To Prevent Problems
Anemia
• Do not take aspirin or aspirin-
containing medicines unless ordered
by your doctor. Many prescription and
nonprescription products, especially
arthritis, cold, and sinus medications,
contain aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid).
Check the active ingredient label
carefully for this information. Ask your
pharmacist if you need help choosing
a product that does not contain
aspirin.
• There are many analgesics and
anti-infl ammatory medicines, both
prescription and nonprescription, that
contain salicylates (similar to aspirin)
or nonsteroidal anti-infl ammatory
medicines (such as Motrin ® or Aleve ® ).
These should also be avoided or taken
only with the doctor’s permission.
Check with your doctor, nurse, or
pharmacist before taking any over-the-
counter medication.
• Take stool softeners as needed to
prevent straining. Increase the fi ber in
your diet and drink more fl uids. Ask
your nurse or dietitian for diet tips.
• Apply fi rm pressure right away to any
site of bleeding for 5 minutes or until
bleeding stops. If bleeding does not
stop, call your doctor or go to the
emergency room.
Red blood cells cause the red color in
your blood. The red blood cells carry
oxygen from your lungs to your organs
and tissues. Hemoglobin is a part of
the red blood cells that helps carry the
oxygen to all areas of your body.
If your red blood cell count is too low,
you have anemia. This means that your
blood cannot carry enough oxygen to
your tissues. Symptoms of anemia often
happen slowly, so you may not even
notice them at fi rst. Some of the signs of
anemia are:
• Feeling tired
• Pale skin color
• Weakness
• Shortness of breath
• Pounding heart
• Dizziness
• Chest pain
There are many different causes of
anemia in people with cancer. Some may
have nothing to do with your cancer.
Some of the more common causes in
people with cancer include:
• Cancer itself
• Blood loss
• Poor nutrition or missing vitamins in
the diet
• Organ problems such as heart disease
or kidney failure
• Chemotherapy
• Radiation treatment
• Certain tumors such as lung or ovarian
tumors
Your doctor will try to fi nd out what is
causing your anemia by checking your
complete blood count (CBC) several
times during your therapy. You may also
have other tests such as a colonoscopy,
EGD, or CT scans.
Call your doctor or nurse
right away if you:
• Have a nosebleed, bleeding gums,
bleeding from an incision site, or
blood in your urine or stool.
• Notice new reddened pinpoint areas
(petechiae) or bruises.
• Have headaches, extreme drowsiness,
confusion, or falls.
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