by Bag It Team | Sep 14, 2021 | Educational Articles
Myth #1: Everyone experiences pain with cancer.
Facts:
- About half of people with cancer experience pain at some point – but about half don’t.
- Pain management is part of cancer treatment. In most cases pain can be controlled.
- Those with advanced cancer usually experience more pain than someone newly diagnosed.
Learn about the different types of pain, its causes, and how pain can be measured Causes of cancer pain: Pain can be caused by the tumor itself, cancer tests or procedures done, or it can occur as a side effect of treatment (surgery, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, radiation therapy). There can be more than one cause of pain. Some pain ends when treatment ends but some pain can be ongoing and chronic. Types of Pain:
- Acute pain – this type of pain comes on quickly but it does not last long. It can be mild, moderate, or severe.
- Chronic pain -this type of pain can be consistent or it can get worse, lasing a long time. Again, it can be mild, moderate, or severe.
- Breakthrough pain – this type of pain is usually a sudden increase in intense pain that “breaks through” the pain medications being taken to control pain, typically between does. It lasts for a short time. There are medications specifically used to treat this type of pain.
Pain Severity: Everyone experiences pain differently. It’s a good idea to keep a record of your pain to share with your healthcare team. Using one of the customizable logs in section 2 of Bag It’s My Companion Guidebook is an easy way to track your pain. You can use the scale below to assess your pain’s severity and type, noting when, where, how it feels (e.g. “burning,” “stabbing,” “throbbing) and other pertinent details on the form. Make copies to give to your healthcare team at your next appointment. This will help them to determine a pain management plan tailored just for you. Using a scale from “0” to “10”:
- 0 means no pain
- 1 to 3 means mild pain
- 4 to 6 means moderate pain
- 7 to 10 means severe pain
Myth #2: Only opioid medications relieve cancer pain.
Facts:
- Non-opioid medications may be effective pain relievers depending on the type of pain someone is experiencing.
- Palliative surgery or radiation therapy is sometimes performed to ease symptoms and increase comfort.
- Palliative (supportive care) is care that focuses on relieving the symptoms of cancer, like pain, and other impacts on your physical, emotional, mental and spiritual well-being.
- Physical therapy, exercise, complementary and integrative medicine therapies such as acupuncture, massage and relaxation techniques are possible ways to manage pain without medication.
A personalized pain management plan prescribed by your healthcare team could include one or more of the above treatments to improve your quality of life. It’s important to talk openly with your healthcare team if you are experiencing pain. In addition to describing the pain in detail, let them know how it is impacting your daily life.
Palliative care (supportive care)
Palliative care is not hospice care. The aim of palliative, or supportive, care is to improve quality of life and maintain independence by reducing symptoms, managing pain, and supporting patients and their families. The aim of hospice care is to help the patient approach the end of life with peace, respect, and dignity, and it includes palliative care. Palliative care is an approach to care that addresses the person as a whole, not just their disease. The goal is to prevent or treat, as early as possible, the symptoms and side effects of the disease and its treatment, in addition to any related psychological, social, and spiritual problems. You can receive palliative care at any age and at any stage. Receiving palliative care does not mean that you will no longer receive treatment for the disease. People often receive treatment to slow, stop, or eliminate cancer in addition to treatment to ease discomfort. In fact, research shows that people who receive both types of treatment often have less severe symptoms, a better quality of life, and report they are more satisfied with treatment. Ask your healthcare team about the ways palliative care might be helpful to you and your family.
Additional Resources on Pain
ASCO Answers: Managing Cancer-Related Pain
Cancer Pain Control: Support for People With Cancer
ASCO’s booklet, Palliative Care
by Mindy Griffith | Sep 7, 2021 | Podcasts
Hear from Bag It Founder, Sherri Romanoski, as she shares with Impact Gap the importance of patient-physician communication, being your own advocate, and survivorship. Impact Gap is a graduate student-run, patient-centered podcast group at the University of Toronto. Their mission is to provide a platform to amplify patient perspectives, acknowledge patients as experts in their care, and raise awareness for important patient issues.
by Bag It Team | Aug 11, 2021 | Educational Articles
August 1st is World Lung Cancer Day, a day to raise awareness about lung health and how to prevent lung cancer.
Did you know…
- About 25% of cancer deaths are from lung cancer – that’s more than colon, breast and prostate cancer deaths combined. (But the good news is that fewer Americans are smoking these days and new lung cancer treatments have been very effective in controlling some types of advanced disease.)
- Active cigarette smoking is by far the leading cause (about 80-90%) of lung cancer, but air pollution, secondhand smoke and other chemicals in the home and workplace, and family history, are also risk factors.
- While some experience symptoms related to the lungs, most people with lung cancer don’t have symptoms until the cancer is advanced.
