Post traumatic reactions

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is VERY real!  There are so many blatant misconceptions surrounding 'it'.  It is amazing (in a way) how many of us actually deal with it.  It is POST TRAUMATIC STRESS - meaning what one deals with after a traumatic time in life.  I have personal experiences from childhood that I have worked through and can now 'joke' about my paranoia of getting on an ocean going vessel.  It is much harder for Hubby to deal with his PTSD also from his childhood since my IBC DX.

PLEASE seek out a DR/counselor who is versed in what PTSD really is and how invasive it is.

Prayers

Winyan - The Power Within

Susan

Rague said:

PTSD is Very Real!

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is VERY real!  There are so many blatant misconceptions surrounding 'it'.  It is amazing (in a way) how many of us actually deal with it.  It is POST TRAUMATIC STRESS - meaning what one deals with after a traumatic time in life.  I have personal experiences from childhood that I have worked through and can now 'joke' about my paranoia of getting on an ocean going vessel.  It is much harder for Hubby to deal with his PTSD also from his childhood since my IBC DX.

PLEASE seek out a DR/counselor who is versed in what PTSD really is and how invasive it is.

Prayers

Winyan - The Power Within

Susan

your reactions are normal. particularly after treatment is finished and you no longer have the "safety net" of some sort of treatment to keep it away. No one eats perfectly or exercises perfectly, we do the best we can. Part of life coming back is that there are times when we are stressed about things other than cancer. Trust me , you value your life and understand what you have been through. But it doesnt change that life is stressful. Allow yourself to react the way you need to, want to. Time to let go of perfectionism. Focus on recovery and discovering what life means to you. BTW i see a therapist and take meds, it is very helpful for me, tamoxifen makes me well witchy, and chemopause didnt help. Hugs!

Wow, the comment about "popping pills" isn't very supportive. 

Oldafw - what you are going through IS valid, and understandable. And scary. I am 3 years post diagnosis but I still struggle with emotional issues regarding my experience. For me, the mental/emotional healing have been much harder than the physical healing. And my major difficulties with coping started right around the time you are in, about a year after I was done with everything. 

Depressiom and anxiety even WITHOUT cancer are very scary, isolating, and confusing to deal with. But dealing with them after or during a cancer diagnosis are awful, and NOBODY should be judged for taking medicine to deal with those particular medical issues. Then you have chemo brain issues on top of it, I felt like I was losing my mind. 

I was relieved this summer when I FINALLY stared feeling "normal" again. But my doctor has worked so well with me on finding the right combination of medicines, and dosages, with tleak east dude effects. Chemo affects your brain also, and it doesn't affect everyone the same. I was so upset that my brain had changed so much after treatment. My memory was gone, I was an emotional wreck, I often stumbled over my words & could not verbally communicate very well anymore. I have a hard time remembering the words for things, I really feel "brain damaged"- for lack of a better term, and it's frustrating as hell. I was fairly intelligent, high IQ, avid reader and writer, and now the difference in me is so drastic. 

Have you talked to a doctor about how you're feeling? There are many therapies that may help you feel better, including medicine, counseling, meditation- the point I'm trying to get across is you don't have to feel bad like this and you should never be made to feel bad about any kind of support you need to get you through.