Dealing with Anxiety - share your experiences and tips

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Hello Emotional support forum members!

The Online Community Team is thinking about putting together a blog post that deals with the topic of anxiety. We're thinking of outlining some common triggers, as well as sharing some tips inspired by how others have successfully dealt with those feelings in the past. We'd love to include some of your tips and experiences.

If you feel like sharing, feel free to do so by replying to this thread. Here are some starter questions to get you thinking:

What triggered your anxiety? Were you waiting for scans? Test results? A procedure? Perhaps something completely unrelated to your diagnosis?
How would you describe your anxiety episode? Did it come on quickly, or slowly creep up on you? Was it just thoughts, or did it have a physical impact too?
What did you do about those negative feelings? Did you talk to someone? Try to distract yourself? Do something that always helped you to feel better?

We look forward to reading about your experiences.

Please don't forget that if you're struggling, you can always reach out to our Information and Support Team via the Macmillan Support Line. They're always ready to listen, even if you just need to tell someone how you're feeling.

For more information on getting in touch, please see our page linked below:

Getting Support - contacting the Macmillan Support Line

Squonk 3 months ago

I have just seen this. I was diagnosed with malignant melanoma a year ago, and have had many episodes of anxiety. I have learnt to control these in a number of ways.

The first, and I think the most important, is do not use Google or the Internet to look up your diagnosis. There is so much misinformation on there. My Oncologist recommended this site and one other, Melanoma Focus.

I am taking Dabrafenib and Trametinib for my cancer. Before I had cancer and taking this treatment, any aches and pains or unusual symtoms I never got anxiety. Now, I have become very focused on any symtems I might notice. The simple answer to alleviate anxiety building up is to contact my cancer team. I have also asked an expert on here, who give excellent advice.

An example is I noticed a new lesion on my leg. Before my melanoma I would have brushed this off as an insect bite or other minor problem. I immediately took a photo of the lesion and sent it by email to my cancer nurse. She invited me to visit and it was indeed an insect bite.

The one major recurrence of anxiety is the time surrounding my 3 monthly CT scan. No anxiety having the CT scan, as I've had several. It's the waiting time from the scan to my appointment with my Oncologist. This can take 4 plus weeks. So far, I've had good news each time; no cancer spread to major organs. I do have subcutaneous melanoma close to the original site, but the targeted cancer treatment is giving me an excellent response.

When I get good news, it's like someone lifting a heavy weight off my shoulders.

I also used to get anxious at the start of my targeted therapy due to potential side effects, but I don't anymore. I have excellent support from my cancer team. The few side effects I have endured ( swollen legs, cellulitis, blocked nasal passages, aches and pains ), have all been dealt with by my cancer team and GP.

I can't do much about the anxiety regarding the waiting time from CT scan to results, but I try to do activities to take my mind off.

There is an excellent NHS that deals with anxiety and how to treat and control it.

David

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