Can a cancer patient go into a coma?
Tumors. Tumors in the brain or brainstem can cause a coma.
Can chemo put you in a coma?
In high-doses some drugs may induce acute encephalopathy, causing confusion, seizures, hemiparesis, and coma. It is important that physical therapists conduct a full neurological examination to detect any neurological damage. Gastrointestinal toxicity is a common side effect of most chemotherapy drugs.
What is the most serious complication of chemotherapy?
Chemotherapy drugs kill cancer cells as well as healthy white blood cells. Since white blood cells are one of the body’s main defenses against infection, this means you have a higher risk of getting an infection while your white blood cell count is low.
What is aggressive chemotherapy?
Aggressive care includes chemotherapy after multiple earlier rounds of treatment have stopped working and being admitted to an intensive care unit. Such interventions at the end of life “are widely recognized to be harmful,” Chen said.
What are the stages of a coma?
Three stages of coma DOC includes coma, the vegetative state (VS) and the minimally conscious state (MCS).
What are indicators that someone is coming out of a coma?
Signs of coming out of a coma include being able to keep their eyes open for longer and longer periods of time and being awakened from “sleep” easier—at first by pain (pinch), then by touch (like gently shaking of their shoulder), and finally by sound (calling their name).
How sick does chemo make you?
Chemotherapy can make you feel sick (nauseated) or cause you to vomit. Not everyone feels sick during or after chemotherapy, but if nausea affects you, it will usually start a few hours after treatment. Nausea may last for many hours and be accompanied by vomiting or retching.
Can chemotherapy be done in an induced coma?
Chemotherapy is not just one time/one day treatment that person can be put in a coma for and be done with it. Unfortunately, it’s given over an extended period of time ranging from months to years depending upon type of cancer and stage. So, induced coma isn’t the answer.
Is it safe to take other medicines during chemo treatment?
This isn’t a problem for healthy people with normal platelet counts, but if a person has low platelet counts from chemo, this combination might put them at risk of a serious bleeding problem. Your doctor can talk with you about the safety of using other medicines, vitamins, and supplements while you are being treated for cancer.
What are the side effects of chemotherapy on healthy cells?
Damage to healthy cells causes side effects. Side effects are not always as bad as you might expect, but many people worry about this part of cancer treatment. The normal cells most likely to be damaged by chemo are : Some chemo drugs can damage cells in the heart, kidneys, bladder, lungs, and nervous system.
What should I do if I have symptoms during chemo treatment?
Contact your cancer care team right away if you have any of the following symptoms during chemo treatment: A fever higher than what your cancer care team has instructed (usually 100.5°F -101°F or greater (taken by mouth) Shortness of breath or trouble breathing (If you’re having trouble breathing call 911 first.)