Tips for Transitioning from Active Treatment

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Moving_forward
Moving_forward Member Posts: 5
edited June 2014 in Stage III Breast Cancer

Dear Sisters,

Over the last 9 months I have gone through surgeries, chemo, & radiation will be completed in the next few weeks.  I will be starting either Tamoxifin or one of the aromatase inhibitors and then into the ongoing follow-up phase. Some days I wake up strong and feel great, then another day I have a more sluggish time getting myself going. I understand this transition can be harder than you would expect. I know am I am not the first to experience this...Please share what helped you get through this phase.

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  • starbeauty
    starbeauty Member Posts: 327
    edited May 2011

    moving forward... So glad you are almost done with the initial onslaught of medical treatment!!! I hit a wall after it was all done... I was depressed, filled with anxiety, sooooo exhausted, and emotional. the initial doses of Tamox may have caused some of it, but the transition was the other problem. what helped... Hate... Hate... Hate exercise,but it is working!!! I feel better and have maintained my weight on Tamox...just do about one hour per day of strength, bike and tread, but it really helps. Recently, found a thread on here of girls getting together in our area. One is from my town... Talking-to her helps me to let it go... Hear total understanding... And feel like at least one person on this planet that can give me real responses. Going to church lifts my spirit. Talking on this site helps me work through my issues and worries too.

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  • clariceak
    clariceak Member Posts: 752
    edited May 2011

    Be kind to yourself.  Remember recovery may take as long as treatment, a bit like pregnancy.  Also tamox may cause mood swings, aches and pains and you'll need to adjust to your new body.  I've found that exercise helps me feel like I'm still in active treatment, and is one of the best things you can do to help prevent recoccurance. 

    It's quite common to experience post traumatic stress syndrome after completion of treatment.  It's so helpful to post on this boards if you get hit with an unexpected meltdown.  We've all been there, and understand.

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  • Megadotz
    Megadotz Member Posts: 302
    edited May 2011

    Hi moving_forward,

    The tranistion out of active care is stressful -- it's going from having a team planning what's going on most day to "See Ya in six months" -- working without a net.

     The hospital  I went has a  multi-week support group program called facing forward that was for women transitioning out of active care,  It was run by a thereapist from cancercare.org -- they alos have on-line mail groups.  The  local wellness community group also runs groups like that.

    Communicating here is a big help too. It's kind of overwhelming  to be going from the "new-normal" of active treatment  where  there's lots of structure to the "new-new normal" of post treatment that lacks that structure.  My brother had a good laugh when I told him this child of the sixties missed the structure.

     It's not quite back to the  life before BC -- that genie's definitely out of the bottle, but it's not the same as treatment either.  It's one step at time,  trying to balance the accomplishment of completing the treatment and  remaining observent while not letting the fea of "what-ifs" get in the way.

     I hope this makes sense, if not -- I blame it all on chemo-brain ;->

    We all make it through the maze the best we can.  Communicating with others in the same situation gives us strength.

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  • Gitane
    Gitane Member Posts: 1,885
    edited May 2011

    Hi Moving_forward,  Welcome. It helped me to be super gentle to myself, give myself permission to learn to live this new life without any guilt or expectations.  The transition takes time, and we are changed.  Femara caused my body to hurt all over, it caused depression, it made me tired.  All of that while healing from the surgeries and chemo and learning to live with a cancer diagnosis.  I think talking to others who were going through this (as we do here on this site) would have helped me, but at the time I didn't do it. I did exercise, though, and swimming especially was helpful.

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  • AnacortesGirl
    AnacortesGirl Member Posts: 1,758
    edited May 2011

    Congratulations on making through a horrendous year!  I know that I didn't feel like celebrating when I finished my last surgery but in a quiet way it was a relief.  I made it to my goal and now I'm NED.

    I think the most helpful thing for me was these boards and finding out that I'm not alone in my new physical needs and my emotional thoughts.  I would encourage you to lurk and to post.  Take away the comments that radiate hope and give you emotional strength.

    But like Gitane said, you still have the physical side to address.  It will get better, your body will get stronger but it takes time.  I'm still in physical therapy for my shoulder but it has been a great barometer to see how much more range of motion I have and how the pain has decreased.

    We're all different.  I get great peace of mind looking at green things - trees, flowers, shrubs, moss.  It reminds me how life keeps going no matter what.

    Keep talking and letting those feelings out!

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  • bak94
    bak94 Member Posts: 1,846
    edited May 2011

    It is a tough phase. This is my second go aroind with a new primary, first time was 8 years ago. The first time, towards the end of treatment I joined Team Survivor. They have exercise groups, walks, runs, bicycing, dragonboating (at least in Seattle). I found it to be a healthy outlet with women that were in all stages of cancer and different types of cancer. The good thing was that the focus was NOT cancer. It was focusing about moving and living a healthy lifestyle. I don't remeber why I stopped going, think I got too busy with school and work, but plan to go back. I seem to remember all exercise classes and events were free.

    You also have to give yourself permission to rest when you are tired, I was and am triple neg so didn't have to deal with the hormone stuff, I know adds a different dimension to it.

    I worried obsessivley for many years about recurrence, probably up to about year 4 or 5, then I seemed to let go of cancer and didn't think of it as much, although I did think of it. If there is any way, by therapy or whatever, to reduce that time of worrying, I would look into it. This time I am in therapy now, and when I get done with treatments and hopefully before, I am really going to focus on living and making my life better, not sure how yet, but I am thinking of it. I am still looking for answers on how not to worry.

    With that all being said-congrats!!!!! You go have fun, take care of yourself! Enjoy a spa day once in awhile if that is your thing! Basically, spoil yourself, you deserve it!

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  • Moving_forward
    Moving_forward Member Posts: 5
    edited May 2011

    Thank you ladies for all the great suggestions.  I am in a wonderful support group where we have been there for one another almost from the beginning of this journey.   I also value the input of those who have taken this path before me... thus starting to use this site.  Please continue to share ideas and suggestions as they come up. 

    I am planning a a celebration for having completed treatment as it really feels like an accomplishment.  When I started I never imagined it would be a year, but here I am at 9 months and I am not finished yet.  My goal is to keep my head going in the right direction and minimize the worry.

    Thanks and Cheers to all.

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