How To Manage Your Care When Facing Heart Failure And Lung Cancer
Being faced with a cancer diagnosis is hard enough, but learning that your heart is failing as well can be very difficult to stomach. Fortunately, this does not mean a certain death sentence; as long as you have the will to fight, you will have a chance to survive. If you, or a loved one, is facing this diagnosis you should continue to read this article to learn more about what it is that you can do to win the fight against both ailments.
Always ask for a second opinion. There are many different ways to approach the treatment of any ailment and each doctor will likely recommend something different. If you want to be in control of your health care, and have as many options as you can, you should ask the opinion of at least two doctors that specialize in your diseases. You may find that not only do you like the treatment options offered by a certain doctor but that you also like their disposition and attitude. Much more than just the style of treatment is important. How you feel that a doctor is treating you and your condition is critical as well. If you do not like the doctor then your chances of recovering will certainly be reduced.
Try not to rush when making critical decisions about your care. While treating cancer and congestive heart failure are time sensitive, it is also important to take a day or two to make decisions. Like they say, you should at least sleep on it. That way you will be able to truly weight the pros and cons of the treatment and make the choice that is best for you. Making a rash decision can not only be detrimental, but it can also leave you with feelings or remorse and regret, which will only bring down your spirit.
Be sure to monitor how well your various specialists and primary doctor are coordinating your care. If they are not communicating well with one another you could be at serious risk. For example, your heart doctor could very well recommend a medicine or procedure that could hurt the state of your lungs. Anytime that one of your doctors recommends that you make any change, you should ask them if they have spoken with your other doctors. If they have not, you can ask them to, or inform your other doctors of the recommendation yourself. Do not be afraid to take control of your health care. Each doctor likely has many other patients, and humans are all prone to error. Therefore, if you want to ensure that your health is protected as much as it can be, you must be an advocate for yourself. If, due to your condition, you feel that you are no longer able to do this, you can ask a trusted friend or family member to step in and take this role for you.
Anytime that someone learns that they have a potentially fatal disease they can become depressed and have feelings about wanting to give up. The best way to fight this is by keeping yourself informed and involved in your care. Now that you have read this article, you have the tools you need to be in control of your care when fighting lung cancer and heart failure.
