Depression

mmurcia2000
mmurcia2000 Member Posts: 27
edited March 2014 in Uterine/Endometrial Cancer #1
I was wondering if any of you had trouble with depression? I was fortunate that a hysterectomy was all I needed, but I think that my emotions have finally caught up with everything that has happened to me in the past 4 months.

I guess its the body's way of coping- when I was physically ill my emotions were ok- now that that my body is ok I think I am beginning to deal with depression.

I sometimes feel guilty about referring to myself as a cancer survivor-in fact- I refuse to do it- because I cannot deal with other's emotions when they hear this and because I didn't go through nearly as much as some of you have and are going.

You are all really inspirations to me- especially on days like today when I just want to crawl under a rock.

My endocrinologist said he could prescribe me anti-depressents to help with the hot flashes have any of you heard that they help with this?

Comments

  • jazzy1
    jazzy1 Member Posts: 1,379
    #2
    Depression
    Yes you're so lucky if just went thru hysterectomy and no cancer treatments. Congrats!

    I had hysterectomy Feb '09 and seemed to just skate thru any side affects with depression and hot-flashes. I had a 6-week follow-up with my OB and asked him point blank -- when do the side affects start? He laughed and told me to consider myself lucky. His only big concern was "depression". If I encountered any of this, plse let him know as had much success prescribing meds for this issue. Today still nothing so I'm one of the lucky ones.

    My father and mother-n-law have had bouts of depression so I can relate about crawling under a rock. Both of them have been on some pretty strong meds (morphine) and still had issues functioning. I'd definitely consider the meds as it can do wonders for you. Hopefully only temporary, but that's a question to ask your doc. Hormones can really goof up our systems.

    Good luck!
    Jan
  • Songflower
    Songflower Member Posts: 608
    #3
    Hot flashes
    If you had a hysterectomy and removal of your ovaries you could be in menopause. It is a surgical menopause. (I don't know your age). That will cause lack of sleep and depression. When I had breast cancer ten years ago and instant menopause I took effexor low dose which helped the hotflashes and my sleep. When I was ready to go off I tapered off. It did help until my body adjusted to the lack of hormones.

    Diane
  • mmurcia2000
    mmurcia2000 Member Posts: 27
    #4
    Songflower said:

    Hot flashes
    If you had a hysterectomy and removal of your ovaries you could be in menopause. It is a surgical menopause. (I don't know your age). That will cause lack of sleep and depression. When I had breast cancer ten years ago and instant menopause I took effexor low dose which helped the hotflashes and my sleep. When I was ready to go off I tapered off. It did help until my body adjusted to the lack of hormones.

    Diane

    Thank you
    Thanks for the info Diane. I am 30 years old so it is surgical menopause. I have been fighting the emotions but I think it is smarter to be realistic and help me get through this.

    Mercy
  • tears2overcome
    tears2overcome Member Posts: 98
    #5
    mmurcia2000 said:

    Thank you
    Thanks for the info Diane. I am 30 years old so it is surgical menopause. I have been fighting the emotions but I think it is smarter to be realistic and help me get through this.

    Mercy

    Hi MMurcia
    I had hesterectomy, had it all packed up and moved out of my body, then onto chemo. I asked the doc on my third month check up why I cry so much, why I hate the word cancer and so on......he said my emotions are so tender now I have been thru alot. It's not only the thot of cancer losing my hair, it's the thot of our bodies not being same anymore. I thot maybe menopause and I asked him. He said I wont' go thru it went thru it already( guess on table, dont' remember going thru it). although happy to hear it, I never asked him how and why so fast. I will ask him again in December when I go for another check up. My soon to be ex was with me, told the doc that I cry so much and he was worried. My surgeon looked at him and said Brenda has just gone thru life changing experience, she had body parts and now nothing she's going to be emotional, and now chemo. She has a right to cry.......... I do have a right to cry and I have refused meds to keep me in check.I am not strong maybe stupid,but I am going to go thru this with my eyes open, not like I did chemo with blinders on, I didnt 'want to face any of it, but did it......everyone told me too... so for 7-8 months of this year i did what docs told me too, oncologists, and my soon to be who supported me thru it... My family and a great friend on here who I lost ( luv ya diane) told me to cry,my emotions are so tender and mixed up cuz of chemo so cry, and get it out. It's been 4 months now and I am slowly getting back. I dont' think I'll ever be me.....I have accepted that. But I am trying to organize and get much better.
    It's alot to take in....and I think I have been under that rock a time or two. I plan on staying out now, at least I hope to... I sure know how u feel........Bless you and may you have strength always!
  • Always Hopeful
    Always Hopeful Member Posts: 234
    #6
    tears2overcome said:

