Emotional aftermath following breast cancer treatment
While I was diagnosed in Dec. 2019, chemo, cancer surgery, and four more surgeries took place over the next 2 1/2 years (one of which was a second cancer surgery). I'm 6 weeks out from my last surgery, feeling somewhat normal physically, but wading through the emotional aftermath. "What just happened to me?" I told my husband that I've spent the past 2 1/2 years trying to stay alive - and I'm exhausted. Exaggerated emotions with up-and-down mood swings. . . I find myself yearning for that sense of emotional equilibrium I had before this all began. I'm doing my best to give myself time for this part of the healing - but I find myself weary. Family and friends look at me like I'm fine now, and the trauma has passed - but the truth is, I am not fine on the inside. It's as if my body is trying to reboot emotionally, and its short-circuiting a bit. I am so goal-oriented. . . if I just had that "magic" date of when everything would be normal again, I could focus on that; but it doesn't work that way. I have to be patient with this portion of the healing - and I'm finding that hard. What are others' experiences with this? How long does it take for your emotions to settle from the trauma of breast cancer?
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I did not suffer from that but I would suggest you ask your physician about giving you something to calm you down.
Thank you Colleen
Thank you.
I did chemotherapy and had a double mastectomy in 2012. Completed 7 Herceptin treatments in 2013 before I went into heart failure. The beast returned in 2021 and am now metastatic. It’s in lymph nodes, liver, abdomen, spine, bones and bone marrow. Prayers for us all fighting this beast.
We are in tune with being the caretakers, of everyone.
STOP- take a breath and walk away from anything which sets our hair on fire.
If we do not take control and do nothing..... then we will stay stuck.
only we can live our life no one else can.
Do our best everyday to be our best for ourselves first.
I am a prayer person go to church most every day and sit for 30 minutes to 45 and wait
for the peace to come.
Stay in the moment.
Love you all.
Maura
My heart is with all of my girlfriends of cancer survivors!
I had a double mastectomy in November no reconstruction!
I pray everyday for all of us!!
You are in my heart!!
Maura ❤️🙏🏼
I am almost 5 years out from my Mastectomy and I recently began therapy, not thinking my issues were related to the breast cancer issue! While that isn't the ONLY reason I have been struggling, what seems to be at play is the combined impact of before cancer, caring for my mother with dementia, other family dynamic issues, the cancer diagnosis, multiple surgeries, some cancer related and some not. So, adding together the 'bad' things that have happened in my life over the past 5+ years, cancer begin a big one, there is a great big ball of trauma I have experienced (even though now I would have said I am in a good spot in terms of no fires to put out in the immediate sense) that was news to me and is affecting me in a big way. So, I realized I let go of a lot of things that gave me happiness and peace of mind (facials, massage, visits with friends) over the past 5 years, time has been filled with scans, doctor appointments, therapy and a REGROUP is what I absolutely need. This week, I had a facial, agreed to go with my husband to a super bowl party at a friend's house, and am practicing mindfulness in a structured way that has been helpful. During radiation, the facility offered Yoga for all patients, family, staff and I took advantage. I intended to keep it going when I returned home, but didn't, so the mindfulness focus is a return to that stage and one that has been in the past very helpful for me. What I learned was that "discounting" the amount of trauma many/most of us experience sometimes in life in general but certainly more for those with a cancer journey is not something to be dismissed. While it isn't exactly a part of the Cancer, it is an area of equal concern that may well require help from non-cancer therapists and programs and may well be beyond the scope of what the cancer specialists can see/do. JMHO
How are you now? Did you find ways to get unstuck?
There are days that turn into weeks that I get stuck. I also felt very engaged in my dx and treatment. But was surprised with the lack of direction & focus after. I had retired a year and a half before my diagnosis - but with COVID restrictions never got into a retirement mode.
I feel I should be past this. That I know better, and should schedule something to do that gets me out of stuck.
I HAVE been out of stuck and signed up for fun activities and I am going to. But I wasn’t cleared on my one year visit last October and am waiting the 6 months recommended to get a new MRI and mammogram. The “not clear” report shot down the feeling that I was moving forward after treatment.
They have rated a lesion in the contralateral left breast as BIRADS 3, and are following a 7.7 mm round lymph node on my right - it’s a level one axillary lymph node. They report they believe both are benign but must be scanned again to see if either have grown. I realize this is not a bad report - but it’s not clear either.
Anyway, would love to hear if you found a way out of stuck!
Your wisdom , and your compassionate sharing of such wisdom, is VERY MUCH APPRECIATED. Thank you 💕
I've completed all my active treatment (TNBC BRCA2+ - chemo, bilateral, then radiation) and have found my emotions more of a roller coaster ride now than when I was going through treatment. Maybe that was because I was actively doing something for my dx. I'm trying different things but some days I'm just unfocused and stuck. I hope this doesn't become my long-term "new" reality. I'm getting ready to retire and I have things I want to do and places I want to go. Now I'll have the time. What are things people are doing to get past the unfocused & stuck position they find themselves in?
I understand
I am six wks out form surgery I had a lumpectomy metastatic her2 negative
For me the emotional state is truly a challenge
I trust with my faith in God for my life my healing!
God bless us!
I pray constantly
Stay in the word