Ask CancerCare

A. Many people undergoing chemotherapy treatments experience changes in their body weight—either weight loss or weight gain. If you notice that you are gaining weight, it is important to tell your health care team. Your doctor will need to evaluate the cause of this change, since there are many factors that may be contributing to it. Once your doctor diagnoses the causes, then you, your doctor and health care team can develop a plan to treat your weight gain.

Eating is such an important part of our social activities, including getting together with friends and family, celebrating birthdays, anniversaries, holidays and other special occasions. Your doctor may recommend that you consult with a dietitian who can suggest eating tips to help you find a balance between enjoying your favorite foods at special occasions, while watching what you eat. In addition, your doctor may recommend that you speak with a doctor of rehabilitation medicine or a physical therapist so that you can start an exercise program to help with weight management.

The most important thing to remember is that a change in weight is often linked to cancer treatments and is not your fault. Because weight gain affects how we look and how our clothes fit, many people decide to join a support group or seek individual counseling to find new ways to cope with their changed body image. You are not alone. Weight gain occurs in many people living with cancer.

CancerCare offers the following fact sheets and Connect^® booklets for you to consider:

• "Your Health Care Team: Your Doctor is Only the Beginning"
• "Relaxation Techniques and Mind/Body Practices: How They Can Help You Cope with Cancer"
• "Healthy Eating"
• "Coping with Cancer During the Holidays: Practical Guidelines from CancerCare"
• "Strengthening the Spirit"
• Coping with Cancer: Tools to Help You Live

CancerCare's professionally trained oncology social workers assist people living with cancer, family members and caregivers with the practical and emotional concerns arising from a cancer diagnosis. Call us at 1-800-813-HOPE (4673) or email info@cancercare.org.

A. It is wonderful that you are helping care for your mother. Your important role is known as a "caregiver." Attending your mother's doctor's appointment with her can be very helpful because good communication with her doctor will improve the quality of care she receives. Your mother may feel overwhelmed and needs your help to sort through the doctor's instructions on managing her poor appetite.

Before this visit with the doctor, write down any questions the two of you would like to ask. Make your questions as specific as possible and ask your most important questions first. Bring a notebook or tape recorder so you can keep track of the doctor's answers and refer to them later.

Some questions that you might want to consider asking the doctor are:

• What could be causing my mother's poor appetite?
• Are there any ways to help improve my mother's appetite?
• Can you arrange for her to meet with a dietician to help us plan her meals and snacks?
• Is there any medication that would help to improve her appetite?

You may also want to learn about organizations that help with care at home. Ask your mother's doctor or hospital social worker about local home health agencies.

CancerCare resources that will provide you with additional information:

• "Doctor, Can We Talk? Tips for Communicating With Your Health Care Team"
• Caregiving for Your Loved One With Cancer
• Nutrition and Cancer: Beyond Calories: Building Lean Body Mass (Podcast)

CancerCare's professional oncology social workers assist people living with cancer, family members and caregivers with the practical and emotional concerns arising from a cancer diagnosis. Call us at 1-800-813-HOPE (4673) or email info@cancercare.org.

A. Nausea and fatigue are common side effects in cancer treatment but can be well managed with the help of your doctor, health care team and medications. Daily chores and tasks can be especially burdensome. This is the time to ask others to help you prepare your food so that you can maintain good eating habits during your treatments. Perhaps you don't want to "bother" your family or friends or ask them to do simple tasks because it makes you feel helpless. But most of the time, family and friends are looking for a way to contribute to your care, even if they can't be there all the time. Try appointing one family member or friend to be your primary caregiver, and have that person organize help from the others. Together, they can work as a team to do your food shopping, bring you meals and do the dishes. Giving each one a specific task allows each one to feel that he or she is helping you.

You can also get help with meals and house chores from your hospital, non-profit agencies and private organizations. Sometimes this help is covered by insurance, and sometimes you may need financial assistance to get the help you need. For more information, read CancerCare's Tips for Finding Assistance.

Other CancerCare resources that will provide you with additional information:

• Practical Tips for Managing Nausea and Increasing Appetite During Cancer Treatment
• Your Health Care Team: Your Doctor is Only the Beginning
• Coping with Cancer: Tools to Help You Live
• Coping with Nausea and Vomiting from Chemotherapy (podcast)
• Nutrition and Cancer: Beyond Calories: Building Lean Body Mass (podcast)

Eating Hints for Cancer Patients: Before, During, and After Treatment from The National Cancer Institute is another helpful resource.

CancerCare's professionally trained oncology social workers assist people living with cancer, family members and caregivers with the practical and emotional concerns arising from a cancer diagnosis. Call us at 1-800-813-HOPE (4673) or email info@cancercare.org.