I Survived, But I Have Depression

DJ_Quinn
DJ_Quinn Member Posts: 3
edited March 2014 in Emotional Support #1
Hi, I am not sure if anyone else has experienced this, but 3 years ago I was diagnosed with late seminoma. It spread throgh out my lymph sytem and kidney. Anyway, I am done with chemo and the surgeries, and I even was able to have a beautifull baby boy 9 mos ago. My problem is that since the cancer, I have no energy to do anything like I did prior. I am very depressed, and anti-depressents have not helped. It takes all my effort just to make it into work. I live in rural Ireland and do not have much of a soial life or intereation because my closest neighbor is 6 miles away. I can't seem to snap out of my depression. I have tried exercise, which I used to do before I was diagnosed. I just don't have any energy and I need it for my son. PI don't know what to do. The doctor just wants to keep prescribing anti-depressents, but they make me even more tired. Help!

Comments

  • AuthorUnknown
    AuthorUnknown Member Posts: 1,537 Member
    #2
    So glad that you are trying to get some help on this. It is such a huge issue with cancer patients and survivors. I am 27yrs old and have been a survivor for almost a year now and have dealt with the same thing. I too was on the happy pills and while they did help a little the one thing that has kept me going has been my faith. Having the Lord in my life has in fact saved it. I just encourage you to get involved with a group of women at a church that welcomes you or join a Bible study. Also, have you heard of MOPS? (mothers of pre-schoolers) It is a faith based group that allows moms to bring their kids to a safe setting while the moms meet together and share food, learn important things to help with life, and help each other in it. I know that many of the girls I have met in my group have helped me so much. Just to have someone to pray for you and to talk with you. You don't have to fight this alone. There are people and especially a God who want to help you out of this pit you are in. While I am not completely out of it myself, I am definitely on my way. And I couldn't have done it by myself.
    I am pretty sure you can find MOPS on the net. Not sure if Ireland will be on the list, but see if you can find something similar.
    And as for more info on the Lord, it would be my pleasure. He loves you and wants to see you through this. My prayers are with you.
    Heather
  • TereB
    TereB Member Posts: 286 Member
    #3
    Hi, I am glad you are finished with surgeries and chemo! And congrats on your baby boy!

    Many people are depressed after being diagnosed and then the treatment. Have you checked with your doctor, told him/her about your lack of energy and tiredness? If could be you are low on iron or something else that might be easy to fix. Depression does make you tired and with no energy. Antidepressants work well for some people, not so good for others. If an antidepressant does not work well for you, perhaps your doctor can prescribe a different one. I am not a doctor but I heard that antidepressants work better if you also have therapy and it has worked for me. Perhaps being sort of isolated also adds to the depression.
    I wish I could help you more; I was very depressed after big surgery and treatment but therapy helped me a lot.
    All the best,
    TereB
  • kiren
    kiren Member Posts: 40 Member
    #4
    I am a survivor and believe me this tiredness thing has just stuck to me. I can't help it and I have accepted it because if I don't, it makes me depressed. There are times when small acitivites are tiring and I feel lack of energy or I am tired I feel like crying..I think to myself why I can't be like everyone else and go on with my day full of energy. Well then I just reason to myself that not everyone has suffered or gone through what I have. I too feel depressed sometimes less, sometimes to a point where I sit and cry. Just last week I went to my doc because it seemed like that I couldn't control the cryng spell and everything seemed wrong. The doc gave me some anti depressant but when I took one I felt nauseated so I guess I won't take any more of those. The way I work through my depression is by keeping myself too busy,I have started education, I took a job, I like to write, so whenever I feel depressed one of these habits rescues me. Also my kids are my inspiration. I simply sit with them and chat or play a silly game. I think the main deal is to recognize that you are a cancer survivor and migt not be able to perform all the tasks as before. Also I have learned that it is important for others around you to know this fact so they can help us and understand us better. It also helped me to read books about cancer survivorship then its easier to recognize the signs and feelings that you go through and how normal it is to feel the way we do when we are in the survivor family.
  • DJ_Quinn
    DJ_Quinn Member Posts: 3
    #5
    kiren said:

    I am a survivor and believe me this tiredness thing has just stuck to me. I can't help it and I have accepted it because if I don't, it makes me depressed. There are times when small acitivites are tiring and I feel lack of energy or I am tired I feel like crying..I think to myself why I can't be like everyone else and go on with my day full of energy. Well then I just reason to myself that not everyone has suffered or gone through what I have. I too feel depressed sometimes less, sometimes to a point where I sit and cry. Just last week I went to my doc because it seemed like that I couldn't control the cryng spell and everything seemed wrong. The doc gave me some anti depressant but when I took one I felt nauseated so I guess I won't take any more of those. The way I work through my depression is by keeping myself too busy,I have started education, I took a job, I like to write, so whenever I feel depressed one of these habits rescues me. Also my kids are my inspiration. I simply sit with them and chat or play a silly game. I think the main deal is to recognize that you are a cancer survivor and migt not be able to perform all the tasks as before. Also I have learned that it is important for others around you to know this fact so they can help us and understand us better. It also helped me to read books about cancer survivorship then its easier to recognize the signs and feelings that you go through and how normal it is to feel the way we do when we are in the survivor family.

    Thanks for the feedback. I find it hardgoing because I had so much enegry before the cancer. My wife treats me like I'm lazy or something, but that couldn't be further from the truth. I worked extremely hard my whole life and I just want to be able to live like before. Ican't exert myself like I used to and I get tired. I was also diagnosed with Epstien-Barr virus that causes CFS after my cancer. The depressing part to me is not just being tired all the time but also that my wife is not understanding about it. She is suffering from very bad rhumatoid arthritis, and is only in her mid 30s.
  • TereB
    TereB Member Posts: 286 Member
    #6
    DJ_Quinn said:

    Thanks for the feedback. I find it hardgoing because I had so much enegry before the cancer. My wife treats me like I'm lazy or something, but that couldn't be further from the truth. I worked extremely hard my whole life and I just want to be able to live like before. Ican't exert myself like I used to and I get tired. I was also diagnosed with Epstien-Barr virus that causes CFS after my cancer. The depressing part to me is not just being tired all the time but also that my wife is not understanding about it. She is suffering from very bad rhumatoid arthritis, and is only in her mid 30s.

    It is hard to accept you have less energy after cancer. It took me a while to accept it. I do get tired fast so I do a little bit, rest and do some more. I do not have energy to do all the things I would like to do. Luckily, my family acepted it, finally, after I said it many, many times. I thought perhaps I was being lazy. I am sorry your wife does not understand your condition, perhaps it is hard for her to see it since she has her own health problems and she probably feels bad about that.
    Maybe both of you would benefit from therapy.
    I hope things improve for you,
    TereB

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