Anxiety and depression

Hi Kathleen and Finita,  I am replying to both posts here, hope you don't mind.  My heart breaks when I read about your struggles with depression, I feel your pain, but I am fortunate that I haven't had those really deep, dark struggles.  It makes my worries and anxiety at times, seem pointless.  Kathleen,  I'm so glad you have your little grandson, and your other hobbies, and relaxation techniques;  you're certainly doing all the right things, and the fact you're aware is half the battle.  And Finita, keep sharing and venting;  we're all here for each other;  and it's just lovely to have people to share with, I certainly appreciate it.  I hope the doctor listens properly when you see him/her, and you get some results.

It's interesting about the weird dreams, that must be very disturbing, and yes, could explain the tiredness.   

I'm sorry I have to keep this short;  I have come down with some head cold/fluey thing;  which I need to shake in a hurry;  on holidays in a couple of days (going to USA) and I just dont need to be in this condition when I fly.

Will try to keep in touch while I'm away;  like you Finita, I look forward to reading how everyone is going.

Yes, it is a sisterhood, and I'm grateful to be included.

Love,  Bella xxx

Hi Bella and kathleen,

thank you so much for your speedy response. Today I visited my mum and I could not wait to get home and open this page so as to read some feeback. This is truly so good ...  and you you are both so good .  I will be telling the doctor about it and maybe I just need more time to adjust. 

As for the Arimidex, I have to take it at night because I have stomach issues and I was told to take it at night. The Lovan I take about 8.30 am.

As for weird dreams, I am getting that too, as a materr of fact my brain somehow wakes me around 3-4 am, right in the middle of a dream, and the weirdest thing is that since I been on the Lovan I either hear the phone, or the mobile or the cat or other things, and it is never any of those things , it is just my brain doing it ...and I then wake up with a jolt , leaving me feeling so terribly sick in the stomach, and then it takes me forever to get back to sleep... that is probably why I am always feeling tired .

Kathleen, I hope that you will be better soon after seen your psycologist and I am  so very happy that you have your grandson .

Bella, I love your comments , so please keep them coming and thanks.

Love you both my bcna sisters,

take care

finita xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Hi Bella

Those are great ideas.  You're right - it does take a while to get the doses of antidepressants right. I think Finita's feelings are all about the "getting accustomed thing"

Mine may need to be tweaked again soon, as I've been in a pretty dark place recently. To a certain extent, the first step is that I'm aware of my feelings, and have a few resources to attempt to help myself. Like relaxation techniques, a really good yoga dvd, and some nice sound therapy tibetan bowls.  I'm thinking, actually, of maybe starting a class with the bowls.  I'll do a bit more research on it before I get into it.

Take care - love chatting on here, with girls who re going through the same stuff as me.  It helps a lot

Love and hugs

Kathleen xxxxooo

Hi Finita

All these are normal feelings.  May I ask, are you taking your arimidex in the morning or at night? My insomnia improved a lot once I changed from taking it in the evening to the morning.  With the antidepressants...not sure.  I'm on Pristiq, which helps quite a lot. Hving said that, I still get the feelings of not quite knowing where i'm at.

And at the moment, I have lots to panic/worry about. I', seeing a counsellor soon, so hopefully I'll get some strategies to deal with all the strange goings on in my brain. I acknowledge that if I didnt have the day looking fter my gorgeous grandson, and my couple of days accompanying a senior school choir, I'd be quite gaga.  I think that having these two things to get up for and be comitted to, helps my coping. Then on the days when I'm home not doing anything, I have crafts to do and self help strategies, including relaxation and self help things.

One thing that has been happening for me recently, is really weird dreams, which I'll also talk about with the psychologist.

Anyway, hang in there, thry swapping the time you take arimidex if youre taking it at night, and know that everything you're experienceing is pretty normal, for all that we've been through. Remember that we've lost some of our hormones, and the arimidex is stopping the production of hormones, because that's what our breast cancer fed off.  We're taking it to hopefully keep off more cancer.

I love this forum. we can vent and talk to each other. Please know that I'm here to talk to any time.

Take care

Love and hugs from

Kathleen xxxxxooooo

Hi Finita, Hope you don't mind my making a comment, because I have no experience of what you're going through, in that I have never taken anti-depressants.  However, I do know quite a few people who do, including my best friend.  IFrom what she has told me, and from what I have seen in other friends, it seems common that it is quite hard to get the dosage right first up -   it even sounds a bit hit and miss to me.  What I mainly want to say is that you  should tell the doctor all the things you are feeling and thinking;  and write them down if you need to as they occur, so you don't forget anything.  Even print out your post, because it is a snapshot of how you're feeling right now .  The doctor won't think you're crazy, and it should help him get the dose right;  or perhaps change your medication if the Lovan is too much.

Hope this post has helped?

Love Bella xx 

Hi Kathleen,

I hope that you are good . I have been wanting to write all of this week and part of last week, but just keep on forgetting.  I am now in my 5th weeks of taking Lovan (antidepressant) and  I must say that my mood swings and irritabilty have vanished so far and it feels good , but somehow I also   feel kind of weird. Prior to the Arimidex I was fine, eventhough I still had my black days but at least I wasn't on cloud 14. And now with the Lovan as well , I feel like I am really floating . I am not used to being so relaxed and although in a way I don't mind , I just don't know how I feel...the doctor told me that it would help me sleep better, but that is not the case and in the morning a little after waking up I feel like I just want to sleep and I also feel tired. I know that this cold weather is not helping, but honestly I really feel numb sometimes and I forget things ...it is like I no longer have control of my life . Sometimes I feel really low and even a little depress...I think ?...not sure.?   Is this quite normal, or should I be worried ?  I do have an appointment to see my doctor next Wednesday , and he will be asking how I feel...truly , I just don't know were to start and he may even think me a little on the crazy side, because I am that kind of a person that always smiles and laughs but many times I wish that I could cry but I cannot even do that.  I am very confussed , please advise me .

thank you so much

love and hugs

finita xxxxxxxx

You are so right, Kathleen.  This particularr Lady did admit to me a long time ago that she was jealous of me.  I find it very childish and will try to avoid her in the future and if I do happen to see her I will try not to take her remarks to heart.  Like you say, I think it is because we are strong and continue to live life to the fullest.  I try to be positive and enjoy every day and don't need to be put down.  It is our strength that keeps us going when we could have easily crumbled.  I am not going to let her get to me anymore because we need to be around positive people and people who understand where we are coming from.  Unless they walk in our shoes, they have no idea what we have been through.  Love Ruth xxx

I agree.  Well done. 

took me a while but I'm here! xx