • Do not use curlers and tongs.
  • Do not blow dry your hair.
  • Be sure to wear a hat when outside.

In the process, and for a long time after chemotherapy, the patient's body is in a weakened state, the immune system is depressed, and cannot fight pathogenic flora and viral infections. Therefore, during this period, it is necessary to minimize the contacts of the patient with others, including relatives. The fewer people the patient communicates with, the more chances he has to avoid infection and complications after the disease. The disease can also arise from its own bacteria, which, without fail, are present in any organism (for example, such as thrush).

This drug is presented in capsules and tablets. Drink it half an hour before meals. The dosage and dosage regimen can only be prescribed by the attending physician.

  • in case of thrush in the oral cavity - the reception is carried out for one to two weeks at a dosage of 50 - 100 mg.
  • with skin manifestations - once a week, 150 mg. The duration of treatment is from two to six weeks. The duration depends on the severity of the disease.

It is also necessary, in order to increase the body's immune forces, to connect the mineral-vitamin complex and a rationally balanced diet.

Another consequence after chemotherapy is anemia, which is expressed by a decrease in the number of red blood cells in the blood plasma and the level of hemoglobin. To bring these parameters back to normal, the attending physician prescribes iron-containing drugs to his patient, such as maltofer, ferlatum and others.

The drug is taken before or after meals. For adults, the dosage is 15 - 30 ml daily. For children, it is prescribed individually at the rate of 1.5 ml per kilogram of the child's weight. After stabilization of the norm of hemoglobin in the blood, fixing actions continue for another two to three months.

  • This drug is contraindicated in case of hypersensitivity to component substances, if the patient suffers from chronic pancreatitis, cirrhosis ...

The medicine in drops or syrup is dissolved in juice or any drink (but not alcohol). Tablets are simply washed down with a glass of water or the same liquid. The term of admission and dosage is prescribed by the doctor.

  • Infants up to a year - once a day helped. Prevention - 15 - 25 mg.
  • Babies from a year to twelve - once a day, help the drug, prophylactic.
  • Adolescents over 12 years of age and adults mg once a day. Prophylactically - 50 - 100 mg daily.

The duration of admission is five to seven months.

It is advisable not to take this drug for people with individual sensitivity to the components of the drug, as well as for problems with the function of iron excretion.

Thrombophlebitis is another consequence after chemotherapy. Inflammation of the walls of the vein, it can occur:

  • As a result of taking drugs used in chemotherapy.
  • Due to the use of hormonal drugs.
  • May develop after a long presence of a catheter in a blood vessel.
  • Injuries.
  • Genetic or acquired tendency to form blood clots.

Such complications are rare, but they should not be discounted.

Prophylactically - three tablets three times a day for one and a half months.

For babies from five to twelve years old, the daily dosage is calculated as one tablet per kilogram of the child's weight. Adolescents over 12 years of age - the regimen is prescribed as for adults. The course of treatment is assigned by the attending physician individually to each patient.

The drug is drunk half an hour before a meal, washed down with a glass of clean water.

More about treatment

Medical Expert Editor

Portnov Alexey Alexandrovich

Education: Kyiv National Medical University. A.A. Bogomolets, specialty - "Medicine"

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ATTENTION! SELF-MEDING CAN BE HARMFUL TO YOUR HEALTH!

Be sure to consult with a qualified specialist so as not to harm your health!

Experts studying the process of human aging are full of optimism. They claim that thanks to the practical application of their discoveries, even with the current level of knowledge, our life can last up to 120 years on average instead of the current 70. According to scientists, if we maintained the resistance to stress, injury and disease that a 10-year-old child has throughout our lives, then most of us could reach more than 700 years of age!

In the meantime, our expectations regarding life expectancy are not much higher than the 70-year milestone, which the author of the biblical psalm spoke of as the norm. It is encouraging that the older you get, the higher your life expectancy will be.

if you

* 40, you can count on another 32.6 years = 72.6;

* 45, you can count on another 28.3 years = 73.3;

* 50, you can count on another 24.1 years = 74.1;

* 60, you can count on another 16.8 years = 76.8.

Many people overcome this age threshold.

Paragox of aging

Living long is very good, but longer is not necessarily better. The most important thing is the quality of life. Among the peoples of the world, there are several remarkable examples of long life spans. The people of Ecuador, the Caucasus, and the Khuntsa people of Pakistan are widely known for living and being active longer than other peoples. Their secret is believed to lie in a balanced diet, regular exercise, healthy sleep, and a relaxed attitude to stress. In the UK, there are 22 men and 50 women per 100,000 inhabitants who have stepped over the century, while in Ecuador this figure reaches 100 per 100,000 population. In general, the study shows with obvious clarity that our chronological age does not always correspond to our biological age. Therein lies the paradox: some people are younger, say, at 55, than others at 45! Dr. Harold Shryock says of such people that, barring accidents or serious illnesses, "young" 55-year-olds live longer than 45-year-olds who are already "aged."

Why do we get old

In addition to the passage of time, there are obviously a number of factors that influence the aging process. These factors can be grouped into two main groups:

Internal (congenital factors)

* According to gerontologists (specialists who study aging), our body has a biological clock consisting of approximately 7,000 genes, with another 7,000 genes performing an auxiliary function. The chromosomes of these genes shorten with age and lose the ability to reproduce and restore body cells. This process is slower in women, and therefore they tend to live longer;

* gradual decrease in the level of growth factors in the body;

* the body produces more substances that contribute to aging;

* cell growth stops, and destroyed cells are not replaced;

* cells are not functioning properly;

* Harmful substances gradually accumulate in the cells.

External (external factors)

* damage resulting from physical injury, chemical or temperature changes;

* diseases,

* hazards associated with background and other radiation (domestic or industrial);

* turmoil in dealing with people, stress of a general nature;

* adverse environmental factors (dust, dirt, strong odors, etc.).

