How Do I Manage Lung Cancer Side Effects?

• Lingering feeling of tiredness

Strategies for Coping

• Plenty of rest with short naps
• Light to moderate physical activity
• Ask others to help with tasks
• Good nutrition

• Call your doctor right away if you have tightness in your chest, pain, fever or trouble breathing
• Can be caused by the cancer, infection or treatment

Strategies for Coping

• Call your doctor!
• Follow instructions for taking your medication
• Relaxation exercises
• Practice breathing techniques

• Might include rash, dryness, scaling, pain, redness and peeling

Strategies for Coping

• Use gentle skin-care products that contain lanolin or aloe
• Do not use any skin products immediately before radiation treatment
• Protect yourself from the sun
• Call your doctor if you have a rash or anything else that concerns you

• Might include difficulty swallowing, dry mouth and mouth sores

Strategies for Coping

• Eat soft, moist foods
• Avoid spicy, greasy and sharp foods
• Suck on hard candy or popsicles
• Ask your doctor about sucking on ice chips before and after chemo
• Gargle with one teaspoon of table salt or baking soda dissolved in one cup of warm water to clean your mouth

• Treatment can make you more prone to infections and bleeding
• Call your doctor immediately if you suspect an infection or you can't stop bleeding

Strategies for Coping

• Wash your hands well!
• Avoid crowds or people that are sick
• Keep your mouth very clean (gargle with baking soda and warm water)
• Avoid flowers and plants (because they may carry mold) or handling animal waste (such as cleaning litter boxes)
• Use a soft toothbrush
• Use an electric shaver instead of a razor

• Might include loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and constipation
• Learn more about what to eat in the nutrition section

Strategies for Coping

• Loss of appetite:
  • Eat several small meals throughout the day if you aren’t hungry for big meals
  • Add olive oil, milk or yogurt to increase calories and protein in a meal
  • Take a walk before you eat
• Nausea or Vomiting:
  • Prescription medication to ease nausea
  • Bland foods
  • Peppermint tea, ginger tea or ginger ale
• Diarrhea:
  • Avoid high fiber foods that are hard to digest (such as beans or raw vegetables)
  • Bland foods
  • Small meals, with plenty of water between meals
• Constipation:
  • Drink plenty of non-caffeinated fluids
  • Eat high-fiber foods
  • Exercise

• Common after radiation and some chemotherapy

Strategies for Coping

• Use mild shampoos, soft hairbrushes and low heat on your hair
• Buy a wig (sometimes called a scalp prosthesis and covered under some insurance policies)
• Sometimes cutting your hair short or buzzing it off is easier to deal with than watching your hair fall out
• Wear a hat or scarf

• Some chemotherapy drugs can cause pain, tingling, burning, weakness or numbness in the hands and feet (called peripheral neuropathy).
• Some people experience what many survivors call “chemobrain” which includes forgetfulness, lack of concentration, difficulty finding the right word and difficulty multitasking.

Strategies for Coping

• Be careful when grabbing sharp or hot objects
• Use handrails
• Wear shoes with rubber soles and remove throw rugs to prevent falls
• Get a gentle massage
• Take notes during appointments (or have a support person with you)
• Do brain puzzles
• Make lists

• Ongoing sad mood for most of the day
• Loss of interest or pleasure in almost all activities most of the time
• Uncontrolled worry
• Trouble solving problems and focusing thoughts
• Irritability (grouchy or short-tempered)

Strategies for Coping

• Call your doctor immediately if you have thoughts of suicide
• Try exercising
• Speak with a mental health professional such as a social worker or psychologist. Some specialize in treating people with cancer.
• Spend time with family and friends
• Try deep-breathing and relaxation exercises
• Use prayer or other types of spiritual support if it helps