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EASEEasy Answers for Side Effects

Because side effects can be scary. Answers can make them less so.

Some side effects are annoying. Some are exhausting. Some are frightening. EASE helps you recognize what you are experiencing, try simple first steps when appropriate, and know when an “easy answer” means calling your cancer team.

FIND WHAT YOU'RE FEELING ↓TALK WITH A SURVIVOR
What's happening? written in the sand beside the ocean
What's happening in your body matters. So does what's happening in your life.
E
EasySimple first steps.
A
AnswersPractical hints and better questions.
S
SideWhat treatment can affect beyond the cancer.
E
EffectsFrom everyday discomforts to symptoms that need help now.
WHAT ARE YOU EXPERIENCING?

Real side effects deserve real answers.

You do not need to read this whole page. Find the symptom that sounds most like yours. Each section gives you a few things to try or ask about—and a clear reminder of when to call.

Not every side effect belongs in the “wait and see” category.

Fever during treatment, uncontrolled vomiting or diarrhea, unusual bleeding, a possible blood clot, new breathing trouble, confusion, severe rash, an infusion reaction and other sudden changes can need prompt medical attention. EASE should help you feel prepared—not frightened and not falsely reassured.

JUMP TO A SIDE EFFECT
NauseaAppetiteFatigueNeuropathyConstipationDiarrheaMouthSkinBlood CountsFever/InfectionBleedingBlood ClotsBreathingDehydrationDizziness/ConfusionPainInfusion ReactionImmunotherapyKidney/LiverSleepEmotionalIntimacy
🤢

Nausea & Vomiting

Queasiness, vomiting, food smells suddenly unbearable.

ANTICIPATORY NAUSEASometimes treatment has not even started. Pulling into the hospital can be enough to make your stomach turn.
EASY ANSWERS
  • Take prescribed anti-nausea medicine exactly as your team directed.
  • Try small, frequent bites instead of full meals.
  • Sip fluids slowly if you have no fluid restriction.
  • Cold or room-temperature foods may be easier when smells trigger nausea.
WHEN TO CALLCall your team if vomiting continues, you cannot keep fluids down, or you feel faint or dehydrated.
🥣

Loss of Appetite & Weight Loss

Food may taste wrong, fill you up quickly, or feel like work.

EASY ANSWERS
  • Think mini-meals instead of three large meals.
  • Choose protein- and calorie-rich foods you tolerate.
  • Nutrition shakes can help when solids are hard.
  • Ask whether an oncology dietitian should join your team.
WHEN TO CALLTell your team about ongoing poor intake, rapid weight loss, or trouble swallowing.
☀️

Fatigue & Weakness

Cancer fatigue can feel deeper than ordinary tiredness.

EASY ANSWERS
  • Do important things when your energy is best.
  • Alternate activity with short rest periods.
  • Ask whether gentle movement is safe for you.
  • Let others help with tasks that drain energy without adding meaning.
WHEN TO CALLReport sudden or severe fatigue; anemia, infection, dehydration and other causes may need attention.
🧦

Neuropathy

Tingling, burning, numbness, weakness, clumsiness or balance changes.

FROM LIVED EXPERIENCE“Tingling” can be painfully inadequate. Neuropathy can feel relentless—painful, impossible to get away from, and exhausting.
EASY ANSWERS
  • Tell your team early; don't wait for numbness to become severe.
  • Protect hands and feet from cuts, burns and extreme temperatures.
  • Reduce fall risks if your feet feel numb.
  • Ask what symptom-relief options fit your treatment.
WHEN TO CALLCall promptly for rapidly worsening weakness, severe pain, falls, or new trouble walking.
🌿

Constipation

Pain medicines, anti-nausea drugs, treatment and less activity can all slow the bowel.

EASY ANSWERS
  • Drink fluids as your team recommends.
  • Gentle movement may help when safe.
  • Ask which stool softener or laxative is appropriate before starting one.
  • Don't automatically add lots of fiber if you have significant abdominal symptoms.
WHEN TO CALLCall for severe abdominal pain, vomiting, a swollen abdomen, or inability to pass stool or gas.
💧

Diarrhea

Frequent loose stools can quickly lead to dehydration and electrolyte problems.

EASY ANSWERS
  • Track how often you are going.
  • Replace fluids as instructed.
  • Simple, lower-fiber foods may be easier temporarily for some people.
  • Ask before using anti-diarrheal medicines, probiotics or supplements.
WHEN TO CALLCall promptly for severe or increasing diarrhea, fever, blood, dizziness or trouble keeping up with fluids.
🪥

Mouth & Throat Sores

Sores, dryness, taste changes and swallowing pain can make eating and drinking difficult.

EASY ANSWERS
  • Choose soft, moist foods and avoid foods that sting.
  • Use gentle mouth care and a soft toothbrush.
  • Ask which mouth rinse is appropriate for you.
  • Keep your team informed if pain is limiting food or fluids.
WHEN TO CALLReport white patches, fever, worsening sores, bleeding, or trouble swallowing liquids.
🧴

Skin, Rash & Hand-Foot Changes

Dryness, cracking, peeling, rash, burning or tender palms and soles can occur with treatment.