Consequences of aging

The impact of internal and external factors, which is quite natural, leads to a number of consequences for our physiology and psyche. They are considered "normal", changes that come with age. They affect all systems of the body;

* body structure.

There is a tendency towards a decrease in muscle mass (especially in people who do not exercise) and an increase in adipose tissue. This process leads to a loss of physical strength, mobility, as well as an increase in the risk of various diseases;

* body flexibility.

The burden of the past years begins to affect the joints, and the connective tissue becomes more rigid. As a result, the whole body loses flexibility, joint strength and mobility;

* the structure of bones changes.

Decreased bone mineral levels, osteoporosis, which is promoted by caffeinated drinks, increases the risk of fracture, weight loss, or spinal curvature;

* the cardiovascular system.

The elasticity of blood vessels decreases, the heart muscle and volume of the heart decrease, the electrical stimulation of the heart decreases. This leads to an increase in blood pressure, to a decrease in the amount of oxygen carried, and also to a decrease in the maximum heart rate;

* respiratory system.

Deterioration of the lungs and supporting structures makes it difficult to breathe;

* nervous system.

The speed of passage of nerve impulses decreases, so a person reacts more sluggishly to stimuli. Changes in brain chemistry can lead to distraction, inappropriate responses, and memory loss. Any existing damage to any part of the brain plays a negative role in this.

All of the above looks like a list of misfortunes, but we should not forget that they can be avoided and they do not affect all older people.

How to slow down the aging process

It is not at all necessary to go in search of the mythical fountain of youth in order to prolong the joy of life. There are a number of simple measures that will help a person enjoy a full life for as long as possible. The best anti-aging remedy is physical and mental activity.

Of no small importance in preventing the dangers that may come along with advancing years is communication with people. Studies around the world show that if a person is isolated or feels lonely, they are at increased risk of various diseases. On the other hand, other social participation increases the level of protective hormones in the body.

Other factors contributing to slowing down the aging process: * A balanced diet. The body's energy requirements decrease with age, so every ten years you need to reduce your diet by 5 percent to maintain your ideal weight. A balanced diet will help prevent the loss of minerals vital to the human skeletal system;

* it is necessary to choose overwork;

* Regular exercise. They help to strengthen the respiratory, cardiovascular and skeletal systems;

* it is necessary to avoid stress as much as possible, as well as practice useful relaxation techniques;

* regular medical check-ups.

The sooner you start to adhere to such a healthy practice, the less noticeable will be the transitions from one age to another.

Remember: our present and future depend on what we did in the past

Cancer cells are quite aggressive and have a high rate of division. To slow down this growth and destroy cancer cells, treatment with chemical medicines will be used. The consequences of chemotherapy in men are for the most part the same as in the fairer sex, but in the light of physiological differences, there are differences. The drugs used significantly affect the function of the genital organs of the strong half of humanity. After medical procedures, reproductive abilities decrease, as the number and activity of spermatozoa decreases. This becomes a factor of temporary infertility. With a favorable outcome, after a certain period of time, germ cells are restored, their number is normalized.

Another, purely psychological problem, may be the loss of libido and erection. Here, the support of the second half of the patient is of great importance in helping to restore “lost” functions. Over time, in the vast majority of cases, erection and attraction to the opposite sex returns. During chemotherapy and for another year after it, during sexual intercourse, a man must use condoms, since there is a high probability of conceiving a child with a developmental deviation.

The consequences of chemotherapy in women

Cancer is over, and now we have to face the consequences of chemotherapy in women. The very way of life after the hospital, some have to change radically.

  • You need to be more careful about your health.
  • Take a closer look at a balanced diet.
  • Raw and stewed vegetables and fruits should be the basis of the table.
  • Do not forget about meat and fish.
  • Positive emotions are also a medicine that will help the patient to go through the rehabilitation process in the shortest period of time.
  • Sleep and walks in the fresh air.
  • Minimize physical activity.

The consequences after chemotherapy in women can result in a violation of the ovaries. In this regard, menstruation becomes irregular or even able to disappear for a while. This factor is the cause of temporary infertility in women. Over time, all reproductive functions should be restored. The term depends on the characteristics of the physiology of a particular woman. Symptoms akin to menopause may occur. But this is also all passing.

If, during chemotherapy, the attending physician took care of protecting the woman's ovaries, then this will give her the opportunity to become a mother in the future. If a malignant tumor is recognized at the time when the fair sex is pregnant, doctors may, if possible, postpone chemotherapy until the postpartum period. During the procedure, sexual partners must use contraceptives, since pregnancy is unacceptable during this period. The consequences of exposure to chemicals can affect the development of a small person.

Consequences of chemotherapy in children

Many parents understand that the effectiveness of chemotherapy in destroying malignant cells is not in doubt, but the consequences of chemotherapy in children can be significant and manifest with varying degrees of severity. Little men after such a procedure need increased attention from parents and special care. Some things have to be limited. All the complications that adults experience are also inherent in small patients, with the only difference being that, due to the imperfection of the immune system, they endure them much more acutely. Therefore, parents need to know a few simple rules that will help the baby to go through the procedures more easily and survive their consequences.

  • To avoid or reduce the severity of vomiting or diarrhea, do not give your baby spicy, sweet and fatty foods. Eating should be fractional, in small portions. The child needs to drink enough fluids. Three to four hours before the procedure, the baby should not be fed. If these complications nevertheless appear and are quite severe, it is necessary to inform the oncologist who will prescribe medications that relieve this problem.
  • The child needs to brush his teeth with a soft brush so as not to damage the mucous membrane. In case of dryness in the oral cavity, rinse with medicinal infusions, rinses or sprays into the hygienic complex.
  • When washing your hair, you must use a mild shampoo, when combing - not a hard comb. When going outside, the baby's head should be covered with a panama hat, hat or scarf. Older children should buy a wig, after discussing the color and hairstyle, so that they feel more comfortable in it.
  • The baby needs to drink enough fluids so that there is no delay in the removal of urine from the body.
  • It is necessary to monitor the nutrition of the baby. It should be varied and must contain products that help restore hemoglobin levels in the blood.
  • If during the rehabilitation process any symptoms of a disease of any genesis occur, the attending physician of the child must be immediately notified.
  • Often in a baby, the consequences after chemotherapy can appear even years later. Most often, reproductive and cardiovascular functions can suffer. Therefore, such children are kept under control by a cardiologist.

