Browser does not support script.
Skip to main content
search here
Macmillan and Cancerbackup merged in 2008. Together we provide free, high quality information for people affected by cancer through our publications, website and phone service. Find out more|.
Find out how we produce our information|
After treatment is over you’ll probably be keen to get back to doing all the things you did before your cancer. But you may still be coping with side effects of treatment, such as tiredness, and the emotional upheaval you’ve been through.
Recovering from cancer and its treatment takes time. You’ll usually find that day to day things that occupied you before will gradually start to take over from cancer in your life. Going back to work| and getting back to the interests you had before can be big steps forward.
Some people feel that although they wouldn’t have chosen to go through this experience, it’s changed them in positive ways and helped them to think about their priorities. They may decide to focus more on relationships with family and friends or on doing the things they’ve always wanted to do.
You may also want to think about making changes to your lifestyle and find out more about healthy living. Although you may have followed a healthy lifestyle before your cancer, you may now want to be more focused on making the most of your health. There are things you can do to help your body recover. These can also help improve your sense of wellbeing and lower your risk of getting other illnesses, and some cancers.
Take plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables (at least five portions a day) and eat more high-fibre foods. Cut down on red meat, animal fats and salted, pickled and smoked foods. Stick with sensible drinking guidelines.
Our section on eating well after cancer treatment| has more helpful advice on nutrition.
This can be an important part of your recovery after treatment. It can improve your sense of wellbeing and build up your energy levels. It reduces the risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes and bone thinning.
Talk to your cancer specialist or GP before you start. Start slowly and increase your activity over time.
You can read more about exercise and its benefits in our section on exercise after cancer treatment|.
If you’re a smoker, speak to your doctor or call a stop smoking helpline for further advice and to find out where your local stop smoking service is.
Our page about stopping smoking| has more advice and tips to help you succeed.
This means always attending your surveillance| or follow-up appointments|, which is very important. If you can’t attend, contact your doctor or clinic to arrange another appointment as soon as possible.
Let your doctor know of any new symptoms or ongoing symptoms| that aren’t improving.
Check your remaining testicle every month|. Men who’ve already had testicular cancer have an increased risk of getting a new primary cancer in the other testicle.
Understanding more about testicular cancer and its treatment can also help you to cope. It means you can discuss treatment, tests and check-ups with your doctors and nurses, and be involved in making decisions. This can make you feel more confident and give you back a feeling of control.
Some side effects that develop during treatment may take a long time to improve or may occasionally become permanent (long-term effects). Other effects can develop many years after treatment has finished (late effects). You may not experience any after effects at all or they may range from being mild to more serious. Possible long-term effects of chemotherapy can include:
Always let your doctors know if you have any of these effects. Your doctor will monitor them and arrange any necessary tests.
Some men who’ve had chemotherapy for testicular cancer find that when their hands are cold their fingers become white, with pins and needles or numbness. This is known as Raynaud’s syndrome, and is a condition of the blood vessels that supply blood to the skin. Chemotherapy| may also cause changes in the nerves of the hands and feet. This is called peripheral neuropathy| and it can be temporary or permanent.
If you have this you may have altered sensation in your hands or feet.
The chemotherapy drug cisplatin| can cause permanent hearing problems, particularly with high-pitched sounds.
Stopping smoking| (if you smoke) can help to reduce your risk of lung problems.
Some chemotherapy drugs may increase your risk of heart problems, high blood pressure and diabetes in the future. Taking regular exercise|, eating healthily|, watching your weight and not smoking are important ways in which you can help yourself. It’s important to let your doctors know if you have any symptoms that could be linked with treatment effects.
Exercise and a healthy diet can help to reduce stress and anxiety. Some people find that complementary therapies, talking about their feelings or having contact with other people who’ve been through a similar experience can also help.
Complementary therapies may help you to feel better, reduce stress and anxiety, and improve some treatment side effects. Relaxation, counselling and psychological support are available at many cancer treatment hospitals.
Some hospitals also offer visualisation, massage, reflexology, aromatherapy and hypnotherapy. Therapies are sometimes available through cancer support groups or your GP. Many complementary therapists have private practices.
Our section on cancer and complementary therapies| tells you about different therapies and gives advice on choosing a therapist.
Talking about your feelings can help reduce feelings of stress, anxiety and isolation. There are lots of different ways to communicate, and these can all help people to feel less alone.
Self-help or support groups offer a chance to talk to other people who may be in a similar situation and facing the same challenges as you. Joining a group can be helpful if you live alone, or don’t feel able to talk about your feelings with people around you. Not everyone finds talking in a group easy, so it might not be for you. Try going along to see what the group is like before you decide.
You can call us| or visit our support groups page| for information about cancer support groups across the UK.
Many people now get support through the internet. There are online support groups, social networking sites, forums, chat rooms and blogs for people affected by cancer. You can use these to ask questions and share your experience.
Our online community| is a social networking site where you can talk to people in our chat rooms, blog your journey, make friendships and join support groups.
It’s common to still have difficult feelings after treatment is over, but most people find these get better as they recover. Some people only experience a few of these feelings and may be able to deal with them easily. Others may have more, and find them harder to cope with.
Try to let your family and friends know how you’re feeling so that they can support you. Talking about your feelings isn’t always easy. You can read some helpful tips about this in our section on talking about your cancer.
Often it’s easier to talk to someone who is not directly involved with your illness. You can ask your hospital consultant or GP to refer you to a doctor or counsellor, who is a specialist in the emotional problems of people with cancer and their relatives.
Our cancer support specialists| can tell you more about counselling and let you know about services in your area.
For answers, support or just a chat, call the Macmillan Support Line free (Monday to Friday, 9am-8pm)
If you have any questions about cancer, need support or just want someone to talk to, ask Macmillan.