Sources of Support
Learning you have prostate cancer can change your life and the lives of those
close to you. These changes can be hard to handle. It is normal for you, your
family, and your friends to have many different and sometimes confusing
feelings.
You may worry about caring for your family, keeping your job, or continuing
daily activities. Concerns about treatments and managing side effects, hospital
stays, and medical bills are also common. Doctors, nurses, and other members of
your health care team can answer questions about treatment, working, or other
activities. Meeting with a social worker, counselor, or member of the clergy
can be helpful if you want to talk about your feelings or concerns. Often, a
social worker can suggest resources for financial aid, transportation, home
care, or emotional support.
Friends and relatives can be supportive. Support groups also can help. In these
groups, patients or their family members meet with other patients or their
families to share what they have learned about coping with the disease and the
effects of treatment. Groups may offer support in person, over the telephone,
or online. You may want to talk with a member of your health care team about
finding a support group.
You and your partner may be concerned about the effects of prostate cancer on
your sexual relationship. You may want to talk with your doctor about possible
treatment side effects and whether these are likely to last. Whatever the
outlook, you and your partner may find it helps to discuss your concerns. You
can find ways to be intimate during and after treatment. For some couples, it
helps to talk with a sex counselor.
Information Specialists at 1-800-4-CANCER and at
LiveHelp (http://www.cancer.gov/cis) can
help you locate programs, services, and publications. Also, you may want to
read the NCI fact sheet "National Organizations That Offer Services to People
With Cancer and Their Families."
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