Facing Cancer Recurrence, PTSD & Acknowledging Mental Health

Thank you for your insight about taking Prozac. I too am contemplating taking it for help during this small cell lung cancer journey.
After taking it for a couple of years,long ago, for menopause I do remember that it did help with many sleepless nights due to night sweats & nervousness. Now needing help with anxiety & depression.

Your words have comforted me too. Thank you for sharing your cancer journey. I too have had a long journey of 17 years dealing with 3 different cancers. First was in 2002 with a Fibro sarcoma in my right breast, followed by 50 sessions of radiation, then in 2010 breast cancer followed by mastectomy & chemo. The following year I had a chest wall recurrence followed by 50 more sessions of radiation. Things went well with no signs of metastasis for 8 years. During that time I sometimes totally forgot that I ever had cancer with little side effects once I got my energy back. Last year I was diagnosed with a new cancer, not related with the breast cancer. The small cell lung cancer was a stunning shock. Thank God it was found in its early stage of 3a. Since then I have gone through 18 sessions of carboplatin & etoposide along with yet another 50 sessions of radiation. After extensive research & a long consultation with a Mayo neurologist I opted not to have the protocol of whole brain radiation because of my age. I am now having side effects from all of these treatments & trying to stay as active & positive as possible with a touch of PTSD & every day head aches. My last 3 MRIs showed no new cancers & the small lung tumor has shrunk by half. My MD prescribed the generic of Prozac, which I have not started yet. I do take a generic for Zanax to help with sleep & sometimes for panic attacks. Just taking your advice by sharing my long journey with cancer survival. The neurologist was amazed with my past history & asked if I had ever been genetically tested, which I have not. I thank God every day for the love & support of family & friends.

@musicflowers4u- Good morning. Thank you for being with us. as you know survivors represent hope to so many people! How are you feeling? I have one small nodule in my left lower lobe (lung) that my doctors are keeping an eye on. I rely on Connect to keep me grounded and safe. It is part of my security blanket family!

Good morning @alamogal635. Thank you. I truly believe that honesty with myself and sharing my journey with others has helped me over the "hump", and out of PTSD. Many times I feel that I'm teetering long it's rim, and that's just fine. Each time I have to right myself is one more notch of survival! Stay as strong as you can, being as honest with yourself as you can. and write. You are an excellent writer. I truly believe that writing helps more than a shrink sometimes!

I understand the fear of recurrence as I am approaching my third year post surgery. Knowing i’m not alone and that I can rely on this forum of people who will be a great support system if it happens is comforting.

Appreciate you ability to be so honest about all your feelings and experiences during your ordeal with cancer. I pick up helpful bits and pieces—this my first experience with VATS. So many who have not had our trials and tribulations seem to think we can bounce back in no time. You make it clear that this is not so. You are so right in this. Also the lingering fear of recurrence is always there. Sometimes it lurks beneath the surface and sometime it is right there at the surface. I go from optimist to,pessimist several times a day. I cannot imagine having the number of treatments that yiu’ve Had and not completely breaking with reality! I admire your strength and honesty. God bless you for your blog and for just being You!

I don't feel numbed with the Prozac. DO\on't know about being a sweetie--really have my moments :-). Am working with a psychiatrist and we think the Prozac is the best. Tried Zoloft and it just wan't a good fit. I have been through o many anti depressants and Prozac (generic) seems best for me. Thank you for sharing the "lobotomy" saying with me. I wish I could have taken picture of the nurse's face when I said it. Don't need a lobotomy--I think I was born with one :-).

@alamogal635- You re such sweetie. Have you considered changing antidepressants? I found that Prozac kind of numbed people, and my self rather than deal with depression. I had to change to Zoloft and wellbutrin. By the way I have said lobotomy more than once! lol.

Thank you for your wise words. I think you are right. I will be talking by phone to my counselor today and look forward to "pouring my heart out." What you say makes sense. On top fo everything else, I have depression and take prozac for it. I guess it helps, but like you say this lobectomy is not a "normal" occurrence. It is early in the recovery time. Sorry you spilled coffee on your lap top. You wrote well despite it. Again, what you've written has really helped. Blessings to you and I will be reading a lot of these posts. Don't write as much as others right now. This however is a great site. I wish everyone all the good ness that we can glean from the others here.

@alamogal635- Good morning. I know just what you mean and how you are feeling. I spilled coffee on my laptop and m missing some letters. I've not been on much because of it, but I'm following everyone. Your uestions and uneasiness at this time are very normal as you adjust to your new life after major surgery. No one knows what will happen in the future. l also depression is very common after major surgery. Two weeks, or even three is very little time after lobectomy to feel "normal" I found that if I didn't get enough sleep, or if I was hungry or if I didn't exercise I was more so. Your feelings of denial come from the "why me" uestion. I think. It's not so much why me that yu were ill, but why me that I could die from this, and that this can come back and slap me in the face. Both are true, it's scary for sure. I would advise that you continue to talk to your counselor and just give yourself time. My heart is with you.