1. < Cancer: Managing Symptoms

Facing Cancer Recurrence, PTSD & Acknowledging Mental Health

Posted by Merry, Alumni Mentor @merpreb, Dec 6, 2018

It's extremely difficult to face the fact of recurring cancers. After treatments we try and get away from it all and live our life. Then along comes another CT scan or PET scan and POW, you have to face another cancer. My reaction was developing PTSD.

You can read what I wrote in my blog: https://my20yearscancer.com/blog/
How do we cope? How do we react? What do we do?
How have you all reacted to another cancer? Or the possibility of another one? Has your "already compromised" mental health been able to deal with it? How? Or not?

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Cancer: Managing Symptoms Support Group.

linda10 | @linda10 | Dec 11, 2018
In reply to @sakota "Does anyone ever get over multifocal adenocarcinoma or our lives going to be ct scans. We..." + (show)
@sakota

Does anyone ever get over multifocal adenocarcinoma or our lives going to be ct scans. We can never be considered cancer free can we. I go for my ct scan on Monday morning and then see the dr on Tuesday. This waiting between scans is the hardest. I started going to a counselor when I met her at pulmonary rehab. She’s been a life savior and I talk about everything. So usually schedule apps with her quite often. I could write a lot more but I know everyone in here has health issues and some of you are a lot worse off than I. So my heart and prayers go out to you as I know what you are going through and remember the good Lord is right beside you

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Sakota-thinking of you today and hoping you receive stable results.

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Merry, Alumni Mentor | @merpreb | Dec 11, 2018

Sakota- Fingers crossed for you! Let us know.

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1 reply
sakota9 (Joan) | @sakota | Dec 12, 2018
In reply to @merpreb "Sakota- Fingers crossed for you! Let us know." + (show)
@merpreb

Sakota- Fingers crossed for you! Let us know.

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@merry and Linda. Thanks for the wishes. And yes I did get a stable report. But you know what I don’t know if I trust the dr here. I was with the drs at mayo and trusted so much the surgeon and radiologist. It almost sounds like this dr is saying ok you been stable a year maybe you are in the clear but I know that’s not right. This about the dr here is probably my imagination.but yet I don’t feel right about the stable thing and he is missing something. Thanks again sveryone

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Merry, Alumni Mentor | @merpreb | Dec 13, 2018

Sakota- Did you move away from Mayo? If you are uncertain or do not feel right about a doctor then get a second opinion. I am so glad that you are stable now! When do you go back for another scan?

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1 reply
linda10 | @linda10 | Dec 13, 2018
In reply to @sakota "@merry and Linda. Thanks for the wishes. And yes I did get a stable report. But..." + (show)
@sakota

@merry and Linda. Thanks for the wishes. And yes I did get a stable report. But you know what I don’t know if I trust the dr here. I was with the drs at mayo and trusted so much the surgeon and radiologist. It almost sounds like this dr is saying ok you been stable a year maybe you are in the clear but I know that’s not right. This about the dr here is probably my imagination.but yet I don’t feel right about the stable thing and he is missing something. Thanks again sveryone

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Sakota, I continue to travel 9 hours each way to have all my follow ups done at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester. After the beginning of my journey I feel they are the only ones I want to deal with concerning my cancer. I have a primary physician here but all my cancer treatment is done at Mayo. Please consider this if you can.

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sakota9 (Joan) | @sakota | Dec 13, 2018
In reply to @merpreb "Sakota- Did you move away from Mayo? If you are uncertain or do not feel right..." + (show)
@merpreb

Sakota- Did you move away from Mayo? If you are uncertain or do not feel right about a doctor then get a second opinion. I am so glad that you are stable now! When do you go back for another scan?

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I did merry but I am beginning
To regret that decision. I changed to dealing with drs here and I just don’t feel right about what they say. My biggest fear is that they will miss sometthing and then it will be too late. Do you go to mayo at Rochester. Maybe sometime we can schedule at the same time. Right now I’m waiting to hear for appt with pulmonologist in February Keep the faith and the power

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Merry, Alumni Mentor | @merpreb | Dec 14, 2018
In reply to @sakota "I did merry but I am beginning To regret that decision. I changed to dealing with..." + (show)
@sakota

I did merry but I am beginning
To regret that decision. I changed to dealing with drs here and I just don’t feel right about what they say. My biggest fear is that they will miss sometthing and then it will be too late. Do you go to mayo at Rochester. Maybe sometime we can schedule at the same time. Right now I’m waiting to hear for appt with pulmonologist in February Keep the faith and the power

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@sakota- I am on the east coast and go to MGH. One big fear with cancers is that "doctors wont get it all". I think that this is a legitimate fear. Legitimate because it sometimes happens. Sometimes doctors can't remove the entire cancer. Sometimes radiologists miss a tumor altogether. This happened to me.
With this, we have to deal/work with what we get. It's not perfect, it's not ideal, but all we have are humans to make decisions and act.

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sakota9 (Joan) | @sakota | Dec 14, 2018

@anyone. I had my ct scan a couple of days ago and I talked to the dr he said there were no changes and come back in six months...…. Ok now the radiologist report was posted today and this was in there :a subsolid morphology suggesting multicentric synchronous indolent primary lung cancers so what does this mean...…. to worry or not to worry …… thanks...….If I totally don't understand it I worry, lol Thanks everyone

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sakota9 (Joan) | @sakota | Dec 14, 2018

@merry. No matter what face you put on , full of smiles, or just kind of sad, the cancer thought is always and I mean always there in the back of your mind. But life goes on and we must too......

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Merry, Alumni Mentor | @merpreb | Dec 14, 2018

I agree, sakota

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