It can be difficult to cope with a diagnosis of breast cancer and it is normal to go through several feelings and emotions such as denial, confusion, anxiety or fear. You may also feel that things are out of your control. Getting as much information as possible about your cancer and its treatment can help you regain more control of your body and health. People who have a good understanding of their disease and treatment are more prepared to cope with what happens. There are several issues women with breast cancer will have to adjust to or face with time.
Body-image issues:
Surgery may affect how a woman feels about herself. Whether a woman had breast-conservation surgery or a mastectomy, it will take her some time to adjust to the way her body looks like after surgery. Some women are also concerned about how their husband, friends or close family may see their new body. Talking to your husband, family or close friends about how you feel is important. It may also be helpful to talk to other women who had a similar surgery. This can help you feel less isolated and may allow you to better come to terms to change in your body.
Fertility concerns:
Some women may be diagnosed with breast cancer before they have children, whereas others who have had children may desire to get pregnant again. If having children is important to you, you need to talk to your doctor about this.
Some chemotherapy drugs used to treat breast cancer may cause your ovaries to stop functioning temporarily or permanently. If you develop permanent loss of ovarian function, that means you have gone through menopause and you will not be able to conceive naturally again. Talking to your doctor early on about your desire to have children will allow him/her to direct you to a fertility specialist for counseling before treatment begins.
Many doctors advise women with breast cancer to wait between 2-5 years after being diagnosed and treated for breast cancer to get pregnant. The reason for this is that cancer is more likely to come back during these first few years after diagnosis.
If you are taking hormonal therapy for your breast cancer, you should not get pregnant because the drugs you are taking might harm the fetus. It may take at least 5 years for a woman to complete her hormonal therapy and some women do not wish to wait for 5 years to get pregnant again. It is important to talk to your doctor if you are thinking about getting pregnant again before you complete the duration of hormonal therapy he/she recommended. Your doctor will advise you on the best course of action.
Coping with some treatment-related side effects
Side effects of hormonal therapy may be particularly difficult to deal with. Some of these drugs may cause mood swings, sleep problems, night sweats, hot flashes and affect your quality of life. Vaginal dryness is another common side effect of hormonal therapy. This can get worse with time and can make sexual intercourse difficult or painful. If you are experiencing this, you need to talk to your doctor. He/she may be able to recommend topical lubricants.
Things that you can do to improve your quality of life and decrease the risk of cancer coming back
Maintain a healthy weight
Women who become overweight after their diagnosis are more likely to have their cancer come back or are more likely to die from their cancer than women who have maintained a healthy weight. The best way to maintain a healthy weight is to eat a balanced diet and exercise on a regular basis.
Exercise
Exercising on a regular basis has many benefits for women with breast cancer. In addition to helping you maintain a healthy weight, regular exercise can help improve some of the side effects from your cancer or its treatment such as fatigue or muscle/joint pain.
Studies have also shown that exercise can help decrease the risk of cancer coming back and decrease the risk of dying from breast cancer. This does not necessarily mean you have to be running or going to the gym on a regular basis. Even moderate paced walking at least 3 hours per week can be just as helpful.
More information on nutritional and physical activity recommendations can found at: