Dealing with emotions

I’m sorry you’re feeling rubbish. Yes I’m sure we can all relate to how you feel, and yes some days are just worse than others, especially during treatment because the support steroids fizz you up and dump you hard!! You don’t feel great, you can’t even enjoy your favourite foods, it’s hard to pep yourself up. Then you add on trying to stay positive, everyone telling you to stay positive and you just want to rip someone’s head off! Well I did anyhow!!

I think it’s important to acknowledge that yes, actually for the most part you do feel as positive as you can but actually you feel crap and hard done by for now and that’s ok too. Go for a walk (as long as you can manage) even better if you can go with a rare friend that you can be brutally honest with that won’t try and ‘there, there’ you. If not go alone, the fresh air helps. I had counselling every 3 weeks, I paid privately but Macmillan will give you a course of 6 I think, that helped me, I called the Macmillan line once and raged and raved at a magnificent nurse for an hour or so and that helped a lot!!!! And it’s immediate when you need it which counselling isn’t always. I love holidays so I researched what amazing holiday I would do afterward it was over, lots of internet time browsing nice places, that perked me up!  And I went, 10 months after chemo, 8 after the mastectomy and diep, Tanzania. 

I also started came in here, got support, started a thread about annoying things that people say which made us all laugh, whatever you can to get yourself through x

It’s ok to feel crap, this is crap x I hope you feel more ‘yourself’ soon xx

 Starting to avoid people because of the silly things they say!! 

I can’t believe it was started 2 years ago now. Time really does move differently when you go through what we do x

Hi. I think that's where complementary therapies come in to try and kick-start a healing emotional response when we're going through utter cuck! I am so grateful for these people, whose lives are connected to try and help us pick up the pieces when our lives are pulled apart. If we can look behind us and see a winning team who is corporately motivated to help us patients through these phases, then I think that helps us climb out of the hole we find ourselves at the bottom of. I can't do it on my own. I get that. It's impossible. I think I just need to learn to lean on these people ;) ... a little to the left.... up a little .... nothing like someone who can provide a winning oncological massage ;) 

www.macmillan.org.uk/.../cancer-and-complementary-therapies

It’s a tough gig which can make you feel so isolated.  Perhaps try to find a local group if there is one in your area where you meet for coffee/chats. My group is invaluable to me. Secondly, you need to go through those emotions, it’s what makes us human but try not to become overwhelmed by thinking about the future. We have the BEST care in the world, I believe, and there are cancer specialists like Macmillan navigators, who are accessible and there to help. You are not alone..that’s not a cliche, it’s a rotten fact! Wishing you the v best xxx

Thank you all for your kind replies, I have woken up this morning in a much better frame of mind. Having my first off day and I was expecting one. I’m only a month into my diagnosis and so much has happened in that short time so I would be worried for myself if I didn’t have some sort of emotional rollercoaster. I live in the middle of nowhere and am only 22 and finding people my age who I can relate to is difficult but I have an amazing support network around me!! 

You are young and I’m desperately sorry this has happened to you. Wishing you the best going forward xxx

There is a wealth of positive support & encouragement at your fingertips - on the end of a phone - at the press of a button - connected to a digital support network which puts you in touch with the right people - the people who work with Macmillan are a National Treasure & they are there for us through thick & thin, every time we need a friend. You'll find your nowhere, really is somewhere, when you connect with Macmillan ;) 

Glad you're in a better frame of mind today. It is indeed an emotional rollercoaster. If you Google 'breast cancer support for younger women UK' you should find a couple of groups (eg one run by Breast Cancer Now). I don't have experience of them (not being so young!) but you may find there are people there more your own age. Take care xx

I’ve just read the thread, did make me laugh,  so true. I’ve been going weekly to get my hair done since my op, my hairdresser is a cancer survivor who knows all the nonsense folks say.  Emojis are our pet hate!   I walk in the door, she does the strong arm and I do the middle finger .  Makes us both laugh.