We all associate cancer with devastating consequences. It takes a lot out of a body, and the road to recovery can be a very long and winding one indeed. I’m sure that you will already have been hit by the devastation that this illness can cause even if you haven’t suffered from it yourself – one in three of us are now expected to suffer from it at some point in our lives, and that means that we will all know at least one person who has experienced it. Unfortunately, they won’t be the only one that can feel the conditions negative effects. It can also be a very stressful time for their loved ones as well.
When it comes to cancer, you might already be aware of a few of the main side effects that patients will have to cope with. However, there are a lot of little-known effects that sufferers and their friends and family need to overcome as well. Read on to find out more!
Financial Difficulty
Once you are diagnosed with cancer, you will need to take a lot of time off work. Thankfully, you will be covered for a certain period thanks to statutory sick pay if you are in full-time employment. Unfortunately, this isn’t the case if you are self-employed. Even if you are able to claim sick benefits from work, they will only last for so long. Lots of people find that they need to give up work during their recovery period which can be devastating for their finances. Once you give up work, it’s worth asking your doctors and nurses about any other financial support from the government and cancer charities that you might be eligible for.
Fertility Changes
Chemotherapy is currently the main form of treatment for the majority of cancers. However, it can have some very strong side effects, which is one of the reasons why there is currently a call for more treatments to be developed that have fewer damaging side effects. For instance, many people who go through chemo experience a reduction in their fertility. This is obviously an issue for young cancer patients who then need to consider treatments, such as freezing eggs, that can help them conceive later in life once they have beaten the illness.
Emotional Stress
There is also a lot of emotional stress to overcome as well. This isn’t just for the patient, though – their friends and family will find that they could experience a lot more stress and anxiety as their close one goes through the treatment process. Thankfully, there is a lot of support put in place to help patients and their families with this. For instance, you could all join a support group which will encourage you all to be open and honest with how you are feeling. Discussing the whole situation can help lift a weight off all your shoulders!
These side effects can make the road to recovery tough going, but there is always professional help available to help you deal with them.
