WHOA PANIC

praiseJesus
praiseJesus Member Posts: 33
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
hello everyone.......well here I go again....part of yesterday and day before right out the blue ....MAJOR panic anxiety......I had been taking ativan up until the night before 2nd surgery,which I get the results of 3 margins, thursday....PLEASE pray,pray.Thankyou so much.But anyway the surgeon sent me home with Valuim to take....by the 2nd day of recovering from my surgury..around say lunch time...I felt like I was gona have a seizure or something...but I've learned that can often times just be high anxiety.....so I just couldn't cope....so out with the phone book to find and get help....I did before the day was through...They told me to get back on my ativan..and at an increased dosage, I have felt better and so for right now manageable.They say Ativan lingers in the system a bit...and proberly by saturday it was all gone...and I really wasn't taking that much valium....so I was having anxiety bleed through.It was awful....Haven't felt that way in years especially at that rate.What have ya'll done in times like that...I really want to know...especially through your tretment...or leading up to your treatment.....I'm a deep thinker and am trying not to be...I'm so aware of things but trying not to be, I'm trying to breathe.....any strong food for thought?????God Bless each and everyone.

Comments

  • RE
    RE Member Posts: 4,591 Member
    PANIC
    Hi Praise,

    That darn panic can just sneak right in when you least expect it. For me I always used the Adivan, Valium and Xanax. Not continuously of course, mostly just prior to chemos cause I never liked going for them. Even with a deep faith facing such an illness can cause a lot of anxiety. I always tried to incorporate something fun to do to distract me. Each week (even the sick chemo weeks) we would plan some sort of activity and it helped to give me something else besides cancer to think about, ponder and look forward to. It could be as simple as spending the day at the local park or going to San Francisco. We would plan drives in the country or along the shore. These little outtings were a great stress releaver, they allowed me to focus on living. On days i just couldnt go out (chemo weeks) we would plan movie weekends and line up some favoirte flicks or rent a few I had missed while being sick. For me it has always been about getting back to the business of living and not allowing cancer to steal my joy. It has marred my body I cannot let it mar my soul. I always pray and talk to God as well because he is my comfort in troubled times, and pretty much all other times! :-) Hope this helps a bit. My best to you!

    RE
  • KathiM
    KathiM Member Posts: 8,028 Member
    A tip from a gal on my plane....
    Strange things happen to people on loooooong flights. I asked a gal next to me on my last flight (10 hours, to Amsterdam) what she did to pass the time...she told me:

    Put both feet on the floor.
    Put your left hand on your left knee, right hand on your right knee.
    Look up toward the sun, if outside, or imagine the light source if inside or its nighttime.
    Close your eyes.
    Breathe with your belly (deep....not just shallow chest breathing).
    Envision the 'light' passing from the top of your head, thru your body, thru your feet, into the ground, to the center of the earth. Collecting the junk in your body along the way, replacing it with light.
    Work up to 10 minutes at a time, whenever you feel stess.

    MAN! It WORKS!!!

    Hugs, Kathi
  • KathiM
    KathiM Member Posts: 8,028 Member
    KathiM said:

    A tip from a gal on my plane....
    Strange things happen to people on loooooong flights. I asked a gal next to me on my last flight (10 hours, to Amsterdam) what she did to pass the time...she told me:

    Put both feet on the floor.
    Put your left hand on your left knee, right hand on your right knee.
    Look up toward the sun, if outside, or imagine the light source if inside or its nighttime.
    Close your eyes.
    Breathe with your belly (deep....not just shallow chest breathing).
    Envision the 'light' passing from the top of your head, thru your body, thru your feet, into the ground, to the center of the earth. Collecting the junk in your body along the way, replacing it with light.
    Work up to 10 minutes at a time, whenever you feel stess.

    MAN! It WORKS!!!

    Hugs, Kathi

    And, if that doesn't work...
    Well, I found a pillow, and screamed into it.

    Then watched a movie (MASH was on TV every afternoon during my treatments) and laugh out loud!!!

    Think of something to do AFTER treatments are over, in the future, as a reward....I went to a spa/hotel in Palm Springs...planning what to do got me thru alot of stuff...including a 4-day stay in the hospital with a complete bowel obstruction (all my roommates got served meals...I couldn't have anything...MAN, was THAT hard!!!).

    Accept that this is normal...there is something BIG messing with your head...(cancer).

    Hug someone, like I am right now hugging you....

    Hugs, Kathi
  • Joycelouise
    Joycelouise Member Posts: 482
    KathiM said:

    A tip from a gal on my plane....
    Strange things happen to people on loooooong flights. I asked a gal next to me on my last flight (10 hours, to Amsterdam) what she did to pass the time...she told me:

    Put both feet on the floor.
    Put your left hand on your left knee, right hand on your right knee.
    Look up toward the sun, if outside, or imagine the light source if inside or its nighttime.
    Close your eyes.
    Breathe with your belly (deep....not just shallow chest breathing).
    Envision the 'light' passing from the top of your head, thru your body, thru your feet, into the ground, to the center of the earth. Collecting the junk in your body along the way, replacing it with light.
    Work up to 10 minutes at a time, whenever you feel stess.

    MAN! It WORKS!!!

    Hugs, Kathi

    Just wanted to say I liked
    Just wanted to say I liked your imagery, Kathi. Especially the grounding and the junk going to the center of the earth. It reminds me of a call I heard on a talk radio show. The caller said that he knew the reason for global warming. It is because so many people are bad now days and when they die and burn in hell, it heats up the planet! love, Joyce (who may end up melting a few icecaps too someday)
  • cabbott
    cabbott Member Posts: 1,039 Member
    KathiM said:

    A tip from a gal on my plane....
    Strange things happen to people on loooooong flights. I asked a gal next to me on my last flight (10 hours, to Amsterdam) what she did to pass the time...she told me:

    Put both feet on the floor.
    Put your left hand on your left knee, right hand on your right knee.
    Look up toward the sun, if outside, or imagine the light source if inside or its nighttime.
    Close your eyes.
    Breathe with your belly (deep....not just shallow chest breathing).
    Envision the 'light' passing from the top of your head, thru your body, thru your feet, into the ground, to the center of the earth. Collecting the junk in your body along the way, replacing it with light.
    Work up to 10 minutes at a time, whenever you feel stess.

    MAN! It WORKS!!!

    Hugs, Kathi

    Sounds like Yoga
    I love Friday mornings because my yoga instructor always ends with something relaxing. Thanks for making my Wednesday night just as good! I love stress busters!

    C. Abbott

    PS Our Wellness community has a yoga class just for survivors. I go to the one at the Y for just anyone. Both emphasize controlled breathing and stress reduction. Plus, yoga is a lot of fun!

    C. Abbott