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Frequently Asked Questions
After Treatment
Q1: I just finished my last treatment and, instead of being in the mood to celebrate, I'm in a bit of a funk. Why?
What you're experiencing is common. During treatment, you're focused on that
treatment and getting better. When treatment is over, you're expected to return
to the life you had "before cancer," but it's not quite the same.
It's often unsettling at first. Many people find that joining a support group
or talking with a therapist are especially helpful during this transition.
Q2: Will I ever get back to normal?
It does take time to recover from treatment. Nearly everyone experiences fatigue
during chemotherapy and radiation therapy, and it may take several months to
bounce back.
Another lingering side effect for some people is known as chemobrain.
Your memory and/or thinking may not seem as sharp as they used to be. This generally
improves with time, but the condition is just now receiving attention from medical
researchers.
For many people, however, the issue is not so much getting back to normal as adjusting to the new normal. Cancer is a life changing experience. Support groups and individual counseling often assist this transition.
Q3: What role should cancer play in my life now that treatment is over?
There is no single best way to go through cancer diagnosis and treatment, nor
is there a single best way to lead your life after you’ve been through
treatment.
Some survivors prefer to think and talk about cancer as little as possible.
Others join support groups until cancer recedes from their emotional front burners
to the back burners. Still others plunge into cancer advocacy and volunteer
with cancer support organizations such as the Ithaca Breast Cancer Alliance.
And every survivor changes over time. How you feel the year immediately following
treatment is very different from how you'll feel ten years later.
Click here to read The After Cancer Treatment Blahs by Bob Riter.