Nutritional Information for Mesothelioma or Lung Cancer Patients

Posted on February 6, 2012 by Steven Kazan

Having mesothelioma or lung cancer can be exhausting at times, and so is caring for a family member who has either one. Still, you can rest easy knowing that you have untiring patient advocates waiting for you at Kazan, McClain, Lyons, Greenwood and Harley.

In our nearly 40 years of experience helping people make informed legal and medical choices, we have learned that there are many ways to approach cancer care. Whether you’re a patient or a concerned caretaker, one thing that can help keep your body strong and your spirits high is good nutrition.

When someone is diagnosed with mesothelioma or lung cancer, it is easy to let their (and your) diet go out the window. Here are some of the things we’ve learned over the years about keeping up the nutritional end of care.

For caretakers:

If you’re going to care for a friend or loved one, you’ll need to take care of yourself too. Eat three square meals a day. You may want to eat slightly more than usual (especially extra fruits, vegetables, whole grains or protein) since you’re probably burning more energy now. If you spend long hours in the hospital, skip the snack machines in favor of a good half-hour in the cafeteria. You might be surprised how refreshing it is to eat a real meal.

For patients:

In a way, our advice for you is almost no different. Dealing with illness is taxing on your body and mind, so eating wholesome foods can help you stay optimistic and energetic.

However, keep in mind that having mesothelioma or lung cancer can change your body’s needs.

To start, being diagnosed with the condition may leave you feeling sad or stunned. For a while, your appetite may drop off. During this time, lean on your friends a little. They may bring you hot meals or casseroles to show you that they love you. Try eating some. You’ll probably find that you’re hungrier than you thought.

Mesothelioma and lung cancer can also hit your appetite hard even before your diagnosis. These illnesses sometimes cause what’s called “cachexia,” which is loss of appetite, thinness and exhaustion, all rolled up into one. Cachexia can be a early sign of mesothelioma or lung cancer.

While you’re being treated for your illness, your appetite will probably stay low for a while. This is because chemotherapy, radiation treatment and recuperation from surgery can all make it hard to want to eat anything.

Tips for getting nutrition during treatment

Eat many small meals instead of three big ones.
Take little bites. This can help you digest food and keep it down.
If you’re nauseated, wait a while before trying to eat.
Drink plenty of water, but don’t overdo it. If you fill up on fluids, you’ll have little room for any food.

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Mesothelioma and Pain: What to Expect and How to Manage It

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Strategies for Coping with a Mesothelioma Diagnosis

Posted on January 25, 2012 by Steven Kazan

If you recently learned that you have mesothelioma, you have probably been feeling lots of different emotions, like anxiety, sadness, anger, guilt, confusion or loneliness. You may even feel numb, like your brain has shut off your emotions. This is totally normal; most people with mesothelioma react this way.

In our almost 40 years of experience helping people make informed legal and medical choices, we at Kazan, McClain, Satterley & Greenwood have learned that it’s important to address your emotions early and often.

Something to keep in mind as you go through treatments is that there is no “right” way to react to having mesothelioma. How you feel is how you feel. Here are some strategies that we recommend:

Don’t bottle your feelings or censor yourself around friends, family and doctors. It will only make you feel helpless or isolated. Instead, be candid and honest about your emotions. You might be surprised at how good it can feel to simply say out loud that you are scared, angry or stressed out.
Don’t feel you have to be the strong one. It is easy to fall into a cycle in which you end up comforting everyone else and forget (or refuse to acknowledge) that you also need support. Remember that comfort and communication are two-way streets.
It can be helpful to see a counselor, someone who specializes in talking with patients who have advanced cancers, chronic diseases or mesothelioma itself. Usually, taking your loved ones to these meetings is good for everyone, as it can help you and those caring for you learn to ride out the emotional roller coaster.
Don’t worry if you feel like a different person every day, or even every hour. This is a natural part of the mesothelioma journey. It happens because your mind, just like your body, needs time to cope with the stress and change that come with having mesothelioma.

You can expect to feel all sorts of emotions, including denial, anger, fear, depression, sadness, loneliness, guilt and confusion. Don’t try to ignore them. Go ahead and feel bad. You have every right. Be sure to talk about it, though. There are lots of peer support groups and one-on-one counselors where you can meet people who are in the same boat.

Be sure to seek help if you find that emotions like denial or depression are getting in the way of your desire to follow your treatment plan.

Also, keep in mind that with the bad feelings come good ones: hope, optimism, humor and acceptance. Making plans for the future, focusing on relationships with loved ones and acknowledging the positives of your situation can help you feel strong, whole and happy.

Related articles:

The Stages of Mesothelioma: What Can I Expect After My Diagnosis?

