Hodgkins Disease (cont.)

It's important for you to take care of yourself by eating well and staying as active as you can.

You need the right amount of calories to maintain a good weight. You also need enough protein to keep up your strength. Eating well may help you feel better and have more energy.

Sometimes, especially during or soon after treatment, you may not feel like eating. You may be uncomfortable or tired. You may find that foods do not taste as good as they used to. In addition, the side effects of treatment (such as poor appetite, nausea, vomiting, or mouth sores) can make it hard to eat well. Your doctor, a registered dietitian, or another health care provider can suggest ways to deal with these problems.

Many people find they feel better when they stay active. Walking, yoga, swimming, and other activities can keep you strong and increase your energy. Exercise may reduce nausea and pain and make treatment easier to handle. It also can help relieve stress. Whatever physical activity you choose, be sure to talk to your doctor before you start. Also, if your activity causes you pain or other problems, be sure to let your doctor or nurse know about it.

You'll need regular checkups after treatment for Hodgkin lymphoma. Even when there are no longer any signs of cancer, the disease sometimes returns because undetected lymphoma cells may remain somewhere in your body after treatment.

Also, checkups help detect health problems that can result from cancer treatment. People treated for Hodgkin lymphoma have an increased chance of developing heart disease; leukemia; melanoma; non-Hodgkin lymphoma; and cancers of the bone, breast, lung, stomach, and thyroid. Checkups help ensure that any changes in your health are noted and treated if needed. Checkups may include a physical exam, blood tests, chest x-rays, CT scans, and other tests.

After treatment, people with Hodgkin lymphoma may receive the flu vaccine and other vaccines. You may want to talk with your health care team about when to get certain vaccines.

If you have any health problems between checkups, you should contact your doctor.

You may want to ask your doctor these questions after you have finished treatment: How often will I need checkups? Which follow-up tests do you suggest for me? Between checkups, what health problems or symptoms should I tell you about?

Source: MedicineNet.com
http://www.medicinenet.com/hodgkins_disease/article.htm