Is there anyone like me

drea3751

So I am new but have been reading for the last six months the discussion boards. I had surgery last october for breast cancer and although the breast surgeron oncologist,my oncoclogy doctor and the breast navigator seem to love to sing the song "you are healed and cancer free." It is a great song if I felt in my heart that I am...I suffer from depression in the best circumstances and this has magnified it..i have nerve damage on my none surgical site(had a unilateral mastectomy) take an additional antibdepressant. I feel sad, embarrassed, empty, lonley(not dating before or after diag)frustrated, and did i mention sad. I pray and pray daily, have many prayer warriors...but i feel as though no one understands the anger, dissappointment.....do you

Katmy

Sorry that no one has
Sorry that no one has replied as yet to you. My clinic/ hospital has a cancer support therapist who works with patients at the clinic. She has been enormous help to me in my lowest times. Do you have someone you can talk to beyond family or friends? I find my therapist useful because she helps me work through my feelings in a productive way. My friends and family listen and are wonderful, but I needed something more.

Talking about your emotions on this site will also help. Best of luck to you and I hope you can resolve your dominating negative emotions when they flare up.

disneyfan2008

Katmy said:

Sorry that no one has
Sorry that no one has replied as yet to you. My clinic/ hospital has a cancer support therapist who works with patients at the clinic. She has been enormous help to me in my lowest times. Do you have someone you can talk to beyond family or friends? I find my therapist useful because she helps me work through my feelings in a productive way. My friends and family listen and are wonderful, but I needed something more.

Talking about your emotions on this site will also help. Best of luck to you and I hope you can resolve your dominating negative emotions when they flare up.

@Katmy
I THINK this was posted several times..I replied first day ..so I sure others have too

Denise

laughs_a_lot

like me?
Yes but I have not been through the journey as far as you. One thing to look into is the fact that chemo may have changed the propensity for your anti depressant to be as effective as it previously was. I asked my medical oncologist last week if the chemo might effect the neurotransmitters in my brain and re-set them so that I would not have ADD and depression. He stated no. Darn it! (I was making a joke by the way). I really would have liked being releived of these two difficulties. I beleive my MO at least in part. I think the chemo may be able to make changes in the brain but perhaps not enough to make us better. Maybe it can effect how your antidepressant works with your new body chemistry. Your body has definately gone through changes if you went through chemo.

Since I work in mental health, I am particularly sensitive to such issues. Those with depression have enough of difficulty to deal with, without throwing breast cancer into the mix. If your primary care physician is the one perscribing the anti depressant he may want to refer you to a psychiatrist. Do not take this as an insult as the psychiatrist is more specialized in mental health issues and would have more knowlege about the effects of chemo on your body. If I run into this issue myself I may ask my primary care physician to refer me to a psychiatrist to get me on the right track or at least have him consult with one.

I am personally perscribing to you a daily intervention of one hour of comedy tv. I am a beleiver in the power of humor to heal a good many things. It is free and there are no adverse side effects from engaging in an hour of comedy. The worst that it can do to you is that you feel that you have wasted an hour of your life. People waste an hour of thier lives all the time. Also see if you can join an after cancer recovery group so that you do not feel alone with this. Journalling may also help. Keep in touch.

butterflylvr

laughs_a_lot said:

like me?
Yes but I have not been through the journey as far as you. One thing to look into is the fact that chemo may have changed the propensity for your anti depressant to be as effective as it previously was. I asked my medical oncologist last week if the chemo might effect the neurotransmitters in my brain and re-set them so that I would not have ADD and depression. He stated no. Darn it! (I was making a joke by the way). I really would have liked being releived of these two difficulties. I beleive my MO at least in part. I think the chemo may be able to make changes in the brain but perhaps not enough to make us better. Maybe it can effect how your antidepressant works with your new body chemistry. Your body has definately gone through changes if you went through chemo.

