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Share personal goals for the next year and your proudest moments of this year!
The end-of-year often leads to reflections about the past year and the next to come. Share your personal goals/ aspirations for the next year and also what you were most proud of this year.
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Have you experienced PTS or PTSD following a breast cancer diagnosis?
Please share below your experiences with PTS (post-traumatic stress) or PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder). How has this affected your life, the way you feel, your relationships, activities? And how are you managing?
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How to Ease Stress
How to Ease Stress Apr 12, 2024 Dr. Pamela Ginsberg offers tools and tips on how to ease stress and anxiety after a breast cancer diagnosis. That being diagnosed with breast cancer is stressful is an understatement. It may be difficult to accept the diagnosis. You may feel overwhelmed by making so many decisions at once:…
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Have you experienced cancer "ghosting"?
Have you experienced a withdrawal from any friends or family members since your cancer diagnosis? Please feel free to share your detailed experiences with others below.
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Watch: Mental Health and Breast Cancer Webinar
This webinar brings the hidden traumas of breast cancer into the open for an honest conversation about mental health and cancer. Experts share tips on getting support for anyone who has struggled with anxiety, fear, depression, anger, or felt overwhelmed by the emotional impact of a diagnosis. Learn about a variety of…
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Mental Health Resources from Breastcancer.org
Surprised it’s only 1 in 4? You’re not alone. After being diagnosed with breast cancer, it is common to experience many emotional highs and lows. For some people, the effects of trauma caused by breast cancer can linger for months to years after being diagnosed. Here are some useful links from the pages of…
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STEAM ROOM FOR ANGER
This thread is meant to be for RANTS and RANTING. Then Rant again. We need a place to simply get rid of the anger. Write it here. Unleash it all. Get it out. This isn't meant for the Stupid comments(great thread). This is for the gut wrenching, tell them off anger. IMPORTANT: When done ranting don't necessarily stick…
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How do you feel about the "battle" terminology used about managing a breast cancer diagnosis?
How do you feel about the battle terminology (fight, warrior, strong) used about managing a breast cancer diagnosis? Take our poll and share your experiences below.
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Women with young children
Does the fear and sadness ever get easier? I was diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer 6 months ago, and I can't stop thinking about leaving my 2 year old daughter behind. I know there's women who have it a lot worse than me. I'm just trying to figure out how you all are so strong. I'm on anxiety medicine and sought out…
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When positive thinking doesn't work !
I am two weeks post surgery and I know I am incredibly lucky - with cancer diagnosed very early, isolated to one breast and nothing in the lymph nodes, I am counting my blessings every day. Up to now I have managed to remain positive, positive thinking, healthy diets, entertaining an endless stream of visitors and…
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Impostor Syndrome anyone??
So I started my breast cancer journey just 3 months ago. I went for my first mammogram and within 1 month I was diagnosed with Breast Cancer. Despite my diagnosis, I must say that I have been blessed. The size of my tumor wasn't too big, grade 1 with no genetic mutations found in my genetic testing. A low-ish Oncotype…
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What part of day-to-day life during your breast cancer experience has been most challenging for you?
Take our poll and share details in the thread below!
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Comfort dogs
Okay, I am just throwing this out there: does anyone else feel closer to their dog than to humans through this roller coaster journey? I have a wonderful life and great support, but my little blind shelter dog Lewie (a white poodle mix) has been constantly by my side- whether I am sleeping on the couch after chemo or in…
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PTSD and cancer
https://www.breastcancer.org/community/podcasts/ptsd-20181220 I have read this transcript and it was simply amazing. I have developed PTSD type symptoms during cancer treatment and on top of other mental health issues. I have a psychiatrist to handle my physical symptoms but I'm finding it hard to find a therapist that I…
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How well do you feel your family understands your diagnosis?
Please take our poll and share your experiences below on navigating a breast cancer diagnosis at any stage with your family!
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Panic attack, sadness and breathing exercise
Hi everybody I'm usually happy and try to have my normal life, but sometimes I just feel like I'm going deeper snd deeper in to sadness, or having a strong panic attack . Especially now that I fpund out my cancer is back in my liver, after only an year of Ribociclib. I tough it was supposed to last 5 or 6 year, but not for…
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Warm & fuzzy owls, goats, kitties, dogs, birds ETC. PICS &LINKS
With W&F's take time to transfer your goodie connections---visual, youtube, short stories etc., or even go and find things to post here. It's a place our sisters and brothers can come to when they are recovering from sx's , chemo's, rads.......or as time passes for those that this damnable disease causes them to be to weak…
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INSOMNIACS place to talk in the wee hours
Welcome. This is called the insomnia thread, but we post 24/7/365. We call ourselves Owlettes :) No nastiness, bullying, stalking or such allowed. I would like to keep the kind fabric of this thread intact. Discussion will flow where it will as all threads do. This will be a happy place. I hope with lots of laughing. Talk…
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Severe anxiety, depression, and insomnia following quitting progesterone cold turkey
My mother was diagnosed with breast cancer in both breasts in December of last year. Prior to her diagnosis she was taking progesterone to treat the effects of menopause. She stopped taking the progesterone after the diagnosis. Since then she has been experiencing extreme anxiety, depression, and insomnia. What treatment…
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3 years out 2 nd time.
a woman who knew what I’ve been through came up to me put her hands on my Buddha belly and asked when I was due. I was in shock. Brought me to my knees in heart break. Had many friends supporting me but they also could not believe it.
