Dear Mayo Clinic: Tips for cancer patients to stay safe in the summer

By Cynthia Weiss

DEAR MAYO CLINIC: I’ve diabetes and hypertension. I take remedy however have dedicated to a more healthy way of life, together with day by day walks outdoors, swimming and different out of doors actions with my household. Lately, I used to be recognized with breast cancer. As temperatures start to soar, I’m involved about whether or not the warmth will have an effect on me. Are there issues I ought to know or do to remain secure?

ANSWER: Holding your body cool during extremely high temperatures is vital, no matter any medical circumstances. As a most cancers affected person, it is important to take additional care through the scorching summer season months since most cancers remedies could make your physique extra delicate to the solar and warmth.

When temperatures soar, the heat can take a toll on the physique, thoughts and spirit. A latest examine famous an elevated incidence of individuals going to the emergency division with psychiatric and psychological health-related considerations in periods of excessive warmth.

Along with bodily discomfort ensuing from warmth and sweating, irritability is a typical aspect impact of utmost temperatures. Fatigue additionally may result from poor high quality sleep, leaving individuals feeling pressured and on edge.

Warmth can also affect medications. Some can turn into degraded throughout temperature modifications. You famous having been recognized with diabetes. Should you take insulin in your diabetes, that’s a kind of medicines that must be saved in a spot the place the temperature is not going to get too excessive.

Sure medicines can enhance your danger for heat-related points. Diuretics, for example, could cause elevated urine output, resulting in dehydrationpsychological standing modifications and confusion. Hypertension medicines, antihistamines and sure psychiatric medicines can change your regulation of warmth, your skill to sense that you simply’re too scorching and your skill to sweat.

If you’re receiving chemotherapy or radiation therapy for most cancers, the largest danger is extreme solar publicity. Radiation remedy could cause dryness, itching, redness and blistering of the pores and skin. Solar publicity may worsen these results and trigger elevated discomfort. Some chemotherapy medicine could cause photosensitivity, making the pores and skin extra delicate to daylight and growing the danger of sunburn and pores and skin harm.

It’s important in your high quality of life to have the ability to proceed having fun with the actions you want, however take into account modifying them through the summer season months. Are you able to stroll indoors, comparable to at an air-conditioned indoor procuring plaza? Are there different household actions you’ll be able to get pleasure from, like visiting a museum?

Should you should enterprise open air, plan your actions for cooler occasions of day and take into account these tricks to shield your self and your loved ones:

• Keep out of direct daylight, particularly throughout peak hours when the solar is strongest, often between midday and 4 p.m. Search shade when you plan to be open air.
• Gown appropriately. Select light-weight, loose-fitting garments. If you’re going outdoors, put on protecting clothes that covers your arms, legs and neck. A large-brimmed hat and sun shades might help to protect your face and eyes from the solar.
• Put on sunscreen — and reapply. Choosing a broad-spectrum sunscreen with a excessive solar safety issue (SPF) is important. Reapply after a number of hours, or after sweating or being in water. And remember to use sunscreen to your face and ears.
• Keep hydrated. Throughout the scorching months, it is very important be hydrating frequently. Drink water repeatedly all through the day, even when you do not feel thirsty. Carry a water bottle with you and take small sips incessantly. Keep away from alcohol. If you’re working or taking part in open air — whether or not within the backyard or on the water — take into account including a drink with electrolytes after the second or third bottle of water. Exercise and sweating could cause you to lose salts and water, so an electrolyte drink might help change and replenish your ranges.

Concentrate on your physique. Warmth sickness begins with heat exhaustion while you would possibly start to really feel nauseous, drained, dried out and thirsty. This may advance to warmth stroke when you do not settle down and hydrate.

Since everyone seems to be completely different, staying in contact together with your healthcare group to debate the specifics of your remedy and any extra suggestions is vital. With a little bit additional consciousness, you’ll be able to proceed to get pleasure from a very good high quality of life and stay wholesome through the hotter climate. — Compiled by Mayo Clinic staff

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A model of this text was initially printed on the Mayo Clinic News Network.