Helo to all… here its 3 o clock in the morning and I ve had a very stressful weekend. I thought I had my thoughts in some order but emotion took over.
Maybe it’s because I received THE phone call about my biopsy results on Friday afternoon “you can come on Monday” has to do with that… so here I am taking diazepam the whole weekend to try at least to cope with my anxiety.
Maybe you would think "ok whats new? You know you have cancer and now you ll get your treatment plan… " maybe you are right. But its so hard to change group of people you belong… from healthy to live constantly with fear… i really stopped crying but i feel a pain from time to time in my soul… sorry for the outburst…but even my husband - who is the only one i ve got cant understand me …
What you’re feeling is completely understandable. The whole experience is very traumatic. There are a lot of women on these forums who have faced what we’re facing and have coped. Read their stories and try to stay calm. It’s very hard but we can do this.
Hi everyone.
i am new to this site and was diagnosed on Feb 12th. I have had a lumpectomy and sentinel node removal and now awaiting my radiotherapy treatment. I can identify with your fear and emotions and the worry of the journey ahead. I’m so pleased there are helpful sites that we can all talk on and be able to,give each other support.
Hi Notered,
We exchanged messages on another post theme you started…
It takes time to absorb initial diagnosis and there is naturally heightened stress just before receiving results of tissue analysis and finding out what your treatment plan, is after an operation for breast cancer. Once you have the treatment plan and start going to regular treatment appointments you know everything is being done to treat the condition and eventually emerge either back to normal or find a new normal.
I think you responded to another post in another chain saying saying you would be interested in hearing more about mindfulness to calm your thoughts. This takes a bit of practice, and please excuse me if it sounds a bit hippyish, but I found it worked well for me…
Sit upright, hands palm up on your legs. Touch your thumb and second finger tip on each hand. Close your eyes.
Think of somewhere you have been where you have enjoyed a peacefull and naturally beautiful scene. For me this is a place I’ve stopped on a walk along some cliffs next to the sea.
Try to imagine yourself in your chosen place of serenity. Focus on what is around you in this chosen place, for me I recreate the sound of birdsong, and then add in additional layers…the sound of the breeze rustling in the grass, imagine the bobbing seedheads, imagine the sound of the sea against the cliffs or the swoosh of waves coming up a beach and washing back over the pebbles to the sea. I try to imagine the warmth of the sun on my face and the seabreeze gently buffeting my skin.
If you start getting intrusive thoughts, try to replace them by focusing on imagining the sounds, sights and senses of your chosen place.
Ok, hippyness over, but really, if you can learn to do this and keep your mindfulness sensory loop playing it helps provide calmness and helps you deal with all sorts of things.
The other thing is to gain pleasure from small everyday things, a robin singing, a beautiful or dramatic sky etc. It helps keep us in the current moment and enjoy some elements from today (regardless of whatever else may be going on).
I hope you feel a bit calmer soon.
Seabreeze (nearly 4 years on and doing well)
xx
Being a complete sceptic, but willing to fully engage if there was a chance it would help, I went for hypnotherapy after referral by Macmillan. She told me that our fight or flight mode is more switched on at night, so if we wake and start thinking/worrying this increases the difficulty with sleeping. From a sceptic, the hypnosis has been brilliant. I use it when I’m struggling to get to sleep and particularly when I wake in the night and it works. You can download tracks to help from places like Amazon and you tube, but if you can see a hypnotherapist first I think it’s better, so you know what you’re doing. I use it to try to take me away, although briefly, from this horrible diagnosis we all share.
I was diagnosed in January
I also couldn’t sleep at all got sleeping tablets you seem like me to be very anxious -
i have had surgery and now onto Rads in two weeks
speak to your team and just be really honest with them about how you feel
I found an amaxing nurse who I trust and she has been great.
it is a horrible scary time
people - those who dare call it a journey - it’s not a bloody journey ( language sorry)
_ it can feel a lonely time _That’s why this forum is so helpful I think ?
I have 6 friends who have had Breast cancer all at different times and with different treatments and they managing well and have normality and life
I don’t think it is possible to go through this and it not change you but I think we can come out the other side eventually
liz