Bladder Cancer
Home Treatment
If you are receiving radiation therapy or chemotherapy to treat any stage of bladder cancer, you can use home treatment to help manage the side effects that may be caused by these treatments. Home treatment may be all that is needed to manage the common problems listed below. If your health professional has given you instructions or medications to treat these symptoms, be sure to follow them. In general, healthy habits such as eating a balanced diet and getting enough sleep and exercise can help control your symptoms.
- Home treatment for nausea or vomiting includes watching for and treating early signs of dehydration, such as a dry mouth, sticky saliva, and reduced urine output with dark yellow urine. Older adults can quickly become dehydrated from vomiting. Your doctor also may prescribe medicines for nausea and vomiting. For more information on how to deal with these side effects, see:
- Home treatment for diarrhea includes resting your stomach and being alert for signs of dehydration. Check with your health professional before using any nonprescription medications for your diarrhea. Be sure to drink enough fluids.
- Home treatment for constipation includes ensuring that you drink enough fluids and eat fruits, vegetables, and fiber in your diet each day. Do not use a laxative without consulting your health professional.
Other issues that may arise include:
- Sleep problems. If you have trouble sleeping, some tips for managing sleep problems may be helpful, such as having a regular bedtime, getting some exercise during the day, and avoiding naps.
- Fatigue. If you lack energy and become weak easily, try measures to help your fatigue, which include getting extra rest, eating a balanced diet, and reducing your stress.
- Hair loss. Hair loss may be unavoidable, but you can decrease irritation of your scalp by using mild shampoos and avoiding damaging hair products.
- Body image and sexuality problems. Sexual problems can be caused by physical or psychological factors related to the cancer or its treatment. You may experience less sexual pleasure or lose your desire to be sexually intimate.
- Women who have their bladder removed (radical cystectomy) will also have their ovaries and uterus removed. They cannot become pregnant and may experience menopause soon after having the cystectomy.
- Men who have their prostate glands and seminal vesicles removed may have erection problems and will no longer produce semen.
Many people with bladder cancer face emotional issues as a result of their disease or its treatment.
- It is stressful to find out that you have cancer and to undergo treatment. Managing stress may include expressing your feelings to others. Learning relaxation techniques may also be helpful. Relaxation techniques, such as meditation, and support groups may be helpful.
- Your feelings about your body may change following treatment for cancer. Managing body image issues may involve talking openly about your concerns with your partner, and discussing your feelings with your health professional. Your health professional may also be able to refer you to organizations that can offer additional support and information.
Bladder cancer rarely causes pain, and not all forms of cancer treatment cause pain. If pain occurs, many treatments are available to relieve it. If your health professional has given you instructions or medications to treat pain, be sure to follow them. Home treatment for pain, such as a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) or an alternative therapy like biofeedback, may improve your physical and mental well-being. Be sure to discuss any home treatment you use for pain with your health professional.
Some people with advanced-stage disease may choose not to have treatment because the time, costs, and side effects of treatment may be greater than the benefits. Making the decision about stopping medical treatment to prolong life and shifting the focus to end-of-life care can be difficult. For more information, see the topics:
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| Author: | Shannon Erstad, MBA/MPH | Last Updated: May 25, 2007 |
| Medical Review: | E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine Philip Belitsky, MD, FRCSC - Urology | |
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