How to alleviate the effects of chemotherapy?

Chemotherapy is an effective technique in the fight against cancerous tumors, but it brings with it complications that patients have to deal with during rehabilitation. How to alleviate the effects of chemotherapy? This question is asked by any person who has encountered these problems.

Sorbents will help to stop many complications that have arisen after chemotherapy. They absorb (take on) toxins and remove them from the body with the help of the urinary system, thereby reducing the aggressiveness of complications, making them less noticeable. One of the sorbents used in this situation is enterosgel.

Enterosgel. The course of admission is purely individual. On average, it ranges from a week to two, and in more severe cases of intoxication with an interval of three days, the cycle of administration is repeated. The drug is available in the form of a paste. Apply it inside, washing down with a decent volume of water. The medicine is drunk two hours before or after a meal. The daily dosage for adults is 45 g, divided into three doses (one-time - 15 g or one tablespoon).

  • under the age of three years - twice a day, one teaspoon or 5g per dose.
  • children three to five years old - a teaspoon three times a day.
  • children from five to 14 years old - one dessert spoon three times a day. In total - 30 g daily.

Contraindication to the use of the drug is only acute intestinal obstruction.

Anticancer drugs do not distinguish between a cancer cell and a normal cell, destroying with the same effort. Due to this defeat, the immune system suffers significantly, creating excellent soil for pathogenic flora and viruses. If the temperature rises and other signs of the disease appear, it is necessary to consult an oncologist and start treating a progressive disease. The doctor may prescribe antibiotics.

The nutrition of such a patient should be balanced, enriched with a vitamin-mineral complex. Meals - fractional, small portions, five to six times a day. Dairy products that can fill the need for a weakened body with calcium are very shown.

In order to support liver function, hepaprotectors, such as phospholipids, are attributed to the cancer patient during the recovery period. This drug is used intravenously at a dosage of 0.5-1 g, two to three droppers per day, previously diluted in 250-300 ml of a 5% dextrose solution (or the patient's blood in a ratio of 1: 1). The duration of admission is up to three months.

The drug is contraindicated for use only in case of hypersensitivity to its components.

In any case, only a doctor should prescribe all drugs! And in everyday life, the patient will need to adjust their habits.

  • Diets and food restrictions are discussed by the attending physician.
  • Reduce physical activity.
  • Rest more in nature.
  • If the kidneys are not significantly damaged, then they can be supported by abundant consumption of slightly alkaline mineral water (without gas). It perfectly cleanses the body, removing the results of cellular decay.
  • To normalize the pressure - take diuretic herbs.

Many patients are so tired of injections and pills that they prefer alternative methods of recovery. For example, to increase the number of white blood cells (leukocytes), they drink infusions from angelica roots, chicory flowers, sweet clover. But the tincture of Eleutherococcus, nettle, yarrow, golden root will help raise hemoglobin, the number of platelets and red blood cells in the blood. In order to quickly restore the hairline on the head, our grandmothers also recommended washing it with infusions of burdock root or hops.

If desired, the patient can undergo rehabilitation support in a specialized dispensary or sanatorium.

Consequences after chemotherapy for lung cancer

Any anti-cancer drug is toxic to the body. Medicine and pharmacology have not yet been able to obtain such a drug that would effectively destroy cancer cells and bypass healthy ones. Therefore, the most common side effects after chemotherapy for lung cancer are hair loss, nausea, and vomiting. How to deal with these symptoms is written above.

After chemotherapy for lung cancer, the patient needs to control the components of the blood for a long time, since the complications of the late period include inhibition of hematopoiesis.

Modern medicine offers a fairly wide selection of antiemetic drugs that perfectly relieve nausea. There are innovative methods of dealing with hair loss - consult your doctor and he will tell you what to do.

Consequences after chemotherapy for ovarian cancer

To date, there are no more significant methods for preventing ovarian cancer than preventive examinations of women by a gynecologist. If a disease is suspected, an ultrasound tomography is also prescribed, and when the diagnosis is confirmed (whether it be a malignant or benign tumor), it is removed, quite often along with the ovaries.

The latest techniques in the field of oncology allow you to treat the patient's body more sparingly than a few years ago, while the main thing is to choose the right dosage of the drug and the protocol for their administration. The consequences after chemotherapy for ovarian cancer are quite diverse and are similar to the complications that patients receive after chemotherapy of other organs. Although doctors are trying to minimize them.

Complications after chemotherapy:

  • Hair loss, which psychologically hits a woman.
  • Nausea with manifestations of vomiting, diarrhea.
  • Infectious diseases due to a decrease in the body's defenses.
  • Pathology of blood formations.
  • Anemia.
  • Problems with urination.
  • Puffiness.

The methods used during the recovery period directly depend on the results of the biopsy and other clinical studies. And, first of all, it is necessary to speed up the process of strengthening the protective properties of the body, which are significantly weakened by the action of chemicals. Chemotherapy in the case of cancer patients is 100% justified, since this is sometimes the only way to give the patient hope for life.

Most often, relapses of this disease appear after treatment in the first one and a half to two years. Most of the affected cells are localized in the space of the rectum - uterus. Therefore, do not ignore preventive trips to the gynecologist.

Consequences after chemotherapy for lymphoma

All types of cytostatics of the latest generation are quite selective, directing the maximum effect on cancer-affected cells, while treating healthy cells more sparingly. But they are still exposed to this toxic effect, which results in complications that are the same for the effects of chemotherapy with tumor localization in other organs. Therefore, if you list the consequences after chemotherapy for lymphoma, then they are, in many respects, the same as described earlier.

