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.

margaret2 | @margaret2 | Feb 7, 2019

Good morning.
My breast cancer came back 4 months after completing my first chemo. I felt hurt like I was punched in the gut! My recurrent breast cancer was in the sentinal lymph node site. I had surgery to remove the lymph nodes on my left arm. I am back on chemo with 5 months of chemo followed by radiation.
My doctor says it is stage 3. It is crazy how I cling to that! Back to work full time and have had a really hard time. I feel sick all the time. I am 65 and thought I was healthy 14 months ago.
I don't have family close by and most of the people I thought were friends don't call. I thank God for the couple who do call.

REPLY
2 replies
lady1lake | @lady1lake | Feb 7, 2019

Hi Margaret, am so sorry to learn of your recurrence. I too had a breast cancer to return as a chest wall recurrence within a year after a total mastectomy. Then had a small surgery followed by 50 sessions of twice a day radiation. That was 8 years ago when I was 71. What you are going through is scary, but doable. Try to focus on one day at a time & be glad that modern medicine can help you to survive & lead a productive life.

REPLY
1 reply
trixie1313 | @trixie1313 | Feb 7, 2019
In reply to @margaret2 "Good morning. My breast cancer came back 4 months after completing my first chemo. I felt..." + (show)
@margaret2

Good morning.
My breast cancer came back 4 months after completing my first chemo. I felt hurt like I was punched in the gut! My recurrent breast cancer was in the sentinal lymph node site. I had surgery to remove the lymph nodes on my left arm. I am back on chemo with 5 months of chemo followed by radiation.
My doctor says it is stage 3. It is crazy how I cling to that! Back to work full time and have had a really hard time. I feel sick all the time. I am 65 and thought I was healthy 14 months ago.
I don't have family close by and most of the people I thought were friends don't call. I thank God for the couple who do call.

Jump to this post

Margaret, I am so sorry you are going through this. If there are some groups where you are that you can reach out to, can you try that. Where I live, there are several support groups. If that is possible, you will meet many people with similar situations and can share your thoughts and concerns. I've found that as long as I focus in one day at a time that that helps. All the best to you.

REPLY
1 reply
julie1976 | @julie1976 | Feb 7, 2019

Oh the reply I have. In 1988 I was 12 years old and diagnosed with Hodgekins Lymphoma. The best of the worst they said. I had mantle radiation. I guess things were so different then because that mantle radiation not only brought on cancer. Twice. Even more. First I had cardio myopathy, congestive heart failure. Pancreatitis . Then Breast cancer. I had a double mastectomy. We caught it in it's earliest stage but it was only going to become a problem (went through a long re construction that failed) Last year I asked my dr for a CT because of some symptoms I was having. It didn't happen . I asked my oncologist. They found a very large tumor(Meningioma) In January I had it removed. I'm 42. Pretty sure more is coming. The odds just say there is. So yeah there is some PTSD...some impending doom. I'm a positive person. All the medical issues were the best of the worst and caught early. I am just so thankful and grateful the tumor is out of my head! There will be side effects from brain surgery. Bring it. Seeing the picture they showed me of it...knowing it was there...waiting for surgery. The relief knowing it's gone. For me,catching it early. I'll be putting my foot down with my dr. Full body scan. Often. lol
I started painting a few years ago. Following tutorials on line for free.I'm good at it and I love it. I have done a few originals but I love learning and challenging myself and escaping thinking about what's next. I have a 23 year old son I raised on my own and I am so thankful for all the blessings and early detection.
I would love to find a way to find people who also had mantle radiation in 1988 or around that time....what should I also be checking and keeping an eye on. I don't want to obsess but to be wise. @merperb

REPLY
2 replies
julie1976 | @julie1976 | Feb 7, 2019
In reply to @julie1976 "Oh the reply I have. In 1988 I was 12 years old and diagnosed with Hodgekins..." + (show)
@julie1976

Oh the reply I have. In 1988 I was 12 years old and diagnosed with Hodgekins Lymphoma. The best of the worst they said. I had mantle radiation. I guess things were so different then because that mantle radiation not only brought on cancer. Twice. Even more. First I had cardio myopathy, congestive heart failure. Pancreatitis . Then Breast cancer. I had a double mastectomy. We caught it in it's earliest stage but it was only going to become a problem (went through a long re construction that failed) Last year I asked my dr for a CT because of some symptoms I was having. It didn't happen . I asked my oncologist. They found a very large tumor(Meningioma) In January I had it removed. I'm 42. Pretty sure more is coming. The odds just say there is. So yeah there is some PTSD...some impending doom. I'm a positive person. All the medical issues were the best of the worst and caught early. I am just so thankful and grateful the tumor is out of my head! There will be side effects from brain surgery. Bring it. Seeing the picture they showed me of it...knowing it was there...waiting for surgery. The relief knowing it's gone. For me,catching it early. I'll be putting my foot down with my dr. Full body scan. Often. lol
I started painting a few years ago. Following tutorials on line for free.I'm good at it and I love it. I have done a few originals but I love learning and challenging myself and escaping thinking about what's next. I have a 23 year old son I raised on my own and I am so thankful for all the blessings and early detection.
I would love to find a way to find people who also had mantle radiation in 1988 or around that time....what should I also be checking and keeping an eye on. I don't want to obsess but to be wise. @merperb

Jump to this post

@merpreb

REPLY
margaret2 | @margaret2 | Feb 8, 2019
In reply to @lady1lake "Hi Margaret, am so sorry to learn of your recurrence. I too had a breast cancer..." + (show)
@lady1lake

Hi Margaret, am so sorry to learn of your recurrence. I too had a breast cancer to return as a chest wall recurrence within a year after a total mastectomy. Then had a small surgery followed by 50 sessions of twice a day radiation. That was 8 years ago when I was 71. What you are going through is scary, but doable. Try to focus on one day at a time & be glad that modern medicine can help you to survive & lead a productive life.

