Side Effects of Treatment

Most of the cancer patients claim that the after effects of the treatments are more difficult to bear rather than the cancer itself. Mesothelioma is one of the cancers whose treatment side effects are awfully painful and difficult to endure. Because of this reason, I have gathered some resources that explain you the some most common side effects associated with the treatment, it surely will help you.

Pain Management

The most critical and important part of a patient care plan is pain dependency and management. The pain tolerance and pain itself varies with their experience. The first step is to assess where is the origin of pain? Where is the pain coming from? When is the pain start? Is it chronic or is it acute? Whether the pain has changed from acute to chronic? What relieves the pain? If the pain changes from acute to intolerable or chronic pain it means that cancer is advancing. You have to report immediately to your physician.

The most common and helpful practice for pain management is to maintain a daily pain journal where you can note down the origin of pain, variation or fluctuation of pain and what alleviates the pain.

Pain Clinics

In United Sates there are many clinics located for the pain management. They are assisting people who are diagnosed with mesothelioma or any other cancer. So, that they can learn different strategies to manage the pain effectively and can experience a piece of mind with comfort. There are number of clinics which offer in-home or in-hospital consultations, they will check the pain regularly and also assist family members that how they can administrate pain medicines.

Sleep Apnea or Sleep Disorders

The disturbance in sleep may delay the effectiveness of mesothelioma treatment. So how can you combat this issue? First you have to keep up with a very positive attitude. Then to promote a sufficient sleep the following actions must be taken:

•   A couple of hours before going to bed have a high protein snack.
•   Avoid caffeine.
•   Wear comfortable clothes when going to sleep like pajamas.
•    Before bedtime have a massage and back rub for relaxation and to ease the pain.
•   Sleep on your own pillows, sheets and blankets.
•   Set up a schedule for bedtime and wake up time to train your body.
•  Avoid night time visitors and also limit the number of visits of nursing staff to check the blood pressure.

Anorexia and Cachexia

Cancer treatment routines are linked with loss of appetite and reduction in strength and vitality of mind and body. To prevent anorexia is to set up good nutrition and eating habits. A patient must be check by a nurse or nutritionist during meals and should strictly follow the diet plan. Additionally, a patient may be prescribed by anti-depressants and may attend support group meetings with the people who are suffering from anorexia.

Hair Loss

After chemotherapy treatment hair loss is a very common side effect. For most of the cancer patient it is really painful especially for women watching their hair falling day by day in large clumps, as indeed our hair is part of our identity. Therefore, many people take destiny into their hands and shave their head. If, on the other hand you didn’t choose to shave your head then during chemotherapy you should treat your hair gently. Wash your hair when necessary will slow down the hair fall. Avoid chemicals and sprays as your scalp becomes more exposed. To cover thinning of hair and baldness you can also wear a wig. When taking a step to buy a wig, you will find different types of wigs according to your need. While shopping for the wig you can find Synthetic wig which is light-weight, comfortable and really simple to take care and the other type is made up of real human hair which can be washed and conditioned just like real hair but you have to follow the manufacture’s instructions. If you do not feel comfortable in wearing a wig, you can cover your head by a cotton or silk scarf, some sort of hat or it can be soft turban too.

Vaccinations for Flu

In mesothelioma patients, immune function is usually compromised. Regardless of type or stage of mesothelioma there is a high risk of catching the flu. Not only for mesothelioma but for all cancer patients, they are at higher risk infecting with flu. That is why flu vaccinations are highly recommended for cancer and mesothelioma patients. In United States swine flu or H₁N₁ has become more common other than risk of influenza is usually associated with mesothelioma. If it is not treated properly it will complicated the ongoing treatment, extend the stay in hospital or even cause death.

The best preventative measure for influenza is vaccination. It is recommended that friends and family members of the patient must take more preventative measure against influenza. The people who are regular in touch with mesothelioma patient must receive a vaccination and can also use nasal spray. The nasal spray is not suggested for mesothelioma patients. The most primary preventive measure is vaccination and other measures may include:

• Wash your hand thoroughly with soap and water
• Avoid contact with family members and friend who have been exposed to flu
• Used tissues should be disposed
• When coughing and sneezing cover your mouth and nose
• Get sufficient rest
•  Keep yourself hydrated
• Wear mask in the presence of the person who is showing symptoms of flu and also while traveling outside.

Memory Loss or Chemo Brain

After going through treatments like chemotherapy, hormone or radiation most of the patients suffer from Chemo brain which includes loss of memory, lack in concentration and difficulty in doing multiple works at a time. Oncologists just have an idea that why this happens? May be it is the disease itself cause a memory loss or it can be due to prescribed anticancer drugs. Generally when the treatment is ended the symptoms of chemo brain are gone but in few cases it is not.  It is really frustrating for a person having these symptoms but it can be managed if he consults with his physician to help him out in this matter. Following steps can be taken to manage these symptoms:

•    Add vegetables in your diet which improve your brain and memory function
•   Record your daily events, appointments, telephone numbers, medication in a daily planner
•  You can also post your daily routine on your room’s door in your hospital to provide reference to your doctor and other staff  
•   Discuss the problem with your team of doctors and ask for help so they can plan your treatment and assist you when you forget something
•  After taking approval from your doctor you can also do exercises to improve your mood, improve functioning of brain and for better sleep

In fact there is no specific treatment for chemo brain but the better way to manage is to discuss your issues with your doctor to find a most appropriate way out.

Physical Intimacy

Most of the cancer patients experience sexual problems after being diagnosed which may include depression, early menopause, erectile dysfunction and issues regarding body image. A patient should not feel embarrassed in facing these problems as it is very common in cancer. If you are having any of these issues you can honestly deals with your spouse through discussion. The most common issue related to sex is image of body. After going through such painful treatments, the body of cancer may have bruises, gain or loss in weight or hair loss. These are the reasons patient usually stay away from being sexually intimate. You can ask your doctor and talk about the issues regarding sexual intimacy. Many doctors consider that sex can be healing force for the patient. You have to think positive, touch, hug, kiss and discover new ways to get close to your partner.

The best way to combat with the disease is to be optimistic! There is no way you won’t succeed.