Depession / anxiety

Bella88

Hi girls...i am almost 8 months out from the reconstruction....mastectumy on the left and augmentation on the right....my anxiety started during the surgery and reconstruction but i was hoping it would pass after a few months...now i am going thru a very dark patch , depression/anxiety and sleeping only with Ambien CR for 5- 6 hours. My doctor has started me on anti-depressant but i have switched to two different ones already and now on the third try. Wondering if anyone out here are going thru the same thing? and any advice? i know it is a journey....but wow, it has been tough and it seems like the dark cloud has been staying for so long and it is so paralizing...

Bella88

 i meant depression ...a typo. don't know how to correct that lol

pipers_dream

Yes I"m there too and I'm 100% holistic and still have my breasts but I just feel so gloomy sometimes and like life is truly not worth living--this is a dangerous frame of mind for someone going holistic.   I did hire a counselor--a chaplain really and he's just someone to talk to and point in directions I might want to go.  I had a long talk with him over the phone last night and today I was much better focused at work.  He is very reasonable at $65/hr.  He has me journaling and then sending him the chapters.  By the time I finish it will be a book.  

So part of what I'm saying is that it may not just be from  you adjusting to your new body--I've heard that depression is one of the symptoms of cancer.  

farmerlucy

Bella - That dark cloud is paralyzing. Add not sleeping to that and it is even worse. robo47's suggestion about exercise is a good one. Nothing like a band of endorphins chasing away all the scary beasties in our mind.

I found talking one on one with  counselor really helped. I found one through the Stephen Ministry program at my church, Here is a link to their main page in St Louis. https://www.stephenministries.org/stephenministry...

Also Imerman Angels can get you set up with a cancer mentor - this is someone who has walked a similar path to what you are going through but they are farther along in their journey. Here is that link http://www.imermanangels.org/get-support/

Finally I have seen information about cancercare.org on these boards. Another member used them and they said they were very helpful. http://www.cancercare.org/

As far as I know these programs are all free of charge.

I hope things start to get better for you. Gentle hug,

FeDragonfly

Bella, I have depression and anxiety. Xanax worked for me but I to am someone that can easily become defendant and I did. So, needless to say I no longer take it. Prozac worked but then I started having horrible side effects. Currently I'm on Cymbalta but with this new dx of possible BC.... I'm afraid I'm going to need more help. I do yoga and meditation but I have to admit I'm so scared that I don't think anything is going to work. I'm a spiritual person and I pray and prayer works but one can not pray 24/7 and get "life" taken care of ..... It's easy for some ppl to say "just breath" ..... That doesn't work for someone that TRULY has issues with anxiety/depression. Find what works for you and do it. Hugs to you.

LJDH

Bella,

So sorry to hear about your depression/anxiety.

I think anxiety is just normal and there are alot of books written about breast cancer that explain what alot of women go through afterwards.  Anxiety is normal to some degree.  I would definately start walking daily if you are not incapacitated in anyway.

Exercise can decrease the stress, help you sleep, help to decrease the depression as long as it is ok with your doctor.