Anxiety meds

Hi again Kat55 I just asked my wife about this, as you know I am the one with the incurable cancer but Fiona has had to navigate all the bumps and challenges over my 24 years journey.

Her GP offered her some meds but she refused to go down that route. We are both rather similar with a mindset that we totally know there are parts of the journey we can’t control and we can throw all the stress we can find at this and it will make no difference.

She has a few very close friends (not family) who are her ‘mind dump’ buddies, these friends are wives of men who have chronic health conditions (MS, Parkinson’s….) and they will often meet up and unpack stuff…… clear some of the stuff that clogs up the space between the ears.

Our amazing Specialist Cancer Nurse of many years is very blunt and honest and we do appreciate this and when it comes to the anxiety of the journey she told us…… The ‘cancer anxiety train’ is always sitting in the station....... but we can only get on it if we go to the ticket office and get a ticket....... don’t go in the queue and get a ticket…… go into another queue for something that you enjoy and that will distract you…… you can throw all the stress and anxiety you can must up at this but the only thing it will do is make your stress and anxiety worse and then you get sick”

She actually did not see anxiety meds as that helpful….. as you say, you are now stressing over the thought of taking them.

As you see my wife finds talking with people can help a lot…. have you a few friends that can be your mind dump buddies?……  do also check to see if you have any Local Macmillan Support in your area, do also check for a local Maggie's Centre as these folks are amazing.

((hugs))

Hi, I hear you Mike but I'm not winning the war despite my best efforts. I am living on adrenaline a lot of the time, no sooner I get my flight or fight calm its elevated again by something and im using my thoughts to then try and change what I'm thinking but its exhausting. I'm finding it incredibly lonely and I feel like a walking zombie.  I'm meditating, exercising etc but nothing seems to change my heightened state. I'm a mum so I still ha e to play that role as well.

Hi Kat55 

I was prescribed Sertraline for generalised anxiety/low mood just before I got my first cancer diagnosis. Once I was diagnosed, my gp suggested continuing with the medication to help me cope. My experience was a very positive one and I found myself much more able to deal with everything-it took the edge of my anxiety, and in fact greatly reduced it.I continued to take it for 18 months through my cancer recurrence up until I had surgery.

I did the usual self help things like mindfulness etc, but I saw this as another helpful tool in the box as it were. I had been finding it very difficult to live in a state of heightened anxiety all the time-it was exhausting, so I have no regrets about taking the medication. 

Sarah xx

Hi Sarah,

That is very useful to know and its exactly as i feel. Living with heightened anxiety all the time is exhausting. I actually took my increased dose and yes I felt more anxious taking it but much of what is going on is a physiological game but I do need to get to a manageable level. 

May I ask did it take long to start to feel better? 

Hi Kat55 

No..it actually didn’t take me long to start feeling better. I don’t know how much that was a psychological thing because I was now taking medication, and it does take some time to get into your system. It was quite a long time ago now, but within 2-3 weeks I was doing much better which was good as by that time I’d had my cancer diagnosis. I hope you do feel the benefit of feeling less anxious.

Sarah xx

I think my mother could do with anxiety meds but she’s worried it’ll make her sleepy. She needs to drive as my dad can’t anymore but she’s worried it’ll affect her driving. Does anyone know if it affects you this way?

Rwi

I myself never found it made me sleepy enough to the point it effected my driving. They normally do a slow introduction starting at a low level dose and adjusting up as necessary. 

Hi Kat55. Hope your medication is helping. My thoughts on medication are that if you have toothache you take a pain killer, if you have cancer you take what is offered. Anxiety is no different. Obviously keep doing what you do to help yourself but getting medication to assist is not only sensible but wise in my opinion . Good nights of sleep that recharge the body and mind should help. Take care