Chemotherapy: After
DONE
What to Eat
National Cancer Institute has a publication Eating Hints for Cancer Patients Before, During and After Treatment available for free online at: www.cancer.gov/cancerinfo/eatinghints or call for a copy: 800.4.CANCER
Side Effects
- It would be wonderful if we could say that all side effects from chemotherapy end when chemotherapy ends. However, that is generally not the case. Side effects tend to continue for a while. In some unusual situations, effects such as chemo brain can last up to 10 years.
- For a list of various side effects and what to do about them if they continue after the end of chemo, see :
- If you took anti-nausea medication during chemotherapy, continue it for a while after in case of delayed nausea. Ask your doctor how long is a reasonable period of time.
Ports and Catheters
If you received your chemotherapy through a port or catheter in your skin, consider keeping it in until you are sure there is no additional chemotherapy in the near future. Experience indicates that a second port often does not work as well as the first one.
Emotions
- Emotions you experienced during chemotherapy are not likely to stop over night. At the same time, new, unexpected emotions may appear.
- For information about coping with emotions, click here.
- While you may expect to be excited, it is not unusual to experience depression after the end of treatment. For information about identifying and coping with depression, click here.