I’m not excited about being in remission

 Timmo1958 

Thank you for reaching out to the Macmillan online community.

I am so sorry to hear that you have had metastatic lung cancer:  I can't imagine how difficult this must have been.  Of course it is good news that you are in remission, but, we understand that at times such as this, emotional recovery can take some time.

It is good to hear that you are talking to friends and family, but, if you feel talking to a stranger is a good option for you, please feel you can call the Support Line on 0808 808 0000 between 8am and 8pm on any day.

 Timmo1958 You may feel ready to get on with life after cancer treatment. But it is also common to have mixed feelings. You may have days when you feel anxious or uncertain about the future. Or you may feel less positive about your health. You may feel tired from dealing with your emotions.

Many people find it hard at first not meeting with their cancer team as often. It is important to remember that you can contact them if you need to.

The time after treatment is a period of change. You are finding out what is now normal for you. Some people call this their ‘new normal’. You need time to find out and adjust to what this means for you. You may be thinking about getting back to the things you did before treatment. For example, this could include:

going back to work or education
doing hobbies or exercise again
spending more time with family or friends.

Try not to expect too much of yourself too soon. Recovery is a gradual process and can have ups and downs. Some days you may feel better than others. You will need time to recover your physical strength.

You will also have to process what you have been through. Sometimes emotional recovery can take longer than physical recovery. But things should improve with time and the right support.

 Timmo1958 you may find these two booklets helpful Life after cancer treatment and Your feelings after cancer treatment  these links will offer you a downloadable PDF, but, if you wish to have a hard copy you may order them Here.

You can also talk to your GP about anything that is worrying you, or if you need more support. You could also visit a local cancer well-being and information centre.  Some cancer centres and organisations run short courses for people living with or after cancer. Your specialist nurse, cancer doctor or information centre may be able to give you information about courses in your area. One option is Help to Overcome Problems Effectively (HOPE) this is a course to help people after cancer treatment. It was developed by Hope for the Community and Macmillan Cancer Support. This course is run in small groups. It is free and takes place at different locations across the UK.

Macmillan also delivers an online HOPE programme, which is a 6-week self-management course based on an online platform. You can learn more and book onto an online HOPE course. 

 Timmo1958 as this is a public forum, you are very welcome to read the experiences of others in a similar situation.  Within our replies on this thread are a range of extra well being options.  We don't like to overwhelm people with options, but, here is a new one:  Odyssey this organisation helps patients living with, and recovering from cancer as it can be overwhelming.  This charity are here to help you make sense of it all and support you to rebuild your confidence and self esteem.  

You may also wish to chat to other patients in the same situation via our Life after cancer forum you may find sharing your experience with others helpful to understand you are not alone with your feelings of not wanting to "jump for joy"

 Timmo1958  I hope these suggestions are helpful, and please feel you can come back to us if you wish.

Best wishes