End of chemo

Hi And80,

I know how you are feeling!  I finished my Chemo end of October and my Radiotherapy on 14 December and I feel lost.  I think it is the fact that all the ‘contact’ side of the treatment has ended and I was thinking to myself what now?  However I had a follow up call from the Radiographer just last week and,apparently, this can be quite normal.  Do you have a local Maggies Centre as they do a 7 week course called ‘Where now’ and I have been signed up for that.

I have now just started on the dreaded Letrozole for 5 years and wonder each day when the side effects are going to kick in!!  I also get infusions of  Zoledronic Acid every 6 months for 3 years with the 2nd one on Tuesday. Although Chemo and Radio are finished I’m In this for the long haul and if anyone tells me again that it is great your treatment is over, I’ll scream!!

Trying to ‘keep the chin up’.

Happy New Year and keep safe. Xxx

Hello Lizjohn,

Thank you for your message, ive looked at Maggies however I don’t have one close by but I have looked on breast cancer now and I can see they do a moving on course so I will have a look into that. 
I’m also going to have counselling I think, its such a mental battle I find, I can’t remember the old me! I hope that we both will find our way. 

Happy new year to you too & lots of love xxx 

Hi, I think it's quite usual to feel emotional at the end of treatment. Don't forget the lovely folks here at Macmillan are still on the end of the phone or the chat box when you need a bit if extra support.  Best of luck xx

Thank you Irishgirl, ive had a good cry tonight which has made me feel better, I think I have been so focused on getting through treatment that now it’s coming to an end my emotions & anxiety have hit me again. 

Xx

And80. Hello I had surgery followed by chemo and then radiotherapy.  I was anxious about the radiotherapy, every day for 15 days with travel.  Those 3 weeks went much quicker than the 5 months of chemo.  I only finished in November and it has brought on some arm stiffness.  Lizjohn I know how you feel having come through it.  I want to join one of the cancer groups, which to be honest, never had the time for during all the appointments.  I really want a people group and not on line.  No idea if that will be possible in this climate.  Best wishes to both of you. J xx

Hi there

I have completed chemo and radiotherapy on December too. It is overwhelming and scary. Macmillan in conjunction eith BUPA offer 6 free counselling sessions. You just need to get in touch with Macmillan so that they can refer you. 

I am going to do this so that I can talk about my fears for the future etc.

Best of luck

Wendy

The way I see it, the chemo and everything that goes with it, including the team there, is something we get used to as being part of our lives and part of our treatment, which we heavily rely on. When it stops, for whatever reason, it can feel.... well, imagine a table losing one of its four legs. It had become so much part of the "stability set up" that when it goes it can make us feel exactly as you are describing, even if the experience itself was as chemo can often be. It can take a little time to re-adjust and figure out the new "stability set up" that does not include the chemo team. If you think this is what is happening with you, then in the meantime it might help to look around and remind yourself of things that are indeed stable in your life, whether it is the sofa you are sitting on, the people you live with, your pet, the view out of your windows, anything at all.