Living with lymphoma

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Many people want to make positive changes to their lives after a diagnosis of lymphoma. A healthy lifestyle can help you to:

A healthy lifestyle includes:

Keep all your appointments and take all your medications – ask your doctor or pharmacist if you have any questions about your medication.
Contact your doctor straight away if you have B symptoms like fevers, night sweats, weight loss, an itchy rash or any other health problems. Don't feel like you have to wait until your next appointment.
Find out which vaccinations are recommended for you, and make sure you get them. Some vaccinations may not be suitable for you. For example, live vaccines.
Don't be afraid to ask questions. It’s better to ask than to worry.

Try to avoid additional stress wherever possible. Spend time with your friends and family. Make time to relax and do the things that you enjoy.
Use stress-management techniques if you do feel stressed. Relaxation techniques like yoga, meditation, mindfulness or aromatherapy may help. Your local cancer support centre might offer these and other complementary therapies.
Counselling or a short course of medication may also help you, if you are finding it hard to cope.
Having the support of loved ones, healthcare professionals and other people going through the same thing can also make a big difference.

If you are in remission and start to feel well, there is no reason why you cannot return to work or study and carry on with your usual activities like socialising, sports and hobbies.
Don’t rush back to normal activities if you are feeling tired. Give your body the time it needs to recover. If you’ve had intensive treatment it can take months to fully recover.
If you stopped working during treatment, you might want to take your return to work slowly, by working part-time or reduced hours.
If you are planning a holiday, ask your doctor about any special precautions you need to take or vaccinations you should have before you go. It’s best to have travel insurance too.