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If you or someone you know has a history of cancer, it is important to be aware of the potential health consequences from cancer and its treatment.

Frequently, patients and families are not informed or do not recall discussions that occurred during the stress-filled days after diagnosis about such potential problems as pain, depression, infertility and other physical and emotional changes. Regardless of whether problems are temporary or permanent, most can be managed.

To begin to address the many and varied health-related needs of long-term cancer survivors, the American Journal of Nursing (AJN) recently released a report, based on a July 2005 symposium, that offers action strategies and recommendations.

“The late effects of cancer and treatment for survivors diagnosed as adults remain poorly documented,” said Pamela J. Haylock, MA, RN, symposium co-director, cancer care consultant and doctoral student at the University of Texas Medical Branch School of Nursing in Galveston, TX. “Yet up to 75 percent of survivors have some health deficits related to their cancers and therapies. Knowing about potential risks and learning and using risk reduction strategies are important steps in survivors’ recovery.”

Nurses recommend that cancer survivors heed the following advice:

#1) Incorporate regular exercise, stress management, a healthful diet and weight control as part of a healthy lifestyle.

Schedule regular health checkups.

#2) Ask your oncology team for a written summary of your cancer diagnosis, treatments, tests and recommended follow-up once treatment is complete. Create a folder to organize diagnostic and laboratory reports, and give it to your current health care provider to make a copy for his or her records.

#3) Ask your nurse or physician to help you and your caregivers learn about possible long-term effects of your cancer therapy and ways to prevent or minimize them. Effects differ from person to person; therefore, educating yourself is important.

#4) Inform physicians and nurses about your previous cancer history, treatment, current medications and long-term effects you may experience, including infertility, early menopause, indigestion, dry mouth or taste changes, constipation, diarrhea, sleep issues, fatigue, dry skin, memory loss, changes in thinking, vision or hearing problems, depression, relationship/sexuality issues, anxiety, confidence issues, pain, tingling, or numbness or swelling in the fingers and toes.

Look for resources to assist with any physical, emotional or financial issues that you may experience.

Helpful Internet sites are www.acor.org, www.cancer.org, and www.canceradvocacy.org.

To The Best Of Your Health,
Best Regards,
“TheEdge”

Unfortunately for most of us, stress is just a part of life. Some stress can be good for us, that little burst of adrenaline that keeps us on top of things mentally. At other times, stress can become an extreme problem that causes physical symptoms, emotional turmoil and even anxiety attacks.

At first, anxiety attacks may occur suddenly and seem like a normal part of being stressed out. If they are not recognized and dealt with, they may continue and worsen over time.

Recognizing the symptoms of an anxiety attack is an important first step to treatment. Though everyone reacts to stress in different ways some common indicators of unhealthy anxiety include difficulty concentrating, racing or uncontrollable thoughts, memory lapses, and feelings of confusion. In order to recognize the indicators for an anxiety attack, it’s important to understand the symptoms of stress first.

You’ll see some of those symptoms in anxiety attacks as well, but you’ll notice more of the physical symptoms when an attack is occurring. Some people experience shortness of breath, pounding heart rhythm, trembling or shakiness within the body, stomachaches and hot or cold flashes.

At the peak of the attack, you may feel as if you’re losing your grasp of reality and self control. At times, sufferers are unaware that they are experiencing an anxiety attack until it’s too late.

Often it is someone else who notices the symptoms of an anxiety attack. Once an anxiety attacks are suspected immediate medical attention should be sought. Anxiety attacks have similar symptoms to more serious, life threatening medical conditions.

Once your doctor has determined that you are healthy overall, anti-anxiety medication may be prescribed and referral to a counselor or licensed therapist may be recommended.

A counselor will listen to the patient’s history and determine what stressing factors could be causing their symptoms. Once the patient gets a handle on the contributing factors for their attacks, a treatment plan would then be set up, based on the patient’s situation. A counselor can help them work through the stressors and show them ways to alleviate the stress causing their symptoms.

There are many websites devoted to the use of relaxation techniques that reduce symptoms to a more manageable level and breathing exercises to improve oxygen intake, which could help slow down a racing heart rhythm.

As the stress in your day to day life increases, there are many strategies for coping. Getting assistance in learning how to manage your anxiety is the first step. Determining the major stressors in your life and developing an effective strategy to cope with them will increase your comfort level and bring hope back into your life.

I highly recommend this website that you can download digital eBooks quickly to your computer to get the help you need. Better Health

There has been much talk and news today about panic; perhaps more people are suffering from this condition because we live in such scary times in such a scary world, but perhaps more people are simply aware that they are having a panic attack and so are seeking treatment for it.

Unfortunately even with all the additional information that is out there about this disorder many patient still don’t know what to look for when they suspect they’re actually having a panic attack.

Panic attacks affect a person not just mentally and emotionally but physically as well. It’s not unusual for those having a panic attack to get dizzy and lightheaded. They also feel numbness and tingling in their arms and fingers. Because of being panicked, they may have a hard time speaking or thinking clearly. The symptoms of having a panic attack overwhelm them so that they have a hard time concentrating and focusing, and sometimes a sufferer can even slur their speech.

It’s easy to see why the symptoms of having a panic attack are confused with stroke or heart attack. But the problem is that if someone assumes they’re having a heart attack or stroke and don’t realize that they’re having a panic attack they don’t get the help they need.

They may check into a hospital and undergo test after test to find out the problem with their heart or have the doctor check for signs of a stroke, all the while ignoring the real issue. This is not only costly and invasive, it’s also ineffective. Being treated for a problem you don’t have and ignoring the problem you do doesn’t solve or help anything.

To be sure that you’re having a panic attack and not a stroke or heart attacks, it’s important to be keenly aware of the emotional reaction you have. Panic is usually accompanied by fear of one’s surroundings or claustrophobia, an overwhelming urge to run away, confusion, and a sense of dread for what might happen next. All of these emotional and mental reactions are signs of a person having a panic attack and may occur in conjunction with their physical reaction as well.

Panic affects each person differently with a variety of symptoms, so anyone that suspects he or she is having a panic attack should make an appointment with a physician to rule out physical problems and to get the help that is available as well.