Mesothelioma is one of the most aggressive cancers, which can have an incredibly heavy impact on the mind and body of the affected person. However, all hope is not gone for mesothelioma patients. With effective self-care and healthy living, patients can live a good-quality life during and after their treatment.
Mesothelioma self-care and healthy living involve maintaining physical and emotional well-being, managing symptoms, and seeking support, among other tips. Below, we’ll look at some of the most effective self-care and health tips you or your loved ones can use to manage mesothelioma and live a fulfilling life.
Manage the Pain
Managing mesothelioma pain can be a real struggle, especially in the advanced stages of the disease. Many patients are forced into a trial-and-error experience, experimenting with different types of treatments or drugs for managing the pain. In these stages of incessant pain, it’s recommended that you work much more closely with your care team than relying on pain medication.
Established care institutions or organizations, such as Mesothelioma Hope, often provide personalized financial, medical, and supportive care for mesothelioma patients and affected parties. This organized, supportive care helps patients focus their energy on social, engaging activities that take their minds off the pain and help them avoid pain medication. Most of these pain medications may have short and long-term side effects if used too often.
If you or your loved one is already using pain medication, it’s important that you or they begin weaning from the pain medications as quickly as possible. It may be agonising at first as you cut ties with the drugs, but as time goes by, your body will adapt.
Get Enough Daily Sleep
Getting enough daily sleep is essential for managing mesothelioma and maintaining a healthy overall life. A CDC study shows that getting enough sleep has powerful effects on immune function, while inadequate sleep impairs the functioning of various parts of the immune system. For instance, if you restrict sleep to only 4 hours a night, your body may produce inflammatory cytokines, which can promote the development of metabolic and cardiovascular disorders.
Since mesothelioma treatments like chemotherapy and surgery physically drain the body, getting enough sleep is crucial for efficient recovery. It’s important to understand your body’s sleep needs and stick to the pattern it’s used to, so you can rest when it needs it most.
Check Your Stress Levels
The level of stress during treatment is a major determinant of how fast a mesothelioma patient can overcome the disease. The higher your stress levels rise, the more intense the pain and vice versa. High stress levels also strain the body’s vital organs, making it harder for it to respond to treatment effectively.
It’s easy to fall into chronic stress when all you do is shuffle back and forth to doctor’s visits for different levels of treatment. In some instances, patients can develop high anxiety and depression levels, requiring separate, effective treatment to improve mesothelioma recovery.
Seeking and accepting help, changing your environment, and looking for chances to laugh can help you maintain a healthier, more positive mental state. Don’t hesitate to let your doctor or caregiver know what you feel and how you feel, so they can offer the best possible solutions as quickly as possible.
Put Your Faith in a Higher Power
One of the most relied-on avenues of hope during mesothelioma treatment is putting one’s faith in God, both during and after treatment. Believing in God offers reassurance and reduces feelings of emptiness that are often associated with the deadly nature of mesothelioma. Sometimes, all you need in addition to the chemo and surgery is a divine assurance of hope that the creator will intervene in your situation.
Building your faith in God during treatment offers a positive approach to your healing process, which is important for maintaining good mental health for quicker healing. You can find spiritual support from religious communities in your region, where you can enjoy encouraging scriptures and hymns with other members.
Get Your Finances in Order
Achieving optimal self-care and healthy living standards during mesothelioma treatment requires significant financial resources. Mesothelioma treatment can cost upwards of $500,000 per year, depending on associated complications and other factors. Immediately you’re diagnosed with mesothelioma, it’s important to start pulling all necessary financial resources together towards your treatment.
You can pursue financial compensation through lawsuits against companies you worked for that may have exposed you to asbestos and the disease. Also, you can get financial help from other sources, like veterans’ disability benefits and asbestos trust funds, if you qualify for any. Your medical insurance may also cover a significant part of the treatment, helping you in the early stages as you pursue other financial avenues. If there’s still a gap to fill, you can get a medical loan to successfully pursue your treatment.
Winning the war against mesothelioma cancer is a calculated strategy of practical self-care and health tips. You need to intentionally manage your pain, sleep well, check stress levels, have faith in God, and get your finances in order for you to successfully navigate this season. With the help of family and friends, you can navigate this most challenging season of your life with minimal strain.
