Depression after Treatment

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  • helen anne
    helen anne Member Posts: 265
    edited March 2015
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    Thanks for your reply Julia....you're absolutely right - we have been through a life threatening battle...I forget that at times. And I hadn't considered good old Tamoxifen being a contributing factor ... but it makes sense.

    I have recently purchased some nice candles and relaxation CD's so hopefully that will also help as I begin to feel better.

    Hoping you are well and looking after yourself too.

     

    take care

    regards

    Helen

  • helen anne
    helen anne Member Posts: 265
    edited March 2015
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    Thanks for your reply...perhaps a psychologist might be a way to go...??

    I'll talk to my GP even though I am feeling better now - I do worry this may happen again.

    cheers

    Helen

  • helen anne
    helen anne Member Posts: 265
    edited March 2015
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    Hi Safarian

    Get where you're coming from...already on it darl - doesn't seem to do much for the hot flushes (or the depression at times!).

    Shall be discussing dosage and/or change of antidepressant with GP shortly.

    Thanks for your reply.

     

    cheers

    Helen

     

  • helen anne
    helen anne Member Posts: 265
    edited March 2015
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    Thanks for sharing your experience Moira - really appreciate your honesty. I am exactly like you - I was super resistant to the idea of taking anti-depressants or any other pill for that matter until cancer came along!

    Didn't really get much of choice! Now I'm on numerous pills a day including Tamoxifin and Effexor-SR. I simply hate Tamoxifin - makes my hot flushes so much worse and more frequent! As for the Effexor - I'm yet to see any real benefit from that.

    But happily I am alot better, thanks to a bit of "time-out" time and having a damn good look at myself and reassessing my priorities...I've decided not to be so hard on myself for a start! I expected to go back to work full of energy and up to the same standard I was - only to discover there was no way I was going to return the same as I left!! I think I was either a bit naive or in denial - one or the other....so I was particularly upset with myself that I was constantly tired, not efficient at work and just not coping. I'm very lucky that I had a very supportive team at work who helped me through all this.

    It was traumatic but I think I've come out the other end - a stronger person with more realistic expectations of myself.

    So now I'm feeling much better and more in control, although I will reluctantly discuss this with my GP as I do worry it may occur again - perhaps he can give me some strategies on how to deal with it, if it ever does raise it's ugly head again.

    Thanks again

    cheers

    Helen

  • helen anne
    helen anne Member Posts: 265
    edited March 2015
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    Thanks darl for your lovely response. Sorry to let you down - being all downmouthed! I'm much better now - I suppose it I need to take some time out to get a grip really. I've had some time off work (for once I wasn't going to any drs which was novel!) and have reassessed things in my life.

    But I have taken on board everything you and all the other ladies said and agree with you all. I am on Effexor-SR but I really don't think it's helping in terms of the depression so I'm going to talk to the GP about the dosage or switching to another one.

    Yukky old Tamoxifin is causing heaps and heaps of hot flushes (which I hate). It isn't helping with sleep either but I'm hopeful that this might settle over time. Have to take the damn stuff for 10 years!

    Anyway the main thing is, with a bit of time out and some 'me' time I'm feeling much, much better so thank you for your post and concern.

    I really hope things are going well with you too, luv to hear what you've been up to.

    cheers for now

    Luv Helen

  • helen anne
    helen anne Member Posts: 265
    edited March 2015
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    Thank you so much for your post. You're right of course - we do the battle bravely and then later - kerplunk! I am much better now after a rest and a bit of a regroup, but I do worry this depression will reoccur so I am going to speak to the GP about it. I'm already on Effexor so not sure if that's not working or dosage isn't right or what...but it's certainly not helping in terms of depression.

    I guess that my expectations of myself upon return to work was too high also. I expected to be like I was before, but as I found out - it was not to be and I had to learn to cope with the new "me" without getting frustrated and angry...not an easy task I can tell you. I'm not exactly a very patient person so I wanted to be normal from Day 1 after chemo! What a silly twit! Never mind - I suppose each of us have to learn in our own way! haha!

    I have decided to take up water painting as some form of art therapy and hopefully that will help. I hope I can be half as good as you are at art!

    And I'm eternally grateful that I can voice my concerns to the lovely ladies on this network. I'd be lost without BCNA.

    I hope you are ok ... luv to hear what you've been up to. I do hope you are well.

    cheers and luv

    Helen

  • helen anne
    helen anne Member Posts: 265
    edited March 2015
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    You sound just like me! Our stories near mirror each others except I have BiPolar to cope with (long before bc) so you can imagine my emotional roller coaster. Now, to be honest, I'm worried about when I eventually get back to work - worried they might say 'sorry this isn't working, we'll have to let you go...'
    But frankly I'm so sick ATM I couldn't care less

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