Work and Your Diagnosis and Treatment

Before you approach colleagues, talk to your doctor specifically about how your illness can affect your career. Here are a few helpful tips to smooth the process:

• Tell your doctor exactly what your job is and any unique circumstances you'll be coping with.
• Let your doctor know that it's important to you to make decisions that are good for your health and your job whenever possible.
• Ask for general ideas of how your diagnosis, medication or treatment could affect your job.
• Know the specific details on all treatments and medicine. What are common reactions? What can you do to manage them? Know what each medicine is and how it will affect you. See if you can be flexible with the time you take your meds, in order to minimize any side effects at work. Ask about oral chemotherapy and other options that might be less disruptive to your work schedule.
• Ask your doctor for advice on working during treatment.