In general, healthy habits such as eating a balanced diet and getting enough sleep and exercise can help control your symptoms from breast cancer treatment.²⁰ Even when you are feeling bad, do everything you can to get regular exercise. There's no need to wear yourself out-getting six half-hour walks a week at an average pace is plenty. Walking with a friend can be the best way to stick to a routine. Study after study has shown that exercise like this:

• Improves chances of survival from Breast Cancer.
• Helps battle anemia during radiation or chemotherapy.
• Improves quality of life after breast cancer treatment.

Home treatment for cancer treatment side effects

During treatment for any stage of Breast Cancer, you can use home treatment to help manage the side effects that may occur with cancer treatment. Home treatment may be all that you need to manage the following common problems. Be sure to follow any instructions and take any medicines your doctor has given you to treat these symptoms.

• Nausea or vomiting. If you have problems with nausea and vomiting while you are taking chemotherapy or receiving radiation therapy, let your doctor know. Medicines are available to prevent and treat nausea and vomiting that may be caused by treatment. It is important to let your doctor know if you have nausea or vomiting in spite of the use of these medicines. Home treatment for nausea or vomiting includes watching for and treating early signs of dehydration, such as a dry mouth, sticky saliva, and reduced urine output with dark yellow urine.
• Diarrhea. Some chemotherapy medicines can cause diarrhea. Let your doctor know if you have diarrhea while you are on treatment. (Radiation therapy to the chest should not cause diarrhea.) Home treatment for diarrhea includes resting your stomach and being alert for signs of dehydration. Check with your doctor before you use any nonprescription medicines for your diarrhea.
• Constipation. Pain medicines, chemotherapy, and medicines used to treat nausea and vomiting related to chemotherapy can sometimes cause constipation. Let your doctor know if you have problems with constipation after surgery or while you are on chemotherapy. (Radiation therapy to the chest should not cause constipation.) Home treatment for constipation includes regular exercise along with getting enough fluids and eating a diet that is high in fruits, vegetables, and fiber. Check with your doctor before you use a laxative for your constipation.
• Fatigue. Breast Cancer and treatment for it can cause fatigue. The stress of being diagnosed and treated can also make you feel tired. Some fatigue is expected after surgery and during both chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Fatigue is often worse at the end of treatment or just after treatment is completed. It is also common for fatigue to last more than a year after breast cancer treatment.³⁹Home treatment for fatigue includes making sure you get extra rest while you are receiving chemotherapy or radiation therapy. Let your symptoms be your guide, and try to balance exercise with rest. You may be able to stay with your usual routine and just get some extra sleep. Let your doctor know if you are having trouble with fatigue.