Contents:
- Medical Video: Lifestyle Changes After Breast Cancer
- Various changes that occur during breast cancer treatment
- 1. Feelings get mixed up
- 2. Physical changes
- 3. Changes in breast shape
- 4. Fertility problems
- 5. Changes in sex life
Medical Video: Lifestyle Changes After Breast Cancer
After being diagnosed with breast cancer, your life may indeed no longer be the same. But, by knowing what changes occur during breast cancer treatment, at least this will help you deal with various side effects. What changes might be felt? Check out the reviews in this article.
Various changes that occur during breast cancer treatment
1. Feelings get mixed up
You will definitely experience several stages of emotional change after being diagnosed with breast cancer. You may feel shocked, sad, angry, disappointed, even broken. You may also be afraid of the future because you don't know what will happen to your life. Having these mixed feelings and reactions is very normal.
You do need time to understand and accept this fact. However, don't get too old in your sadness. Rise up and keep thinking positive. If you are an optimistic person, you can certainly bypass any changes that occur during the treatment process.
Don't hesitate to ask for help from people around you, especially parents, partners, closest relatives, and friends. Support from the people closest to you will provide a lot of positive stimulus during the treatment of breast cancer.
2. Physical changes
Side effects of breast cancer treatment such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy can cause some physical changes that are generally temporary and can fade over time. Some of the most common side effects of breast cancer treatment include:
- Feeling nauseous
- Fatigue
- Sprue or sore sensation appears in the mouth
- Swelling in the area affected by radiation
- Skin discoloration and nails become darker
- Hair loss
- Loss of appetite, which in turn causes drastic weight loss
- Changes in interpreting taste and smell
- Menstrual cycle disorders
- Having a sleep disorder
3. Changes in breast shape
Breasts are an important part of a woman's identity. But, breast surgery will cause some changes in your appearance. Not only causes scars, breast surgery will also make you lose one or even both of your breasts, which in turn will affect your breast shape changes.
For some patients, lumpectomy surgery results in increased fear of recurrence and a greater risk of depression, because they feel insecure about the shape of the breast after surgery. But you can consider doing breast reconstruction and breast prosthesis to help deal with your breast changes during breast cancer treatment. Consult a doctor about this method.
4. Fertility problems
Treatment of breast cancer, especially chemotherapy and hormonal therapy can also have an impact on your fertility. Many chemotherapy drugs can reduce estrogen levels and cause premature menopause. This will leave you infertile for a while or even permanently.
That is why, for those of you who may not be married, those who are married and who want to have children, or who already have children but still have to breastfeed, discuss this problem with the doctor before starting breast cancer treatment. Ask about other options to maintain your fertility.
For women who have taken the action of removing one breast (mastectomy), you can still breastfeed with one other breast. However, if you have a double mastectomy, you might consider using a special treatment supplement for breastfeeding.
5. Changes in sex life
As explained above, breast cancer will affect every aspect of your life. No exception in sexual life. Maybe later you will find it difficult to build romance with your partner or long-term intimate relationships that are carried out during breast cancer treatment.
You may want intimacy and affection with your partner. However, significant hormonal changes will make you experience mood swing or erratic mood swings, decreased sexual arousal, vaginal dryness, and fatigue. So, sex with your partner might be a more difficult challenge.
Discuss these changes in a transparent and open manner with your partner related to everything that happens to you. In addition, do not hesitate to ask for help from a gynecology specialist or therapist and counselor. Sometimes it will be difficult for couples to communicate on their own. Well, a therapist or counselor will help you to start a conversation.
