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In this webinar, Charlotte Bloodworth, clinical nurse specialist and WMUK trustee with over 30 years of nursing experience in haematology, gives a practical guide to managing the side effects of treatment for Waldenström’s macroglobulinaemia (WM) and lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma (LPL).
Charlotte begins with an overview of the main treatment types (chemoimmunotherapy, targeted therapies such as BTK inhibitors, stem cell transplants, CAR-T therapy and steroids), explaining that side effects depend on the treatment given, individual health and how each body responds.
She then works through the most common side effects and how to manage and prevent them, including infection, the biggest “red flag”, covering vaccinations, preventative antibiotics and when to call the emergency line; infusion reactions to rituximab; nausea and poor appetite; sore mouth; indigestion; diarrhoea and constipation; and fatigue. She also covers side effects specific to BTK inhibitors, such as bruising, bleeding and heart palpitations, and explains which symptoms should prompt an urgent call to your healthcare team.
The session ends with a lively Q&A covering recovery times after chemoimmunotherapy, rashes, cytokine storms, distinguishing treatment-related fatigue from ageing, neuropathy, and managing conflicting dietary advice alongside other conditions.