Anxiety due to Cancer

Posted by Bob, Alumni Mentor @grandpabob, Sep 30, 2019

I am sure there are very few of us diagnosed with cancer that do not, or have not suffered from some form of anxiety. Anxiety, for me started at the time of diagnosis, Large B Cell Lymphoma, the initial shock of that knowledge was the trigger. It is not that it occupied every minute of the day, with everything else that accompanies cancer treatment, there was more than enough happening to occupy the hours. I also recognized that the triggers changed as I moved along the path of cancer care and treatment. Anxiety also led to some wakefulness which led to fatigue, other common side effects.

Some of the triggers of anxiety for me were: How early do we need to leave the house to make it to the appointment on time. Will I have any side effects from this session? Are the sounds of the IV pumps during chemotherapy going to bother me today? (interestingly, those pumps made me very anxious almost all the time.)

To combat anxiety, I took the following actions to lessen this symptom of cancer: Exercise, when I had the energy I walked out of doors, outdoor distractions helped to focus my mind on what I was doing in the present. I meditated and used “apps” such as “Calm” to take my mind off the stresses. When I could, I took advantage of a counselor who coached me to discuss how I was feeling about things.

Are you undergoing any anxiety? What works for you to reduce your anxiety levels?

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

raremiracle2 | @raremiracle2 | Feb 26, 2023

Bob, Alumni Mentor; You're old soul Grandpa Bob Sep 30, 2019
Reading through old comments; Glad your still in the loop
Husband is bi-polar 1 million x worse for depression/ anxiety
I don't feel like my depression/ anxiety count because (It doesn't effect my daily life)
EXCISE HELP ANXEITY; CANCER = PAIN and too much pain to excise
"My Doctors told me about doing "YOGA" "STRETCHING EXCISES"
I'm the same one who sister has MS "feel connection" to you and god bless your daily symptoms and life's journey. I used to love walks with my husband (Now I bring walker and see how far I get and my husband has to help me back) I sit and watch him walk around the park after my legs quit working. Walmart: get through 1/2 of the store until my legs won't work. Used to LOVE shopping. It's very hard NOT too have working legs.
Used to my mower and do all my elderly neighbors for free. Now, I can do 1-2 lines, my legs won't work.

lastround | @lastround | Mar 5, 2023

I owned a construction company for over 30 years so every day was a battle.
I of course have had anxiety and heart break. From the first doctor I dealt with to the one I have now I’m told that the NET tumors were going to kill me.
I’m 63 the first thing I said to the doctor was, what do I tell my wife.
Dr one in May, said I would be gone by Thanksgiving of last year. Dr #2 wrote me off last August. I’m on dr 3 now and I’m still here.
May attitude is, Don’t let the Bastard [cancer] win. Well, I’m still here, just finished 6 months of chemo and I’m still here.
So the battle continues, I didn’t think I”d be this busy when I retired!
So try and relax, cry when know one is looking.
Good luck

gardenlady1116 | @gardenlady1116 | Mar 6, 2023

I retired at 68 and was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer 4 months later. At least I had time to physically recover from work, I went overseas, visited my 94 year old mother. I had my grandchildren for a visit from overseas. They went home 11/4 and I noticed I was turning yellow 11/13. My grandchildren left just in time. It would have been terrible for them to be with me when I was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer with my CT scan 11/16. I know that some people when they retire start spending their time going to the doctor, but at least I had a break before trouble started. I seem to be showing response to treatment. I worked before when I had my first two cancers and I can't imagine trying to work with all of the requirements of treatment. My prognosis was less than one year without treatment. I won't really know if treatment will extend my life until I have lived a year from my diagnosis.