EASY ANSWERS
  • Use gentle, fragrance-free products unless your team says otherwise.
  • Protect irritated skin from heat, sun and friction.
  • Moisturize hands and feet with a product your team approves.
  • Photograph changes so your team can see how quickly they are evolving.
WHEN TO CALLCall for blistering, rapidly spreading rash, skin peeling, facial swelling, or signs of infection.
🩸

Low Blood Counts

Treatment can lower red cells, white cells or platelets—causing fatigue, infection risk, bruising or bleeding.

EASY ANSWERS
  • Know when your team expects blood counts to be lowest.
  • Keep a thermometer available if your team recommends it.
  • Use extra care to avoid cuts and falls if platelets are low.
  • Ask before taking aspirin, ibuprofen or supplements that may affect bleeding.
WHEN TO CALLFever at the threshold your team gave you, shaking chills, unusual bleeding or unexplained bruising deserve prompt attention.
🌡️

Fever, Infection & Neutropenia

With low white blood cells, infection can become serious quickly—and fever may be the only warning.

EASY ANSWERS
  • Know the exact temperature your team wants you to call about.
  • Wash hands often and protect central lines, drains and wounds as instructed.
  • Do not mask a fever with medication unless your team tells you to.
  • Keep after-hours oncology contact information easy to find.
WHEN TO CALLCall your oncology team promptly for fever, chills, confusion, worsening cough, burning urination, redness or drainage.
🩹

Bleeding & Bruising

Low platelets, some medicines and some cancers can increase bleeding risk.

EASY ANSWERS
  • Use a soft toothbrush and electric razor if your team recommends them.
  • Avoid activities with a high risk of falls or injury when counts are low.
  • Ask before taking medicines or supplements that affect clotting.
  • Notice new pinpoint red spots, nosebleeds or increasing bruising.
WHEN TO CALLBleeding that will not stop, vomiting blood, black/bloody stool, blood in urine, or a head injury with low platelets needs urgent evaluation.
🦵

Blood Clots

Cancer can increase the risk of clots in the legs or lungs.

EASY ANSWERS
  • Notice new one-sided leg or arm swelling, warmth, redness or pain.
  • Stay as mobile as your team recommends.
  • Take blood-thinning medicine exactly as prescribed if you use it.
  • Tell your team about new swelling rather than assuming it is treatment-related fluid retention.
WHEN TO CALLSudden shortness of breath, chest pain, coughing blood, fainting or a racing heartbeat can be an emergency.
🫁

Breathing Changes

Shortness of breath may come from infection, anemia, fluid, a clot, heart/lung effects, or the cancer itself.

EASY ANSWERS
  • Stop and rest when breathing becomes difficult.
  • Notice whether symptoms happen only with activity or also at rest.
  • Record oxygen readings only if your team has asked you to monitor them.
  • Tell your team about new cough, wheezing or reduced stamina.
WHEN TO CALLTrouble breathing at rest, blue/gray lips, chest pain, fainting or rapidly worsening breathlessness needs urgent help.
🥤

Dehydration & Electrolyte Changes

Vomiting, diarrhea, poor intake and some medicines can alter fluids, sodium, potassium or magnesium.

EASY ANSWERS
  • Sip fluids regularly if your team allows.
  • Use the hydration plan your care team recommends.
  • Watch for dark urine, dry mouth, dizziness or unusual muscle cramps.
  • Do not start electrolyte or mineral supplements without checking first.
WHEN TO CALLCall for fainting, confusion, severe weakness, inability to drink, very little urine or a racing/irregular heartbeat.
🤲

Pain

New or changing pain is information—not something you have to silently endure.

EASY ANSWERS
  • Describe where it hurts, what it feels like, severity, timing and what changes it.
  • Take prescribed pain medicine as directed.
  • Ask about side effects such as constipation or drowsiness.
  • Ask whether supportive or palliative care could add another layer of relief.
WHEN TO CALLReport new severe pain, chest pain, sudden abdominal pain, or rapidly worsening pain.
⚡

Infusion & Allergic Reactions

Some reactions happen during or soon after an infusion; others can appear later.

EASY ANSWERS
  • Tell the infusion nurse immediately about itching, flushing, chills, chest tightness, throat symptoms or sudden discomfort.
  • Do not try to 'push through' a reaction.
  • Ask what delayed symptoms to watch for after you go home.
  • Keep the treatment center's after-hours number with you.
WHEN TO CALLSwelling of the mouth/throat, trouble breathing, fainting or severe symptoms are emergencies.
🛡️

Immune-Related Side Effects

Immunotherapy can cause inflammation in organs such as the bowel, lungs, liver, skin, thyroid and others.

