It’s pretty much a universally known fact that undergoing chemotherapy sucks. You don’t feel well, you’re tired, and there’s a whole lot more of your body that’s affected than just cancer cells. Hence, it’s helpful to know potential chemo side effects for Adriamycin at the start.
That said, the severity of side effects depends on several factors, including which type of chemo you have and how old you are. If you’re younger, generally you’re in better health so your oncologist may give you a higher dose. But that sometimes means worse side effects. From what I’ve heard, women over 50 tend to get a lower dose, so they may get through treatment a bit easier.
Allow me to state right here that I am not a doctor. I’m not even a nurse, nor did I stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night. (Anyone remember those commercials?)
The information that follows is based on my own personal experience with Adriamycin and Cytoxan as a 32-year-old with Triple Negative breast cancer. As all the drug commercials tell you, side effects may vary. Some people fared worse on Adria than I did, while others breezed through it. I’d say my experience was fairly common and middle of the road.
This Article is Like a Table of Contents
I had wanted to organize all the chemo side effects for Adriamycin together in one article so it’s an easy, comprehensive resource…. But then I started typing and realized I could end up with a novella (such is chemo life). So I switched gears to briefly list all the side effects in this article. Those side effects that require further details will have their own articles, which I’ve linked to this one.
This article is an attempt to help prepare you for what you may experience and what questions you may want to ask your oncologist. Knowledge is power, and being prepared for side effects can make your healing and recovery less stressful.
I also discuss what I did that helped me (or didn’t) through the chemo side effects for Adriamycin.
First Step: Get Organized
If you haven’t started one already, I highly recommend having a notebook to document your chemo side effects and appointments. I have a composition notebook dedicated to all things cancer care. It includes doctor appointments, side effects, resources, phone calls with insurance, and my doctors’ contact information. Between chemo brain, fatigue, and the time between appointments, this made life so much easier! I could just refer back to my notes when my doctor asked how I was doing!
Also, I have a 3-inch binder with all my paperwork. This includes insurance EOB’s, medical bills, discharge paperwork, and resources and information from the doctors. Bedazzle it and make it inspiring – you’re about to spend a lot of time with it. Or just leave it simple and practical, but either way you are about to be inundated with paperwork. A large binder, a set of dividers, and a composition notebook will go a long way in keeping you organized and sane when you’re already tired and not feeling well!
There’s a Light at the End of the Tunnel
I hate to say it, but Adriamycin was a rough road. To be honest, I don’t even know how many of the side effects are related to Cytoxan because the doctors don’t really discuss that one. The side effects are all attributed to Adriamycin. Adria is nicknamed “the red devil,” and for good reason. I received four doses of Adria, and reminding myself I only had four was a comfort.
Because Adria is tough on your heart, you can only receive a certain amount of it during your lifetime. So if you’ve completed your rounds of Adria, congratulations! You never have to endure it again!
Will I lose my hair on Adriamycin?
Adria is indeed one of the chemo drugs that results in hair loss. I was told it would happen after my second dose, or 2-4 weeks after starting treatment.
Because this topic alone gets a bit lengthy, I have another article on the subject here.
One common side effect of the hair loss is that your scalp will hurt. Some women described it as feeling like their hair was literally being ripped out. Mine wasn’t nearly that intense. But it did hurt if anything – a hand, hat, etc. – touched my head. This was the greatest reason I wanted my head shaved as close to the skin as possible — to reduce the pain in my scalp.
Also, another survivor recommended Paul Mitchell’s Tea Tree Shampoo and I absolutely recommend it! It not only helped with the scalp pain, but it also helped prevent my scalp from breaking out, another common side effect of chemo. (The side effects only get more fun from here!)
My first chemo as Adria was getting pumped through my port. That excitement only lasted a few hours… Then the nausea kicked in. 😉
Possible chemo side effects for Adriamycin
Alright, on to the fun stuff!
Chemo Side Effect: Vomiting and Nausea
Let’s just get this one out of the way, shall we?
For me personally, the vomiting and nausea were relatively short-lived. But they were also pretty intense, especially that first night after treatment.
In summary, I found it best to get to sleep within two hours after treatment. For this reason, I would schedule my infusions in the afternoon so that it was already evening when I was going to bed, as opposed to morning infusions and messing myself up to sleep at night.
