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i received a breast cancer diagnosis and am wondering how long will this overwhelming feeling continue.?
Question : i received a breast cancer diagnosis and am wondering how long will this overwhelming feeling continue.?
Is it normal to cry all the time after getting a breast cancer diagnosis, have already had lumpectomy and lymph node removal, will be getting port on wednesday and starting chemo on friday. already know that i will lose all my waist length hair, worried about being able to work and just cry sometimes for no reason, why do i do this, is it normal
breast cancer diagnosis
Best answer:
Answer by mrpaintr2u
yes it is, my wife did about the same thing, it’s a big shock. she’s an 8 yr. survivor now so hang in there,, it’s always darkest before the dawn
ps the hair will grow back
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#3 written by lo_mcg 1 year ago
Yes it is completely normal. I know just how you feel.
I cried almost without without stopping for a month after my breast cancer diagnosis; I cried as they wheeled me into the operating theatre. And I continued to cry a lot for some time, often for what seemed to others no apparent reason.
You are not crying for no reason; you have had a huge shock, you have had surgery and are about to start a gruelling course of treatment. You are living with the uncertainty of a life-threatening illness. I think crying in response to all this is more normal than not crying.
Please don’t worry about the ‘positive attitude’ stuff; your emotions and the way you handle cancer have no effect on its progress. I was miserable and grouchy for much of that first year, sometimes feeling guilty because I couldn’t feel as positive as everyone was urging me to be; and I’m fit and well almost 5 years after diagnosis with stage 3 grade 3 breast cancer.
About your hair – I know this is hard, I had long hair too (not as long as yours though!), but it will really help to cut it very short before it starts to come out. When it’s about to fall, the scalp becomes tender and sore; the shorter the hair, the less the discomfort. Shaving your head when your hair starts to fall out helps too, because your falling hair gets everywhere – in your food, on your carpets and furniture, in your mouth, on your clothing – everywhere.
And it will grow back. I have long hair again now, and being bald feels like something that happened to someone else.
My best wishes for your treatment.
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#4 written by Verite R 1 year ago
Of course it is normal – but you must realise that doctors will tell you that those that fight it usually get better quicker. So once you have had a really good cry, start thinking about what you are going to do IF your hair falls out (it may not) what type of bandanna/hat/headscarf looks best on you.
Find a good hairdresser who can cut any wig you are given to your shape.
And look at HAVING FUN AFTER CANCER http://www.after-cancer.com there really are some lovely therapies we are given, make a wish list of the skin products you would like (our skin does suffer I am afraid) and read it because when doctors are too busy to help much with side effects, trawl through for some of the nice therapies mentioned – all approved by FDA, clinical trials, cancer charities etc.
Good luck – and it does end!
Verite R
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A diagnosis of cancer usually results in the patient going through the same “5 stages of grief” people typically go through when someone close to them dies:
Denial (this isn’t happening to me!)
Anger (why is this happening to me?)
Bargaining (I promise I’ll be a better person if…)
Depression (I don’t care anymore)
Acceptance (I’m ready for whatever comes)
So don’t feel guilty for passing through each of these stages, just try to get to the fifth one as fast as you can! “Cancer” is a horrible word and a horrible thing to be told you have, but the good news is that you have about a 95% chance of being just fine if you follow your oncologist’s advise…cancer of the breast is particularly treatable, even “curable” these days, be happy you weren’t born 50 years sooner!
Arm yourself with all the sound scientific information you can, and steer clear of anything that has the word “testimonials” in it & any claims of “miracle cures”, there are no miracle cures!
Best wishes, and go ahead and cry if you want to, cancer sucks!
(You may not lose your hair during chemo, not everybody does…I didn’t! But then I didn’t have much to begin with, hence the hat!)