Practical Tips for Living With Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma is a difficult-to-treat, fatal cancer. There are different treatment approaches, and your ability to live your life fully depends on your health situation and frame of mind. There are steps you can take to live as best you can after your mesothelioma diagnosis.

How to Manage Physical Symptoms

Shortness of breath is common for those with mesothelioma, according to the American Lung Association. Depending on your situation, it may be treated by removing fluid from the space between your pleura and lung, drain placement, or surgery. If fluid builds up, you may need multiple treatments to manage it.

If mesothelioma causes pain, you shouldn’t just live with it. Some options to manage it include:

Working with a physical therapist who may show you how to move to help prevent pain and make you more comfortable
Pain medications may be an option, whether they’re taken orally, with a patch, or intravenously
Techniques that can reduce your stress and increase your pain tolerance include deep breathing exercises, meditation, guided imagery, and self-hypnosis

Pain can impact every part of your life. It can ruin your sleep and appetite and cause fatigue. Discuss your discomfort with your healthcare provider who should give you treatment options.

Palliative care

This can be a crucial part of managing mesothelioma and your symptoms. Palliative care from physicians specializing in mesothelioma patients may help minimize the emotional and physical effects of your symptoms. Your physician will focus on your needs, not your prognosis. You can take this approach while also actively pursuing treatment. The earlier a palliative care specialist gets involved with your care, the more benefits you may receive.

Cope as Best You Can

Most people with mesothelioma are older. You developed ways to cope with problems that may or may not serve you well. Trying a new approach may cause you more stress unless your existing strategy is unproductive or harmful because it leads to depression. Lashing out or being angry with loved ones or caregivers won’t help you through this and may push people away.

Well-meaning people may give you lousy coping advice. They may tell you to be positive and take this challenge head-on like a football game. You should do that if that’s a good fit for your personality. If not, don’t. You may be told you need to become more religious, especially if your prognosis isn’t good. You should do so if you think that will help, but don’t feel compelled to change your religious beliefs if you’re uncomfortable with that.

Get professional help to manage your feelings and emotions. It’s not a sign that you’re weak. It shows you’re smart enough to ask for help when needed.

Keep communication lines open

It’s essential to maintain honest communications with your loved ones, healthcare providers, and others, according to the Mayo Clinic. You may feel alone if others think they’re protecting you by not discussing your difficult situation. You may feel alone or less supported if you want to appear strong and not share your fears or feelings. When you and others show emotions, you can help support each other.

Develop ways to deal with mesothelioma

Ideas worth trying may include:

Finding ways to relax
Honestly share your feelings with those you’re comfortable with, whether friends, family, a spiritual adviser, or a counselor.
Write a journal to organize your thoughts and express your memories, feelings, and fears
Set aside time to be alone, but don’t live in isolation
Stay involved with activities as much as you can

You can also feel better by finding power when you feel powerless. You can make others feel better about themselves. Tell them how much they mean to you and how proud you are of them. Compliment and thank them. Help them when you can.

If there were past disagreements or you felt wronged by friends or family in some way, make things right. Admit the mistakes you made and apologize for any harm you caused.

Let friends and family help you

If you are blessed with friends and family willing and able to help you, accept their offers to pitch in. It not only eases your burdens but makes them feel better because they’re taking action to improve the life of someone they care about.

They can’t cure you, but they may run errands, drive you to appointments, cook meals, and help with chores. This gives family and friends a way to help you during a difficult time. This may help them as much as it helps you. Don’t deny them this opportunity.

This also helps your primary caregiver. The more friends and family do, the less your caregiver must do, allowing more time and energy to themselves. This may prevent them from getting burned out from caring for you.

Anticipate physical changes

Talk to your healthcare provider about how the disease and your treatment will change your body so you’ll be prepared and better able to deal with it. Chemotherapy often leads to hair loss. You may have weight loss or gain. Talk to others with cancer to see what they’ve experienced and how they’ve coped.

Live a healthy lifestyle

A healthy lifestyle may improve your energy level and state of mind. Eat a healthy diet and get enough sleep. Try to keep a consistent daily routine that includes some exercise and talking to others.

Are you or a loved one seeking information about mesothelioma and your legal options? Call (855) 385-9532 to learn more.