- If you are at high risk*, an annual low-dose CT scan to screen for lung cancer may save your life. It can detect lung cancer earlier, when it is more treatable. Speak with your doctor about your personal health history and screening risks, as it is not recommended for everyone.
*(i.e. 1 pack a day for 20 years, 2 packs a day for 10 years, etc.)
Click here to order a lung cancer-specific or standard Bag it bag for yourself or as a gift for someone else. (available in English and Spanish)
by Mindy Griffith | Apr 8, 2021 | Educational Articles
Bag It. Guiding one through cancer.
So, it’s National Read a Roadmap week, and I love a bizarre holiday that connects to many things I love and makes me smile. First, I recall being on a road trip a few years ago, and yes we had GPS on our phones and were using that, when we were trying to find maps of the area we were in just because (okay maybe I wanted to use them later to scrapbook the adventure). At the 3rd gas station we found one, it was dated and covered in dust and the employees thought my friend was crazy for wanting one but we were thrilled!
Then a friend was visiting me and in the side panel of my car I have a few maps, because you never know when you might need one. She found this hilarious and took a picture of it to post on social media asking people if they even knew what they were – she couldn’t believe that I had them in my car. (FYI: I have used them from time to time.)
Now I love technology and frequently use digital maps, but it’s always good to have a back-up plan as we know that technology doesn’t work everywhere or your might not have your phone charged or maybe you just appreciate having things in a printed format. Print makes things easier to share and more readily available (but I encourage you to order those maps in advance of your next trip).
How does reading a map and my random stories (that made me smile with the memories) connect to cancer and Bag It?
Reading a roadmap takes some practice, just like understanding cancer. The Bag It bag works as a guide to help those impacted by cancer understand more about their diagnosis and cope with the bumps along the way. When you receive a cancer diagnosis you don’t get the map (digital or print) to go with it. You don’t know the vocabulary, the questions to ask, which treatment to take, or which exit has a support network. You need something to help familiarize you with this experience. Your healthcare team is one guide and a Bag It bag is another valuable guide.
The take-everywhere binder (yep, even on that road trip) helps organize appointments and records (similar to your brochures and itineraries). The booklets provide coping tips, support information, reliable cancer information and questions to ask. It’s all in the bag! You won’t feel lost during or after treatment with Bag It as your guide.
Bag It wants to ensure anyone who wants or needs a bag has them available to them. You can order one as a gift for someone when they are diagnosed with cancer to help them cope or you can order/request one for yourself. They are a doctor-recommended resource for anyone with any type of cancer.
If you don’t currently know anyone who could benefit consider participating in our Spring 2021 Fundraiser – Gift a Bag It Bag. With a $41 contribution you can help provide a source of comfort and the printed navigation tools to help a patient throughout their cancer treatment and beyond.
by Mindy Griffith | Feb 3, 2021 | Events
February is a busy month! We honor love, Martin Luther King Jr., Black history, and even our American presidents, but did you know that World Cancer Day also falls in February? The Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) leads the charge in urging everyone to take steps to ensure that preventable cancer deaths are reduced and that there is increased access to life-saving treatments for all patients, “no matter who you are or where you live”. Each year, the UICC establishes a theme for their initiative to shape the many activities and events that kick off around the world each February. This year, the theme is “I Am and I Will” – a call to action to commit and act on steps to get screened and share knowledge in hopes of reducing the number of cancer-related deaths and noncommunicable diseases by one third by 2030 (that’s only 9 years away, so let’s get to it!)
Bag It is aligned with the UICC by providing resources to educate and support patients through their healthcare plan, increasing access to life-saving information regardless of one’s ethnicity or socio-economic background. Bag It provides the tools you need to help you feel more comfortable and confident in speaking up for yourself to ensure the best quality of life with cancer. The contents in the bag are designed to help you and your caregiver(s) cope with the diagnosis, get yourself organized and better understand the language of cancer.
February is cancer prevention month, and we encourage you to think about ways that you can help yourself and others prevent cancer. It’s the perfect time to schedule appointments for you and your loved ones because adhering to the recommended screenings for breast, cervical, colorectal (colon) and lung cancers can lead to early stage diagnosis, which increases the likelihood of treatment working.
What action will you take as we kick off World Cancer Day? Take the 21-Day challenge to learn more about cancer and how to reduce your cancer risks. Some suggestions:
As part of my campaign I participated in the World Cancer Day 21-Day Challenge which was informative and easy and I wrote this blog: I will schedule my mammogram (and a colonoscopy this year) and encourage people to schedule their appointments, and I will work to ensure that everyone diagnosed with cancer receives a Bag It bag to help them cope with their diagnosis and feel comfortable and confident speaking up to ensure they are living their best life with cancer.
Sending positive vibes your way,
Mindy
Preventcancer.org recommends these seven steps to help prevent cancer.
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