Newly Diagnosed

Being told that you have Prostate Cancer can be daunting. Factors such as finance and your ability to continue with your normal lifestyle will impact on your decisions.

Knowledge and support are fundamental in getting you and your family into a position of coping with the stress and complications that are ahead of you in the type of treatment or regime you decide to take, because unfortunately it is you who has to make this decision.

Points to Question

• Get a full explanation of your condition from your healthcare team. All medical teams should be willing to answer your concerns and worries.
• Seek all the information and recourses about the illness that you can, learning may ease your worries.
• Support from family and friends, is fundamental in correlating and understanding the information that you receive.
• Talking to other Prostate Cancer patients and families about their experiences and treatments may help you to cope with what lays ahead.

Sources of Help

Social Workers can help you with practical and financial situations. They have links to education, Counselling and can refer to both local and national agencies and support groups.

Support Groups: Such as us, at The Bay Prostate Cancer Support Group,  offer advice and personal experiences that they have had throughout their illness. All presented in a friendly, cheerful atmosphere. But please do remember; Do not apply any of these to your personal case, Never disregard your doctor’s advice in favour of another patients.

Financial Advice: This is important as you may not have the ability to work whilst undergoing treatment or even afterwards, They should be able to offer guidance towards any benefits that you may be entitled to,for example

• Employment and Support Allowance
• Disability Living Allowance
• Tax Credits

Individual Counselling; Sometimes a one to one approach may be better in explaning the illness and dealing with your sensitive and private feelings about the cancer and the impact it is having on your life. Psychological help may also be available to help you to develop strategies which will help you to regain a sense of control in your life, thus improving your life.

Family and Friends

• A diagnosis of prostate cancer not only affects the man himself, but also the people around him, par-ticularly family and friends.
• Supporting the patient through the diagnosis and treatment of the illness is their wish, but it is not always easy!

Tips that may help

• Ask the patients doctor and other members of the medical team questions. If they attend an appointment with the patient. Please be aware you may not receive the answer you wanted to hear.
• Be aware that any medication the patient is prescribed may affect their mood or behaviour, medication, discomfort and stress can cause depression and anger.
• Activity and independence should be encouraged to promote a sense of self reliance and con-fidence.
• Encourage family members and friends to help, they may appreciate the opportunity.
• Be positive about the outcome of treatment, never give in.
• Be assertive rather than aggressive; tell the medical team how you feel rather than getting angry.
• You did not ask to become ill, it just happened, so learn to relax.
• Take regular exercise, you can fight stress better when you are physically fit.
• Eat well balanced meals.
• Take time to rest and sleep, take time to yourself, your body needs this time to recover from stressful events and treatments.

Above All Be Positive!