When undergoing any kind of cancer treatment at an oncology center, it is important to remember that a lot of what you feel and process isn't visible to the healthcare professionals around you. While you might think it is fairly obvious that you are in a good deal of pain or experiencing odd symptoms, they likely won't be able to perceive that until it gets much more serious, which is why you need to remember to be vocal about how you are feeling. Here are a few issues that you might encounter when undergoing cancer treatment that you should never remain silent about.
Numbness
If, when undergoing cancer treatment, you experience numbness in parts of your body that begin to feel as though you can't move or adjust that part of your body at all then you should alert the closest healthcare staff about your problem. While not necessarily a sign of anything seriously wrong, it is important that they can assess your symptoms and vital signs to make sure everything is okay and it is just a minor blip. A slight bit of pain and discomfort is normal during cancer treatment, but losing feeling altogether can be rare.
Nausea
If you are feeling nauseous when undergoing chemotherapy then it is always important to make sure that you have a safe place in which to empty your stomach. It is never a nice feeling while throwing up, but afterward it does feel a lot better and you will feel clearer overall. The main reason why it is so important to let those around you know is so that you have a bag or receptacle of some kind to throw up into. If you are experiencing continuous nausea that does not diminish, then you may need a bit more attention and the session might be cut short.
Debilitating And Constant Pain
While, as previously stated, some kinds of cancer treatment can involve a little pain or discomfort, it is not usual for them to be excruciatingly painful all the time. Some people make the mistake of thinking this is the case and that amount of pain is to be expected but that is not true. If you are feeling levels of pain that seem as though you should have some kind of anesthetic, then chances are your body is reacting in a way that means treatment should be stopped and new options considered. Do not keep quiet about this level of pain. It is exceptionally rare, and cancer treatment centers do everything they can to make your care as comfortable as possible, but they need open communication from you to make this happen.
Share8 February 2022
After watching my mother navigate treatment for breast cancer in my early teens, I knew pretty much what to expect from my dad's diagnosis with prostate cancer. What I didn't know was how different chemotherapy and radiation can affect different people. My mother became very ill while my dad seemed to weather the treatments with few ill effects. I spent a long time researching the differences in treatments, types of chemotherapy, and how each one can react differently with the body. I created this blog to help others understand the same things, because I knew I couldn't be the only one unfamiliar with it. I hope it helps you if someone you love is facing treatment for any type of cancer.