But medicine does not stand still, and drugs (monoclonal antibodies) appear that selectively destroy only B-cells, though both tumor classification and normal B-lymphocytes. Complications appear during the procedure for administering the drug, or after it, but they are still more narrowly focused. These are easier to deal with. At the level of laboratory research, there are drugs that specifically destroy only cancer cells - this is just a breakthrough in oncology. Having received such a medicine, the patient will be almost completely deprived of the consequences after chemotherapy. But while it may not be far, but still the future.

When prescribing a treatment course, the oncologist considers the prospects for possible complications and relapses. For example, if this type of lymphoma is aggressive and has a severe course, then the risk of using chemotherapy, with all the ensuing complications, is justified. It is better to treat the consequences than to lose a life.

Consequences after chemotherapy for leukemia

The most common consequences after chemotherapy for leukemia can be identified as bleeding, nausea, in severe cases, vomiting, and hair loss. The reason for their manifestation is the inhibition or slowdown in the growth of rapidly dividing healthy cells of the body.

The consequences of chemotherapy for some types of leukemia can be infertility. Moreover, this can also affect the prospect of not having children later in still young patients. If an adult man who is indicated for chemotherapy still plans to have heirs, the attending physician suggests freezing the sperm before starting the course of treatment (later it can be used for reproduction). This is suggested because after exposure to anti-cancer drugs, the male reproductive organs stop reproducing spermatozoa, becoming infertile. Over time, this function may be restored, or it may remain lost forever.

In the case of women, the ovaries are affected. Such a pathology entails disruptions in the menstrual cycle, manifestations of menopause are possible. As with men, a woman, after chemotherapy, has a high probability of infertility, therefore, if she ever wants to know the joy of motherhood, she needs to undergo a procedure for the removal and cryo-freezing of the egg before the treatment course.

The consequences after chemotherapy are quite different. It all depends on the physiological characteristics of each patient, the severity of the disease, the dosage of the drugs taken and the time spectrum of treatment.

Consequences after red chemotherapy

Medical professionals often refer to breast cancer as red chemotherapy. And do not assume that this pathology applies only to women. Yes, their number among patients with this diagnosis is higher in percentage terms than men. But the disease does not parse by gender.

The consequences after red chemotherapy are, for the most part, temporary. Some of them, with little effort on the part of the patient, pass on their own, and some require medical treatment.

In addition to nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite and other complications discussed above, scaly areas appear on the skin of the body and on the nail plates, a venous pattern can be outlined, and inflammatory processes appear. It is desirable to open such lesions as little as possible to direct sunlight. It would be nice if the underwear and clothes were made from natural materials (preferably cotton and linen).

The patient after a course of chemotherapy is obliged to nullify contact with aggressive chemical environments and household chemicals. A woman will have to do without cosmetics for some time, as there is a possibility of an allergic reaction to the components of the substance, even if there were no such occurrences before treatment.

Hair loss and brittle nails are psychologically unpleasant, but fixable. There are manifestations of a more severe degree, when the nail plate is simply removed, moving away from the skin. This allows pathogenic bacteria and viruses to enter the weakened body. In this case, the nails must be cut short, it is forbidden to use varnish and false nails. Otherwise, the restoration of the nail will be much slower. It is advisable to carry out household chores with gloves on. Until the hair grows back, you will have to make do with a wig.

Complications after chemotherapy for breast cancer, as a rule, are unpleasant, but not severe, and with adequate therapy pass quickly enough, allowing the woman to return to her usual rhythm and daily routine.

Long-term effects of chemotherapy

Long-term effects of chemotherapy are rare, but manifest. After undergoing a course of treatment using the method of chemical attack on a cancer cell, there is a small chance that the anticancer drugs used can eventually cause the development of other types of cancer. The percentage of such relapses is small (1 - 2%). But anyway. Usually such "déjà vu" appears after the passage of ten years.

In some cases, the consequence of the use of chemistry may be the infertility of the patient who has undergone treatment. To enable patients to become parents later, the oncologist in charge suggests undergoing a procedure for the removal and freezing: in men - spermatozoa, and in women - eggs.

Rehabilitation, or recovery, which a cancer patient must undergo in order to eliminate the consequences after chemotherapy, can take a significant period of time (from six months to two years). Only a complete restoration of all body functions can unambiguously say that this stage is completed. But no matter how frightening chemotherapy with all its complications, sometimes it is the only saving straw that can bring the patient back to life. Whatever the diagnosis is, it is necessary to fight for life! And go in this fight to the end!

Treatment of the consequences of chemotherapy

Strange as it may sound, but after the treatment course of oncological disease, oncologists have to start the next stage - the treatment of the consequences of chemotherapy. From the action of anticancer drugs, the gastrointestinal tract and the immune system of the body are exposed to the greatest destructive effect. Therefore, the doctor ascribes to his patient drugs that are able to stabilize and support the function of the gastrointestinal tract. It is also worth increasing the consumption of dairy products. Not the last place here is occupied by pomegranate with a liver, with daily consumption of which the patient's hemoglobin increases.

  • loperamide

This drug is prescribed for acute diarrhea, which often accompanies the consequences after chemotherapy.

Babies are prescribed this medicine:

  • peanuts two to five years old - three times a day, 1 mg,
  • children from six to eight years old - 2 mg twice a day,
  • children from nine to twelve - 2 mg three times a day.

If diarrhea does not stop on the second day, the dose is increased to 2 mg after each bowel movement. The daily amount of the drug is determined at the rate of not more than 6 mg for every 20 kg of the child's weight.

An adult is prescribed a starting dose of 4 mg, and then each bowel movement another 2 mg (gradually reducing the dosage). The maintenance daily volume of the drug is 4-8 mg, the maximum dosage per day is 16 mg.