Since I work in mental health, I am particularly sensitive to such issues. Those with depression have enough of difficulty to deal with, without throwing breast cancer into the mix. If your primary care physician is the one perscribing the anti depressant he may want to refer you to a psychiatrist. Do not take this as an insult as the psychiatrist is more specialized in mental health issues and would have more knowlege about the effects of chemo on your body. If I run into this issue myself I may ask my primary care physician to refer me to a psychiatrist to get me on the right track or at least have him consult with one.

I am personally perscribing to you a daily intervention of one hour of comedy tv. I am a beleiver in the power of humor to heal a good many things. It is free and there are no adverse side effects from engaging in an hour of comedy. The worst that it can do to you is that you feel that you have wasted an hour of your life. People waste an hour of thier lives all the time. Also see if you can join an after cancer recovery group so that you do not feel alone with this. Journalling may also help. Keep in touch.

I'm with Denise I know I
I'm with Denise I know I responded to this on another thread...

Lorrie

dbhadra

butterflylvr said:

I'm with Denise I know I
I'm with Denise I know I responded to this on another thread...

Lorrie

therapist
I just started seeing a therapist this week to deal with my feelings about breast cancer and what all is going on with my life. She described it as going through a tornado, and that's exactly how I feel. It's ripped through my life and I am standing and looking around at all the devastation.

We cannot expect ourselves to recover emotionally, immediately. I have read that it takes at least as long to recover as we were in treatment : for example, in my case I am in treatment from Dec 3 until September - so let;s say 10 months - I should not tell myself that I "should" feel normal until another 10 months after September - that following July! So be gentle with yourself and understand that what you are feeling is normal - though it does not make it less painful it does help, at least for me.

Laura

Hippiechick58

dbhadra said:

therapist
I just started seeing a therapist this week to deal with my feelings about breast cancer and what all is going on with my life. She described it as going through a tornado, and that's exactly how I feel. It's ripped through my life and I am standing and looking around at all the devastation.

We cannot expect ourselves to recover emotionally, immediately. I have read that it takes at least as long to recover as we were in treatment : for example, in my case I am in treatment from Dec 3 until September - so let;s say 10 months - I should not tell myself that I "should" feel normal until another 10 months after September - that following July! So be gentle with yourself and understand that what you are feeling is normal - though it does not make it less painful it does help, at least for me.

Laura

Me too! Responded on another
Me too! Responded on another thread. Perhaps is looking for attention?

Pam Kiley

is any one out there
Yes drea i have. Its been 5 years but i still struggle daily. Your in a good place, csn, with many people here who can give inspiration and strength. But it is a difficult journey for all. I also was alone in my journey till i got this computer and linked up to csn. I go into chat at times, read expressions, blogs and find i am not alone. It is true that we must find a new normal for us. It does not always come in pill form, but with people who understand the walk we must make. Im glad your here drea god bless you kiley

cahjah75

drea
I know how you feel. I had bilateral mastectomy June 2010. However, I'm 62 and married 36+ years. Forgive me that I have not read your personal page. It sounds like you are young. I feel bad for you. Antidepressants helped me tremendously but not after mastectomy. I started antidepressants 12 years ago when I went through menopause. I felt like I had lost total control of my body. The mood swings and hot flashes just made me scream. My gyn (whom I've had for more than 34 years) was very compassionate and despite having a family history of bc he put me on FEM HRT. Last year I was dx with bc and strangely I didn't feel depressed. I actually was expecting it eventually. Six weeks ago my gyn put me on Prozac to help with the hot flashes. Unfortunately it didn't. So, now I'm not taking any antidepressant. It helps to be able to talk to others who may have similar circumstances. Post often and please don't give up hope that some day you will feel well again and not be dependent on pills. Sending you positive thoughts.
{{hugs}} Char

drea3751

Hippiechick58 said:

Me too! Responded on another
Me too! Responded on another thread. Perhaps is looking for attention?

Very sorry you question a
Very sorry you question a double posting as attention seeking ....I have not had a lot of practice at this but I am getting better..thanks