Happy pills?

Fergus2007

What about the psychological effects of dealing with cancer?
What are you doing to relieve stress and keep going? (as the cancer patient OR the caregivers)
... and have you noticed it effecting other relationships?

tootsie1

I rely on my faith to keep me going, but I have to say that I don't feel like the same woman these days. I find myself thinking about it EVERY day, and I've been crabby with my husband. That's not good! Maybe (hopefully) because my diagnosis is only 4 months old, it's all about me right now, and I need to start looking outward a bit.

apache4

It took me a while to get used to the idea of this dx. which was STage IV, mets to liver in June of '06. I had the surgery, the port a cath install and then did 16 rounds of Folfox, Avastin and Oxaliplatin. I have been fortunate that I tolerate the chemo fairly well. I had a clear PET scan in August (?), but a new CT scan showed some new stuff in liver so am on Folfiri now. My time frame for treatment is like "as long as I can tolerate it" which is not real encouraging. Not curable, but manageable. Anyway, I am a firm believer in excercise and doing whatever you feel like doing. I do Taekwondo when not on chem and go to class three times a week. I managed to get to Brown Belt so far. I love to garden and really work hard lifting stuff and bending, etc. I also have been on disability for arthritis and other spinal issues for four years. That is worse then the cancer, sometimes, as it causes real pain when I overdo. Still, I do it! and that is what counts. Everyone says that I have a great attitude and I have stopped thinking of dying and just look forward to each day. Take each day as it comes and power through. Occasionally I have taken some Xanex as I found that stress causes some very real pain. 'am real careful to not take many...maybe one or two a month. When first diagnosed, they said 1 1/2 to two years. Two years is coming up and I am still going strong and will continue that way. My best to you...it does get better as you learn to cope.

KierstenRx

Fergus,
You bring up some good questions. I would like to hear other people ideas. For me the psychological and emotional effects did not really show up until after treatment (stage III rectal cancer, diagnosed September 06). I finished chemo last June and felt pretty good. Then in Septmeber I started to have a lot of anxiety and depression. I just couldn't feel happy. I had a hysterectomy at the time of my resection so I was in full blown menopause at the age of 32. I finally started on an antidepressant (celexa) and a low dose estrogen supplement. This helped immensely. Staying connected to people on this forum definately helps also. I have also used my work as a pharmacist to help my customers on a personal level with their cancer diagnosis and treatment. I am also being a Team Captain in our counties Relay for Life. I find that I am able to heal myself by staying active in activities.
One thing that I need to work on is getting more physical activity. I would like to hear what others are doing. I am sure that would relieve a lot of stress.

Best of Luck to you.
Kiersten

nudgie

I relied and leaned on Family and my husband and then returned to my physical activities of serious weight lifting and cardio which is the BEST stree reliver and to also TAKE ONE DAY AT A TIME