Mesothelioma and Pain: What to Expect and How to Manage It

Mesothelioma and Exercise: What Patients Should Know About Physical Activity

Mesothelioma and Pain: What to Expect and How to Manage It

Posted on January 19, 2012 by Steven Kazan

If you have mesothelioma, you’ve probably begun to experience some pain. With that pain can come worries about what lies ahead. This is totally understandable. It’s natural to worry about pain and to have questions about dealing with the discomfort of mesothelioma.

Fortunately, you and your family have lots of palliative care options to choose from. These will help you get through your treatments as comfortably as possible.

At Kazan, McClain, Lyons, Greenwood and Harley, we’ve spent countless hours helping people with asbestos exposure explore their legal and medical options during all stages of mesothelioma. Here are some things we’ve learned about how you can minimize pain caused by the disease.

1. Remember that worrying about pain is normal. It’s a sign that you’re concerned about your health and planning for the future.

2. Keep in mind that your doctors will be consistently focused on keeping you as pain-free as possible. Abdominal aches, twinges and generalized pain are some of the most common symptoms of mesothelioma. For this reason, most treatments for the disease are specially designed to increase your comfort level.

In the first stages of mesothelioma, your doctor will probably talk to you about your oral and intravenous medication options. Pain-relieving drugs are available in many different strengths, depending on what you need.

Be honest with your physician about your pain level. Don’t try to tough it out. You deserve to be as comfortable as possible.

If you have symptoms like nausea or trouble swallowing, there are medications that can reduce these symptoms.

In the more advanced stages of mesothelioma, you will have the opportunity to consider surgeries that remove fluid or tumor tissue from your chest. This can ease pressure in your abdomen, helping you breathe freely, improving your ability to swallow and soothing chest or back aches caused by mesothelioma.

Radiation therapy has also been proven to decrease mesothelioma-related pain. This treatment may have side effects like nausea, exhaustion or tender skin, but doctors can minimize these irritations with medication.

At Kazan, McClain, Lyons, Greenwood and Harley, we also recommend talking to a pain management specialist.

These professionals can explain your advanced options, like implants that deliver pain-killing compounds directly to the spinal cord, giving you maximum relief and allowing you to spend pain-free time at home.

Pain management specialists can also teach your loved ones to help you with your at-home regimen. Using palliative care and family assistance, you can stay at ease and maintain a comfortable quality of life as long as possible.

Related articles:

The Stages of Mesothelioma: What Can I Expect After My Diagnosis?

Strategies for Coping with a Mesothelioma Diagnosis

The Stages of Mesothelioma: What Can I Expect After My Diagnosis?

Posted on January 12, 2012 by Steven Kazan

It’s numbing, in a way, to discover that you have malignant pleural mesothelioma, but this feeling doesn’t last. What comes next? With a little help from friends, family, doctors and legal counsel, your shock can quickly turn to concern, hope and even optimism.

At Kazan, McClain, Lyons, Greenwood and Harley, we’ve spent decades helping the victims of asbestos exposure come to terms with mesothelioma while navigating their legal and medical options. If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with mesothelioma, you may be wondering how to begin grappling with the illness.

While it is tempting to maintain some ignorance about mesothelioma, the knowledge of what’s to come can be genuinely helpful. It can help you work through your feelings. It can give you time to learn about your palliative care options. It might also calm you down to know more about the road ahead.

For these reasons, most physicians will begin by telling you what to expect from the disease itself. Here, then, is a brief summary of the stages of mesothelioma.

Mesothelioma Stage I

At this point, the disease is located on one side of the chest only. Though there are four stages of mesothelioma, only Stage I is considered “local.” Because the disease is very aggressive, all the rest are “advanced” by definition. For this reason – and because it can take years or even decades for mesothelioma to show symptoms – few cases of the illness are diagnosed at Stage I.

Mesothelioma Stage II

In Stage II, tumor has spread around the lung lining, into the diaphragm or has invaded the lung itself.

Mesothelioma Stage III

At this stage, mesothelioma may also be found in the tissue surrounding the heart, in the ribs and in the soft tissue and lymph nodes of the chest.

Mesothelioma Stage IV

In this stage of mesothelioma, it may spread nearly anywhere. Typically, it is found in both halves of the chest and in the lower abdomen. It may also involve the spine, the brain or more distant places.

Remember:

You have plenty of palliative care options to choose from, some of which can greatly extend life expectancy and most of which will make you much more comfortable.

Ask your doctor all the questions you like. The more information you know, the better.

Know your legal and clinical options.

Related articles:

Mesothelioma and Pain: What to Expect and How to Manage It

Strategies for Coping with a Mesothelioma Diagnosis

Mesothelioma Treatment Options and Clinical Trials

living with mesothelioma

Nutritional Information for Mesothelioma or Lung Cancer Patients

Strategies for Coping with a Mesothelioma Diagnosis

Mesothelioma and Pain: What to Expect and How to Manage It

The Stages of Mesothelioma: What Can I Expect After My Diagnosis?

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