What Can I Expect Post-Chemotherapy?

Many cancer patients are treated with chemotherapy, which involves medicines intended to slow down or kill cancer cells in the body. While this can be effective, the medicine that damages cancerous cells also can damage healthy ones, having an effect on the entire body. For example, hair loss from chemotherapy is quite common, though the hair tends to grow back within months of stopping treatment. You also may notice a few common side effects, including nausea, fatigue and weight loss, even after you finish treatment. It is worth noting that it may be possible to have healthy children post-chemotherapy, but most people are encouraged to wait a couple years after stopping treatment for the best chances of an uncomplicated pregnancy.

One of the most common chemotherapy side effects is hair loss, which tends to include more than just the hair on the head; you also may lose hair under your arms, from your eyebrows and elsewhere on your body. It usually starts falling out within a week of starting treatment and may continue for a few weeks after you stop, but it typically will grow back within a few months. You may notice, though, that the hair looks a little different post-chemotherapy, because it may be curlier, straighter or a different color. This typically is temporary and, as the hair regrowth progresses, it should return to its original texture and color.

You also may experience other side effects of the drugs, even post-chemotherapy, because it often takes a few weeks for some symptoms to disappear. For instance, you may lose your appetite and vomit frequently, so it can be difficult to keep weight on after treatment. Other stomach-related problems may include diarrhea and constipation, and you also may notice changes in your skin. In addition, the drugs may result in low levels of platelets, red blood cells and white blood cells, often leading to easy bruising, fatigue and frequent infections. While these side effects are considered normal for a few weeks post-chemotherapy, you are encouraged to call your doctor if they persist or if you get a fever, chills or shortness of breath.

Women often have questions about their menstrual cycle and fertility after chemotherapy. In many cases, menstruation becomes irregular during treatment, and it may stay that way afterward, though it tends to return to normal for most women. Females of childbearing age are usually urged to use some form of birth control during treatment and for about eight weeks afterward, because getting pregnant during chemotherapy is not recommended. In fact, women who wish to have healthy children post-chemotherapy are often advised to wait about two years after treatment to get pregnant, because this can help ensure that the cell-damaging drugs are long gone from the body.