Discharge Instructions for Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma
DISCHARGE AND AFTERCARE

Discharge Instructions for Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma

December 11, 2017

Discharge Instructions for Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma

You have been diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma. This disease is one of a group of cancers called lymphomas. Lymphoma is a general term for cancers that form in your body’s lymphatic system. The lymphatic system helps you fight disease and infection. This system goes to every part of your body. This means that non-Hodgkin lymphoma can start in many different places. Treatment may include chemotherapy, radiation therapy, immunotherapy, targeted therapy, and in some cases a stem cell transplant. Here’s what you need to know about caring for yourself during and after treatment.

General guidelines

Be sure to follow any specific instructions from your healthcare provider. Make sure you:

  • Take all medicines as instructed.

  • Understand what you can and can’t do.

  • Balance rest with activity. Take naps during the day, if you are tired. But try to move around and walk as much as possible.

  • Keep your follow-up appointments.

  • Call your healthcare provider if you have any questions or are concerned about any symptoms.

Preventing and treating mouth sores

Many people get mouth sores during chemotherapy. Here’s what you can do to help prevent them:

  • Brush your teeth with a soft-bristle toothbrush after every meal. If your gums bleed while brushing, try other products to clean your teeth and gums (such as liquid dental rinse or cleansers).

  • Don’t use dental floss if you are at increased risk for bleeding (for example, if your healthcare provider or nurse tells you that you have a low blood platelet count).

  • Use any mouthwashes or rinses as instructed.

  • If you can’t brush your teeth or use mouthwash, talk with your provider about other ways to keep your mouth clean.

  • Check your mouth and tongue for white patches. This may be a sign of fungal infection, a common side effect of chemotherapy. Be sure to tell your healthcare provider. He or she may prescribe medicine that can help.

Managing other side effects

  • Let your healthcare provider know if you have a sore throat. It may mean an infection. Your provider may prescribe medicine.

  • You may get minor burns from radiation treatment. Let your healthcare provider know. There are creams to help lessen mild pain, improve healing, and protect your skin.

  • Bathe or shower regularly to keep clean. During treatment, your body is not able to fight infections very well.

  • Use soap or shower gel with moisturizers. Apply lotion throughout the day. Treatment can make your skin dry.

You may have an upset stomach or vomiting during treatment. You may lose your appetite. Let your healthcare provider know. He or she may prescribe medicines that can help. Try to:

  • Eat smaller amounts of food during the day

  • Include some of your favorite foods in your diet

  • Make sure you have water and other healthy drinks

  • Eat soft, plain foods. For example, pudding, gelatin, ice cream, sherbet, yogurt, or milkshakes.

  • Make sure you cook all food well and store all food safely. This helps to prevent food infection.

Follow-up

Follow up as advised by your healthcare provider. Keep all follow-up appointments. You will need to be watched closely for the rest of your life.

Call 911

Call 911 right away if you have:

  • Heavy bleeding

  • Trouble breathing, cough, and chest pain

When to call your healthcare provider

Call your healthcare provider right away if you have any of the following:

  • Fever of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher, or as directed by your healthcare provider

  • Chills

  • Signs of an infection, such as an area with redness, pain, swelling, warmth, and drainage

  • A cough, or coughing up yellow or green mucus

  • Wheezing or shortness of breath

  • Bleeding

  • Headache, confusion, trouble focusing, or memory loss

  • Feeling dizzy or lightheaded

  • Fast or irregular heartbeat

  • Rash or itchy, raised, red areas on your skin, called hives

  • Yellowish skin or whites of the eyes, called jaundice

  • New lumps under your arms, on or near your neck, or on or near your groin

Updated:  

December 11, 2017

Reviewed By:  

Alteri, Rick, MD,LoCicero, Richard, MD