With chronic symptoms, the starting dosage remains the same, then the maintenance dose is calculated depending on the daily frequency of stools (the consistency of feces should be normal). If the toilet is calculated in one or two trips, then the drug intake is 2-12 mg per day.

Side effects appear only with prolonged use of the drug.

  • Diarol

The drug is prescribed for children over 12 years old and adults, 2 caplets immediately after the first case of liquid bowel movement. Further, one caplet after each bowel movement, but not exceeding 4 pieces per day.

  • from nine to eleven years old (with a weight of 27-43 kg) - 1 piece after the first liquid stool and half after each next trip to the toilet (no more than 3 pieces per day).
  • from six to eight years (with a weight of 21–26 kg) - the dosage is the same as for older children, with the exception that no more than 2 caplets should be taken per day. Taking the drug for no more than two days.

Contraindications: children under 6 years of age, individual intolerance to the components of the drug, diarrhea with high fever and if blood and mucus are visible in the feces.

To raise the patient's immunity, a vitamin-mineral complex is prescribed in tandem with food rich in trace elements and vitamins.

One of the unpleasant consequences after chemotherapy is the appearance on the oral mucosa of small but painful sores - stomatitis. Usually it goes away on its own within a few days, but in order to speed up this process, at home it is necessary to rinse your mouth several times a day with medicinal rinses and balms. You can rinse with decoctions of herbs that have antiseptic properties: calendula, oak bark, sage, chamomile ... It is advisable to brush your teeth with a soft brush so as not to injure gum tissue, and the toothpaste used should not contain sodium lauryl sulfate and calcium carbonate, which are quite a coarse abrasive . It's great when it is made on the basis of silicon dioxide, and it contains antiseptics and fluorides.

Against the background of chemotherapy, the patient often experiences nausea and vomiting. Modern medicine can offer a fairly wide range of drugs that can solve this problem, but only the attending physician should prescribe them. For example:

  • Zofran

The doctor can prescribe a drug for an adult once in a vein or intramuscularly, in an amount of 8 mg before the procedure or 8-32 mg dissolved in 100 ml of 0.9% sodium chloride solution, through a dropper after chemistry.

Children aged six months to 17 years:

  • if the child has a body area less than 0.6 m2, then the starting dose is administered intravenously in an amount of 5 mg / m2 before chemotherapy. Then 2 mg every 12 hours for five days.
  • if the surface area falls within 0.6 - 12 m2, the drug is administered at the same dose before the procedure, and then 4 mg every 12 hours for five days.
  • the surface area of ​​the child is more than 12 m2, the starting dosage is 8 mg before the procedure and the same amount every 12 hours for five days.
  • Ativan

This drug is injected into a muscle or vein. The bottle is diluted immediately before the injection. The solution is prepared by mixing the contents of a vial of Ativan with 5% saline for injection. The rate of administration should not exceed 2 mg per minute. This drug is not injected into an artery. It cannot be attributed to people suffering from an allergic reaction to the constituent drugs, if they have problems with breathing during sleep, functional disorders in the kidneys and liver, and other diseases (for a more complete list of contraindications, see the instructions for this drug).

Baldness is perhaps one of the most psychologically unpleasant consequences after chemotherapy, especially for women. This phenomenon can be attributed to temporary inconvenience. Over time, the hairline will recover on its own, and for the rehabilitation period, you can use the services of a wig. In order to partially prevent, and subsequently reanimate hair, you must adhere to a number of simple rules:

  • Wash your hair with a mild baby shampoo.
  • Do not use curlers and tongs.
  • Do not blow dry your hair.
  • Be sure to wear a hat when outside.

In the process, and for a long time after chemotherapy, the patient's body is in a weakened state, the immune system is depressed, and cannot fight pathogenic flora and viral infections. Therefore, during this period, it is necessary to minimize the contacts of the patient with others, including relatives. The fewer people the patient communicates with, the more chances he has to avoid infection and complications after the disease. The disease can also arise from its own bacteria, which, without fail, are present in any organism (for example, such as thrush).

  • Diflucan

This drug is presented in capsules and tablets. Drink it half an hour before meals. The dosage and dosage regimen can only be prescribed by the attending physician.

  • in case of thrush in the oral cavity - the reception is carried out for one to two weeks at a dosage of 50 - 100 mg.
  • with skin manifestations - once a week, 150 mg. The duration of treatment is from two to six weeks. The duration depends on the severity of the disease.

It is also necessary, in order to increase the body's immune forces, to connect the mineral-vitamin complex and a rationally balanced diet.

Another consequence after chemotherapy is anemia, which is expressed by a decrease in the number of red blood cells in the blood plasma and the level of hemoglobin. To bring these parameters back to normal, the attending physician prescribes iron-containing drugs to his patient, such as maltofer, ferlatum and others.

  • Ferlatum

The drug is taken before or after meals. For adults, the dosage is 15 - 30 ml daily. For children, it is prescribed individually at the rate of 1.5 ml per kilogram of the child's weight. After stabilization of the norm of hemoglobin in the blood, fixing actions continue for another two to three months.

  • This drug is contraindicated in case of hypersensitivity to component substances, if the patient suffers from chronic pancreatitis, cirrhosis ...
  • Maltofer

The medicine in drops or syrup is dissolved in juice or any drink (but not alcohol). Tablets are simply washed down with a glass of water or the same liquid. The term of admission and dosage is prescribed by the doctor.

Dosage:

  • Infants up to a year - once a day, 25-50 mg. Prevention - 15 - 25 mg.
  • Babies from one year to twelve - once a day for 50-100 mg of the drug, prophylactically - 25-50 mg.
  • Adolescents over 12 years of age and adults - 100-300 mg once a day. Prophylactically - 50 - 100 mg daily.

The duration of admission is five to seven months.

It is advisable not to take this drug for people with individual sensitivity to the components of the drug, as well as for problems with the function of iron excretion.

