Some chemotherapy treatments can cause nose bleeds. They can happen fairly easily from lightly bumping your nose or even blowing it. If your platelet count is lower than usual because of treatment, it may be hard for your body to stop bleeding, especially in your nose.
Advice from chemocare.com if you have nose bleeds:
- Do not lie down. Sit straight up in bed or in a chair, so that if blood is going down the back of your throat, you do not cough or choke.
- Using your thumb and index (first) finger, pinch your nose. Hold pressure for at least 10 minutes, holding your head up straight, tilting it back slightly, if tolerated.
- If you are bleeding in the front of your nose, place a moist cotton ball in your nose. Do not remove the cotton ball if you think the bleeding is stopped. If a blood clot has formed, you may dislodge it.
Keep a track of your nose bleeds in your journal. Note how many you are having, and how long they last. You may even have them while sleeping so reference what you were doing when they occur. We do include a journal and pen in our Kit to keep a record and a travel pack of tissues for emergency occasions.
If you have nose bleeds that do not stop after 15 or 20 minutes at the most, and especially if you have low blood platelets, it is important to consult your medical team for advice.