Post chemo / zoladex & letrazole side effects (hoping for some hope - please!)
Hello ladies, I finished 6 months of chemo (doxy then paclitaxcel) recently and then started on zoladex and letrazole last week. I am feeling VERY anxious all the time, very tired and flat - not like "myself" at all and really pretty non-functional. I can barely make a cup of tea and seem to just stare at walls when I'm home alone (often). I managed surgery and 6 months of chemo basically alone and unsupported and I coped. Now that I'm closer to family I seem to have really mentally crashed. Motivation is zero and the smallest things are an effort. I was more functional than this DURING chemo... Is this normal post chemo? A crash? Or is it the new hormone suppressants? Will it pass? Can anyone PLEASE offer me any words of wisdom or hope around recovering from chemo and the adjustment times to the hormone suppressants? Wishing you all so well. SDM.
Not sure where to turn for advice
Having been recently diagnosed with a 7.7cm tumour in my B-cup breast (luminal A, invasive ductal carcinoma) and no detectable tumours elsewhere, I've been scheduled for a mastectomy next week, followed by radiation, and possibly chemo, age 43. I don't want to have a mastectomy or subsequent treatment, for a number of reasons. Psychological firstly. Not having longevity as a goal. Not feeling I can physically show up and consent to disfiguring, aggressive and permanently polluting (of body) treatments - feeling that I'd rather die a natural death. Not fearing death. Not feeling any psychological aversion to what's in my breast, not feeling any pain or physical inconvenience from it currently. And also because if it hasn't spread in all the time it took to get that big, evidence that I've found seems to indicate it's not going to spread. (i.e. cancers between about 6cm and 15cm at diagnosis have about equal chance of also having been found in lymph nodes or elsewhere at diagnosis - the 15cm cancers were once 7cm but no greater chance of spread in all that time? Seems the horse has already bolted and is just hiding out dormant elsewhere in body already, or is just peacefully grazing in its own paddock and will never bolt, so either way what's the point in closing the gate / lopping the tit anyway?) I know this is such an unusual way of thinking and I'm having so much trouble getting relevant advice. If I don't get treatment what can I expect my body to do? I'm also very worried about causing distress to people close to me who still expect me to get these awful treatments, I feel pushed by their expectations to do something major to my body I feel personally averse to, I don't know how to tell them. Wondering how to not distress others in any way, seems to be the cause of the majority of my own distress. Any suggestions for where to turn for more advice, or if anyone has had similar thoughts, or evidence/articles to contradict the idea that cancer spreads early in its development if it's going to at all, or just impressions about this situation you might like to share, I would appreciate it. (I have just started seeing a general counsellor with no cancer knowledge, and have also contacted Cancer Council counselling and made an appointment but that will be in 3 weeks. I don't think they'll have the medical answers I'm after, anyway. More support and sooner and more relevant could be so stress-relieving.) Sorry for long post and weird topic.
Psychiatrist / Psychologist Needed - Melbourne
Hi All, I had a lumpectomy due to 3 types of breast cancers in my right breast. But for the last 18 months i haven't been able to work due to my mental health. I am looking for a Psychiatrist and a Psychologist to help me get back to normal. Does anyone have any experience with someone they can recommend in Melbourne please? Really struggling. Any help will be appreciated. Thank you
Depression suicide ideation
Hello, I have had a rough time with agitated depression/anxiety and continue with suicide ideation since being diagnosed with BC in March 23, unilateral mastectomy, recon, infection and chemo, hormone treatment to come. I have a psychiatrist, psychologist and am on medication, I am a mother of two young boys with no depression history. I feel like I am living someone else’s life, so strange. Has anyone else struggled in this way and made it through? Thank youWhy can’t I find a local support group???
I live on the Central Coast which everyone is telling me has the second most prevalent cases of breast cancer in Australia. I was diagnosed with early breast cancer in August and have since undergone 2 surgeries. Currently have the “Dracula” drain which I hate with a vengeance. I am lucky enough to have a very loving sister who has come to help me during this trying time but she doesn’t live close by normally. I am soon to start the radiation/maybe chemo/medication treatments and Iv’e been trying to find a local support group to help me through. I NEED people who have gone down the exact same track as me, who understand the emotional roller coaster the this experience actually is. I don’t think anyone who has not been actually through it, including the medical professionals, who can totally understand the impact on your mental state. I have always prided myself as being a very strong person but this has all brought me down to a feeling of despair.
