Fear of cancer returning

Life after a breast cancer diagnosis Coping with fear and anxiety
1

Hi everybody. I was due my first year check up this month but got a letter to say phone call end July only. I’m quite anxious about it. 

  1. my husbands diagnosis of his cancer. I so wanted to tell him I had the all clear after one year. 
  2. I had two different breast cancers in right breast which floored me at the time of diagnosis. Had mastectomy, chemo, radiotherapy. 
    it seems such a long time till July … anybody got any advice to a very anxious lady. I’m dealing with such a lot just now. 
    anne 
2

Hi Anne,

It’s tough isn’t it and there’s no miracle answer? You and your husband have and are going through the mill and have had so much worry for a such a long time. It sounds a bit like the time when when you’ re waiting for cancer results first time around - panic, worry and anxiety. You sound like a supportive team and are there for each other. I haven’t yet got to my first year follow up - my 1st year mammogram - should be in July but I’m expecting it to be later. Already I’m a getting anxious as well. Maybe someone else who has come through it all can help. Waiting around and setbacks are never easy. Try to take things by the hour and not look too far ahead. The day will arrive and hopefully the news for you will be good.

Wishing you both well and take good care of yourself.

Sandpiper

xx

3

It is hard, and that anxiety never goes away completely, but it does get easier to deal with. It is coming up now for 13 years since I was first diagnosed. The annual check-up was always a bit of an anti-climax I felt, I wanted somebody to do a full body scan and say “Congratulations, you are cancer-free!” Unfortunately, that’s not how the NHS works. You get a mammogram (assuming you’ve not had a double MX) and they have a good feel around, then ask generally how you’re feeling and that’s it. It is NED (no evidence of disease) rather than all clear which I always feel isn’t quite so reassuring. However, it does put YOU back in control. You don’t go to your GP every few weeks to get him/her to confirm you are healthy, you listen to your body and seek advice if something isn’t right, and that’s really how it is post treatment. 

So - how do you feel? If you feel well in yourself, haven’t noticed any new lumps or bumps, then it’s reasonable to expect the checkup won’t reveal anything different, so try not to overthink it.