Living with Leukemia

Do What You Can to Ease Symptoms of Leukemia and Side Effects of Treatment

You will likely have physical concerns since your leukemia may cause symptoms and you may have side effects from your treatment. In this section, you'll learn more about how to respond to some of the most common ones. You will not likely have all of these side effects or symptoms. They are listed alphabetically to help you find information when you need it.

Red blood cells carry oxygen throughout the body. If your body does not have enough oxygen, you may feel tired. Decreased red-blood-cell counts can be caused by chemotherapy and radiation, by small amounts of blood loss, or by the leukemia itself.

Anemia: What My Red Blood Cell Count Tells Me

Anemia is a condition where the number of red blood cells in the body falls below normal. This may happen if the body slows down its production of these cells. Losing large amounts of blood is another cause of anemia.

Red blood cells carry vital oxygen throughout the body and remove carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide is deadly if too much is present, and without enough oxygen, the body cannot function.

There are many reasons why people become anemic. It may be hereditary or due to an infection or chronic disease in the body, or from bleeding. It may be caused by a lack of iron or other nutrients, or be a side effect from cancer or cancer treatments.