Feeling very isolated
I am 35, and was diagnosed last year on July 12th with triple negative inflammatory breast cancer. I started AC double dose chemo on the 27th of July and then paclitaxal 21st of September. Early November it became clear the pacli had stopped being effective on the cancer in my breast so I was zoomed into surgery and had a unilateral mastectomy and auxiliary lymph node removal November 25th. I started Carboplatin December 20th and have it again January 11th, before switching to radiotherapy five days a week for five weeks January 31st. After that I’m being told two more Carboplatin, then capecitabine for six months. I’ve had allergic reactions, side effects and difficulties throughout. I think due to covid there has been no support groups that I’ve been put in touch with and the only people I already know who’ve been through breast cancer are in their 60’s and have had a very different journey and experience and support network. I’m single, living in share accomodation in the inner west of Sydney and am currently disabled due to my mental health (and was before my cancer diagnosis). Some friends have been amazing and some have been so selfish and awful it’s hard to believe. I’m just wondering if there are support groups that I’m just not finding. Either for younger people or for LGBTQIA+ people. Covid has made everything harder and I’m really finding it all very exhausting and overwhelming- especially since the world keeps on burning and normal everyday life nonsense keeps happening. I’m exhausted and struggling. Any help much appreciated.
Survey on how you are travelling post treatment .... BCNA benefits too from each survey submitted!
I’ve just completed this survey ..... check it out! BCNA gets $1 for each complete survey too! https://surveys.usq.edu.au/index.php/589267?fbclid=IwAR2jUg0P6-dc2m0vBZYofwKC2fZ2oPs8LZdUFaMPql3daLiw7YitLk27c34
Be aware and be safe with Beyond Blue
I often read of members wo are going through tough times but don't have easy and timely access to a counsellor. A few months ago attended a session for people who feel anxious or depressed and we were given a fantastic tool to help us through the bad times. I completed my safety plan when feeling really 'up' and when I am alone and really 'down' during this Victorian lockdown and the whole pandemic worry I get it out and feel it does help me to get through. The plan is simple but works. If you have this tendency I hope you will take the time to view and complete this. https://www.beyondblue.org.au/get-support/beyondnow-suicide-safety-planning/create-beyondnow-safety-plan Sending big hugs to all. 💖
Despair
Hello. Have had surgery and will start radiotherapy on the 19th June and estrogen blocker for 5 years. Had Asperger's Syndrome and depression already. I'm 53 and after an horrendous life filled with cruelty I thought I would get through this easily as it is not the worst thing that has happened to me. No. I am numb, have developed a hatred for men and spend every day fighting off suicidal thoughts. I know I will get through however I am seeing myself from an out of body sort of sensation where I feel as though someone else has taken over. I feel like an entirely different person and am aware that I am developing some kind of disassociative personality disorder. Autism is exhausting and this on top of it is like being buried alive. I don't want to add to anyone's depression but I really have nothing left to give. I don't know what else to do.
Dealing with unhelpful comments
Hello everyone I’m just reaching out to see if anyone has some wise words on how to deal with the less supportive people in your life. After a great day yesterday with amazing friends my in-laws decided to pay a visit. They come with their own issues and challenges which the family have grown to deal with in their own way (positive and negative). But today my father in law abruptly asked in front of the group (namely my husband and 7 year old daughter) “so what’s your prognosis?”. I’m not sure what I was expected to say. I’ve been diagnosed with metastatic IBC but have been responding really well to my therapy so far and we’re seeing results which we were happily chatting about. My daughter was upset by this discussion. Quite upset I just went up to bed claiming fatigue but cried for the rest of the visit. My husband who has been on the brunt of this for most of his life was very supportive thank god. I know everyone deals with things differently and we don’t always say the wrong things but this completely flawed me and put me back a few steps emotionally. Thanks for listening xo