Steroids-Effect

FormerMember over 5 years ago

3 replies
26 subscribers
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my last post was a bit negative and unkind, so I apologize for that...Macmillan was a great source of support in a previous breast cancer

diagnosis. And also found great support from cancer support and all staff/ d's etc during that time.

I was just in a really low mood at the time. And just hit out ..once again I'm sorry.

So back to todays post..steroids and the effect they seem to be having on me.

So diagnosed with secondary breast cancer a few months back..cant remember…I have a mass behind my sternum/chest area. Which wasn't operable at the time of diagnosis..so straight for chemo therapy.

Cancer is also in my lymphatic system

I've had two rounds of chemo therapy. Carboplatin. Along with the horrible steroids.

First round fine...just a day of really bad chest pain and sensations in my face/face. left arm/pain/mild loss of feeling/numbness.felt like a mild stroke but wasn't. This ended me up in A&E for a few hours..checking everything was fine with my heart.

Round two. .not so good.. lol.

Ive just felt awful. fatigued ..taste affected, poor appetite. nausea ,pain build up in neck and left shoulder/arm...more fatigue ..poor sleep ..problems with vision...which happened first time , but settled a bit.

The chemo brain ..is it called..is horrible...no real soreness in mouth...just feels swollen dry. .horrible.

The steroids I take two twice a day a few days after chemo for three days...there soluble..yuk..

These are just the cherry on the cake to me ..for making me feel lousy..i think I read they help with the effects of fatigue? they don't work for me..as soon as ive taken them I feel awful..i hate them.

My question about the steroids is can they effect mood...like really low..negative moods..low motivation....suicidal?

Maybe its the collective impact of having the diagnosis..the treatments..the symptoms...and ive only had two rounds..last one got cancelled because of my symptoms/impact..for a whole week whoooo!

I live alone..dont see anyone that often..phone calls and messages mostly..so I feel a bit alone and trapped indoors and frightened at times.

I'm sorry about the typing..my vision is being a bit annoying...and I'm sorry I'm being a bit negative..i just haven't got it in me to be as positive and focused as I was when I first got the news ..i'm angry and pissed off and my emotions are all over the place and I feel like shit.

And breath.

Thanks for listening.

latchbrook over 5 years ago

I'm sorry to hear how you're feeling at them moment but being angry and feeling that your emotions are all over the place is perfectly normal. Having a cancer diagnosis is not something that any of us prepared for and it can take it's toll emotionally. You might find taking a look through this information from Macmillan on coping with your emotions gives you some help.

I can't help with you question about steroids as I've never taken them but replying to you will bump your post back to the top of the page where someone with the right experience might see it and be able to reply. I'm also going to 'tag' my fellow Community Champions and GRANNY59 into my reply as they look after this group and might be able to help you more than I can.

"Never regret a day in your life, good days give you happiness, bad days give you experience"

FormerMember over 5 years ago

Oh hunni! reading this I felt so sorry for you. My heart really goes out to you. Especially with those devil steroids! Mum used to have a meltdown after a few days of being off of them, just because all the frustration that had built up all came out when she was off them.

You are not alone through this, whether you live alone or not, you always have your Macmillan family. And in regards to those pesky steroids, speak to your Oncologist about the effects you're having. The sleep was such an issue for my mum, her oncologist prescribed a low dose of a sedative type medication to help her actually sleep, because she said she felt too tired to actually get out and do something, but not tired enough to sleep. So this made her more and more frustrated. I've learnt now shes got through her treatment, that she felt really low at times, just like you did, but she said she got through it all for me. Maybe you can focus on something, and see it as your reason to get through chemotherapy and the horrible symptoms that come alongside it?

The feelings you are feeling, you're probably right in saying that they're due to everything building up. Your diagnosis alone is a huge emotional rollercoaster, so the treatment and side effects and everything inbetween will all make you feel down. You are such a strong and amazing woman, for going through what you have done, and for what you're still going through.

You really never have to feel alone. I'm here for you, and I'm sure some other people will be along too that you'll get to meet. It may just be online, but we are here for you, no matter how you're feeling, whether you just want to vent, shout or cry about something. We are here for you. You also never have to apologise for being negative. Your experience with cancer and treatment is exactly that. 'Your' experience. No one can tell you how you can and must feel, or how you should be doing. Its each persons individual journey, and whatever happens along the way makes the person they are.

Please, whenever you are feeling low, or just want to talk to someone, you know where I am, and you know I'll always be here for you.

Lots of love, virtual hugs, healing, (and sleep, cos of those steroids!)

Alex xxxxxx

FormerMember over 5 years ago

Sorry to hear that you're having such a rough time at the moment.

I take prednisolone on a long term basis for the inflammation in my lungs, I've just read the instruction leaflet, and it says that all steroids can have major impact on mental health, including depression and thoughts of suicide, so the answer to your question is yes! Added to the whole impact of the diagnosis and treatment, your feeling are not unexpected.

It is really important that you tell your team about your feelings and the way you feel. It may be that they can put you onto a different steroids that may not have the same impact. I can't take doxamethasone, which is the one that they tend to use in chemo, as when I had it during FEC, it gave me horrible hallucinations. When I took it for my lungs when I was rediagnosed, it made my cough and shortness of breath twice as bad as it had been. Prednisolone is not as strong as Dex, but apart from weight gain (which is a complete pain in the bum, but better than the side effects of the dex), I tolerate it really well!

Good luck in your future treatment, but PLEASE tell you team how you're feeling!

Big hugs to you

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