@jodimj Anxiety has been with me as far back as I can remember. It seems it’s just below the surface ready to rise up at the slightest provocation. I’m sharing this to share that I know what the rising tide of anxiety feels like. And that yammering in my head, as you put it. Taking a walk is one of my coping skills where I take the anxiety with me, let it be there, and move my body. This sometimes will help me to “reset” for awhile.

Like you, I’m very private and during my cancer treatment journey I was selective on who to tell. If you do lose your hair I can understand how this will make your life less private. I did not have chemotherapy so hair loss didn’t happen. I had radiation therapy and so I could stay as private as I wished. Do you know that you could lose your hair - is that what your cancer care team shared with you? I’m asking because some meds for chemotherapy do not result in hair loss.

I read your most recent post on the discussion that you started. It looks like the suggestions from @gynosaur42 were very helpful for you and you’ve been able to locate a therapist with a speciality in cancer. I’ve found that being able to say my fears out loud to someone who cares and listens - and doesn’t pepper me with advice or their own stuff - is so calming. Friends and family can be very supportive as they know us best. I hope you have friends and family close by whose loving presence is a source of calm for you.

Please consider doing this for yourself (it’s what I do). Remind yourself that you are perfect just as you are in this moment. You are doing all you can for yourself in the moment.

Will you please keep checking back in here and let me know how you are feeling and how your treatments are going?

Nature Girl

I am just starting out as well. Three cycles of carbo/ taxol with carboplatin once every three weeks and taxol weekly then surgery. I am losing my hair as well. I thought i would be one of those that shaved it but after watching a video about shaving, i decided to comb after conditioner applied. I do this every time i wash me hair. It helps with not being so messy and hair everywhere. I am on week 8 and still have just enough hair that i can rock a baseball cap and you can't tell yet. Walking, eating clean, and Eleven 22(sermons by Joby Martin) have helped with my anxiety. At the very beginning, I would feel myself hyperventilating and feeling overwhelmed. I'm 62 and feel the same way about drugs. Actually, I think the premeds before the chemo are harder on me. The benedryl especially makes me feel so yuck. The nausea meds are really not that bad. Goodluck to you and feel free to reach out.