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Coping and support
By Mayo Clinic staffBeing diagnosed with cancer can be devastating. Throat cancer affects a part of your body that is vital to everyday activities, such as breathing, eating and talking. In addition to worrying about how these basic activities may be affected, you may also be concerned about your treatments and chances for survival.
Though you may feel like your life — your survival — is out of your hands, you can take steps to help you feel more in control and to help you cope with your throat cancer diagnosis. To cope, try to:
- Find out all you can about your throat cancer. Write down a list of questions to ask your doctor at your next appointment. Ask your doctor about further sources of information about your cancer. The more you know about your specific condition, the more comfortable you'll feel in making treatment decisions.
- Find someone to talk with. Seek out sources of support that can help you deal with the emotions you're feeling. You may have a close friend or family member who is a good listener. Clergy members and counselors are other options. Consider joining a support group for people with cancer. Contact your local chapter of the American Cancer Society (ACS) or Support for People with Oral and Head and Neck Cancer. The ACS's Cancer Survivors Network offers online message boards and chat rooms that you can use to connect with other people with throat cancer.
- Take care of yourself during cancer treatment. Make keeping your body healthy during treatment a priority. Avoid extra stress. Get enough sleep each night so that you wake feeling rested. Take a walk or find time to exercise when you feel up to it. Make time for relaxing, such as listening to music or reading a book.
- Go to all of your follow-up appointments. Unfortunately, throat cancer commonly recurs after treatment. Your doctor will schedule follow-up exams every month or two during the first two years after treatment, and then less frequently after that. Follow-up exams can make you nervous, since they can remind you of your initial diagnosis and treatment. You may fear that your cancer has come back. Expect some anxiety around the time of each follow-up appointment. Plan ahead by finding relaxing activities that can help redirect your mind away from your fears.
