Coping with secondary breast cancer

Secondary breast cancer or its treatment may leave you feeling tired| and depressed|. You may feel as though you have less energy. The cancer itself may cause some physical effects such as tiredness or feeling sick|. Having treatment can be a very difficult time and it can take a while to recover, both physically and emotionally. Treatment may last for months and you may not get the chance to get back to normal until your treatment is complete.

This section gives ideas on how to build up strength and energy.

Diet

Your body needs extra nutrients and calories during and after treatment for cancer. It is important to try to keep eating well| even if you haven't got much of an appetite. Eat little and often. Make the most of ready-prepared meals for you and your family while you haven't much appetite or energy for cooking. If possible, get someone else to prepare your meals.

Rest and activity

Both rest and activity are necessary for good health and it is important to find the right balance between the two. Your body will tell you when you need to rest, but it is important not to stop doing things completely or to overstretch yourself. When you are not well or having treatment the body uses up a lot more energy than usual. You need rest to give your body time to repair itself.

When you do feel like doing things, it is important not to try to do too much. Start by setting yourself goals − perhaps walking around the garden, or spending a few hours a week at work. Try to concentrate on what you can do.

Staying in hospital

It may take some time to recover from treatment for secondary breast cancer. For some women treatment may involve a stay in hospital. Being inactive like this for even a few days may leave you feeling physically weaker and perhaps nervous about how you will manage when you go home. In this case it may help to spend some time with the hospital physiotherapist and occupational therapist.

The physiotherapist can design a programme of exercise for you and work with you to build up your muscle strength and your confidence. The occupational therapist can help you regain the confidence to manage at home and can offer practical advice.

Going home

Before you go home, you and your family may wish to talk to a hospital palliative care nurse (sometimes called a Macmillan nurse), the ward manager or hospital social worker. They can help with any immediate problems, including any financial worries you may have.

Your hospital doctor or discharge planning team can ring your GP's surgery to let them know you are going home. They should also tell them about your condition and any treatment that needs to be continued at home. The hospital nurse can refer you to a community palliative care nurse (Macmillan nurse) to continue your care at home.

Work

It can be hard to judge the best time to return to work|. Your decision if and when to go back is likely to depend mainly on your type of work and whether your income is affected.

It is important to do what is right for you. Although it is not usually possible to cure secondary cancer, many women can lead full and active lives for months or years.

Getting back into your normal routine can be very helpful and you may want to return to work as soon as possible. Many women find that going back to work as soon as they feel strong enough gives an opportunity to forget their worries, as they become involved with their job and colleagues again. Talk to your employer about the situation − it may be possible for you to work part-time or job-share.

On the other hand it can take a long time to recover fully from treatment for secondary breast cancer and it may be many months before you feel ready to return to work. Don't feel pressurised into taking on too much, too soon.

Your consultant or GP will be able to help you decide when and if you should return to work.

Our section on work and cancer| gives information about employment rights and financial issues for people with cancer.

Travel insurance

If you have secondary breast cancer, it can be more difficult to get travel insurance. Our section on travel and cancer| includes a list of travel insurance companies| who offer insurance to people with medical conditions including cancer.