Fear of return

Hi all, I haven’t been on here for a while.  I was diagnosed with grade 3 stage 2 back in July.  I then had a lumpectomy to remove two tumors, where a seed of another was later found, and radiotherapy followed in November for 3 weeks.  I assume I am now all clear but not been told this or anything else.  Lately, however, I can’t stop thinking that the cancer will return and not necessarily in the breast this time.  I am so scared of this happening and can’t shake it off.  Does anyone else share the same fear?  Please tell me this is normal.

pili pala

 

Hello and lovely to hear from you again.

 

It is totally normal to have the fear of it returning again.  It does get easier with time, I am 18 months post diagnosis and it no longer the first and last thing I think of in a day honestly xx

 

Have you had a follow up with your oncologist post rads finishing?  If not I would suggest that you give your bcn a call and ask if this should have been done, it is always possible that this has been missed.  I know I saw mine in March last year 8 weeks after I finished rads

 

 

Helena xxx

 

Hi I worry all the time about will it be anywhere else I had a lumpectomy last oct was then told I need to have a mastectomy so brave me opt for a reconstruction, at the same time big big mistake 10hr operation …the day after I ended up back in theatre with blood clot 5blood transfusions and then in icu &hdu 3long days of having leeches on me yes leeches day 9 they told me my reconstruction hadn’t worked and it would all need to be taken away . So yes im really scared I get headaches alot and then in thinking its gone to my brain.its the worst feeling in the world just over thinking all the time .xx

Hello all,

 

just noticed  thread and its made me feel better.  I regularly post on another thread where a group of us went through treatment more or less at the same time and rely on each other for comfort, support and laughs.  I too (although I don’t Mention it)  am lately getting more and more anxious about it coming back, every ache, pain and twinge anywhere in my body fills me with a sick feeling of dread.  Got my second mammogram coming up in a couple of weeks and am so worried about it, whereas I wasnt last year.  It’s good to know that a lot of us feel this way, it means it’s completely normal and to be expected.  Once again this site had reassured me xx

Meant to say, Cazbo, my sympathies, I am a fellow headache and migraine sufferers.  I suffer from daily chronic headaches and although they’ve been going on for years, long before the BC they have got worse since so I know where you’re coming from.  When your head hurts so much you do start thinking the worse.  I just tell myself that they’ve been going on for 20 years now but when it’s raging you can’t stop yourself xx

Pila Pala, thanks for the update, it’s reassuring for you and guess also for us worryguts.  I think for me now sleep is something of  a luxury, hey ho, I can live with that, when i get a few hours of uninterrupted sleep it’s like a win on the lottery,at least I havent got to get up at 6am for work aanymore so that’s a bo us, always a silver lining if you look hard Enough. So relieved for you and hope that you can find some peace of mind now and relax, we’ll as much as those of those affected by BC can xx.  

Hi all. I have really been struggling lately worrying about every ache and pain. For the last month or so I have had a back ache, of course our minds go into overdrive and think its the cancer back, even though I have previously suffered with back pain and probably is related to work. It is really good to see that you are all the same . Hopefully time will make it better I finished my treatment a year ago this month and I worry more now than when I was first diagnosed. The chance it will return is constantly on my mind, I’m now even getting worried about booking future holidays. Doesn’t matter how many times you tell yourself not to be silly and be positive it still doesn’t help. Sorry I have been such a worry guts , hopefully airing my feelings on here will help. 

It is totally normal. I had breast cancer two years ago…was told i had one tumour and an area of concern and would need mastectomy…after mastectomy was told they found another tumour. Please know it is normal to feel anxious. I read " The Cancers survivor’s handbook" …it may help you
X

I had breast cancer a few years back and I must admit at the beginning was constantly on my mind from the morning you got up until you went to bed. I was bumping into the wrong people before treatment started, and that always set me back. Every ache had was living in constant fear of it returning or even going somewhere else. I took all the treatment, thought if you take everything offered and it ever comes back you gave it your best. Was off work a long time, but have to say when I got back to work, it was the best thing that could have happened, got my mind of myself and thinking about other people, took a little while but was for the best. I’m not saying you don’t ever worry but it does get less of it being in your mind, at the beginning I did struggle and the breast care nurse got me on a Moving Forward Course which really helped me a lot, meeting with people that were the same as you, understood you better and it was them that always knew what to say to you. The time when I felt quite low was when all your visits to the hospital stopped, I must say though we are all looked after very well, fingers crossed that we all can be cancer free.x