Post cancer anger issues and distancing from family and fridnds.

I was like that in the first year post transplant, while on Prednisone. After tapering out and eliminating the steroid, I went back to a more normal behavior. My husband experienced your symptoms too, with esophageal cancer. While his cancer is in remission and he is no longer taking the heavy medications, there has been a lingering depression that he just cannot shake off. I traveled the cancer road also, with 3 years of post surgery non stop complications. That is finally over. The road down the depths of facing death is a lonely road, no one can understand the mental trip we have taken. The world of family went on, without us. They survived. We have seen the shadows. It is up to us to really work on re-integrating into their world because they will never comprehend what we have gone through. Please accept a hug of empathy. Unfortunately, no words of wisdom.
It is important that the negative health trip does not define the person we are today. We are better than that.

I’m a Vietnam era veteran and have lost several friends that have returned home due to cancer. My son a Marine returned from Iraq with severe PTSD. He was a mess. On medication for a while now but he has his days which aren’t good. I tell him, like my friends with cancer you need to take it day by day and think positive! Blessings to you all and God.

There is a condition called "medical PTSD" or "medical trauma stress". Google it, there is good information available. It is my belief that anybody going through cancer treatment does not come out the same person after treatment, regardless of the outcome good or bad. It is up to us to work it out and re-integrate in society/family. They move on, we either sort through it or we are left behind. Change is upon us, not upon them - because they truly do not know how to bring us back into the fold.