Hi, I was diagnosed with bowel cancer last September. Had my surgery in November. The consultant originally advised me that I would have half my bowel removed and a stoma bag. Fortunately I didn't need a stoma bag as the tumor was cut away and my bowel was fixed back together.
I didn't need chemo as the cancer had not spread. I can't tell you how lucky and fortunate I am and thanking my lucky stars every day.
So why do I feel so depressed and emotional, anxious, afraid,is this normal, does anyone else feel the same. I do suffer with depression and anxiety, plus OCD which is not helping the situation. I'm feeling so guilty for feeling this way as I know there are a lot of people who are far more worse off than I am.
Hi Tobias and a very warm welcome to the online community which I hope you'll find is both an informative and supportive place to be.
That's great to hear that after surgery for your bowel cancer you have not needed any further treatment. However, as you've found, sometimes it can be difficult to pick up your 'normal' life again.
As the online community is divided up into different support groups, I'm going to recommend that you also join the bowel cancer group, as you'll then connect directly with others who have had the same type of cancer as you, and also the life after cancer group, which is for cancer survivors and people who have finished treatment to discuss things like the physical and emotional after effects of cancer, returning to work, or trying to move on with your life.
If you'd like to join either or both of these groups, just click on the links I've created which will take you directly to the group. Once you've joined you can then start a new post in the same way as you did here and join in with existing conversations by clicking on 'reply'.
It would be great if you could pop something about your diagnosis and treatment into your profile as it really helps others when replying to you and also when looking for someone on a similar pathway. It also means that you don't have to keep repeating yourself. To do this click on your username and then select 'Profile'. You can amend it at any time and if you're not sure what to write you can take a look at mine by clicking on my username.
x
"Never regret a day in your life, good days give you happiness, bad days give you experience"
