3 Tips to Help You Through Chemotherapy Journey
Cancer affects your physical health and brings changes that you have never gone through before. You come across feelings that are hard to deal with. There is a lot of mental strength required to undergo chemotherapy and handle its side effects. Hair loss due to chemotherapy is seen with every patient, and it’s an overwhelming experience.
In this journey, you can do small things which can bring you happiness and boost your emotions, like wearing chemo headwear to make yourself feel better. You can do many more things to strengthen yourself emotionally and have the willpower to fight back.
How to Deal with Emotional and Physical Effects of Cancer
The emotional and physical effects cancer brings on its patients are enormous. The feeling is draining and painful. There are specific ways you can try to cope with it slowly.
- Have a social support network: It includes the therapist and your close ones. You might want to talk about how you feel during such an emotional time. Social networks help you have a positive circle around you.
- Proper treatment for anxiety and depression: Don’t hesitate to accept that you feel anxious or depressed at a particular phase. Please consult a professional and seek ways to break out of it
- Accepting the changes: Even though it’s tough to see the physical difference the treatments bring, try to accept the process and look for a positive end consciously. Often, patients become conscious about their body image and think negatively about themselves.
How to Deal with Side Effects of Chemotherapy
The drugs used in chemotherapy to kill the cancer cells wipe out the healthy cells, including those in the hair follicles, bone marrow, mouth, and digestive tract. The side effects are hair loss, fatigue, and nausea.
Below are a few things you can do to make yourself feel better:
- Counter Chemo- Induced tiredness with exercise: A regular walk can also be helpful when you are experiencing such side effects. Taking breaks and rest is essential while indulging in basic activity
- Use cooling headwear to minimize hair loss: Hair loss affects the patient mentally. Wearing chemo headwear that keeps the scalp cool can reduce extensive hair loss to some extent
- Washing hands to avoid infections: The body’s immunity is hampered under chemo, thus ensuring hygiene is essential. You can reduce the chances of infection by taking proper care
Selecting a Suitable Chemo Headwear
The beauty aspect would not be the first thing on the mind of a cancer patient but looking or feeling good about appearance can boost self-confidence and help you attain the willpower to keep going.
Here are a few things to keep in mind before buying a suitable headwear:
- Don’t opt for a casual headwear because it might not be able to cover your head correctly and can be too warm to be worn indoors
- Make sure you buy head wears made especially for cancer patients as the normal shops have hats and scarves which might not suit the bald head and cause irritation on the skin
Chemotherapy is a journey that requires you to stay strong and look on the brighter side. Self-confidence during this time seems to go low because your body goes through changes. Small things like buying your favorite colour headwear or eating something nice can make you feel a lot better.