Thrombophlebitis is another consequence after chemotherapy. Inflammation of the walls of the vein, it can occur:

  • As a result of taking drugs used in chemotherapy.
  • Due to the use of hormonal drugs.
  • May develop after a long presence of a catheter in a blood vessel.
  • Injuries.
  • Genetic or acquired tendency to form blood clots.

Such complications are rare, but they should not be discounted.

  • Wobenzym

Prophylactically - three tablets three times a day for one and a half months.

For babies from five to twelve years old, the daily dosage is calculated as one tablet per kilogram of the child's weight. Adolescents over 12 years of age - the regimen is prescribed as for adults. The course of treatment is assigned by the attending physician individually to each patient.

The drug is drunk half an hour before a meal, washed down with a glass of clean water.

Good afternoon. Ideally, of course, go to a drug treatment clinic and undergo treatment. Well, if at home, then · Fresh air. Do not lock yourself in the apartment for the withdrawal period. Your body needs fresh air (oxygen). Also, do not forget to ventilate the room where you are. - (Corvalol, motherwort tincture, novo passit, etc.) is useful for calming the nervous system, with pain in the heart, for normalizing sleep. 20-30 drops per 100 grams of water 2-3 times a day, preferably after meals. Valerian has a mild calming effect, which somewhat smoothes the manifestation of withdrawal. Decoction of motherwort: 1 tablespoon cut into a glass of boiled water. Insist 1 hour. Take 1/4 cup 3 times a day. A decoction of valerian rhizomes: 2 teaspoons of chopped rhizome are poured into 200 grams of boiling water (in an enamel bowl), covered with a lid and heated in a water bath for 30 minutes. Cool 10 minutes, strain. Take 1 tablespoon 4 times a day. Vitamins are essential for the body. It is necessary to stock up (vitamin C), and preferably multi-vitamins, since in addition to vitamin C, you will need B vitamins, which are necessary to restore the energy balance in the body. Recommended multivitamins: Revit, Decamevit, Undevit. Take ascorbic acid 4-5 times a day. Multivitamins - 1-2 tablets per day. is a choleretic drug. Long-term use of drugs is accompanied by stagnation of bile in the liver and gallbladder. This is especially recommended for those who suffer from chronic hepatitis. In order to facilitate and support the work of the liver, we recommend taking allochol 1 tablet 2 times a day. For the same purpose, you can take herbal decoctions and infusions - an infusion of knotweed, an infusion of plantain leaves, an infusion, an infusion (syrup) of rose hips (rose hips also contain a lot of vitamin C), as well as pumpkin and corn stigmas. Infusions of mint, lemon balm, thyme - have a calming and hypnotic effect. Brew and drink at night. - (baralgin, tempalgin, ketanov and other analgesics) - are recommended for the development of pain to reduce pain. However, they should not be abused, as these substances irritate the gastric mucosa and inhibit blood formation. If 1-2 tablets of analgin do not relieve pain, you need to call an ambulance. - Aerovit and cerucal - for dizziness and vomiting. Do not get carried away with taking synthetic medicines, as their assimilation is an additional burden on a weakened body. Try to limit yourself to the proposed list, especially pay attention to medicinal plants - infusions of motherwort (valerian), mint, knotweed, dog rose. According to the testimonies of experienced drug users, traditional medicine significantly alleviates suffering during withdrawal. Force yourself to eat despite your lack of appetite. Eat as many vegetables and fruits as possible. Remember that during the period of withdrawal it is very important to consume easily digestible sweet food (glucose and other sugars are necessary for the normal functioning of the brain) - jams, sweet tea. Cakes, cakes and sweets are not recommended - such food irritates the stomach and intestines, causing diarrhea or, conversely, constipation. Don't forget salty foods (in moderation). Salt is the use of which reduces the manifestation of poisoning and dehydration. Refrain from fatty foods. Food should be simple. Mucous porridges give a good effect: oatmeal (a valuable source of energy), rice (rice helps cleanse the intestines). It is necessary to drink on average up to 3 liters of fluid per day, but no more, since a large amount of fluid drunk can impair kidney function. Avoid drinking raw tap water. There are contraindications, you should consult your doctor. The most effective way is to go to a narcologist, open a sick leave (since the efficiency factor in your case is close to 0%), undergo treatment, and then continue taking medications that will reduce the craving for the drug. Don't forget the importance of visiting Narcotics Anonymous self-help groups. If you write. Sincerely, psychiatrist-narcologist Surmach Oleg.

Cancer cells are capable of rapidly dividing, so the tumor grows rapidly into both neighboring and distant intraorganic structures.

Chemotherapy can slow down or stop the growth and development of cellular structures, and sometimes even leads to their destruction. But it has not yet been possible to create such a drug that would simultaneously destroy cancer and not have such serious side effects on the body.

The patient's condition after chemotherapy

The condition after chemotherapy is even included in the list of diseases, where it is assigned the code Z54.2.

After a chemotherapy course, the condition of cancer patients is usually regarded as moderate or severe.

Cancer patients tolerate such treatment differently, because each of them has a different stage, degree of malignancy of oncology and the state of the immune status.

Symptoms

There are also common symptoms of a post-chemotherapeutic state, which include:

  • All indicators of organic activity are decreasing;
  • There is a change in the blood;
  • Falls immunity;
  • Increased susceptibility to infections;
  • The cellular structures of the bone marrow, hair follicles and mucous membranes are killed;
  • Toxins from drugs affect the lungs and heart, kidney and liver, urinary and gastrointestinal, skin and other structures.

Also, in patients after chemotherapy, the nervous system suffers, polyneuropathy develops, depression and excessive fatigue, general organic weakness, etc.

Baldness

They begin to fall out about a couple of weeks after the start of the chemotherapy course. But not all drugs cause characteristic baldness.

When using some of them, only a small amount of hair falls out, and the main hair can be saved. A few months after the treatment, the hair will grow back.

