ON TREATMENT

Nutrition

• Try eating plant proteins (mushrooms, legumes, beans) which are easier to digest than meats.
• If you eat meats, avoid processed meats with nitrates.
• To help maintain weight, add milk, cheese and eggs to your diet.
• Drink 8 glasses of water daily
• Avoid caffeine and swear off alcohol.
• When constipation is a problem, blend some smoothies using frozen strawberries, blueberries and yogurt.

Spiritual

If you belong to a faith group, do ask for prayers, positive energy, encouraging phone calls or visits, or a pastoral visit when you can't get out. Make your own prayers, or borrow the prayers written by others. Keep a prayer and thankfulness journal, so you can see your own progress. Take a class to learn about meditation or guided imagery, which are good ways to lower stress, relax, and improve sleep.

Be Educated

As soon as you find out you have breast cancer, start educating yourself about its treatment. Learn as much as you can about your diagnosis and treatment. Ask every question that comes to your mind, and keep notes of (or tape record) the answers.

Take Care of Your Skin and Hair

When bathing, use moisturizing soap, and blot your skin gently with towels (don't rub). Give your skin a treat with moisturizers, especially on your face, before applying makeup foundation.
Use extra protection from the sun.
If you still have hair, use mild shampoo, and if your hair is coming back in, try using shampoos made for damaged hair.


AFTER TREATMENT

Follow-up Care

Regular follow-up examinations are very important after cancer treatment to detect whether the cancer has returned. The commonest sites of recurrence due to spread of the disease from the original site in the breast, are the bones, lungs and liver.

• A mammogram of the opposite breast should be done annually or every 2 years once.
• Do not forget monthly self breast examination.
• Imaging procedures (ways of producing pictures of areas inside of body).
• Endoscopy ( the use of a thin, lighted tube to examine organs inside the body).
• Blood tests

Your Body

a) Swelling or Lymphedema

It can be prevented by simple measures, which include:

• Avoid over-using the arm
• Avoid impeding the lymphatic drainage e.g. tight clothing
• Avoid any procedures e.g. blood taking
• Avoid infection of the arm
• Encourage lymphatic drainage by exercises daily or by wearing compression stockings

The patient should discuss with her doctor in detail ways to avoid arm swelling and also to seek her doctor’s help quickly if she notices any arm swelling.

b) Menopause symptoms

Here are some tips that help to deal with menopause symptoms:

• Quit smoking
• Exercise- both weight-bearing and muscle strengthening
• Eat wisely (balanced diet)
• Try to maintain a healthy weight through exercise and diet
• Drink plenty of water

c) Lost Appetite

Tips that help to improve appetite:

• Start with small meals. 5 small meals a day may be easier to manage than 3 larger ones. Try to have smaller breakfast than usual then have a healthy snack in the middle of the morning.
• Focus on favorite foods.
• Make mealtime a special time. Even if you have a nutritional supplement drink, serve it in a chilled glass or mug. Add some flavor to make it taste better.
• Find ways to make your meals look nice. Choose foods of contrasting colors or serve the meal on a pretty plate.

Exercise

A recent study showed that women with breast cancer who exercised during treatment felt like they had more energy and did not gain as much weight as patients who did not. Swimming, movement and dance and other programs can offer a physical and emotional boost.
Exercise for breast cancer survivors usually includes:

• Physical therapy to improve strength and range of motion in the arm(s)
• Moderate aerobic exercise (like walking) for about 30 minutes, three or more times a week.

Ask your doctor for a referral to an exercise physiologist or program for people with cancer.

Social Support

a) Family

• Let others know what you are able to do as you heal - and what not to expect. For example, don't feel you must keep the house or yard in perfect order because you always did in the past.
• Give yourself time. You and your family may be able to adjust over time to the changes cancer brings. Just being open with each other can help ensure that each person's needs are met.
• Help the children in your family understand that you were treated for cancer and that it may take a while for you to have the energy you used to have.

b) At your workplace

• Start by talking informally to your supervisor, personnel office, counsellor.
• Ask for a change that would make it easier for you to keep your job (for example, flextime, working at home, special equipment at work).
• Ask your doctor or nurse to find times for follow-up visits that don't conflict with your other responsibilities.
• Get your doctor to write a letter to your employer or personnel officer explaining how, if at all, your cancer may affect your work or your schedule.

c) Friends

• Keep up contacts during your recovery. Friends will worry about you. If they find out about your treatment and progress, they will be less anxious and scared.
• Talk to them on the phone, send email, or appoint a trusted friend or family member to do this for you.
• When you are able, have lunch with friends or stop in for a party.

d) Support group

Support groups can:

• Give you a chance to talk about your feelings and work through them
• Help you deal with practical problems, such as problems at work or school
• Help you cope with side effects of treatment

Before joining a group, here are questions you may want to ask yourself:

• Am I comfortable talking about personal issues?
• Do I have something to offer to the group?
• What do I hope to gain by joining a group?

Spiritual

Finding meaning in life after cancer:

• Talk to religious or spiritual leader in your community
• Keep a journal. Write down your thoughts about what gives meaning to your life now.
• Think about helping others who have had cancer.
• Take a new look at old patterns.
• Think about taking part in a research study.

Updated:: 13/03/2019 []