Counseling Support

[Saintgermain]

I was wondering what experience anyone has had with counseling? I’m coming up on a year NED, which I’m thankful for but have been experiencing increased anxiety symptoms. My cancer center offers up to 20 sessions free I start next week, I’ve never been before curious.

[DianaPrince_]

I say go for it.

Cancer is a mental journey not just a physical one.

I needed just as much mental support as I did physical treatment. Actually some of the physical treatment was traumatic enough I needed mental support after it...

CBT and talking therapy has really helped me deal with the anxiety and the spiral of negative thoughts that cancer brings with it.

Talking to someone about what I was going though, who's feeling I didn't have to consider, was a huge help. Because sometimes sharing my fears and worries with friends and family or people that don't have cancer was really hard. For me, it can feel like i'm burdening them. Or they try to 'fix' the feelings. Neither of those things help.

So having an objective listener, who can point out when it's anxiety talking and not reality can make a real difference.

It did for me.

[Saintgermain in reply to DianaPrince_]

Thank you for sharing your positive experience on counseling I agree sharing with Friends and Family has been difficult for me up until now I’ve kept my feelings to myself but with the increased level of aniexty I don’t think that’s working anymore.

[Katmal-UK]

Yes and it’s best thing. I had counselling at our local hospice when I had my first recurrence with a double whammy of my Dad being given a year to live with lung cancer. It’s so good, you can get all your feelings out, say anything, don’t hold back and the Counsellor helps you make sense of your feelings. Good luck, I hope you get to a better place xxKathy xx

[Saintgermain in reply to Katmal-UK]

I am so happy to hear all the positive experiences. What a double whammy you went thru the grief of loosing a Parent is one of the most difficult journeys I’ve been thru, coupled with a recurrence I am so glad to hear that it really helped you, recently a falling out with a 20 year Friendship was the catalyst for me scheduling counseling I very rarely talk about my OC journey, I recently ended a 20 year Friendship she was a good person but a bit needy and self-consumed told me that we could talk about anything under the sun when we chit-chat or go to lunch but nothing “medical” although a bit painful I have other Friends and am involved with my local OC support group. I think the counseling will be great, I’ll be able to come to terms and move on as best we can.

[ZenaJ]

I would definitely take up that offer. I think we all get very anxious. I know where I used to poo poo things that were wrong with me then it suddenly turned into every single little thing I had, I thought it was cancer. Not to mention the worry about recurrence.

Once my CA125's stopped at the end of hospital care my doctor offered a CA125 every 6 months to put my mind at rest. I'm waiting for a result now although not excepting it to show anything abnormal.

I think it's something that comes and goes depending on what other things are going on in your life. Even now, 9 years later, I still think about it and am not expecting that to go away. Things do improve as time passes so you will get there.

All the very best and keep us informed on your progress. Love Zena x

[Saintgermain]

Thanks for reaching out Zena,

As a new Survivor i so relate I obsess every ache and pain is something major or a recurrence.

There’s a Survivor in my group, 14 years out like yourself, tells me it gets easier but never entirely goes away. Please let me know how your CA125 test goes. I have to have another one in the upcoming week mine jumped from 8-13 my GP ordered a CT scan nothing showed up but inflammation in my small intestine, I don’t know if it could be the culprit, I had hernia repair surgery back in March got back to exercise recently a bit overzealous with the crunches attempting to get rid of the pouch was feeling vague pain where the mesh is I’ve since backed off the last few weeks in anticipation of this draw my GP had me follow up with a Gastro guy who I also see this week.

Thanks a bunch Zena!

[Realistic]

So many positive posts on here regarding your post Think its a great thing and good to get things off your chest. Sometimes a problem shared is a problem halfed and that can also get your deap down worries out in the open. Its difficult to cope with cancer at times. Always worrying if its started up again. I Always try to stay positive but it can be difficult sometimes putting a happy face especially if lm feeling scared so your definitely doing the right thing anything thst makes us feel better is ok with me. Hope it helps you. Lots of love ,& big hugs SheilaFxxx

[Ova3]

Dear Saintgermain, I’ve been in and out of therapy fo around 40 years. After the birth of my unplanned 3rd baby, I experienced a depression. I have taken most of the SSRI antidepressants at one time or another. Yes, it is very normal for you to be experiencing anxiety. You are NED. That is wonderful but you have a disease that very frequently recurred. I had 27 months of NED before recurrence. Right now you are wondering how long you will go. Counseling has been very helpful to me to come to peace with my feelings and things that have happened in my life. Besides professional counseling, I have many friends that I connect with when I need to. I was talking to a man who lost his first wife to breast cancer. He said it is particularly hard for men to come through grief. I asked him why. His answer was that women have a tribe, men don’t. It’s true that women talk to other women. I hope your counseling sessions are very helpful to you❤️

[Newbery3]

I had over the phone counselling with overcome, i found it really helpful 😌 lots of advice on how to handle things and feeling xxx

[delia2]

Like everyone else I encourage you to do the counseling. I got into a trial for dealing with fatigue from Olaparib that I used to help me with anxiety. I had zoom counseling once a week plus some exercises in between and it helped so much. I was really crippled by anxiety after finishing chemo for my first recurrence. Time has helped as well since I have now been on Olaparib for 29 months. My CA 125 is not a marker so I feel like I don’t have as much information as others do. But nowadays I have about 85% of my brain feeling confident about the future and only 15% obsessing about when I will recur. So I hope it helps you a lot! Xx

[Saintgermain in reply to delia2]

Hi Delia,

I am so grateful for all the support everyone has given me regarding my post. I am so happy you are 29 months out praying the fatigue has subsided a bit for you. I’ve never really experienced anxiety before I can imagine how crippling it is when you reoccur I’m glad I’m pushing ahead with support it’s not going away time to get some coping skills. Thanks a bunch!

[Itha]

Go for it! Counselling been great for me. I highly recommend to anyone. A safe place to just be and share every single feeling and worry, a place to be angry, a place to cry. And then tools to use...simple, practical tools. It was a lifesaver for me for sure

[Saintgermain in reply to Itha]

Thank you Itha,

Looking forward to it simple practical tools is good it’s time.

[OvacomeSupport Partner My Ovacome Team]

Hi there Saintgermain

Thank you for your post. I can see that several members of the forum community have shared their experiences with you, which I hope has been informative and helpful.

I just wanted to let you know about some other resources that may be of interest:

- ovacome.org.uk/blog/support... - This blog post contains more details about what counselling entails and the different types of talking therapies there are.

- ovacome.org.uk/coping-with-... - You can find our information booklet about coping with anxiety through this link. This page contains a recording of an Ovacome webinar with clinical psychologist Dr Jo Ashcroft, who discussed managing anxiety after treatment ends.

- macmillan.org.uk/cancer-inf... - Macmillan are currently offering 6 free counselling sessions, in partnership with BUPA, for those struggling emotionally because of a cancer diagnosis. This may be something to explore after the sessions at your cancer centre.

I hope you find the upcoming counselling sessions beneficial. Please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us if you would like to talk anything through. Although the Ovacome support team aren’t counsellors, we are here to listen and offer a safe space to talk through anything that may be on your mind. You can call us on ([phone], send us a message through this forum or email us via [e-mail], Monday – Friday, 10 – 5pm (U.K time).

Best wishes

Annie – Ovacome support