Carer Gateway
Services offered
Mental health support (general)
Everyday tasks
Overview
Carers can help monitor and manage symptoms of cancer and side effects of treatment. Some common symptoms and side effects include pain, fatigue, breathlessness, nausea and loss of appetite.
Some issues require urgent medical attention. These include a temperature of 38°C or above, chest pain, and redness or swelling around the site of an infection or wound.
What's on this page
Cancer itself can cause a range of symptoms, and cancer treatments often cause side effects. Some common symptoms and side effects include pain; fatigue; breathlessness; nausea and loss of appetite.
Carers often help the person they are caring for manage these issues. You can also call Cancer Connect on 13 11 20 to find out more about these and other common side effects experienced by people with cancer.
Managing common symptoms and side effects
Pain
Pain
- Support the person with cancer to use pain medicines appropriately. Immediate release medicines work quickly but for a few hours. Slow release medicines provide pain control for a longer period of time, often 12–24 hours.
- If the pain is hard to manage, when you give pain medicine keep a record of the dose and time so you can discuss this with the treatment team. It may take time to find the right pain medicine.
- Always talk to the doctor before stopping or changing the dose.
- Use a pain scale or pain diary to help you and the person you are caring for understand how strong the pain is and the need for extra doses of pain medicine.
- Try hot water bottles or heat packs (check the temperature first), ice packs or gentle massage to relieve pain and discomfort.
- Complementary therapies such as massage or meditation may help.
- For more information, see Cancer pain and listen to Cancer Council's podcast episode Managing Cancer Pain.
Fatigue
Fatigue
- Help the person to set small, manageable goals for the day. Suggest they take regular breaks before they become too tired.
- Encourage the person to prioritise activities that they enjoy.
- Find ways for the person to do some gentle physical activity every day – research shows that exercise can reduce fatigue. Talk to the treatment team about what sort of exercise would be suitable. This may include walking or strengthtraining exercises. See an exercise physiologist or a physiotherapist for other suggestions.
- Help them set up a calm sleeping environment. Ensure the room is dark, quiet and a comfortable temperature. Soothing music or relaxation tracks help some people sleep.
- Investigate services that can help with household chores, cooking or gardening.
- For more information, see Fatigue and cancer.
Breathlessness
Breathlessness
- Use a handheld fan to direct a stream of air across the person’s face.
- Place a pillow on a table so the person can lean forward with an arm crossed over the pillow – this allows their breathing muscles to relax.
- Set up a recliner chair to help the person sleep in a more upright position.
- Offer regular drinks throughout theday. Dehydration can contribute to breathlessness.
- Talk to the treatment team about breathing exercises, equipment and ways to manage breathlessness.
- Maintain a calm atmosphere, when possible, as anxiety can make breathlessness worse.
- Ask a doctor or GP about seeing a psychologist to help manage anxiety.
- Listen to Cancer Council's podcast series Finding Calm During Cancer podcast.
Nausea and loss of appetite
Nausea and loss of appetite
- Focus on creating a pleasant atmosphere for meals, sitting together and talking.
- Celebrate how much the person eats rather than comment on how much is not finished.
- Encourage the person you are caring for to ask their doctor for different anti-nausea medicines until they find one that works well for them.
- Offer the person their favourite meal or well-tolerated foods often. Most people don’t need a strict diet during cancer treatment, though you should follow the advice of the health professionals.
- Offer small meals or snacks every 2–3 hours during the day.
- Provide regular drinks to help the person avoid becoming dehydrated.
- If the person you care for is losing weight or feels too nauseated to eat, talk to their doctor. The person may need medicine changes or a review by a dietitian or pharmacist to arrange dietary supplements.
- For more information, see Nutrition for people living with cancer and listen to Cancer Council's podcast episode Appetite Loss and Nausea.
How long side effects last
Some side effects go away quickly; others can take weeks, months or even years to improve. Some side effects may be permanent.
A person’s body will cope with the treatment and recovery in its own way. It is important not to compare the person you are caring for to others. It’s also important to let the treatment team know about any symptoms or side effects – they will often be able to suggest medicines and other treatments that may help.
When to see a doctor
The treatment team will let you both know of any side effects that need to be closely monitored and when to contact them. Issues that require urgent medical attention include:
- a temperature of 38°C or above
- chest pain or breathlessness
- severe nausea or vomiting that lasts more than a few hours
- redness or swelling around the site of an injection or wound
- confusion
- severe headache with a stiff neck
- chills with shaking or shivering
- severe abdominal (belly) pain, constipation or diarrhoea
- unusual bleeding or bruising, such as heavy nosebleeds, blood in the urine (wee) or black faeces (poo)
- not being able to control the bladder (incontinence) or having trouble passing urine and/or leg weakness
- burning or stinging feeling when urinating (weeing)
- rash or skin lesions
- any serious unexpected side effects or if the person suddenly gets a lot sicker.
Read cancer information
Trusted cancer information for all people affected by cancer
Need to talk to someone?
We're available 9am - 5pm, Monday to Friday (excluding public holidays)