Hair loss is observed not only on the head, but also throughout the body - eyelashes, eyebrows, hairline on the legs and armpits, in the groin and on the chest.

To minimize alopecia, it is recommended to use mild baby shampoos and comb the hair with a soft massage brush. But it is better to refuse the aggressive effect of a hair dryer, thermal curlers and curling irons, various irons and other devices.

Anemia

Chemotherapeutic anticancer drugs cause a decrease in the number of red blood cells. As a result, anemia of the hypochromic type develops.

The body receives oxygen supply precisely from erythrocytes, therefore, with their shortage, oxygen starvation develops.

Patients are concerned about the following symptoms:

  1. dizziness;
  2. Dyspnea;
  3. Constant weakness;
  4. Chronic fatigue;
  5. tachycardia manifestations.

To eliminate anemia, bone marrow functions of hematopoiesis are necessary. Why is the reception of stimulators of the division of bone marrow cell structures that accelerate the formation of red blood cells.

These include Erythropoietin and its derivatives like Recormon, Epogen, Prokrit and Erythrostim, Epoetin, etc.

Weakness and fatigue

In all cancer patients, after chemotherapeutic exposure, adverse reactions such as excessive fatigue and weakness are observed.

This sign accompanies such complications of anticancer therapy as anemia, general organic intoxication, material exchange disorders, sleep disorders, depressive states, infections and pain syndrome.

To save the body, on the day of chemotherapy, it is necessary to take a day off and spend the whole day in rest mode. In the following days, a diet to increase hemoglobin and leukocytes, regular moderate physical activity, 9 hours of sleep at night and a mandatory daytime owl for at least 1 hour are recommended.

Violation of the gastrointestinal tract

The mucous membranes of the gastrointestinal tract structures are constantly being updated, their cells are constantly in the process of dividing, so chemotherapy often leads to violations of these cellular changes, and causes constipation, diarrhea and other consequences.

To reduce side effects of this nature, a diet therapy specially designed for cancer patients is recommended.

  • For constipation, increase fluid and fiber intake. Whole grains, bran and all kinds of vegetables are recommended.
  • With diarrhea, it is necessary to abandon fatty foods and alcohol, caffeinated drinks. It is better to eat cereals and light broths, rice and bananas.

In addition, the doctor will prescribe the necessary medications.

Stomatitis

After chemotherapy, almost all cancer patients develop stomatitis after about a week and a half - ulcers begin to appear actively in the oral cavity, causing dryness and burning. When the patient takes food, its taste changes markedly with stomatitis.

To avoid the formation of stomatitis, experts recommend to perform oral hygiene with increased care:

  • Use a soft toothbrush;
  • Brush your teeth after every meal.

If the first signs of stomatitis began to appear in the mouth, it is necessary to abandon products that irritate the mucous membrane - from alcohol, soda, citrus fruits and smoking.

Palmar-plantar syndrome

After some types of chemotherapy, patients may develop hand-foot syndrome, which is characterized by swelling, soreness, and redness of the feet and hands.

A similar reaction is observed if the antitumor drug leaks out of the capillaries on the extremities. As a result, tissue damage occurs, which manifests itself in the form of redness, irritation and soreness.

To prevent this side effect, it is recommended to avoid prolonged exposure to hot water on the palms and feet, for example, when bathing or washing dishes. Avoid contact with household chemicals, work with tools that require hand pressing, etc.

Cough

For a number of reasons, cancer patients may develop a cough after chemotherapy. Provoke it:

  1. Taking medication. Drugs cause active overdrying of the mucous membranes. As a result of overdrying, irritation of the respiratory structures occurs, which is expressed in a dry cough;
  2. Reduced immunity. The body after chemistry, due to a pathologically low immune barrier, easily passes infectious pathogens that cause respiratory pathologies of the respiratory system. Cough indicates the penetration of just such an infection, which must be fought through antibiotic therapy.

Mucositis

This complication develops in about 40% of cancer patients receiving chemotherapy. The specificity of the disease is associated with the formation of wounds and sores in the mouth, often spreading to the mucous throats.

Most often, mucositis develops during treatment with drugs like 5-fluorouracil, etc. Analgesics or anesthetics are recommended to relieve pain in myositis. It is recommended to rinse your mouth with saline-soda solution (½ a small spoonful of salt and soda per 200 ml of water).

Nausea

A symptom such as nausea after chemotherapy worries many patients. It is impossible to avoid such a side effect, although there are many ways to eliminate it with the help of drugs, for example, Cerucal, Dexamethasone, Ondansetron, etc.

With adequate and correct selection of drugs, nausea disappears in about 90% of cases.

In addition, a diet that eliminates salty and sweet, fatty and fried foods alleviates nausea. Nausea relieves a little grape juice or cranberry juice, Regidron, tea with mint and lemon, jelly, bananas.

Folk remedy for nausea

Widely used against post-chemotherapeutic nausea and folk remedies, which are even more effective than drugs. But they should be used only on the recommendation of an oncologist.

An effective remedy that reduces nausea and vomiting and restores gastrointestinal function is an infusion of lemon balm. The raw materials are crushed and brewed like tea, keeping under the lid for about 2 hours. The daily norm is 2 glasses, taken during the day.

Neutropenia

The bone marrow constantly produces leukocytes - white blood cells, which are represented by several varieties: neutrophils, lymphocytes and monocytes.

Under the influence of chemotherapy, there is a sharp decrease in all types of leukocytes. A decrease in neutrophils is called neutropenia. These cells are essential in resisting infections, so their reduction leads to a high risk of their development.

With a deficiency of neutrophils, microbes that have entered the body are not destroyed, but begin to multiply rapidly. That is why neutropenia is considered the main cause of infectious complications after chemotherapy.

For the treatment of neutrophil deficiency, the colony-stimulating granulocyte factor G-CSF is used, which promotes the accelerated formation of neutrophils.

