Chemo Side Effects
February 12th, 2012 | 
Author: Cancer is difficult enough, but add on top of it chemotherapy and the exhaustion it causes and you can end up feeling overwhelmed, not to mention sore, fatigued or nauseated. The good news is you don’t have to lie there and take it. Learn how not to give in to chemotherapy side effects in this article from Lifescript.com, a leading online women’s health information resource. Get 8 doctor-recommended tips to boost your strength, improve stamina and much more throughout your cancer treatment.
Patients suffering from cancer must deal with two-fold fatigue: 50%-90% of all cancer patients suffer from fatigue, and chemotherapy also saps strength.
Here’s a sneak peek at the tips included in this article that will help you combat fatigue:
1. Make sure you’re consuming enough calories. Don’t start a diet while you’re fighting cancer or undergoing chemotherapy. It’s important to eat enough because chemo puts you at risk of losing muscle mass. The body needs calories full of nutrients in order to keep up strength and stamina. Talk with your doctor to find out how many calories you should eat for the duration of your chemo treatment.
Eating may be tricky to do as some cancer and chemotherapy patients get sores in the mouth from treatment, leaving them no choice but to stick to soft foods. Or some patients need to eat small meals or bland foods all day to keep nausea at bay. Do whatever you need to keep the calories up.
2. Fortify your diet with supplements. Not getting enough nutrients can worsen fatigue. Daily multivitamins and supplements can help. Doctors recommend you aim for 600 mg of calcium, 2-3 times a day, and take a supplement with vitamin D and magnesium to improve absorption. Get a 2-gram dose of omega-3 fatty acids 2-3 times a day. Check with your oncologist before taking supplements and vitamins since some could negatively react with other medications you’re taking. If taking pills sounds like too much, talk to your doctor about the possibility of intravenous nutrients.
Get a more in-depth look at the information above plus 6 more doctor-recommended tips and chemotherapy information in the full article at Lifescript.com. Plus, do you know what really causes cancer? Learn how to tell apart the myths from the truth and how to lower your cancer risk in our quiz.
The information contained in this article is provided for informational purposes only and is not, nor is it ever intended to be, a substitute for professional medical advice or professional recommendations, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician(s) or other qualified healthcare provider(s).
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