When you receive a diagnosis of cancer, your immediate and only focus should be on your recovery. Read this article to find out more about your treatments options, the kind of support you need and the changes you should make to your daily life.
Cancer Early
If you get diagnosed with cancer early, you will have better chances of winning your battle. You should visit your doctor regularly for tests that can catch cancer early. Breast and testes should be self-examined on a monthly basis, so that any changes will be immediately noticed.
Find out what to expect from your body, before you go through your regular cancer treatments. Your doctor can make you aware of any possible side effects of treatment. If hair loss is possible, you might want to buy a wig or if your complexion gets pale, you may need new makeup to help you feel more comfortable.
There are many myths and half-truths that exist about cancer in today’s society. Some think cancer may be contagious and that you can’t work anymore. Attempt a policy of honesty and openness.
When needed, speak up and assert yourself. A lot of folks hold antiquated notions regarding your cancer, and might be suspicious of your abilities to function or even be contagious. Figure out your responses to these and then address them as soon as you can. This can help you with your treatment.
Smoking cigarettes increases your risk of cancer. While most people are aware that quitting smoking reduces your chances of getting lung cancer or emphysema, smokers may not realize that quitting also helps them avoid colon cancer. Tobacco smoke has cancer-causing agents that get into the colon, and it can also make colon polyps much bigger. Knowing all the risks, you have no excuse to keep smoking.
Go to appointments with loved ones if they’ve got cancer. Sometimes, your presence will help your loved one open up about concerns, or they can turn to you for clarification.
Don’t hesitate to speak up for yourself. If you feel the support from your friends and family is not sufficient, speak with them directly about this subject. Give them a patient explanation of how they can assist you and why it’s important to do so. You must consider what you plan to say to each person, and word it in a way that will be non-confrontational. This is a very hard time. Make sure you base it all on love. Do not regret anything!
Instead of just letting the doctors provide treatment, you should actively participate in the treatments in order to fight cancer much better. Be constantly aware of your situation and always ask questions. Sitting still and not actively participating will not help your health improve.
Don’t let anyone mislead you into thinking that alcohol prevents cancer. Wine only helps with cancer because it has grapes. Alcohol, especially in large amounts, can increase your risk of cancer.
If you cannot communicate openly and quickly with your doctor, find another one. You need someone you can ask questions of when they come up. Make sure that all of your concerns are immediately addressed, you shouldn’t have to stress about things as much.
If you have a loved one that has been diagnosed with cancer, assist them in finding others who have experienced the same diagnosis. To find your loved one a support group, you could look on the Internet. This lets the patient get their emotions out in another way.
Positive Energy
If you have a family member suffering from cancer, make it a point not to let their disease become a factor in how you treat them. A patient desires the positive energy, and treating them drastically different due to their illness can drain all of that positive energy away in a flash.
Remember to make time for fun and enjoyment every day. A cancer diagnosis will have a big impact on your life, but let it change the basics of what you enjoy. Continue to do things you love to do, whether it’s reading, watching movies or going to sporting events. You probably have to plan ahead to make sure that these activities do not exhaust you, but you should still enjoy what you like to do in life.
Be sure to allow yourself a full eight hours to get the restorative sleep you need every night. The treatments at typical cancer centers will often leave the body completely exhausted and stretched to the limit. Sleeping well enhances healing, and gives you the energy you need to live your life as normally as possible. If you must, set up a daily nap time.
There are some complementary therapies that can help you with your disease during treatment and after. A few such therapies include acupuncture, yoga, aromatherapy, and massage. These forms of therapy can help you relax and relieve tension during this extremely stressful time.
Keep your lifestyle healthy. This can help you mentally and physically cope with being diagnosed with cancer. A healthy lifestyle includes eating a balanced diet, getting plenty of rest and exercising regularly. Maintaining your body will help you to fight cancer, and also give you more strength to deal with the stress. It will also help to recover once the treatments are behind you.
If you experience diarrhea as a side effect of your cancer treatments, stop drinking coffee. While coffee provides that boost to help keep you going, it only increases your chances of having diarrhea. Along these lines, it is wise to discontinue use of all types of caffeine while in treatment to eliminate your diarrhea.
Talk to those who have cancer about the future as though you truly believe they will be there. It’s crucial that this person knows you actually think he or she will defeat this cancer, and live for many more years. Talking about the future is a great way to let them know how you feel about the eventual outcome.
No matter how you fight, the goal is to beat cancer. The job of your doctor is to give you physical treatment, but emotional support will probably not be found at the hospital.