Does the "cancer" fear ever go away??

RoyJoy

I was diagnosed with stage I uterine cancer back in 2004 and under went a total hysterectomy. Because my cancer was in it's early stages and was contained in the walls of my uterus I never under went any chemo or radiation therapy. I have been diagnosed with a tumor on my adrenal gland which may or may not be cancer. When does the fear of cancer go away? I'm affraid of going to doctor appointments for the fear that they may tell me I have cancer again and I feel like I've turned into a Hypochondriac... When does that fear go away???

jazzy1

Welcome Roy Joy!
I don't think it every goes away!! In fact, in your case you'd think after 6 years being out, you would never ever think about cancer. Hum...see it doesn't work in your case either, so think about myself diagnosed last Feb, had hysterectomy and found moved to 1 of the 25 lymph nodes removed and then had chemo and radiation. I'm stage 3C and happy to say nothing showing up on all my tests since the last treatment July '09.

Each time I have a 3 month checkup I'm a mess. I do okay for the first few days before the test, then the butterflies in my stomach start and I get very edgy with my family. I do try, but just part of the process. I've asked others in my therapy group here, and they all tell me they all have the heebee geebies!!!! Best to keep busy with movies or books or anything stimulating which takes our minds away from cancer thoughts.

Just face the doctor and go to the appt, as it is probably nothing to be concerned about. Not easy, but go forward!!

Best of luck!
Jan

TiggersDoBounce

jazzy1 said:

Welcome Roy Joy!
I don't think it every goes away!! In fact, in your case you'd think after 6 years being out, you would never ever think about cancer. Hum...see it doesn't work in your case either, so think about myself diagnosed last Feb, had hysterectomy and found moved to 1 of the 25 lymph nodes removed and then had chemo and radiation. I'm stage 3C and happy to say nothing showing up on all my tests since the last treatment July '09.

Each time I have a 3 month checkup I'm a mess. I do okay for the first few days before the test, then the butterflies in my stomach start and I get very edgy with my family. I do try, but just part of the process. I've asked others in my therapy group here, and they all tell me they all have the heebee geebies!!!! Best to keep busy with movies or books or anything stimulating which takes our minds away from cancer thoughts.

Just face the doctor and go to the appt, as it is probably nothing to be concerned about. Not easy, but go forward!!

Best of luck!
Jan

RoyJoy
Welcome!

Get to the doctors and put to rest "is it" or "isn't it"....That little guy on your lap
is reason # 1 to get there and get past this!

Stay with us and let us know the outcome!

Laurie

Cecile Louise

The fear
I don't know if the fear ever really goes away completely. I was diagnosed upsc & endometriod stage 1b, had hysterectomy and 6 rounds of chemo. The fact that I have been NED for a little over 2 years now has not completely quelled the fear, but I am not quite so jumpy about every pain or change in my body anymore. You are not a hypochondriac! You've gone through a major life change - of course you will worry. As to whether the tumor on your adrenal gland is malignant or not, perhaps it would be best to know - hopefully you will be able to put that worry aside. For me, sometimes the fear of the unknown is harder to bear than actually knowing what is going on. May you find peace amid this chaos.

Hugs,
Cecile

Songflower

Fear of Cancer
I had breast cancer 11 years ago and I think my fear did not consume me as much as time goes on. I didn't think about it unless I had a mammogram. I think that is why I was so shocked when I got this cancer. I thought I had "put in my time" and was not expecting it. I am no expert but I think adrenal cancers are most often benign. The only way to know will be biopsy. Go ahead with what you have to do; it is not cancer you can relax and quit worrying. If it is they will have a plan of treatment. Many people are living long enough to have three or four different cancers in their lifetimes because detection and treatment have improved.

I have known some women to go for therapy 20 years after cancer because the fear never left them. The therapy helped them. None of us know what is around the corner. I have recurrance of UPSC and have reached a point of calmness as I deal with it. So do what you have to do and you'll feel better. When I am waiting for test results I use denial as it does me not good to worry. I go do something different. Don't think I am some calm person; I tend to be high strung but you can learn to deal with it.

cleo

Songflower said:

Fear of Cancer
I had breast cancer 11 years ago and I think my fear did not consume me as much as time goes on. I didn't think about it unless I had a mammogram. I think that is why I was so shocked when I got this cancer. I thought I had "put in my time" and was not expecting it. I am no expert but I think adrenal cancers are most often benign. The only way to know will be biopsy. Go ahead with what you have to do; it is not cancer you can relax and quit worrying. If it is they will have a plan of treatment. Many people are living long enough to have three or four different cancers in their lifetimes because detection and treatment have improved.

I have known some women to go for therapy 20 years after cancer because the fear never left them. The therapy helped them. None of us know what is around the corner. I have recurrance of UPSC and have reached a point of calmness as I deal with it. So do what you have to do and you'll feel better. When I am waiting for test results I use denial as it does me not good to worry. I go do something different. Don't think I am some calm person; I tend to be high strung but you can learn to deal with it.

Fear of Cancer
I think that the fear does go away as you know that you are doing everything for your good health and there is an acceptance and the determination of being and staying well. I think that it's the peace of mind that is lost....and the annoyance that it should be that way!