Some treatment side effects go away quickly, while others can take weeks, months or even years to improve. Some may be permanent. Most side effects can be managed with support from your health care team.

Your body will cope with the treatment and recovery in its own way. It is important not to compare yourself to others.

Some people experience late side effects. These are problems that develop months or years after treatment finishes. They may result from scarring to parts of the body or damage to internal organs. Talk to your doctor about whether you are at risk of developing late effects and what you can do to help prevent them. Managing the side effects of treatment can feel overwhelming, but there are many sources of support.

Complementary therapies are widely used alongside conventional treatments and may include acupuncture, mindfulness meditation and art therapy, among others. They may help you manage side effects of treatment, increase your sense of control, decrease anxiety and improve your quality of life.

Let your doctor know about any complementary therapies you are using or thinking about trying. Your doctor may be able to refer you to a qualified therapist who is experienced in working with cancer survivors and understands the role of complementary therapies in cancer care.

Alternative therapies are different from complementary therapies. They are used instead of conventional treatments. Many alternative therapies have not been scientifically tested, so there is no proof they stop cancer growing or spreading. Others have been tested and shown not to be effective. Cancer Council does not recommend the use of alternative therapies. 

• Get up at the same time each morning and avoid daytime naps.
• Exercise regularly but not right before bed.
• If you smoke, quit – smoking can affect your ability to fall and stay asleep.
• Limit or avoid drinking alcohol and caffeine.
• Avoid spicy food if it gives you indigestion.
• Set up a pre-sleep routine to help you relax. Try to go to bed around the same time most evenings to establish a stable sleep/wake routine.
• Listen to our relaxation and meditation podcast Finding Calm During Cancer. Done regularly, these exercises may help you sleep better.
• Put screens (mobile phone, tablet, computer or TV) away an hour before bedtime and avoid using them in the bedroom.
• Keep the bedroom dark, quiet and a comfortable temperature.
• If medicines interfere with your sleep, discuss alternatives with your doctor.
• Speak with your GP about whether counselling or cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) would help.
• Listen to our 'Sleep and Cancer' episode of The Thing About Cancer podcast.

Learning how to manage your pain may let you return to many of the activities you enjoy and improve your quality of life.

Discuss your pain with your doctor so they can try to work out the cause and develop a pain management plan. In cases where no fixable cause is found, the focus will shift to improving your ability to function despite the pain.

Pain medicines called analgesics are widely used to help reduce pain. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or paracetamol are the main drugs used to relieve pain in survivors. While opioids are sometimes prescribed for chronic pain, research shows that using opioids for a long time is not safe.

There are other ways to relieve pain, such as daily stretching, cognitive behaviour therapy, massage, creative therapies and relaxation techniques, among others. If your pain is not well controlled, ask your doctor about referring you to a pain management specialist in a multidisciplinary pain clinic.

Surgery or cancer treatment may have affected your balance or ability to walk or move around. Balance training guided by an exercise physiologist, physiotherapist or occupational therapist may help improve your balance and muscle strength.

Changes to how your bowel or bladder works can be very distressing and have a significant impact on quality of life. Some medicines and cancer treatments can cause constipation, diarrhoea or incontinence.

After treatment, some people have a stoma that allows urine (wee) or faeces (poo) to be collected in a bag. These changes may be temporary or ongoing and may require specialised help or products.

Radiation therapy to the pelvic area can damage the lining of the rectum, causing inflammation and swelling known as radiation proctitis.

If you have any of these issues, talk to your GP, specialist doctor, specialist nurse or dietitian. Drinking more water and changing what you eat may also help.

Radiation therapy to the chest area and some types of chemotherapy may damage the heart muscle and lead to an increased risk of heart problems after treatment. Risk factors include:

• certain types of drugs, such as anthracycline chemotherapy drugs and some targeted therapies
• radiation therapy combined with chemotherapy (chemoradiation)
• having treatment at a younger age
• diabetes
• high blood pressure (hypertension)
• obesity
• smoking.

If you have received high-risk chemotherapy or targeted therapy drugs, radiation therapy to the chest or whole body, or chemoradiation, talk to your doctor about your heart health, the symptoms to look out for, and whether you need regular heart checks. If you develop heart problems later in life, make sure you let your doctors know about the cancer treatment you had.

Regular exercise, managing your cholesterol, blood pressure and weight, and stopping smoking can help you look after your heart health.

Cancer and its treatment, particularly radiation therapy, can have long-term effects on your bone strength. Menopause and some types of hormone therapy may also cause bones to weaken and break more easily.

Talk to your doctor about having a bone density test or taking medicine to prevent your bones from becoming weak. Regular weight-bearing exercise, eating calcium-rich foods, getting enough vitamin D, limiting alcohol and not smoking will also help keep your bones strong.

Radiation therapy to the head or neck and some chemotherapy drugs can affect your hearing. Some people lose the ability to hear high-pitched sounds or develop a constant ringing in their ears known as tinnitus. These problems may get better when treatment ends or they may be permanent. Tell your GP if you notice any change in your hearing or if these symptoms don’t go away.

You may have mouth sores or tooth decay, find it difficult to swallow or have a dry mouth. These problems can affect your ability to eat, drink, manage your weight or talk. Depending on the type of cancer and treatment, these problems may be temporary or ongoing. It may help to see a dietitian or speech pathologist.

It is important to have regular dental check-ups after cancer treatment, especially if you had surgery or radiation therapy to the head or neck region.

Menopause means the ovaries no longer produce eggs and periods stop. It is a natural and gradual process that starts between the ages of 45 and 55. Some cancer treatments can cause early menopause.

When menopause occurs suddenly because of cancer treatment, symptoms may be more severe because the body hasn’t had time to get used to the gradual decrease in hormone levels. Symptoms may include a dry or tight vagina, loss of interest in sex (low libido), hot flushes and night sweats, aching joints, trouble sleeping, dry or itchy skin, and feeling more anxious or overwhelmed.

If you are younger, reaching menopause much earlier than expected may affect your sense of identity or make you feel older than your age or friends. Even if your family is complete or you didn’t want children, you may still have mixed emotions.

The impact on how you feel, your body image and your relationships can be significant. It may take time to accept these changes. Talking to your GP, a family member, friend or counsellor may help.

Some cancer treatments can cause temporary or permanent infertility (inability to conceive a child).

Some people are able to get pregnant or get their partner pregnant after finishing cancer treatment. Others take steps to preserve their fertility before treatment starts.

If you are thinking about trying to get pregnant after treatment, talk to your cancer specialist. Depending on the treatment you’ve had, they may advise you to wait between six months and two years before trying to conceive. Discuss the timing and suitable contraception. If you have trouble conceiving after cancer treatment or would like to learn about ways to improve your chances of getting pregnant, ask your doctor for a referral to a fertility specialist.

If you do get pregnant, you may need careful monitoring. It can be helpful to ask your obstetrician to talk with your cancer specialist. 

If you are told your infertility is permanent, you may feel a great sense of loss and grief, even if your family is complete. Talking to a psychologist or fertility counsellor about how you are feeling might help.