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Antidepressants please share your experience
Hello you all. I hope everyone is doing well. I have a question. I have never been a sad person. High anxiety at times but never sad or unable to enjoy life. Until now! Since a diagnosis in May I have struggled with sadness and depression and fear. I took anxiety pills as needed for a while but that did not really help the…
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Immediate Counseling Services?
I had a suspicious spot on a CT last week, so I am having another on Wednesday. I have been extremely anxious since I found out about needing another scan. I have scheduled a therapy appointment with a new counselor for next week, and my MO has called in an Ativan prescription for me. But I feel like I need to talk to a…
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New 10-episode podcast series with Dr Charlotte Tottman
Hi there, My name is Dr Charlotte Tottman. I am a Clinical Psychologist specialising in cancer-related distress. I also have my own lived experience of breast cancer. We launched my 10-episode podcast series, Upfront About Breast Cancer: What You Don't Know Until You Do with Dr Charlotte Tottman in October, 2021 with…
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Spiraling and irrational- other types of cancer
I’m seeing a counselor, but put in a call to be seen by a cancer psych. I had endometrial thickening before BC dx, but was swept into the BC current before I could do anything about it. Now on Tamoxifen it seems very important to get that figured out. I arrived at the medical building where my new gyno is, and knew I had…
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Feeling so alone
I have been reading on this site for some time now but haven't really participated much, not really sure why other than maybe trying to protect myself a little as I don't have a lot of support and have been trying my best to get through all this on my own (telling myself I have to be strong not only for myself but for…
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Most women will get breast cancer, Its not a big deal anymore
Do I have this all wrong? I told a coworker and that was her reply. Is this no big deal and a walk in the park for most? Am I wrong for crying and being depressed at times? Has anyone else encountered this before?
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NYTimes: Mind and body form a two-way street
The Devastating Ways Depression and Anxiety Impact the Body Excerpt - “In studies that tracked how patients with breast cancer fared, for example, Dr. David Spiegel and his colleagues at Stanford University School of Medicine showed decades ago that women whose depression was easing lived longer than those whose depression…
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Stressing over recurrence
Hey yall! I'm 17 months from diagnosis. Stage 1A. Triple positive. Ki-67 55%. ATM mutation. BMX. Attempted chemo- allergic. Herceptin and now Tamox. Also, total hysterectomy. NED. Lately I find myself sort of obsessing over the possibility of a recurrence. I'm looking up stats, reading posts about recurrence here, and have…
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OMG They Found the Cure for Stupid
Yes it's true. There has been a new and miraculous cure discovered for stupidity!!!! Who would have thought....YIPPEE. I can now put it in an email and send it to all my stupid friends and relatives that have sent me emails about the latest cure for cancer. Yes it is a vegetable you have never eaten, a tea you can't stand…
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Cancer changes everything! anyone that kept living normal?
Maybe I just need to vent or maybe I'm just mad! But I feel like cancer has changed everything!!! I look to see if a lotion contains hormones, I am terrified to have a few glasses of wine, I'm scared to eat certain foods for fear of feeding the cancer. And trust me I ate healthy before cancer, I was never a big drinker,…
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Welcome to The Worry Bar
I'm doing an online Zoom MBSR (mindfulness-based stress reduction) class from gilda's club. Last week the class was about accepting thoughts vrs have an aversion to thoughts. That resonated with me and now I have a coping mechanism that is taking shape and seems to be reducing my scanxiety and FOR (fear of recurrence) When…
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Online mental health programs for cancer survivors
Hi everyone :) I wanted to share with you the free online mental health programs that my team of cancer researchers and psychologists run for cancer survivors. We realise that the cancer experience does not simply stop when treatment comes to an end. The aftermath of cancer can be horrible and can take a major toll on…
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How do you control the fear of recurrence?
How does everyone cope with the fear of recurrence? I was diagnosed in dec 2019 at age 26 with triple negative IDC stage 2 grade 3. My cancer was tough and it put up a good fight, it was extremely aggressive but finally knocked it out with AC and had a complete response at time of surgery. All my treatment is below if you…
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The Hermit Club
Hey all.....just got done reading a great thread under this topic about feeling like a hermit through this process, was wondering who else out there feels like cocooning themselves right now? I'm mid treatment with my chemo, and have basically isolated myself somewhat because I feel that all my energy is expended just…
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Anyone in NYC/North NJ want to recommend their psych?
Please feel free to PM me if you don't feel comfortable posting here. I'm having a really hard time finding a psychiatrist who takes insurance and knows anything about BC drugs (specifically as pertains to interactions with antidepressants). My breast center lost their psych and hasn't replaced her. Thanks.
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Pinktober Revolution
We support the efforts to bring awareness to breast cancer during the month of October, but we are frustrated by Pinking and Pinkwashing. Please, join us as we seek to improve knowledge re: breast cancer. Vision Statement:To bring full awareness of the reality of breast cancer to the general public; the surgeries, the…
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How to forgive family/friends who disappeared during cancer....
Hello, I would love advice on how to forgive and move on in family/friend relationships. I was diag. with bc for the second time Oct. 5. Had a double mastec. 10/26 and am having the expander reconstr. now. It was such a shock to have bc a second time when I was nearly to my 5 yr. mark! It is amazing to me that friends I…
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PTSD and fear
Hi there: I just had my checkup at the cancer clinic - it’s been almost three years since my second diagnosis. Just a few weeks ago, I was told I had definite symptoms of PTSD caused by breast cancer trauma too by a local psychotherapist. I am now enrolled in a trauma group for PTSD which starts in a few weeks. Since my…
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Physical aging appearance
Has anyone had physical aging appearance on their face since their DX? Can all this age us prematurely....stress, treatment, meds? Any anti-aging remedies out there that can help? Jan
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Managing the Emotions of a Cancer Diagnosis
From first hearing the words "you have cancer" through treatment and post-treatment, it is not uncommon to feel anxious, angry, afraid, numb, confused, or depressed. Accepting the diagnosis and figuring out what cancer will mean in your life is challenging, and adjusting to the emotions takes time. Breastcancer.org…
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The Pink is a Liar! Fight Pinkwashing Using Social Media
We all HATE the way Breast Cancer is prostituted for profit. We have had enough of the breastploitation of an incurable disease that affects men and women. Breast cancer is treated as a joke by those unaffected. We know living with BC at any stage is so, so very hard. We live with the fear that dying from Metastatic BC is…
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Great saying about depression
My husband came to me one day and had found a quote on depression that really hit home for me, and I hope it helps all of you. "Depression is not a sign of weakness. It's a sign you've been strong for too long." Since this is a large forum, many of you may already have heard this. Although I'm still on the path out of…