Once the nausea was done, I just felt cruddy… This was worse than the nausea since there was nothing I could do about it and it lingered for a week or more.
If you’d like to read more about this side effect, check out this article. As promised above, I also mention some things that may help you feel better or options you can look into.
Chemo Side Effect: Everything Feels Dry
Hydration is absolutely crucial on chemo! Between vomiting, keeping your bowels moving, and all the meds you may be taking for side effects, you’re going to need a lot of water. Plus it helps flush the chemo through your system so other side effects don’t hit you so hard.
That said, it can also be hard to keep up on your water intake (keep reading for details on that). Literally my entire body felt dry – skin, eyes, mouth, you name it. I was putting lotion on more frequently than normal. I’d even wake up in the middle of the night and start chugging water, which I never did…largely because I didn’t want to get up to pee in a half hour.
Get some unscented or lightly scented lotion stocked up (read below regarding scents), and keep a full glass or bottle of water near your bed at night. I go into more detail about the importance of hydration in this article.
Chemo Side Effect: Constipation and Diarrhea
While we’re discussing water and hydration… It is incredibly common to deal with serious constipation or diarrhea during chemo. I actually didn’t realize how common it was until I finished treatment, but sh*t gets real, y’all! Looking back, I should have talked to my oncologist about it before I got so backed up. Don’t do like I did – if you’re dealing with bad constipation or diarrhea, talk to your oncologist about what he or she recommends. Sometimes dosages even need to be lowered to avoid any further difficulties. You can read more about this side effect in this article.
Chemo Side Effect: Everything Tastes Weird
Chemo does some screwy things to your sense of taste. Highly annoying because you’re already battling nausea and feeling blah (technical term). Adriamycin has this uncanny ability to make everything taste metallic or just…weird. So don’t be surprised if you start craving certain foods or can’t stand other foods that you love.
I’m pretty sure chemo cravings are as powerful as pregnancy cravings. I could put the hurt on a veggie tray during chemo! (I know, super weird thing to crave, but here we are.) My cravings even infiltrated my dreams a couple times. I’d wake up in the middle of the night wanting to make a run for blueberries at the grocery or for gas station nachos. Not even good quality nachos. I wanted that plastic tray of chips and nacho cheese at gas stations.
Helpful Hint: Stick to blander foods
Word of warning: stick with bland food after your first treatment till you know how you’ll be affected. I’ve heard more than a few stories of people going out to eat or getting a favorite food after their first treatment, only to find out they felt ill and now that food is associated with feeling sick. That’s tragic. Don’t do that to yourself.
And with everything tasting weird in general, sticking to bland foods may just be easier overall. I ate a lot of buttered toast, hard-boiled eggs, and plain veggies during treatment. Boost and Ensure in chocolate or vanilla were also a staple since they’re easy to consume and contain a fair amount of protein.
Also, with so many things tasting metallic, I found it best to avoid metal water bottles during Adria. I know, maybe you’re like me and you were gifted a metal bottle in your chemo care package or already have a favorite metal water bottle. You can give it a go if you’d like, but I found that a plastic Tervis was favorable to my tastes. I also used a lot of lemonade, Crystal Light flavoring, or Gatorade to help get fluids without the metallic effects of Adria on drinking water.
Chemo Side Effect: Fatigue Like None Other…
I thought I was prepared for the fatigue. I’ve been tired before. Heck, I’ve been friggin’ exhausted before! And who else here feels all fatigued and blasé when it’s that time of the month? So sure, bring on the fatigue and I’ll take a lovely mid-afternoon nap with the pups!
Y’all…. I have never slept so much in my life as on chemo. It only hit hard the first couple days after treatment, then eased up after that. But I was asleep more than awake those first few days! (Check out this article for a more in-depth idea of what to expect.)
Chemo Side Effect: Heartburn
Prior to chemo, I had never had heartburn. Ever. As such, it took me a while to realize that was what I was experiencing. It wasn’t a burning feeling, per se. But after eating the back of my throat would feel this weird cold sensation that was super irritating and made swallowing uncomfortable. My mom, who does have heartburn, finally connected the dots.
I tried Rolaids and Tums, but neither did the trick. This heartburn required something stronger. I ended up taking Zantac twice a day – once in the morning and once before dinner. Doing so consistently would relieve the heartburn, and I definitely faced the consequences if I took the second one too late.
