Coping with stomach cancer

This page tells you about coping with stomach cancer (gastric cancer). There is information on

A quick guide to what's on this page
Coping with your diagnosis
How stomach cancer can affect you physically
Coping practically with stomach cancer
More information on coping with stomach cancer

Coping with stomach cancer

It can be very difficult coping with a diagnosis of stomach cancer both practically and emotionally. You may feel very upset and confused at first. As well as coping with the fear and anxiety that a diagnosis of cancer brings, you have to work out how to manage practically. There may be money matters to sort out. Who do you tell you have cancer? There may be children or grandchildren to consider.

The coping with cancer section contains lots of information you may find helpful. There are sections on

Your feelings
How you can help yourself
Who else can help you
Sex and sexuality
Coping financially

CR PDF Icon You can view and print the quick guides for all the pages in the living with stomach cancer section.

It can be very difficult coping with a diagnosis of stomach cancer, both practically and emotionally. At first, you are likely to feel very upset, frightened and confused. Or that things are out of your control. It is very important to get the right information about your type of cancer and how it is best treated. People who are well informed about their illness and treatment are more able to make decisions and cope with what happens.

Stomach cancer and its treatment may cause physical changes in your body. These changes can be very difficult to cope with and may affect the way you feel about yourself. The cancer and treatment may make you lose weight. You may also lose your appetite and may find it difficult to eat. There is information about coping with eating problems in the section on coping physically with cancer. There is also information about diet after stomach cancer surgery in this section.

You may feel very tired and weak a lot of the time, especially for a while after treatment or if the stomach cancer is advanced. There is information on fatigue and cancer and treating cancer fatigue in the section on coping physically with cancer.

If you are having a sexual relationship, one or all of these changes may affect your sex life. There is information about how cancer can affect your sex life in the coping with cancer section.

As well as coping with the fear and anxiety that a diagnosis of stomach cancer brings, you may also have to work out how to manage practically. There may be money matters to sort out. You may need information about financial support, such as benefits, sick pay and grants. Who do you tell that you have cancer? And how do you find the words? You may also have children to think about. We have information about talking to people about your cancer and how and what to tell children.

Just try to remember that you do not have to sort everything out at once. It may take some time to deal with each issue. Do ask for help if you need it though. Your doctor or specialist nurse will know who you can contact to get some help - they can put you in touch with people specially trained in supporting those with cancer. These people are there to help and want you to feel that you have support. So use them if you feel you need to.

You may need to have access to support staff, such as a dietician. Social workers can help you with information about your entitlement to sick pay and benefits. If you live alone, a social worker may be able to help by organising support when you first come out of hospital.

The coping with cancer section has lots of helpful information. There are sections on

Your feelings
How you can help yourself
Who else can help you?
Mortgages, pensions, loans and insurance, including travel insurance

If you would like more information about coping with stomach cancer, contact our cancer information nurses. They would be happy to help.

You can also contact one of the organisations on our stomach cancer organisations list. They often have free factsheets and booklets they can send to you. They may also be able to put you in touch with a support group.

You can also find details of counselling organisations, that can tell you more about counselling and help you find sources of emotional support in your area.