Be An Informed Patient: Questions to Ask Your Oncology Team About Your Cancer Treatment Protocol

by Margot Malin, Founder and CEO of Lots To Live For, Inc.

A longer version of this blog post originally appeared on the Breast Cancer Yoga Blog in a post dated 10/9/14. You can view the full post entitled 22 Questions to Ask Your Oncology Team About Your Cancer Treatment Protocol by clicking HERE.

Patients who are well informed and take a proactive role in making choices about their cancer treatment protocol are likely to be more comfortable as they progress through treatment. Knowledge is empowering and knowing what to expect and what comes next demystifies the process.

Be Your Own Health Advocate

Be your own health advocate by asking questions to become informed and “buy in” to your treatment protocol. It is a good idea to bring a friend or relative with you to medical appointments both for emotional support, and also because a second set of “eyes and ears” might understand what is being said differently, they may think of a whole different set of questions, or might interpret ambiguous or confusing information in a different way.  Take notes so you can remember what was discussed. After all, going to a doctor can be both emotional and terrifying.

Here are just a few of the 22 questions in the original post to ask your oncology team about your cancer treatment protocol: 

• What is the goal of chemotherapy and/or radiation for my cancer? 
• Why are you recommending chemotherapy / radiation? If you had cancer would you treat yourself with this protocol? How long have you been prescribing this treatment and how many patients have received it? 
• Which specific chemotherapy drugs will I be given? What are your expectations for this medication? Are there other options that can produce the same or similar results? 
• What has the success rate been? Do you expect that the tumor will disappear completely, or just shrink in size? Will the cancer start growing again after treatment?
• How will I know if the chemotherapy or radiation is working? How do you plan to assess the effectiveness of the treatment? 
• What is the likelihood that my survival time will be increased as a result of this treatment? What is the expected survival time increase as compared to no treatment? 
• What is the likelihood that my quality of life will be improved after I receive this treatment?
• What are the risks associated with this treatment with regard to morbidity (adverse effects from the treatment), mortality and the risks of developing another cancer?
• What can I do to prepare for treatment and decrease the chance of debilitating side effects?
• What side effects should I expect and how long will they last?  What can I do to reduce uncomfortable side effects if they occur? (please visit www.LotsToLiveFor.com for products to reduce and relieve side effects of cancer treatment) 
• Are there any clinical trials which might be suitable for me which I might want to explore? 
• Does your practice or does this facility offer an Oncology Nurse Navigator for their patients? (See blog post entitled “What is an Oncology Nurse Navigator?” At http://lotstolivefor.blogspot.com/2012/04/what-is-oncology-nurse-navigator.html)
• What lifestyle changes will I need to make to prepare for treatment, during treatment and after treatment with regards to: Diet, Activities, Work and Exercise?
• Do you recommend complementary therapies such as yoga, exercise, acupuncture, meditation, and do you have other suggestions? 

Receiving a diagnosis and discussing treatment options can be overwhelming. It is helpful to be prepared for appointments with a concrete list of questions and to take thorough and complete notes. Sometimes it helps to try to take a step away, and approach the discussion clinically. As hard as it is, try to be unemotional and evaluative. Do research, take notes and keep thorough records. We hope these questions will help you take control, and understand your treatment better.

To be forewarned is to be forearmed. Know your options and embrace your informed decisions.  Be your own health advocate! Information empowers, allows the opportunity for choices and makes patients more comfortable with their protocols, and ultimately can improve outcomes.

If readers of this blog post have additional suggestions to add to this list, please comment on our Facebook page at: www.facebook.com/LotsToLiveFor

You can visit the original Breast Cancer Yoga Blog Post and read all of the 22 Questions for Your Oncology Team by clicking: HERE

Lots To Live For, Inc. offers a collection of cancer resources. Visit Lots To Live For, Inc. for products to help reduce and relieve the unpleasant and uncomfortable side effects of radiation and chemotherapy and to learn more about cancer care products. 

Creating the Best Chemo Goody Bag - Helpful Items to Bring to Chemotherapy Treatment

by Margot Malin, Founder and CEO of Lots To Live For, Inc.

