Chemotherapy makes the disease real. Before you start, you may not have any symptoms and feel fine. So you may worry about whether you have made the right treatment decision- whether the benefits of treatment outweigh the side effects. For people who have more severe side effects from chemotherapy, these worries may be greater.
Common Fears:
· Fear of losing hair- Loss of hair is among the most common side effects of chemotherapy. Chemotherapy affects all the cells in the body including the healthy ones, especially the ones that grow rapidly.
· Fear of chronic side effects- A lot of people fear that chemotherapy leaves patients with chronic side effects, which might stay with them forever. This is not true for all patients and all kinds of cancers. Different patients experience varying lengths of side effects.
· Fear of chemotherapy being physically painful- Agreed, chemotherapy is painful. However, patients should know that certain pains caused by chemotherapy could be treated by the medication or by alternative therapies.
· Side effects of chemotherapy- Some of the common side effects of chemotherapy are nausea, hair loss, constipation, anaemia, weight loss, fertility problems, kidney problems, and so on.
How to deal with the Fears:
Patients need to remember that:
· Every patient has different levels of side effects. Some patients might experience higher side effects than other patients.
· Certain side effects can be prevented with the help of extra care and medication.
· Some side effects have long term impact whereas some lasts for a shorter tenure.
· The amount of hair loss, thinning, or falling of hair depends on the chemotherapy dosage and medication and it can be sudden or can be a slow process.
· Some side effects can be treated with therapy.
· The physical pain caused by chemotherapy does not necessarily have to be as painful as considered to be.
Chemotherapy is a tough fight, but constantly telling yourself that you CAN make through it, is the best way to deal with the fear of chemotherapy. Remember, this too shall pass!
