Hi
I am going for a psychiatric assessment on wednesday and am very worried. I know they are only trying to help but I am seeing my GP who has just doubled my anti-d’s to see if that helps and I am working on things with a counsellor at my local macmillan centre, it has taken me a long time to build up the trust needed to talk about how I really feel and I do think it is helping and don’t want to spoil that by other things. My husband is coming with me so may not last long before one of us walks out.
love Louise
Hi Louise
I work in MH as a Senior Nurse/Nurse Manager and can understand your anxiety, however I hope that I can reassure you. Your GP has done good by referring you as the pyschiatric assessment should be more detailed in terms of your current low mood and be able to suggest alternatives to anti d’s or consider alternative anti d’s which might b more effective. If you are already being supported through counselling this is a good thing too. Bc is a devastating diagnosis and I think from my own experience we underestimate the adverse it has on our MH. I suffered quite significant sleep problems and low mood particularly during Taxotere chemo.
I do hope that you find the assessment helpful and that the additional help made available is of benefit to you.
Take care. J.
Hi J
thanks. I went today and they are suggesting CBT which the counsellor has also said ,Yesterday. Should hear from them next week
Love Louise
Hi Happycat,
I’ve just started seeing a psychologist in the hope that she’ll suggest some coping strategies. I’m finding the mental struggle far worse than the physical one.
What is CBT?
Take care,
K x
CBT = Congitive Behavioural Therapy, a talking therapy that concentrates on getting you to look at how you respond to things that happen to you. For example, if you are an agoraphobic, you are invited to look at how the thought of going outside makes you feel, what your physical responses are, what’s the worst that could happen to you, what coping strategies you could try, and so on. It can be very useful for specific anxieties, but is also useful for more generalised worries and concerns. It has also been shown to be pretty effective, particularly when used in conjunction with other treatments such as anti-ds when the depression is not just a mild case.
Best of luck happycat and Hope, looks like you’ve both got some good stuff about to happen to help you deal with the cancer crap.
CM
x
I’m pleased to hear you are being offered constructive help. I experienced Steroid Psychosis which resulted in dangerously suicidal thoughts. When I eventually was referred to a psychiatrist at the hospital (Marsden) she was totally useless - handed me leaflets on art therapy classes and told me to contact Maggies!!!
I have since tried again to get support, as although my chemo and RT is over (on Tamoxifen), I suffer from chronic pain in my chemo arm which results in lack of sleep and my poor head is totally f****d.
Please keep us up to date - it’s helpful to know what help there is.
Hi everyone
I see the psychiatrist every 5 weeks while I wait for CBT. I still see the counsellor every 2 weeks and am finding out more about why I have the anorexia due to past event that have been very traumatic. Tuesdays session was hard and left me shaking and crying when I got home, I somehow have to move on and not cling to anorexia as a safe place to be from what I see as a very scary world
love Louise
my thoughts are with you Louise. xxx
Hi There
I am new and this is my first post. I am doing this out of desperation. I can’t cope much longer with the stress of worrying about breast cancer coming back. Every twinge etc. Yeah and so on … I am driving myself up the wall. Went to my friend’s funeral today , 43 with 3 young daughters. So where do I turn for help with this anxiety , how likely is that the cancer will return and how do I get regular check ups to ensure it has not come back? Am I mad or does anyone else feel like this?
hi cris
what you are feeling is sort of normal, I was diagnosed in march and mx april-just finished rads.
I have feelings of being scared and worrying constantly-then I flip over to being extrovert and overly bright -reassurring family and friends which can be quite exhausting.
I know that newcastle offer a clinical psychologist -which I am going to attend-I am sure your hospital will have them to-ask your oncologist to refer you.
speak to your breast care nurse regarding your diagnosis as they can talk to you and hopefully reassurre you . We have to remember that the majority of women have a good outcome -but sadly not all. On my good days I feel that this is my one and only cancer -on my bad ay I think i am riddled and imagine horrible things -like leaving my two teenage daughters. the simple fact is we dont know for sure and I think my way of coping is to think I will get better and live my life by making plans for the future
remember you caught the cancer and will also be monitored with your surgeon and oncologist.keep talking to your new friends on here -it has certainly helped me
big hugs x
diane
Cris, if I were you I’d give the helpline a ring in the morning. They are VERY good and have heard it all before, so you are NOT alone in your anxiety.
It might be that you would benefit from counselling, but give them a buzz to start with.
Good luck.
Hi
I am now having CBT and it is going well though it is very hard and I can get very upset at times. Last week I had the breast recon repair I had been waiting a year to have it is great and makes me feel better. I am in pain at the moment and but will be myself in a few weeks
Louise