For Informational Purposes Only
Content on this page is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice.
When to call 999 / 911 / 112 immediately
- Fever above 38°C / 100.4°F during chemotherapy (neutropenic fever — life-threatening emergency)
- Severe difficulty breathing
- Chest pain
- Seizure
- Sudden confusion or altered consciousness
- Uncontrolled bleeding
- Signs of severe allergic reaction (throat swelling, widespread rash with breathing difficulty)
Do not wait and see. Call your oncology emergency line first if available — they can advise and prepare the hospital.
Medication Management
Build a medication list — before you need it
Keep one written and one digital list of every medication: drug name (generic + brand), dose, frequency, prescribing doctor, and what it's for. Include all supplements, vitamins, and herbal products — these interact with cancer drugs. Bring this to every appointment. Update it immediately when anything changes. Many dangerous medication errors happen during hospital admissions when staff don't have a complete list.
- Use a pill organiser for complex regimens — fill it weekly, never daily
- Set phone alarms for time-critical drugs (oral chemo must be taken within narrow windows)
- Know which drugs require food (e.g. capecitabine must be taken with meals, not without)
- Know which drugs require fasting or specific timing relative to other drugs
- Keep a 'PRN' (as-needed) medication list: antiemetics, laxatives, pain breakthrough doses
- Never crush time-release formulations — check with pharmacist before crushing any tablet
- Dispose of unused controlled medications (opioids) at a pharmacy take-back program — never flush
Nutrition During Treatment
The goal during chemo is calories, not perfection
During active chemotherapy, the priority is maintaining weight — not eating a perfect diet. Nausea, mouth sores, and taste changes make eating difficult. "Whatever they can eat" beats "nothing because the healthy option is unpalatable." Work with a registered oncology dietitian — ask your team for a referral.