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Oct 23, 2019 01:37PM
HikingLady
wrote:
runor What a very complete, candid and familiar description you have written. You've perfectly described the noise in our heads; that tinnitus of anxiety.
They should NOT have dropped the ball on your follow-up diagnostic screening. YIKES. I feel for you. I have lived through the worries that you describe.
It's not a gentle reality, living side by side with anxiety.
Based on what you're describing, I do think you should ask your PCP about how to get some help with the anxiety. Perhaps anti-anxiety meds? Anti-depressants? At least open the discussion?
The usual Healthy Choices menu is always out there for us to maintain good mental health: exercise, good nutrition, fill our days with good stuff to crowd out the inner fear and sad stuff, give, do, be engaged, etc..... However, if you're really being ruled by the inner voice of anxiety and fear, maybe there's some medical Rx help possible?
I have some dear and very close people in my life who suffer from debilitating anxiety and depression. The medications help balance things out for better functioning for them. With those meds, life has its colors back, and the dark tunnel recedes.
The truth is, we've all been put through a shell-shocking, traumatizing experience with this diagnosis, and it costs us in all kinds of ways. Our mental health is not something that our oncologists usually check on, so we have to watch out for it ourselves.
Keep us posted.
Dx
3/2003, IDC, Right, <1cm, Stage IA, 0/2 nodes, ER+, HER2-
Surgery
4/8/2003 Lumpectomy
Radiation Therapy
6/9/2003 3DCRT: Breast
Hormonal Therapy
8/7/2003 Tamoxifen pills (Nolvadex, Apo-Tamox, Tamofen, Tamone)
Dx
4/25/2018, IDC, Right, <1cm, Stage IIA, Grade 3, 0/2 nodes, ER+/PR-, HER2-
Surgery
5/22/2018 Lymph node removal: Right, Sentinel; Mastectomy: Left, Right; Prophylactic mastectomy: Left; Reconstruction (left): Tissue expander placement; Reconstruction (right): Tissue expander placement
Chemotherapy
6/25/2018 Cytoxan (cyclophosphamide), Taxotere (docetaxel)
Hormonal Therapy
11/6/2018 Arimidex (anastrozole)
Surgery
1/2/2019 Reconstruction (left): Silicone implant; Reconstruction (right): Silicone implant