Need help dealing with fear of recurrence

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eweingart
eweingart Member Posts: 1
in Breast Cancer #1

I was diagnosed with DCIS in Nov 2017, had bilateral lumpectamy in Jan 2018 and a second DCIS was found in the margins.

I didn't want to deal with the worry that I would have to keep undergoing biopsies and lumpectamies so I opted for a BMX with DEIP Flap reconstruction in March 2018.

I thought I was done but my oncologist said there was still a < 2% chance of it coming back that could be lowered to < 1% with medication.  That medication has side effects that I am not willing to chance so I opted not to take any medication.

My oncologist also told me that since I had DCIS there is no test to determine if it has come back or matastisized.  All I can do is go back to the surgeon if I feel a lump somewhere.

I find myself every day worrying about it coming back and that there is nothing I can do to stop it.  Even on medication it still can recur.  Having the odds in my favor isn't helping since I had a benign functioning tumor in my addrenal gland that occurs in less than 8 in one million so I've already "beat the odds"

What should I do to deal with the fear?  Already on medication for clinical depression.

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  • Beepositive
    Beepositive Member Posts: 259 Member
    #2
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    eweingart

    Hello Eweingart we all have that fear in back of our mind after going thru! from time to time ..But we are still living and I focus on the positive things and know things could have been a lot worse for me if I did not demand additional testing when I knew something was not right!  I try and stay busy and pay it forward by helping others (even by doing this blog) and helping in my community. if and when can.

    my family help keep me going and I am living my "new NORMAL" and controling the things I can and trying not to worry so much about the things I cant control.

    HUGS and PRAyers to you.  we have to keep fighting

    Beepositive

  • Elaine_wi
    Elaine_wi Member Posts: 124 Member
    edited August 2018 #3
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    Healthy Lifestyle

    There's a lot we can do to decrease our chances of a reoccurance with the choices we make in our lifestyle. Exercise, healthy eating, thinking of others, and avoiding unnecessary stress. Worrying is unnecessary stress. 

    I have chosen to put the energy I used to spend worrying into productive activities. I have found tremendous peace and satisfaction in volunteering for different organizations. I also know that, for me, exercise and adequate sleep are essential to my mental and physical well-being. I also spend time with my Creator regularly.

  • Apaugh
    Apaugh Member Posts: 850 Member
    #4
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    Take it a day at a time...

    All you can do is surround yourself with the positive.  Like said above, get busy and enjoy today.  We all have these thoughts in the back of our minds.  It is hard but choose to live today. 

    Hugs,

    Annie

  • StinsonGirl
    StinsonGirl Member Posts: 3
    edited June 2019 #5
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    How are you doing now

    I'm new to this site and saw your post from 2018.  Fear is nasty and we all have gone through it.  I hope you're doing okay and have put fear in the back seat.  How I deal with it is I see myself as the Captain of my ship.  My ship is the vehicle that I'm in as I journey through my life.  A mutiny took place on my ship and with traditional and non-traditional treatments I have put the mutiny down. My goal is reinvigorating my immune system.  Recurrence? Could happen, I guess.  But I don't listen to statistics because faith in healing trumps numbers in my book.  Awakening each day to all the promise that day can bring is what is important.  I could step out my door tomorrow and have a tree fall on me and that would be the end.  But the fear of that happening is essentially non-existent.  Cancer is different for every individual. That's why statistics of recurrence are just hollow numbers.  Believe in the power of your body to do what it was designed to do.  Support it any way you can.  And like the captain of any ship, YOU decide what cargo comes aboard and what cargo gets thrown over the edge. You have a strength and power in you that is amazing. Hooray!

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