Depression,PTSD and BC

@Vangirl "Snot and tears", love it! The other one I adore is @Zoffiel's moniker for her counsellor: "That Poor Woman". So good. We have some super wordsmiths here. K xox

Hi Ladies,
Just wanted to let those of you who live in a rural community, last year the government gave a medicare rebate to those of us who are able to skype with their pyschologist,my pyschologist is in Adelaide and I am over 150ks away, so she started up with the skype system, I went to my GP, got a mental health care plan, told him about the medicare rebate being accepted by my pyschologist, which enabled me top continue "seeing" her via skype, so once a month now we have a consult this way, in the comfort of my home, there is nothing to pay,as she accepts the rebate as full payment,sorry if this is a bit of a ramble, having a" down but not out day" today,will go away and try and regroup and refocus, or just might go and and a lay down and pull the quilt over me!!!

wendy55

Thanks for telling your story @kmakm
I have asked to see the counselor again and will have a 'snot and tears' session with my oncologist on Monday (I can't talk about crying without doing a live demonstration). Hopefully I can get some chemical help for my brain.
Here's to good mental health xx 

My family history is complicated and has often been very difficult. When I was diagnosed I asked if I could see a dietician and a counsellor. As I was diagnosed in December I had to wait ages before I could see the counsellor. I found it a helpful space to let it all hang out and she helped me start to process everything.

However she also correctly I believe, identified that I was suffering from depression and anxiety. The former I believe is/was situational, both from the family trauma and my diagnosis. The latter she thinks I've had to a greater or lesser degree all my adult life. Now that I understand it more I agree. I certainly know that I've been having panic attacks increasingly over the last two years.

I fell apart in the third cycle of chemo and could not stop crying. For a week I cried at home, at the GP, for two hours with the psychologist... Fortunately she didn't have anyone coming in after me and wouldn't let me leave until I had a modicum of composure! I was in the middle of treatment and struggling hard with my decision to have the double mastectomy and reconstruction.

They both gently raised again the possibility of taking an anti-depressant, an idea that I was not outright opposed to, but one I was hesitant about.

I also sobbed on the phone to my breast care nurse and she was the one who phrased it the right way and made me see sense about taking it. So I did and I've been so much better for it.

I still get sad and cry (I had some shockers in hospital after my operation) but I function so much better. I've been feeling a bit down and anxious the last three days but it's not stopping me from doing stuff. I've got the option of increasing the dose, we'll see. I don't want to be on it forever but I think I have to work on the old brainbox before easing down and out.

So that's my mental health story. It's a watching brief, and as I strongly believe in removing stigma, you'll know what happens next! K xox

The anxiety was also exacerbated for me too. In the past I had experienced occasions of anxiety but had learnt techniques to manage it. With my BC diagnosis though my anxiety went into overdrive and I forgot how to manage it! A few sessions with a psychologist were very helpful. The psychologist I saw worked at a Cancer wellness centre here in Brisbane and was quite experienced with cancer patients which I felt helped me a lot - she understood what I was going through and gave me some very solid techniques to manage. I started meditating and using a fantastic app called “insight Timer” I found this  really helped me a lot - I used to meditate befor each chemo session and found that I went I there each time feeling calmer and more accepting of my situation than I probably would have. I asked my GP for a mental health plan and then did some digging around to find this particular psychologist. Six months later I really do feel better for the support that I have received and I often think the mental strain and subsequent challenges of this disease could easily be underestimated. It made such a difference to my progress to have great support for my mental well being.

Fantastic post @"Beryl C". It's so good to read about someone correctly picking up on the warning signs and getting on top of it early. Big hug, Kate xox

I was diagnosed May 2011, radical left masectomy Dec. 2011, have been on x3 weekly infusions of Herceptin (up to no. 93), a recurrence excised May 2016 and a new one just identified under the original scar tissue - x15 radiotherapy treatments starting tomorrow. For the last seven years, other than a feeling of sadness now and again, I've been on an emotional and cognitive 'even keel'. Following a car accident 16 years ago I was diagnosed with PTSD by a clinical psych.  My PTSD symptoms were very different to just a feeling of sadness - I won't give details as our responses and reactions to the world are all different. Only recently I noticed that I was feeling a little anxious about things that I would normally hardly notice, eg, making a mistake in my diary, forgetting to phone a friend. I was becoming hyper-vigilant about the small stuff and from my previous experience of PTSD decided I needed a bit of help.  I phoned the Cancer Council and spoke with a counselor (an angel in disguise). The outcome of that conversation is that she helped me to understand and acknowledge  the ongoing impact of living with BC - its stressful and too much stress can trigger depression. I would not hesitate to have a few sessions with a clinical psychologist. xBeryl

@Zoffiel how did you get that photo of me during chemo?

@Sister bless you. I know that ticking time bomb feeling too. I have been half expecting it since I turned 40 (the age my mum was first diagnosed) and made it to 42 before it got me.