Content Overview 
- Summary
- Do not be surprised at the emotions that may continue to surface. Share them. Contact another survivor with a similar experience. Consider a support group.
- Relationships with your spouse or partner, family and friends change over time. Ask for help when you need it.
- Reclaim every aspect of your life if you haven't already.
- Take care with underage children
- Comply with your drug regimen if you are given one. Learn how to save money when purchasing drugs, and how to store and dispose of them safely.
- Physical and mental effects may linger. New ones may show up. Avoid an impulse to engage in risky behavior. Report new symptoms or changes in existing symptoms to your doctor.
- There is no guarantee that your cancer won't come back. Help lower your risk of recurrence or developing a second cancer: Adopt a cancer prevention lifestyle.
- Show up for follow-up physical exams and tests.
- Get a disease specific medical Follow Up Plan. Go over it with your primary care physician. Tell every doctor or other medical person about your cancer history including diagnosis, treatments and dates.
- If you do not have health insurance, do whatever you can to get it. If you do have it, do whatever is necessary to keep it. Also learn how to maximize use of your policy. Keep other basic insurance as well.
- Do basic financial planning. It will help you, first, pay off debt. (Free negotiating help is available). Then set aside money for health and other emergencies, then money to go after your dream. If debt is overwhelming, consider bankruptcy.
- At work, negotiate if you need a change to allow you to do your work. Learn how to maximize time off and prepare for a recurrence or disability "just in case." Keep track of the facts in case of a discrimination claim.
- If you want to change jobs, or even careers, you can
- If you are unable to work or may be unable to work in the foreseeable future, there are guidelines to make life easier.
- If you want to have children, consider the options that are still open.
- If you don't have a pet, consider getting one.
Post Treatment 6 months +
Physical and mental effects may linger. New ones may show up. Avoid an impulse to engage in risky behavior. Report new symptoms or changes in existing symptoms to your doctor.
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It is possible that the physical and mental effects of chemotherapy or radiation will continue for quite a while. For example, fatigue may persist.. Depression may be ongoing or recurrent. The severity, and how long they continue, varies from person to person.
You may even experience post traumatic stress.
If you had chemotherapy, it is not unusual for a reaction known as "chemo brain" to continue or even to show up after treatment ends.
If you experience fatigue, work with your doctor to try to determine the cause. For example, fatigue could be a symptom of:
- Depression: A psychologist can help improve functioning, especially one knowledgeable about the impact of cancer on someone's life. Psychotropic medication may also help.
- Hypothyroidism: Thyroid tests usually done routinely may not be specific enough for people with cancer treatment in their medical history. If thyroid problems are suspected, a specialist known as an endocrinologist will be able to accurately diagnose and treat them.
- Anemia: A simple blood test can determine iron deficiency anemia. Some people may need iron supplementation. A change in eating habits may help.
- Heart problems.
Other symptoms may show up in time. For example, peripheral neuropathy (a tingling or pain in your hands or feet).
Watch for increases in risky behavior. This kind of behavior has been reported in cancer survivors. It can lead to subsequent illness or injury.
Continue the techniques that worked to combat side effects during treatment. If they' stop being effective, consider using other methods. They are described in the documents noted in "To Learn More" - including techniques for coping with chemo brain.
If any lingering effects interfere with your life or seem severe, contact your cancer doctor or other health care provider.
NOTE: Use oral hygiene. Get a dental check up at least once a year in case any treatment after effects appear. Chemotherapy may lead to problems with your teeth. So can radiation involving the oral cavity or salivary glands.
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