Pain in the legs, head, bones, stomach

Often, after anti-cancer treatment, cancer patients experience severe pain in various organs and parts of the body. This may mean that there is a high risk of damage to these structures.

In addition, the cause of pain is the action of chemotherapy drugs.

  • Soreness in the stomach occurs when cytostatics reach the digestive tract. The cause of pain in the stomach is toxic gastritis.
  • Headache occur against the background of toxic damage to certain brain areas. There is a similar soreness periodically, manifesting itself with different intensity and character.
  • Pain in the legs also not uncommon after anti-cancer treatment. The cause of the syndrome may be polyneuropathy, bone marrow disorders, or severe arterial and venous lesions.
  • Pain in the bones are caused by damage to the bone marrow structures by anticancer drugs.

Treatment of any post-chemotherapeutic pain is carried out symptomatically, i.e., with the use of painkillers prescribed by the oncologist.

Edema

Many cancer patients after chemotherapy begin to complain of edema that occurs both throughout the body and in its individual areas - on the limbs, face, in the abdomen.

The cause of post-chemotherapeutic hyperedema is a violation of renal activity.

It is useful to include greens and other products with a diuretic effect in the menu, such as dill and parsley, watermelons and melons, blackberries and strawberries, tomatoes and cucumbers, apples, etc.

Numbness

A fairly common consequence of chemotherapy is numbness due to damage to peripheral nerve fibers. Numbness is manifested by loss of sensation in the limb. Begins at the tips of the fingers, spreads up the arms and legs, and then along the spine.

In addition, numbness can be manifested by painful sensations, a feeling of tightness and burning, tingling, etc.

Some patients find it difficult to cope with buttons or laces, their balance is disturbed, they often fall, stumble. Numbness usually indicates the development of polyneuropathy.

How to treat veins after chemotherapy?

Against the background of chemotherapy, patients often experience extensive damage to the veins, develop phlebosclerosis and phlebitis.

Phlebosclerosis is a thickening of the vascular walls against the background of degenerative changes, and phlebitis is an inflammatory lesion of the venous walls. Typically, such lesions are observed in the area of ​​the shoulders and elbows.

  • Anticoagulants (Gumbiks);
  • NSAIDs;
  • Local ointments like Hepatrombin, Troxevasin or Indovazin.

To avoid such complications, it is necessary to infuse anticancer antibiotics and cytostatics slowly, and finish the administration with a 5% glucose solution.

Allergy

A fairly common complication is postchemotherapeutic allergy. Such reactions are manifested by a variety of symptoms - from mild minor rashes to severe symptoms such as anaphylaxis and swelling of the lung or brain.

Such reactions often only aggravate the patient's condition, but specialists often do not associate these manifestations with chemotherapy treatment.

Haemorrhoids

One of the unpleasant complications after anti-cancer treatment is hemorrhoids. Its causes can be both damage to the veins by the components of chemotherapy drugs, and damage to the gastrointestinal tract.

If the patient has previously suffered from hemorrhoids, then after chemotherapy it will definitely worsen.

Stroke

Strokes after chemotherapy occur as a result of complications such as thrombocytopenia - this condition is associated with a low platelet count, which is manifested by a decrease in blood clotting.

With thrombocytopenia, there is a high probability of internal hemorrhages in various internal organs, including the brain.

A cerebral hemorrhage can lead to a stroke, after which the patient needs a long rehabilitation.

Temperature

Hyperthermia after chemotherapy is caused by a decrease in immune defense, in which a variety of infections begin to freely enter the body.

A similar symptom indicates that infectious foci have formed in the body of a cancer patient, for the neutralization of which it is necessary to carry out antibacterial therapy.

Treatment should begin at the first sign of hyperthermia. If the temperature is constantly elevated, then the patient's body can no longer cope with infectious processes and he needs urgent help.

Usually, broad-spectrum antibiotics are prescribed for treatment. For the correct choice of the drug, the patient is given a laboratory blood test to identify the type of infection that is supposed to be fought.

Complications in men

The consequences of anticancer treatment for patients of both sexes are the same, but there are some differences.

Anti-cancer drugs seriously affect a man's sexual functions, significantly reducing reproduction, activity, and sperm count. In other words, a man experiences temporary infertility.

With a positive outcome, over time, the fertility of a man is restored. Although there are exceptions when infertility becomes irreversible.

Suffering from chemotherapy and male erection, libido can be catastrophically reduced. But these problems are resolved over time, all functions are returned.

But in the process of chemotherapy treatment and within a year after its completion, a man needs to be protected in order to exclude the conception of a partner. Such a measure is necessary, because the risk that the child will have serious deviations is as high as possible.

Complications in women

In women, in addition to the general chemotherapeutic consequences, dysfunctional ovarian disorders are observed. Against this background, menstrual irregularities occur, bleeding becomes irregular, and may disappear for a while.

In fact, a woman temporarily loses the ability to become pregnant. After a certain time, all childbearing functions gradually return. Like men, women should not become pregnant during the year because of the risk of having a sick child with serious developmental disabilities.

How to alleviate the patient's condition?

Chemotherapy seriously impairs liver function, so to maintain it, cancer patients need to take hepatoprotectors.

With the development of infection against the background of suppressed immunity, antibiotic therapy is prescribed.

The principles of nutrition of a cancer patient are also important, assuming a balanced diet enriched with vitamins and minerals.

To alleviate the chemotherapeutic consequences, experts recommend taking sorbents. These drugs absorb the toxic components of chemicals and remove them from the body through the urinary system.

Due to this effect, the aggressiveness and severity of complications are significantly reduced. Enterosgel paste has proven itself well in terms of reducing the effects of anticancer drugs. It is taken orally with plenty of water.

Chemotherapy deals a merciless blow to the body, but this technique saves lives by destroying cancer cells. Therefore, one should not refuse such treatment because of the fear of side effects, because life is much more important.

Video about nausea and vomiting during chemotherapy:

 
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