crashing in cycles

Hi Yes I get depressed and very sad and tearful about 7 to  10 days after my chemo.  I feel like giving up.  It's like dropping into a well.  Walking, talking and crying helps.  Then I wait and after a few days I feel better.  Until a few days before the next chemo when I get anxious.  It seems roughly about the same each cycle and I am in my fourth cycle.  I suspect that the steroids dexamethasone which they give with the chemo for nausea and which I take for 7- 10 days after buoys me up then when I leaves my system I get very low.  Also getting cancer is horrid and you have so little control and the treatment goes on for months.  Good luck.  I met a woman who had two different chemos and they were not successful, she has ovarian cancer and begged me to keep going with my chemo.  My family would also not let me.  There is a stage in the cycle when I feel quite positive and think I can do this.  My kind oncologist says chemo is the hardest thing most of us go through and his patients are his heroes.  He doesn't know how he would go with it.  Please hang in there.  Counseling may help.  The Cancer Council has a counseling service, you can read about it on their Internet site.  Writing up a journal for every day can surprisingly help a lot.  The very best of luck to you. Enjoy the good days, there usually are some.

I have only had one cycle but only now feel myself..next round due Thursday. I too thought, it might just be my depression but it passed. I think we just need to be kind to ourselves. Take care. Kath x

Thank you!

Thank you so much Karen, Scorpionqueen, Brenda and Jess.  It's good to know this can be 'normal' as well.  Just having your words helps a lot.

Leanne  XX

Hi there Merrel, Jess from BCNA here, just wanted to jump in to say hello and to let you know that there is also a group in the network called 'Depression and Anxiety: facing the hurdles together' which you might like to have a look at. And If you need help with anything at all, just let me know :-)

Jess xx

Hi Leanne,

i too suffer from depression and found that I dropped my bundle about 3 days after chemo and generally for a week. This was when my side effects were at their worst and I just struggled to imagine continuing on with chemo. After my 4th treatment, I was lousy for 4 weeks straight. My body was screaming to stop chemo but I just knew I had to somehow keep going but it seemed like forever until the end. The thing is, normally if you are treated for an illness, having the needles, drips or whatever actually makes you start to feel better.  But with cancer treatment, the treatment makes you feel so much worse. We all know that we are going to feel lousy but we push ourselves to do it.  Don't be hard on yourself. As long as the feeling lifts, I'd say it's just part and parcel of it. Definitely speak to your onc about it though. Hang in there love. Karen xox

H Leanne! 

Yes, like Brenda said, it happens to me after each cycle too... Your body is under alot of stress and therefore your mind has to shut down somehow.... It does get easier and I tend to just sleep or rest through those periods... However if you think your depression is deeper than just the blues .... Seek help from your team .. The body is an amazing thing but the mind even more so...

Stay strong 

xx

I don't get massive depression but yes I do get pretty down after each one especially now I know what side affects are going to hit when and there is pretty much not a whole lot I can do about it. I miss my freedom, and my independence so much! There will be good days coming, you just have to survive day by day and try and have a bit of a roster of things you can do. I have as well as half days of sleep at times, movie dvd days. My kids have been great and I have heaps of new movies and series to watch. It still gets boring but at least I am up and alive. Hugz to you Leanne. XXX