Presurgery Nightmares

FaithsMama

Hi everyone,

I was diagnosed over a month ago with IDC. I have numerous tumors in one breast. I go in for a unilateral masectomy on May 18th.

Since getting my surgery date, I am having nightmares every night. Differing scenarios of people trying to murder me and I am trying to find ways and places to hide or escape.

Anyone else have these presurgery anxiety dreams

mustlovepoodles

I think a lot of us have probably had nightmares over this breast cancer experience. I don't put much stock in dream prediction. Dreaming is just how our minds work out our anxieties. Unfortunately, these dreams often call up our deepest fears--over and over again. Ugh!

If the nightmares are preventing you from getting good restful sleep, or are encroaching on your daytime activities, consider asking your doctor for medication. A lot of us here have used some Xanax or Ativan or Lexapro to get us through the worst of it. You don't have to suffer.

Egads007

I used to get nightmares of being chased by an evil entity pre & post surgery...gee, I wonder what that was all about LOL! They were bad/real enough to wake me up in a cold sweat.

parachutes

Hi SuiteLisa,

I'm a super vivid dreamer and had some of my worse nightmares before my UMX. I tried a few alternative treatments that I felt really made a difference. I had a reiki session that truly calmed my soul. I also started going to an acupuncture co-op. I now go for regular treatments and that has really helped my sleep. I also listen to a lot of Pema Chordon. My nightmares, panic attacks, were really causing me to actually fear going to sleep but I think going into my second surgery here real soon is a very different journey. Anyway, just throwing some alternatives out there. Good luck.

Missmariss

I think the anxiety of the surgery is totally normally, I am a month out from my surgery. But a week before my surgery I had crazy boob dreams, I dreamed I woke up from surgery with a long boob on my chest another night a boob was planted on my forehead etc , just crazy shit. By nature I am a strong woman and I don't have anxiety issues so I was surprised about my anxiety and these wacky dreams. Good luck with your surgery and you will be fine..

KCMC

SuiteLisa, I had a few nightmares before my surgery last year and was terribly frightened. I had a double mastectomy with immediate Diep Flap reconstruction. I spoke to my plastic surgeon about my fears and he said to me that I had more of a chance getting into a terrible car accident heading to my surgery than having complications during surgery. Like parachutes, I had a couple of Reiki sessions, I meditated, exercised and asked for a prescription of Klonopin.

Good Luck with your surgery, everything will work out fine. I am a year out from my surgery, almost finished my hercpetin/perjeta nfusion treatments and I am doing very well and happy!

FaithsMama

Thank you KCMC. I know my fears are unrealistic. I am even surprised how anxiety inducing the thought of the upcoming surgery is for me. I don't fear the cancer, it's the procedure! That's a great comparison with the car accident. Thank you for sharing your story. So happy you are doing well!

FaithsMama

MissMariss,  A month out and doing well! That is encouraging. Yes, my dreams are freaky! The last one I had a deformed woman, kinda like the one you described. She had no arms, her face and head were sort of like papermache. She had these drains sticking out of her sides. I was just balling in my sleep, thinking that's me! 

FaithsMama

Hi Parachutes, It's good to hear from someone who had a similar surgery. I am really doubting my decision and thinking I should have pushed for a dbl. Simply for the fear that I'll eventually need that breast taken out too. But, in the end, I think I made the right decision with my dr. 

I am a huge believer in alternative treatments. I'm not familiar with Pema Chorden. I'll look him/her up. Thank you for the suggestion. 

FaithsMama

Eegads,  Yea, I think they are anxiety dreams for sure. For me, I interpret the murderers, tracking me, as the cancer in my subconscious. 

FaithsMama

Thank you "Mustlovepoodles"   I do  have Xanax that I can use if need be. If the dreams become disruptive, which honestly they already are. Lol. But, if they become more disruptive, I"ll break out the meds. I hate to use them unless it's a last resort. Though good to know they are there when I need them. Cancer is anxiety inducing for anyone. Even so, this breast cancer, for whatever reason, is causing me so much more anxiety than I imagined it would. Likely because it's tied to so many more things about being  a woman, then overall health. I hope that makes sense. 

mustlovepoodles

SuiteLisa, I totally get it. I always had big breasts, even when I weighed 90-lbs. After having lumpectomy, re-excision, BMX, and finally a total hysterectomy I told my DH I felt like a boy! Having no reconstruction just confirms it.