Allie Morgan

Like many cancer patients, I received chemotherapy – nine months in all. It’s a difficult topic as it’s such a brutal treatment. When I was in hospital, one patient’s mother described it as a ‘good poison’, and that’s very much what it felt like.

While it was literally life-saving for me, people may not always realise that chemo actually has far-reaching consequences that can still affect you years later.

I thought I’d delve into the lesser-known realm of the long-term effects of chemo, shedding light on the challenges survivors face beyond cancer.

Physical Implications

Of course, the physical effects of chemo are probably the most well-known.

While its primary goal is to target rapidly dividing cancer cells, chemo can inadvertently harm healthy cells in the process (hence why cancer patients lose their hair, get mouth ulcers etc).

I still experience fatigue now, and I’m not sure whether that’s down to my heart being affected by the chemo (more on that in a bit) or whether that’s just how I am as a person.

My heart wasn’t affected until my final treatment (booo!) when my left ventricle became damaged. I’ve since managed to build my heart back up through a mixture of medicine & lifestyle changes, but it still bothers me now & again, when I get palpitations or a little breathless.

I also have chronic tinnitus that never lets up, and some hearing damage which can be difficult to contend with when I’m trying to hear a group conversation.

Whether my fertility has been affected remains to be seen.

Emotional and Psychological Ramifications

A big thing for any cancer survivor to grapple with is the psychological impact of going through something as gruelling as chemotherapy. For instance, I can sometimes still feel nauseous at the sight of a hospital food trolley, as I was so sick on the chemo.

The anxiety I experienced around food when I was on chemo was so bad that I had panic attacks, and had to see a psychologist, so it’s no wonder that those traum atic moments still linger.

Social Challenges

Finishing chemo can feel like reaching the end of a marathon, but getting back to ‘normal’ isn’t always easy. Not only have you missed out on social events for the past few months, you might feel that re-integrating with everyone isn’t as easy as you thought. I had cancer in my teens and everyone seemed to grow up 1000x in the year I was off school!

Loved ones may also struggle to understand the lingering effects of chemotherapy and the emotional toll it has taken. I felt talking to those close to me about the challenges I’d experienced was the key to helping them understand what I was feeling.

Looking Forward: Managing and Coping

Navigating the long-term effects of chemotherapy can be tough but focusing on all aspects of recovery, not just the physical, can help a huge amount. Find cancer communities on social media, get out and about to take your mind off things, and journal your thoughts to understand exactly what it is you’re feeling.

How have you coped with the long-term effects of chemo?

Allie x