This is a condensed version of the post entitled GREAT CHEMOTHERAPY GIFT IDEAS AND HOW TO CREATE YOUR OWN CHEMO GOODY BAG which appeared in the Breast Cancer Yoga Blog on February 11, 2014

It is important to try to be as comfortable as you can during chemotherapy treatments. There are many things that can cause discomfort ranging from feeling chilly to feeling nauseated. We have put together some suggestions of items to bring to chemotherapy treatment to help you feel more comfortable. Its a great idea to make a checklist, buy a nice bag with several compartments for organizing, and keep the bag ready to take to treatment.

PHYSICAL COMFORT

Taste changes are a very common side effect of chemotherapy. Your sense of smell might also change, and you might become overly sensitive to fragrances.  You might get chills frequently or constantly feel cold. Your mouth may develop sores and feel very dry. You may feel nauseous. Here are some ideas to combat these effects.

Warmth:  Be sure to include a warm fuzzy blanket, soft and warm socks, fuzzy gloves, a hat or other head cover such as a scarf or head wrap.  Wear comfortable clothes.

Oral Care:  Drink plenty of fluids. Carry a water bottle. Bring a thermos with organic tea or broth. Mouth moisturizer products such as Mouth Kote oral moisturizer and Biotene dry mouth gum can help dry mouth.  Be sure to include a lip balm or lip moisturizing product because you lips can get very dry. Bring a disposable toothbrush for gentle brushing and hydration.

Skin Care:  Different chemotherapy medications can cause a variety of skin issues.  Dry skin is very common. We suggest a hand moisturizer such as a tube of Atopalm Moisturizing Hand Treatment. If you are experiencing hand/foot syndrome we suggest CV Skinlabs Restorative Skin Balm.  Lindiskin face serums (lavender or citrus) are very helpful for acneform rash. 

Antinausea Products (to combat CINV):  Biobands are clinically proven, effective acupressure wristbands that provide relief of nausea associated with chemotherapy. Queasy Drops are also an effective way to relieve nausea associated with chemo. They also help to alleviate dry mouth symptoms.

Overall Physical Comfort:  Bring a travel pillow.  Don’t forget individual packs of tissues. Don’t forget to pack a small hand sanitizer.

Create a Chemo Goody Bag to Enhance Comfort During Chemo Treatments

SPIRITUAL AND EMOTIONAL COMFORT

In addition to personal care products to alleviate physical discomfort, we offer suggestions to boost your mental, spiritual and emotional state of mind.

To Pass the Time:  Ask a friend or relative to sit with you during treatment if they have the time.  If you will be alone, be sure to bring a variety of things that can help you pass the time.  You might not feel like concentrating too deeply so bring a variety of different types of distractions – some that might require focus, some that require less engagement.  Choose as many or as few of the following:  An ipod, an ipad or tablet, a Kindle, a book, magazines, and/or a journal. If you like to draw, bring a sketchbook. We also suggest bringing pictures on electronic media or a photo album to surround yourself with pictures of loved ones.

Spiritual and Breathing: There are a number of CD’s, ipod downloads, and cell phone apps that can help with visualization and breathing.  Both can be very helpful during chemotherapy treatment.  Whip Cancer is an example of a visualization app which can help empower patients and reduce stress. The Breathe With Purpose CD is helpful for stress reduction, visualization, and meditation. There are numerous other apps for visualization, stress reduction, and meditation to explore.

THINGS TO AVOID

Many oncologists recommend that cancer patients avoid refined sugar. Therefore baked goods and candy should not be consumed. Well meaning friends and relatives like to gift these items (not knowing that they should be avoided), but we feel strongly that more healthy food options should be considered.  Sugary drinks such as soda are not recommended either.

A cancer patient may become very sensitive to smells so we do not suggest perfumes or flowers.

IN CONCLUSION

We have researched and reviewed products for many years to find personal care products that are effective in reducing and relieving the unpleasant and uncomfortable side effects of chemotherapy treatment. We invite you to visit our website at www.LotsToLiveFor.com to see all of the products that meet our high standards. 

To read the full blog post on the Breast Cancer Yoga Blog: click here

To view Chemotherapy Gift Ideas please click on the following Chemo Goody Bag Collections below:
Chemo Gift Kit
Deluxe Chemotherapy Gift
Ultimate Chemotherapy Gift

Ultimate Chemotherapy Gift