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Health crisis

ChrisBr
Community Member

Hi all

Im new here and not good at talking about my stuff. I am a breast cancer survivor of 10 years and for past 8 weeks have been experiencing major fatigue. This has sent me into a downward spiral of depression and anxiety. I can't sleep or eat and have become withdrawn. Dr has diagnosed virus but I don't think that's right. Petrified I have breast cancer recurrence. I am having anxiety attacks at 3am and very sleep deprived which doesn't help at all. My friends can see a big difference in me and are worried. I know talk therapy helps ease emotional pain so thought I'd give this a go

6 Replies 6

Sophie_M
Moderator
Moderator
Hi ChrisBr, 

We are so sorry that you have been feeling this way, it sounds like you are going through an awful lot right now with both your physical and mental health. It is an incredibly brave step to seek support and we want to thank you for having the courage to join us here on the forums. 

It can be amazing to talk to someone about how you are feeling and we think you would benefit from giving us a call at BeyonBlue on 1300 22 4636. The friendly counsellors are always ready to talk and can help point you in the direction of further support. You can also try Lifeline on 13 11 14 if you prefer - they are amazing as well 🙂

Thank you again for coming and sharing your story, please feel free to update us on how you are going if you feel comfortable. 

Kind regards, 
Sophie M

white knight
Community Champion
Community Champion

Hi, welcome

I can understand your worry. However, worry in itself can be a bad thing and effect your life to a worse state than you are in. Please read this, first post only.

https://www.beyondblue.org.au/get-support/online-forums/anxiety/worry-worry-worry

https://healthyfamilies.beyondblue.org.au/seeking-support/helping-yourself-and-others/online-forums/anxiety/worry-worry-worry-part-2

I hope you get the support you need. It's easier said to not worry than not, but maybe distraction is a way forward like a sport or hobby.

TonyWK

Sean_S
Community Member

Hey ChrisBr,

I'm so sorry you're going through that. I feel your pain. It's really not fun to have symptoms which mimic the cancer. It's so common for cancer survivors to experience dread in these moments.

I'm a survivor of stage 4 Hodgkin's lymphoma, and I've been in the place you're in many times. Early 2019 I started experiencing debilitating fatigue, weight loss because I wasn't eating, nausea and vomiting, dizziness, blurry vision and a flu-like feeling. I was absolutely convinced the cancer had returned, and my metal state plummeted, and my symptoms got worse and worse. It turns out I had developed vestibular migraines, and the symptoms were almost indistinguishable from the feeling of lymphoma.

There are so many things that could be contributing to how you're feeling. So, so many. It's really easy to mistake the plethora of symptoms: which are actually common to hundreds of conditions.

- Definitely get an appointment with a specialist if your concerns are growing, and you are not seeing any improvement in your condition. That is something within your control, and it is a sensible move.

One of the Stoics said "He who suffers before it is necessary suffers more than necessary". I try to follow that. Try to reserve panicking for when there is irrefutable evidence.

I'm here for you if need to talk about it more, and need someone to bounce ideas off.

Best wishes,

Sean

ChrisBr
Community Member

Hi Sean

Thank you so very much for your lovely message. It's good to talk to someone who knows how hellish it can all be. Loved the quote about suffering! It is so hard to break the cycle of depression and anxiety I am going through. I feel like I'm wading through a quagmire. I think if I didn't have the fatigue, I would be able to cope a lot better, but it's hard to see clearly if you are exhausted all the time and doctors can't give me an answer. And so, of course, the fear always returns. I'm always such an upbeat person who is optimistic, fun and busy - usually can cope with anything, resilient, but my whole personality has changed and I no longer want to see my friends and find it difficult to work for more than a couple of hours at a time. I wonder if this is my new normal! As I said, I really appreciate your reply and to hear your story and words of comfort, makes a huge difference. So thank you Sean.

ChrisBr
Community Member
Thanks Sophie_M. Appreciate your reply and recommendations. I have had some counselling, but until I have definitive answers, I feel like I will be in this situation 😞

Appreciate your reply white knight. Sport and hobbies are currently out of question. I sometimes feel like walking, but other times, too exhausted. Thanks for the links - I'll check them out. Chris