Follicular lymphoma treatment and side effects

This section is about side effects of treatment for follicular lymphoma. We also have some important information on staying safe if you’ve got blood cancer, covering things like risk of infection and vaccinations.

Most people who have follicular lymphoma won’t have major side effects from the drugs they are given. Often people can cope with the treatment quite well.

If you do have side effects from your treatment, they’re usually temporary and will go away when you’ve finished your treatment. Possible side effects of treatment for follicular lymphoma include:

• feeling achy
• frequent watery poos (diarrhoea)
• difficulty pooing (constipation)
• skin rash
• hair loss (alopecia)
• extreme tiredness (fatigue)
• infections
• fever
• bruising
• risk of bleeding
• shortness of breath
• mouth sores
• feeling sick (nausea)
• upset stomach and vomiting
• loss of appetite
• weight changes
• reduced ability to have a child (infertility)

If you have any side effects from your treatment, let your healthcare team know. They will also advise you about the effects of treatment on your ability to get pregnant or father a child.

Supportive care aims to manage any complications of your illness or your treatment. This could include:

• medicines to stop you feeling sick (anti-emetics)
• medicines to prevent or treat infections
• avoiding or treating constipation
• preventing gout, which causes painful swelling in the smaller joints of your hands and feet
• advice on mouth care
• pain management
• diet planning
• blood transfusions (these are rarely needed).