Depression after treatment??

UltraRunnerGale

Hi all,

I finished radiation therapy two weeks ago. I didn't have a lot of side effects, but the ones I had really ruined my running. I was having elevated heart rate and when I stressed my body too much, I would get very ill while out on the trail.

I am now horribly depressed. Is this normal? I don't want to eat or do anything now. It's almost dinner time and all I've eaten all day is a cup of yogurt this morning. I'm not even drinking much. I'm usually a very upbeat, fun person. I don't even recognize myself now. Has anyone else had this happen to them????

doxie

UltraRunnerGale,

It looks to me that you have had a recurrence in the breast in which you earlier had a mastectomy.  This alone has to have been very distressful.  It isn't unexpected that you may feel depressed especially after finishing active treatment.  And I would expect that with a recurrence this might be more so likely.  

Rads can be exhausting and it takes several weeks after completing them to fully start healing.  I had blistering occur a week after finishing mine.  I couldn't jog until a couple weeks after treatment due to breast pain.  It seems to me that you may need to reduce your physical activity until your healing catches up.  It may take a couple of months to build back to your earlier activity, but you've had radiation and it severely stresses your body.  You've also had surgery and the shock of having a recurrence.  You will get back to your original level of activity.  While not nearly as active as you, I am more now than before dx.  

I suspect that you are being too hard on yourself.  Depression can occur because of the demands that one places on oneself are unrealistic.  I've suffered severe depression throughout my life because of this, always by situations out of my control.  Your recurrence of BC is a perfect example one not under your control.  It's a normal reaction.  

Please reach out to someone in your treatment team to help you with your depression.  This is really important if you continue to not being able to eat or drink.  Do you have friends to visit, do something with?  

We are here for you.

gonegirl

Yup. Been there. Done that. Took the pills.



It's actually pretty normal. They released a study months ago showing that a high percentage of women experience PTSD after treatment is over.



For me, I'm good at getting through the crisis, then I collapse.



I found a counselor and took anti depressants and am doing better.

farmerlucy

Ultrarunnergale - You can find the study link on the main pages of BCO. I, too, experienced PTSD after my diagnosis. I think one of the hardest things for me was to go from being extremely physically active mowing, using the chainsaw, doing all sorts of things on our property to not being able to do much of anything from the breast recon except to sit around and think about BC.



My primary care doc helped pulled me out by prescribing meds, and my Stephen Minister helped me as well. Time also made things better.



I'm here if you need me. I was in terrible shape just one year ago.