Hearing a cancer diagnosis is a life-altering and emotional time. A million thoughts race through your mind about treatments, life, death, your family, your friends, your job, and more. Although nothing can completely eliminate the stress of dealing with a cancer diagnosis and treatment, the tips given in this article will help to ease the process.
Cancer is still thought of in old-fashioned terms by many people. Some individuals may think of cancer as being contagious or you may be unable to do your job. Adopt an honest attitude.
Make sure you are speaking up for yourself. Plenty of people still live under false stereotypes of the “cancer patient”. They may think you are unable to perform your job or may be contagious, take this chance to prove them wrong. Figure out your responses to these and then address them as soon as you can. It will have an impact on the way people treat your during treatment.
Learn the symptoms for all major types of cancer so that you know when you need to see a doctor. If you go to the doctor when you first experience symptoms, you may be able to get cancer treated before it has progressed very far. This improves your chances for a long and happy life. Symptoms such as sudden or rapid weight loss, bloody stool, thin stools and abdominal cramping may point to colon cancer. If you start to see these symptoms, schedule an appointment with your doctor immediately.
If you quit smoking, it lowers your chances of getting lung cancer, but it also protects you against colon cancer. Tobacco causes colon polyps to grow in size; in addition, inhaling smoke causes carcinogens to enter the body and travel into the colon. These reasons are just more on top of the hundreds of other reasons to stop smoking.
Go to appointments with any loved one diagnosed with cancer. Having someone in the room who’s calm and clear-headed can help ask question and address your concerns with the doctor.
Read as much as you can about the topic of cancer, if you or somebody you know, has it. You can’t have too much confidence when dealing with cancer, after all.
Having cancer means that there are certain things you have to accept now rather than finding out the hard way later. You will be more efficient in your battle if you prepare yourself.
During cancer treatment, you will meet a number of new people. Welcome them into your life. Examples include chemo technicians, oncology nurses, oncologists and anyone else who can relate to your experience and provide support. Cancer is not something that you can handle alone, so make sure that you allow people who care about you into your life.
To avoid feelings of dissatisfaction, intentionally form the expectation that not all of your expectations will in actuality be met. Feel grateful for the support that others give you.
You can now see that there are numerous ways that you can reduce the stress and fear that normally accompany an unexpected cancer diagnosis, and you can also reduce feelings of anxiety during treatment. Although there is no magic, one-size-fits-all method for dealing with cancer, there are small ways to make the process easier. By using the tips in the article you have just read, and taking it day by day, you have a better mindset to succeed in your battle with cancer.
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