Is it normal to feel bad about body changes from cancer treatment?

Yes. It is normal to feel bad about changes in your body after cancer treatment, and you are not alone in how you feel. Many others have similar feelings and experiences.

Cancer and its treatment can change how you look and feel about yourself. Changes may include hair loss, skin changes, scars, weight changes, loss of a limb, or an ostomy. Some are short-term, and others last longer. Even if others cannot see them, these changes may trouble you. The losses are real, and it is okay to feel sad, angry, and frustrated. Feelings of grief about body changes are natural, and you have a right to grieve.

Coping can be hard, but with time and support from others, many people adjust and move forward, and some changes may be temporary. It can help to seek out a counselor, focus on the ways coping with cancer has made you stronger, stay active, and join a support group or talk with other patients for advice.