Chemo Side Effect: Mouth Sores
I didn’t have too much of a problem with this, but that’s only because I stayed on top of it from the beginning. Don’t wait until you’re starting to get sores before you take action! It can escalate surprisingly quickly.
Mouth sores are why Biotene is suggested for chemo care packages. It helps moisturize the mouth and thus prevents mouth sores from chemo. It can be hard to stay hydrated, as already discussed above. And the change in taste makes it harder to replenish your body’s fluids. So it’s really easy for your mouth to become dry and start forming sores.
I started off with Biotene two or three times a day. That held off the sores for a while, but I did reach a point where sores started to form. At that point I kept up with the Biotene, but also added a salt water rinse every couple hours. I had to be diligent about my rinses for the sores to go away!
I’ve heard from other survivors that drinking something cold during treatment can help prevent mouth sores. I only tried this for one treatment since I heard about it late in the game. So I can’t tell you how effective it was at preventing mouth sores since I had upped my usage of mouth rinses by then. But I can tell you it was nice to have an excuse to stop at Starbucks for a venti vanilla Frappuccino before treatment!
(I mean for real, y’all, you’re on your way to friggin’ chemo of all places – stop for a frapp and treat yo self!!)
Chemo Side Effect: Sensitivity to Smell
I was not prepared for this side effect. I didn’t think it was possible. My nose has never been a super sniffer. Strong scents that grossed out others hardly fazed me.
Stale Air
But that changed real quick with Adria! Suddenly my car had a stale scent to it that sickened me and forced me to drive with the windows down in the middle of winter. I tried using essential oils in the car, but the oils bothered me too in that small space, even with just passive diffusing.
The house smelled so overwhelmingly stale that it was all I could think about! And again, we were all shut in because it was winter. But it’s never bothered me like that before. Fortunately, diffusing essential oils in the house was effective since it could be spread over a larger area. I often diffused Germ Fighter or Immune Aid for the health benefits anyway, but an added bonus was the house smelled better.
Chemical and Cooking Smells
I was also more sensitive to other smells, like hand sanitizer, perfumes, whatever was cooking, or bathroom aromas (the whole gamut of them). Some of these scents still get to me, like hand sanitizer. This also gave me an awareness that others may be far more sensitive to smell than me. As such, I’m more considerate now about perfumes and food or floral-scented hand sanitizers. (Sure, it helps mask the alcohol scent, but some of those scents are strong!)
Chemical smells, like in cleaners or bathroom sprays really bothered me. Natural scents I would notice, but I could handle them. If you’re planning ahead for treatment, try to do your cleaning shortly before treatment so the smell can dissipate and you (hopefully) won’t have to clean again for a bit; this is also helpful given the nausea right after treatment.
Bath and Body
Also be forewarned with candles, lotions, or bath bombs. One friend had gifted me a lemon cream-scented lotion from J.R. Watkins, and though it was fairly strong, it wasn’t overpowering and still smelled really good! Others, however, like some of my Bath & Body Works scents, had to be set aside for the time being.
Final Thoughts on Chemo Side Effects for Adriamycin
It seems there’s no shortage of chemo side effects for Adriamycin. I often had a hard time with endurance and standing for more than a minute or two. But the side effects listed above were the major ones I dealt with that also took other measures to mitigate.
By the way, I’ve heard that exercising during chemo can help alleviate symptoms so you feel better. That may be the case, but I didn’t hear about this until too late in the game to test it out. And truthfully, I felt poor enough I’m not sure I would’ve been doing much exercising anyway…
My biggest advice is to get the composition book to keep track of your symptoms and discuss them openly with your oncologist.
I had to change my anti-nausea med from Zofran to Phenergan because Zofran gave me terrible headaches (common side effect). And I should have discussed my lack of bowel movements. Keeping a daily record of your side effects and discussing them with your doctor can potentially save you some pain and discomfort later.
It’s going to be a bumpy road. But remind yourself you can only have so many Adria treatments in your life, and just keep swimming.
Pin me!
I know that my cancer-care journal has been invaluable. While my own treatment doesn’t involve chemo quite yet – I can attest that the targeted therapy I am on, has some eerily similar side effects: fatigue, nausea, everything tastes like metal, constipation, diarrhea, brain fog… and the list goes on! I love how valuable this is!