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I had a bilateral mastectomy over a year ago.
I don't know if I'm going crazy or what. I feel alone and nobody understands what I'm going through. I'm the first in both sides of my family to get breast cancer, first of all. And my mom and aunt's have passed away. In my father also. So I did do a genetic test and it dishow that there was no trace of it in my genes. So…
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physically depressed due to ai & OS shot?
after changing AI from letrozole to anastrozole I had I initially thought the side effects were more tolerable. However, it’s been about 9 months and I feel that robbing my body if every scrap of estrogen has brought me into an odd depression which seems purely physically and mental. I have zero motivation or energy to do…
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Scanxiety and results - can anyone relate?
I think I post something like this just about every year, but this forum is the only place where people really seem to understand. My five-year mammogram is coming up in about 10 days, and my scanxiety is in full swing. As before, experiencing the procedure doesn't bother me too much, but the idea of receiving my results…
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Feels unmotivated and tired all the time
I have stage IV triple negative breast cancer and is now on the third type of chemo drug, Paclitaxel. My life-long dream after 35 years is finally coming true, but I don't feel like doing anything. I am not motivated and always feel tired and depressed. I try to take a walk and bath to make a change in such emotional…
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What are your favorite ways to relax and destress during your breast cancer experience?
Choose one or more options below and feel free to elaborate and share specific recommendations in the comments below! We'd love to hear from you!
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A Retreat for Peaceful Contemplation
I have been told by many, that my pictures are so peaceful. So here is Picture #1 to start your journey. Come here to retreat whenever you like and remember to Breathe. Know that God and the ladies on this board are here for you. Please keep long conversations in PMs to each other.
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Did breast cancer prematurely age your brain?
Hi, I was diagnosed with Stage 3 hormone positive BC when I was 54. I underwent a bilateral mastectomy and had 16 lymph nodes removed which caused lymphedema (albeit mild, luckily). I’m going to be 61 in a few weeks and happy to say that as far as I know, I’m still cancer free. Yeah! But the disease and the hormone therapy…
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The dumbest things people have said to you/about you
Ok, I know, it might sound mean to make fun of people or call them "stupid" or "idiots". But I am sure that in your journey you had quite a bit of stupid/insensitive or plain dumb stuff told to you. And you wanted to just get those people by their collar and shake them real well (or maybe who knows, just give them a good…
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Do not feel social
Is it normal to not want to be around people? While I enjoy being with friends and family I do not feel like being around people and having to say that it is fine when mentally I am not ok. I want to be alone to process all that is going on but my husband wants me to keep a positive attitude and he feels that being alone…
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Podcast: Cognitively-Based Compassion Training May Help Ease Stress
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Research News: ASCO Updates Guidelines on Managing Anxiety and Depression in Cancer Survivors
ASCO Updates Guidelines on Managing Anxiety and Depression in Cancer Survivors April 29, 2023 ASCO has released new guidelines to help doctors offer the most effective treatments for anxiety and depression after a cancer diagnosis. Read more…
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Should Licensed Professional Counselors be Avoided ?
Dear Breast Cancer Community: I am a 10 year survivor of breast cancer. I am also a Licensed Professional Counselor with over 20 years experience. As with all Licensed Professional Counselors/Mental Health Counselors, I am credentialed (licensed) by my state. My professional education, training, and experience are at least…
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Does therapy really help?
I feel I have hit a wall mentally. I am 4 years out , NED and on tamoxifen. I feel lost, I don’t have anyone I talk to on a serious level about my cancer experience. I was out with friends last night and they jokingly said they were going to make an online dating profile for me. I laughed it off and said dating feels…
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Anxiety
would seeing a therapist who specialized in cancer survivors help me get rid of anxiety. Meds don’t work. It’s 6 years. I feel terrible all the time, like I’m dying. I’m not dying now, will someday but want to stop it. i wake up with anxiety bd, then exercise it gets a little better by evening it is much better. it’s very…
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Nowhere to go on Thanksgiving or Christmas. Suggestions?
Hello friends. I spent the holidays with a close friend for many years, but he is not well, very reclusive this year, so we aren't spending the holidays together. I really don't have a family per se. Life has been emotionally challenging from the very day of my diagnosis, and circumstances like this don't help. Does anyone…
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Im not on a "journey" and Im not a "warrior." Who is with me?
No offense to those of you who see this as such, but I do not. I feel like that symbolism is tantamount to a quest for enlightenment and that is bullshit. It's hard not to bristle when people without this diagnosis assume that's who I am now. I was never that kind of person before, and I don't see myself becoming that kind…