Jump to this post

Thank you so much. Your story gives me hope.

REPLY
margaret2 | @margaret2 | Feb 8, 2019
In reply to @trixie1313 "Margaret, I am so sorry you are going through this. If there are some groups where..." + (show)
@trixie1313

Margaret, I am so sorry you are going through this. If there are some groups where you are that you can reach out to, can you try that. Where I live, there are several support groups. If that is possible, you will meet many people with similar situations and can share your thoughts and concerns. I've found that as long as I focus in one day at a time that that helps. All the best to you.

Jump to this post

I am sure there are groups around but I don't know how to find them.
I will need to be more proactive. Thank you for responding.

REPLY
3 replies
Mentor
Teresa, Volunteer Mentor | @hopeful33250 | Feb 8, 2019
In reply to @margaret2 "I am sure there are groups around but I don't know how to find them. I..." + (show)
@margaret2

I am sure there are groups around but I don't know how to find them.
I will need to be more proactive. Thank you for responding.

Jump to this post

Hello @margaret2

Welcome to Mayo Connect. While I have not had breast cancer, I have had 3 surgeries for a rare form of cancer and I can understand just a little as to what you are feeling. It can be devastating to get the news that there is yet another cancer to deal with. I certainly admire your ability to go back to work as I'm sure you are not feeling all that great right now.

I see that you have received a lot of support from other Members already. If you are looking for a personal support group, I would like to suggest that you contact the local American Cancer Society in your area. They will undoubtedly have a list of groups nearby.

Will you keep in touch?

REPLY
Merry, Alumni Mentor | @merpreb | Feb 8, 2019
In reply to @margaret2 "Good morning. My breast cancer came back 4 months after completing my first chemo. I felt..." + (show)
@margaret2

Good morning.
My breast cancer came back 4 months after completing my first chemo. I felt hurt like I was punched in the gut! My recurrent breast cancer was in the sentinal lymph node site. I had surgery to remove the lymph nodes on my left arm. I am back on chemo with 5 months of chemo followed by radiation.
My doctor says it is stage 3. It is crazy how I cling to that! Back to work full time and have had a really hard time. I feel sick all the time. I am 65 and thought I was healthy 14 months ago.
I don't have family close by and most of the people I thought were friends don't call. I thank God for the couple who do call.

Jump to this post

I'd like to add my welcome to Connect @margaret2. I'm sorry that your cancer has recurred. Yesterday I was at my hospital, MGH for a follow up CT scan for NSCLC, lung cancer. My cancer journey started in 1997 and since then I have had 4 lung cancers with a total 6 cancerous nodules. The CT scan yesterday appears stable, so for the next 6 months my mind will be at peace. It's been 22 years since my first lung cancer. And each one was like you said, a punch in the gut. I've had chemo and 2 types of radiation.
Being at piece by no means mean that I wont worry or be scared, or think about cancer or dying, it just means that I've learned to put it on my back plate for just a little while.
I know that you have too, it's even scarier because you need to repeat everything. It's a fight that keeps on happening-it's cancer and it sucks.

REPLY
Moderator
Colleen Young, Connect Director | @colleenyoung | Feb 8, 2019
In reply to @julie1976 "Oh the reply I have. In 1988 I was 12 years old and diagnosed with Hodgekins..." + (show)
@julie1976

Oh the reply I have. In 1988 I was 12 years old and diagnosed with Hodgekins Lymphoma. The best of the worst they said. I had mantle radiation. I guess things were so different then because that mantle radiation not only brought on cancer. Twice. Even more. First I had cardio myopathy, congestive heart failure. Pancreatitis . Then Breast cancer. I had a double mastectomy. We caught it in it's earliest stage but it was only going to become a problem (went through a long re construction that failed) Last year I asked my dr for a CT because of some symptoms I was having. It didn't happen . I asked my oncologist. They found a very large tumor(Meningioma) In January I had it removed. I'm 42. Pretty sure more is coming. The odds just say there is. So yeah there is some PTSD...some impending doom. I'm a positive person. All the medical issues were the best of the worst and caught early. I am just so thankful and grateful the tumor is out of my head! There will be side effects from brain surgery. Bring it. Seeing the picture they showed me of it...knowing it was there...waiting for surgery. The relief knowing it's gone. For me,catching it early. I'll be putting my foot down with my dr. Full body scan. Often. lol
I started painting a few years ago. Following tutorials on line for free.I'm good at it and I love it. I have done a few originals but I love learning and challenging myself and escaping thinking about what's next. I have a 23 year old son I raised on my own and I am so thankful for all the blessings and early detection.
I would love to find a way to find people who also had mantle radiation in 1988 or around that time....what should I also be checking and keeping an eye on. I don't want to obsess but to be wise. @merperb

Jump to this post

@julie1976, wow. Not sure how else to respond. I simply cannot imagine dealing with what you are managing so incredibly well. To think that radiation to treat childhood NHL can cause so many very serious multiple cancers and other conditions. But yours is not an isolated case. I will look for others who had mantle field radiation for non-Hodgkins lymphoma. Luckily this type of radiation treatment is rarely, if ever, used today.

I applaud your ability to remain a positive person and to be such a strong self-advocate. You know your body. We have a group of artists here on Connect who share about art and healing. I think you might like to also join this discussion:
> Just Want to Talk group > Art for Healing > https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/art-for-healing/

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