Your chemotherapy support pack: Combatting the side effects

Chemotherapy is a common treatment for cancer, which uses medication to kill cancerous cells in the body.

And while it’s hailed as an effective method of helping to cure people of cancer, it is not without its side effects.

The NHS lists the below as symptoms of chemotherapy:

• Nausea Lack of energy
• Weakened immune system, meaning you are more susceptible to infections
• Bleeding or bruising more easily
• Temporary hair loss
• Problems with memory and concentration

Naturally, no chemotherapy journey is the same; side effects will vary from person to person.

Meanwhile, the number of chemotherapy types and methods of treatment can all have an impact on your experience.

To help you or a loved one cope with some of these side effects, Vitality member, Nicky – who received chemotherapy for breast cancer in 2023 through her Vitality health insurance – has put together a list that helped her stay healthy through treatment.

Read Nicky’s full story via the link here: How I got through a cancer diagnosis | Magazine | Vitality

Side effect 1: Nausea

Nausea after receiving chemotherapy can be a common side effect of treatment.

This particular side effect is also said to be worse for women, patients under the age of 60 and those having their first cycle of chemotherapy.

When she was diagnosed with cancer, Nicky was all of the above.

To combat her symptoms, she recommends the below:

1. Murtle and Maude anti sickness wrist bands- uses acupuncture pressure points – I wore these for the first two weeks of each treatment cycle.
2. Queezy drops sweets
3. Anything with ginger: tea bags or snacks
4. Pineapple chunks as a snack

If you have any concerns about sickness or nausea when undergoing treatment, speak to your doctor and ask for their advice as there are anti-sickness medications that can be prescribed.

Side effect 2: Neuropathy

While chemotherapy treatments are very effective at killing cancerous cells, they can also harm healthy ones, which can cause neuropathy, which affects the nerves.

Symptoms of neuropathy, according to the NHS, can include numbness and tingling in the hands and feet, or in more extreme cases burning, stabbing or shooting pain.

“I was offered a machine for the second part of my chemo treatment when I was on the weekly chemo drug called Paclitaxel,” says Nicky.

“One of the side effects of this drug is neuropathy, which can cause permanent nerve damage to your hands and feet.

“The Hilotherm [a business offering cooling products to aid recovery] has cold mittens and cold socks, the mittens and socks reduce the temperature in your hands and feet to 15ºC and stops the chemo damaging the nerves.”

There is some evidence to suggest that acupuncture could also help with symptoms of neuropathy, but it is advised to speak to a doctor before trying this treatment.

Side effect 3: Mouth ulcers

Mouth ulcers – also known as mucositis – is caused by inflammation of the lining of the mouth, which can turn into ulcers.

These can become sore and make it hard to eat and drink. Nicky, however, was lucky in that she did not get any ulcers during her treatment.

“I used Aloclair mouthwash everyday morning and night and did not have one mouth ulcer,” she says.

“Another side effect is losing nails and toenails; I used Polybalm every day and it saved all my nails.”

Side effect 4: Hair loss

Probably the side effect most associated with cancer treatment is hair loss.

This can be very distressing to some and can serve as a visual reminder of the chemotherapy process.

During her course of treatment, Nicky wanted to maintain a sense of normality for herself. So, she opted for a cold cap in order to help retain her hair.

“I used the cold cap or scalp cooler, which reduces the temperature on your scalp to -4ºC and helps to prevent the chemo damaging your hair follicles,” she says.

“The cold cap can be a painful experience, but I used to set my timer for 20 minutes and once that was over, I knew I had cracked it as the first 20 minutes are the worst.

“I managed to retain about 10 to 20% of my hair which allowed me to have an Intralace system fitted to my hair.”

Following this being fitted, Nicky visited the Lucinda Ellery hair studio in London, which specialises in hair replacement services.

“Mentally this really helped as it allowed me to feel normal when I looked in the mirror on days when I felt really poorly,” says Nicky.

“It was a game changer for me and you can keep the system in for up to two years, with six weekly adjustments.”

Nicky also used an eyelash serum to combat losing her lashes and eyebrows, which she said helped with regrowth.

Preparing yourself for losing your hair during treatment by either speaking to people or joining a support group can help with dealing with this fact.

More health tips from Nicky

Port over PICC line

During her treatment, Nicky had a port fitted to administer her chemotherapy and to have blood tests taken.

This process is a more extensive one than having a PICC line fitted.

However, the difference is that ports can stay in for as long as treatment is needed, while a PICC line lasts for several weeks or months.

Ports are inserted under the skin, usually in the chest or upper arm, by a surgeon, while a PICC line is put into a vein in the arm by a trained nurse.

Nicky admits that the port was more painful to start with, but she was advised to apply Emla numbing cream an hour before her treatment, which she says made a “huge difference”.

If you are receiving treatment for cancer, speak to your consultant about which type of central line is best suited to you.

They will be able to answer any questions or concerns that you may have.

Exercise

“I would walk two to three kilometres as soon as I got home from chemo treatment, depending on how I felt as it is good to get the drugs circulating round your body and good for the mind,” explains Nicky.

“Through Vitality, I had access to a personal trainer and gym for 24 sessions through my chemo treatment at the Genesis clinic in Milton Keynes.

“I also had acupuncture and reflexology which helped reduce the side effects.”

Mental health

To help with her mental wellbeing during chemotherapy, Nicky signed up to the Headspace app, which was offered to her for no additional cost through her Vitality plan.

She also received advice from a friend right at the very beginning of her cancer journey, which helped her throughout:

1. Do not Google anything or you will go down a rabbit hole of worry
2. Trust in the professionals
3. Plan a lovely holiday for the end of your treatment to have something out there to look forward to
4. Tell your friends and family as they will want to talk about it with you and won’t know what to say if you don’t confide in them

She adds: “I continued working when I could as this took my mind off the treatment, it passed the time quickly and made me feel normal.”

Nicky often walked with her dog and family after chemotherapy treatment

Diet

“You lose your taste, so strong flavours are good to include in your diet,” recommends Nicky.

“I gave up alcohol and found some great alternatives with alcohol free gins and alcohol-free sparkling wines.”

She also increased protein in her diet to one portion with every meal.

By adding protein to your diet during chemotherapy it increases calories and energy, which helps to prevent weight loss and put on weight, if you need to.

She also says to drink at least the recommended amount of two litres of water a day.

Rest

Everyone’s chemotherapy journey will be different. Some people are able to continue with their everyday life, while others can have ups and downs during treatment.

The important thing is to listen to what your body is telling you and manage expectations of what you will be able to achieve emotionally and physically.

Adapting your life to how you are feeling can be a good idea so not to get too exhausted.

Following her diagnosis in 2024, The Princess of Wales said that she would take her recovery from chemotherapy treatment “each day as it comes”.

During her three-week chemo cycles, Nicky would plan something to do in the third week when her energy levels started to return.

She says: “Listen to your body, you will be exhausted but rest as you need to.”

If you are worried about a potential cancer diagnosis or have recently been diagnosed, you can read Vitality’s guide on diagnosis and treatment here: A Guide to Cancer Diagnosis & Treatment | Vitality

Related: What’s increasing my risk of cancer?