Stacy was diagnosed with acute lymphoid leukemia (ALL). She was discharged from the hospital following her chemotherapy treatments. Which statement of Stacy’s mother indicated that she understands when she will contact the physician?
A. “I should contact the physician if Stacy has difficulty in sleeping”.
B. “I will call my doctor if Stacy has persistent vomiting and diarrhea”.
C. “My physician should be called if Stacy is irritable and unhappy”.
D. “Should Stacy have continued hair loss, I need to call the doctor”.
Correct Answer: B. “I will call my doctor if Stacy has persistent vomiting and diarrhea”.
Persistent (more than 24 hours) vomiting, anorexia, and diarrhea are signs of toxicity and the patient should stop the medication and notify the healthcare provider.
Option A: Oftentimes, chemotherapy drugs cause patients to feel tired and sleepy throughout the day. Therefore, patients on chemotherapy can end up napping or sleeping during the day and that leads to difficulty sleeping at night or through the night.
Option C: Chemotherapy medications can directly impact the way people feel emotionally and physically.
Option D: Chemotherapy drugs are powerful medications that attack rapidly growing cancer cells. Unfortunately, these drugs also attack other rapidly growing cells in the body, including those in the hair roots.