Lung cancer can affect your daily life in different ways. It depends on what stage it's at and the treatment you're having.
Find out about supports that may help you, as soon as you can after your diagnosis.
Supports include:
- information and advice from your specialist nurse
- coping tips
- psychological help
- financial support
- healthcare costs
- tips to help with shortness of breath
- help with pain management
- living well if your cancer cannot be cured
Where to find help and advice
You will have 1 main point of contact in your treatment team - usually a specialist nurse. Your team will tell you who this is.
Your specialist nurse will:
- support you
- give you information about other sources of advice and support
- share their contact number so you can call them if you have any questions
Keep in contact with your GP so they can give you advice and support.
You can also get advice from:
- the medical social worker at your hospital
- support organisations
- local cancer support centres
Feelings and emotions
Everyone copes with their cancer diagnosis and treatment differently.
You cancer diagnosis might come as a shock. You may feel scared, sad, annoyed or may be worried.
These feelings may get stronger:
- when you do not know what to expect
- if you have side effects of treatment
- if there is a possibility your cancer might return
Most of these feelings are normal, and pass or get easier to deal with as time goes on.
Give yourself time to come to terms with what has happened and what it means for you. Do not be hard on yourself.
Things you can do to help you cope
There are things you can do to help you cope. You may need to try a few things to find what works for you.
You could:
- talk to your friends and family
- talk to other people at a local support group
- talk to your specialist nurse
- talk to someone on a specialist phone line
- find out more about the type of cancer you have
- ask your treatment team, GP or local cancer support centre about other supports or support services
- avoid trying to take on too much
- make time for yourself
When to ask for psychological help
If you are finding it hard to cope with your emotions, it is important to ask for help.
You can ask your treatment team, GP or local cancer support centre about psychological supports.
Do this if difficult feelings last more than 2 to 3 weeks and you:
- have low mood with loss of interest that does not go away
- feel isolated or lonely
- are anxious or worry that your cancer will come back
- feel strong emotions often - such as anger, frustration, guilt, grief and uncertainty
- are worried about your body image
- are worried about loss of intimacy
If you are still in treatment your specialist team will arrange for you to talk to a trained counsellor, psychotherapist, or psychologist.
Money and financial support
You may be entitled to financial support if you have cancer or care for someone with cancer.
Sick leave and sick pay
If you have a job but cannot work because of your illness, you may be entitled to sick pay from your employer.
Sick leave and sick pay - citizensinformation.ie
Benefits
You may be entitled to benefits if you:
- do not have a job
- cannot work because of your condition
Benefits for people who are sick or have a disability - citizensinformation.ie
If you're caring for someone with lung cancer
Your local cancer support centre has free supports and services to help you if you're a carer. More than 2 in 5 people they support are partners or children of people diagnosed with cancer.
If you're caring for someone with lung cancer, you may be entitled to Carer's Allowance.
Help with healthcare costs
If you have cancer there are benefits and schemes you can apply to that help with healthcare costs.
Medical cards
If you have a medical card, you do not have to pay:
- to visit your GP
- for most medicines your GP or cancer treatment team prescribe
- public outpatient and inpatient services
If you need an emergency medical card, your healthcare team will apply for an emergency medical card for you.
If you do not have a medical card
If you do not have a medical card you may have to pay for some of your medical expenses.
If your income is above the threshold for a medical card, you can apply for a discretionary medical card.
To help with expenses apply for a Drug Payment Scheme card. This means you or your family do not have to pay more than €80 a month for approved prescribed medicines.
You can also apply for a GP visit card. If you have a GP visit card, you do not have to pay to see your GP. You will have to pay for medicines and other services.
Support organisations
To get free, independent support and advice contact:
If your local hospital has an Irish Cancer Society Daffodil Centre, they can help you too.
Cancer support centres
Community cancer support centres are in most local communities.
They help:
- people with cancer
- families of people with cancer
- carers of people with cancer
The support services provided by cancer support centres can include:
- counselling and psychological support
- manual lymphatic drainage
- physical activity programmes
- programmes for people who have finished cancer treatment
- programmes for loved ones and carers such as Building Better Caregivers
- complementary therapies
Ask your specialist nurse about your local cancer support centre.
Support programmes
There are online and in-person support programmes to help:
- you after treatment
- if you are getting long-term treatment
- carers
Life After Cancer Enhancing Survivorship (LACES)
Ask your specialist nurse about the LACES programme if you are:
- finished treatment
- getting maintenance therapy (long-term) treatment and living well with advanced cancer
The aim of the LACES programme is to help you to adjust, live well, and feel your best, physically and emotionally.
Cancer Thriving and Surviving
You can do the Cancer Thriving and Surviving programme from 6 weeks after you have finished treatment. You will learn skills that help you manage your health after cancer treatment.
Ask your local cancer support centre about the Cancer Thriving and Surviving programme.
Building Better Caregivers
Building Better Caregivers is an online programme for people who are caring for a loved one with cancer.
Shortness of breath
Shortness of breath is common in people who have lung cancer. It can be a symptom of lung cancer or a side effect of treatment.
Things you can do to help shortness of breath
To help improve your breathing:
- breathe in slowly through your nose and out through your mouth
- use a fan to direct cool air towards your face
- eat smaller and more frequent meals and taking smaller mouthfuls
You can also do things to make daily activities easier.
For example:
- use a trolley when you go shopping
- keep things you often need downstairs, so you do not need to regularly walk up and down the stairs
Treating shortness of breath
If doing these things are not enough to control your shortness of breath, you may need treatment for it.
There are medicines that can help to improve shortness of breath.
Home oxygen therapy may be an option if your shortness of breath is severe.
Your treatment team may also refer you to specialists who can help you manage your breathing.
After treatment for lung cancer, you may see a physiotherapist. They can teach you some simple breathing exercises.
If your shortness of breath is caused by another health problem, treating this may help your breathing. For example, if it is caused by a chest infection or a build-up of fluid around the lungs (pleural effusion).
Pain
Some people with lung cancer have pain, while others do not have any.
You may have pain after surgery.
Pain varies from person to person. There are ways of treating the pain.
If you have advanced lung cancer, you may need treatment for pain as your cancer progresses.