• This Issue
• About US
• Subscribe
• Search

Chemotherapy Side Effects

Free at Last! In October I, your editor, completed my final chemotherapy session. In our sister publication I have written several editorials regarding my cancer battle. This article will outline some of the less familiar side effects of chemotherapy.

Numbness

The week prior to my final chemotherapy I noticed that my fingers and toes were mildly numb. This side effect can last up to a year. It, like many of the conditions, are individual to the patient. It could go away in three months or less or it could return at any time. It can be difficult to turn pages while I'm reading. Coldness increases the sensation.

Tingling

Right after each chemotherapy session I noticed that touching any item in my fridge or freezer produced the effect the doctors call 'tingling'. That's the medical definition, mine is 'it's like tiny slivers of glass slicing through your fingers'.

The cost was minimal the benefit long-term. This side effect can become so annoying it might make one wish to cancel chemotherapy. It's amusing to watch me cook as I alternate between gardening gloves, rubber gloves and oven mitts. Any direct contact with cold items causes the unpleasant sensation.

Even my own oncologist told me he had never heard of this idea. He recommends his patients use oven mitts to retrieve items from cold storage appliances. That solution is unwieldy.

Another suggestion I have is when at home use wine glasses to drink cold beverages. Holding the stem instead of the glass surrounding the cold item alleviates the symptom.

The gruesome twosome, nausea and vomiting, are usually avoided thanks to the anti-nausea medication. One more tip that I learned the hard way, if you feel hungry during chemo eat, otherwise the anti-nausea medication doesn't work, or at least it didn't in my case during my only bad chemo session. Knowing I would be through in about an hour I decided I'd eat after chemo.

PMH doesn't feed their patients, unlike other hospitals including ones providing chemo such as Humber. I didn't actually have anything with me. After that session I made sure I had some granola bars with me so if I felt hungry I'd eat rather than waste the day experiencing the gruesome twosome.

Chemotherapy wasn't a pleasant experience but the effects and after effects were easily countered using common sense and some creativity.