EASY ANSWERS
  • Report new symptoms even when they seem unrelated to cancer treatment.
  • Mention immunotherapy if you seek care outside your cancer center.
  • Do not assume new diarrhea, cough, rash or unusual weakness is routine.
  • Ask your team what symptoms they want reported immediately.
*** IMMUNOTHERAPY Side effects can be different from chemotherapy and may involve inflammation in almost any organ. New symptoms—even ones that seem unrelated—should be reported to your immunotherapy team.
WHEN TO CALLNew breathing problems, severe diarrhea, yellow skin/eyes, severe rash, confusion, marked weakness or other rapidly worsening symptoms need prompt attention.
🧪

Kidney or Liver Changes

Sometimes lab changes appear before you feel sick.

EASY ANSWERS
  • Keep scheduled bloodwork appointments.
  • Tell your team about major changes in urine, swelling or itching.
  • Ask before taking new supplements or over-the-counter medicines.
  • Stay with your treatment team's hydration plan.
WHEN TO CALLYellowing skin/eyes, very dark urine, markedly decreased urine, severe swelling, confusion or significant abdominal pain deserve prompt evaluation.
🌙

Sleep Problems

Pain, steroids, worry, hot flashes and medication timing can all interfere with sleep.

EASY ANSWERS
  • Keep a simple sleep routine when possible.
  • Ask whether medication timing may be affecting sleep.
  • Short daytime rests may interfere less than long naps.
  • Treat pain, nausea or anxiety that is keeping you awake rather than only chasing sleep.
WHEN TO CALLTell your team when sleeplessness is persistent, severe or affecting safety and daily function.
💛

Fear, Anxiety & Depression

Treatment affects people, not just tumors.

FEAR IS PART OF THE EXPERIENCE, TOOFear. Anxiety. Depression. The thought of impending death. Cancer can make an ordinary day carry questions that feel anything but ordinary.
EASY ANSWERS
  • Name what is hardest today instead of solving everything at once.
  • Ask for counseling, social work, spiritual care or peer support.
  • Use FRIENDS for Your Journey when talking to someone who has lived it would help.
  • Call the Survivor Line when you need help sorting through the noise.
WHEN TO CALLSeek immediate help if you feel unsafe, are thinking about harming yourself, or cannot care for yourself.
🌼

Body Image, Sexual Health & Intimacy

Pain, fatigue, surgery, hormones, menopause, erectile changes and body image can affect intimacy.

EASY ANSWERS
  • Give yourself permission to talk about it; this is part of cancer care.
  • Ask what changes are expected with your treatment.
  • Ask about pelvic health, sexual medicine, menopause or erectile-function specialists when appropriate.
  • Redefine closeness when energy or physical comfort changes.
WHEN TO CALLTell your team about new severe pelvic pain, bleeding, infection symptoms or abrupt functional changes.
THE SIDE EFFECTS BEHIND THE MEDICAL WORDS

Hypomagnesemia may sound like a lab value until fatigue makes lifting the covers feel impossible. Steroids can mean tears or anger—sometimes both. Hair loss can feel like identity loss. Cold sensitivity can be real, frightening and chilling to the bone. And coming home from chemo shaking so hard you can barely stop is not something a patient forgets.

WHEN EASE MEANS GETTING HELP

Know your team's call-now rules before you need them.

Your oncology team's instructions always come first because risk depends on your cancer, treatment and blood counts. Keep their daytime and after-hours numbers somewhere easy to find.

CALL YOUR CANCER TEAM PROMPTLYFever at the threshold they gave you; shaking chills; uncontrolled vomiting or diarrhea; unusual bleeding; worsening mouth sores; new neuropathy; significant rash; dehydration; or any side effect that is quickly getting worse.
SEEK URGENT / EMERGENCY HELPTrouble breathing, chest pain, fainting, seizure, sudden confusion, new one-sided weakness, severe bleeding, swelling of the mouth or throat, or another symptom your team has told you is an emergency.
TELL THEM WHAT TREATMENT YOU'RE ONIf you seek urgent care away from your cancer center, tell the team you have cancer, what treatment you are receiving, and when your most recent treatment was.
SIDE EFFECTS OF LIVING WITH CANCER

Scanxiety. And scanticipation.

There is the anxiety of having new scans—the appointment, the machine, the question of what they may find. Then there is the anticipation of the results: waiting for the portal, the phone call, the appointment, the words that may change everything. That waiting is part of the cancer experience, too.

ONE SMALL TOOL

A symptom diary can make the next call easier.

Write down what changed, when it started, how often it happens, how severe it feels, what you ate or drank, and what medicines you took. A few notes can help your care team see a pattern that is hard to remember when you feel miserable.

Questions worth asking

  • Is this expected with my treatment?
  • What can I safely try at home?
  • What medicines or supplements should I avoid?
  • Exactly when do you want me to call?
  • What symptoms mean emergency room?
  • Could a pharmacist, dietitian, palliative care specialist, physical therapist or another team member help?
🐝 · · ·
THE HUMAN ANSWER

Sometimes EASE begins with someone who has been there.

Practical information helps. So does another human being. Survivor Line and FRIENDS for Your Journey can help you sort through questions, find support and feel less alone in the middle of treatment.

CALL 1-877-937-7478FIND A FRIEND

EASE is educational support, not medical advice. Side effects can have many causes and can require treatment-specific action. Follow your oncology team's instructions and contact them for new, severe, worsening or concerning symptoms.