Hello

I know that feeling. Give yourself a couple of hours in the morning if you can, not being positive just doing what you feel like because it will pass. 

Thank you Jo100, I appreciate your response. I just want to live my life, and not be in an almost permanent state of panic.

HI LadyJayne     KEVIN here,      2.5 years post SCT  and doing good

first please  take time to tell your self how far you have come,     as we all know ,  its not an  easy journey,  but    you have done great to get to this point,

i remember   being " Anxious"  over   meds.   will it come back,   what   if things fail ?   all the  negative thoughts,  then  i   read  things on here,  the  positive support of family,     and also the    results from blood tests, and   "  yes "  you are still in Remmision!        We wish you well,    please   ask us anything  we can help you   Kevin

I was offered CBT by my oncology team. I was extremely anxious to the point I was trembling and crying. I’d declined their offer of counselling previously as, for me, it didn’t seem to work but CBT is different and it helped enormously. Really puts things into perspective.

Hi Kevin, thank you for responding. 
Your comments are appreciated and yes, that is exactly what I do. Dwell on the negatives. I will try and focus on how far I have progressed since diagnosis and tell myself there is a future and to make the most of each and every day.

I think initially you are caught up with treatments and adjusting to a new normal, it’s when things start to calm down that your mind goes into overdrive.

Jayne

Hello GW2

Thank you for your support.

i have now self referred myself for CBT, it’s definitely worth pursuing. 

Not sure how long wait I will have, but I’ve taken the first step.

Jayne

Going through a myeloma diagnosis, then treatment, an SCT, more treatment, then maintenance: it's damned tough. Physically and mentally.

A few suggestions from someone who has been through it (except the SCT)...

- CBT can be very helpful.

- I asked my consultant for a referral to a psychiatrist. A bit unusual in the UK, but many Americans swear by them.

- Exercise can really lift the spirits. Although it can be a huge challenge in the early days of maintenance, it helped for me (again, I recognise that I didn't have an SCT).

- Meditation. It helped me, especially in the early days when I was struggling to get over the diagnosis shock.

- Escapism. I often felt depressed in the evenings. Watching a comedy stand up on Youtube or some science fiction distracted me for just long enough to feel better.

There could be an extra reason for feeling a sense of panic. Lenalidomide can cause mood changes. I suspect that it caused my evening depression: it felt 'artificial'. This is not the most common recognised side effect, but it wouldn't surprise me if it is under reported.

All the best.

- 

Advice from Chat-GPT:

"Because this is a new symptom after starting a new medication, I'd recommend contacting your oncology or hematology team as soon as they're available. They may want to:
- Review your medications and timing.
- Check for other contributing factors, such as changes in blood counts or other treatment-related effects.
- Decide whether any changes to your treatment or additional support for the anxiety are appropriate."