    Hi MMurcia
    I had hesterectomy, had it all packed up and moved out of my body, then onto chemo. I asked the doc on my third month check up why I cry so much, why I hate the word cancer and so on......he said my emotions are so tender now I have been thru alot. It's not only the thot of cancer losing my hair, it's the thot of our bodies not being same anymore. I thot maybe menopause and I asked him. He said I wont' go thru it went thru it already( guess on table, dont' remember going thru it). although happy to hear it, I never asked him how and why so fast. I will ask him again in December when I go for another check up. My soon to be ex was with me, told the doc that I cry so much and he was worried. My surgeon looked at him and said Brenda has just gone thru life changing experience, she had body parts and now nothing she's going to be emotional, and now chemo. She has a right to cry.......... I do have a right to cry and I have refused meds to keep me in check.I am not strong maybe stupid,but I am going to go thru this with my eyes open, not like I did chemo with blinders on, I didnt 'want to face any of it, but did it......everyone told me too... so for 7-8 months of this year i did what docs told me too, oncologists, and my soon to be who supported me thru it... My family and a great friend on here who I lost ( luv ya diane) told me to cry,my emotions are so tender and mixed up cuz of chemo so cry, and get it out. It's been 4 months now and I am slowly getting back. I dont' think I'll ever be me.....I have accepted that. But I am trying to organize and get much better.
    It's alot to take in....and I think I have been under that rock a time or two. I plan on staying out now, at least I hope to... I sure know how u feel........Bless you and may you have strength always!

    Your doc is right
    You have been through a lot. Being emotional is your reaction to everything that has and is happening. While you have dealing with your dx and treatment, it seems that other emotion provoking things are happening, too...you mentioned "my soon to be ex" and "a great friend on here who I lost"...both stressors, for sure. We have to stop being so hard on ourselves and, instead, lean on those who are there for us and want to help us through. It is also very helpful to up our exercise level. I've found that walking for about a 1/2 hour per day clears my head, gives me a chance to "smell the roses" and up my mood.

    Let's all LIVE and LAUGH!

    Peace and hope, JJ
  • tears2overcome
    tears2overcome Member Posts: 98
    #7
    Always Hopeful said:

    Your doc is right
    You have been through a lot. Being emotional is your reaction to everything that has and is happening. While you have dealing with your dx and treatment, it seems that other emotion provoking things are happening, too...you mentioned "my soon to be ex" and "a great friend on here who I lost"...both stressors, for sure. We have to stop being so hard on ourselves and, instead, lean on those who are there for us and want to help us through. It is also very helpful to up our exercise level. I've found that walking for about a 1/2 hour per day clears my head, gives me a chance to "smell the roses" and up my mood.

    Let's all LIVE and LAUGH!

    Peace and hope, JJ

    walking
    I do walk .alot, was up to six miles a day before being diagnosed and walked a bit during chemo and now back to 5 miles just can't get to 6 or more like I want... I have a bad lefgt leg now, seems have nerve damage, not from nueropathy they tell me but something else.....still waiting,but I love to walk early in morning......it's the best to start the day! Thank u hopeful for a lovely letter...

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