How do you cope with the fear that the cancer will come back?

I went through a mastectomy and reconstructive breast surgery. I couldn't live with the though of only having one breast. I am very happy with my decision, but even though everything is well on my outside, I am also still struggling with the fear. My husband and I have made a habit of talking about it and deal with it together. It makes me feel stronger to have his support. I hope you have someone close to you who can be your support. I can only hope that the fear will go away eventually, but it is also still quite new to me.

I had oesophageal cancer, had the op November 2013. I used to worry about it coming back but then I decided 'what's the point' I can't stop that happening and all the worry uses a lot of energy. I would rather put my energy to living in the now because worrying stops you enjoying the life you have. It is normal to worry  but just live for the now

Hello everyone, 

How are you? 

Do you every worry or have anxiety about your cancer coming back? How do you cope with this feeling? 
@Csharonmary‍ @Soledad‍ @Gaynor‍ @MrsBTaylor‍ @Pathr63‍ @Janetdoogie‍ @Folioc‍ @Shaz19561956‍ @Burgoyne‍ @Jan1959‍ @Bryanthemercman‍ @robert1908‍ @Dazzer65‍ @Sharpeshooter‍ @AlanPa‍ @Sara1965‍ @Sockboot90‍ 

Feel free to share with us here!

Take care,
Courtney

@Courtney_J This is something I struggle with almost daily. I know that it will come back, in fact I'm not even sure that it's completely gone. My lung cancer is pretty advanced, but I still and always have had that hope that I'd be able to fight it off. I try not to let it get to me, but it still creeps through and I don't really know how to stop it. I worry about it too much.

Have operation for cancer on small intestine all removed 2weeks ago still recovering from operation life changing time cancer am told is rare on the intestine not in it

Harry

Most of the time I don't think about cancer, but every now and again the thought 'what if ?' creeps into the front of my thoughts. This happens particularly just before hospital appointments or medication reviews. 

Recently I had a 12 monthly consultant appointment, conducted by telephone due to Covid restrictions. For a couple of weeks before my appointment, all those worries and concerns about recurrence led to more than a few sleepless nights. Being told by the Consultant that I'm at very, very high risk of a recurrence and as such I find that I'm now to take aromastase inhibitors for an additional 5 years. In an odd way, it's comforting to think that I've got another 5 years before I have to worry too much!

I think it's quite natural to have concerns and I don't suppose those concerns will ever entirely go away. For me, I try to recognise the concerns for what they are, have a wobble if I need to then move on.

I’m always scared it may come back, as I still have pain sometimes . I had colon cancer, removed  in 2017. After a year my consultant said I could have a reversal op. As the colostomy was extremely sore all the time and plenty of leakages, I thought this would be a really good idea, how wrong could I be 😖. Has the reversal 2018 and have had loo trouble ever since. The consultant said it would take a couple of years to sort itself out, but now in 2021 I’m still having accidents which I can’t control. I’ve restricted my diet so much, I hardly eat anything, and I have either constipation or uncontrollable humongous accidents. I’m afraid to go out, which I haven’t done , except for any dr or hospital appointments I have for other things. So lockdown hasn’t come hard to me at all, in fact I’m afraid for when the lockdown is lifted, and my husband might expect me to go out and about again, he hasn’t been at all supportive throughout this horrid ordeal and just says it’s ruining his life! He moved into another bedroom when I had the colostomy because he didn’t like it, although he never actually had to see it, and he’s stayed in the other room now.  He’s fed up with me, and I’m fed up with myself, and don’t knew quite where to turn to. I can’t badger my son and daughter all the time, although they are supportive but both live miles  away, I don’t feel I can badger them all the time. Sorry to go on , but I am scared every day what’s happening to me. My colorectal nurse is useless and says it doesn’t matter about the loo as I’m staying in all the time! But I would love to be able to even at least go for a walk with our dog, as my husband does every day. 

Sorry again for my babbling on.

Sue

Sue,

What you're going through sounds really horrendous and you shouldn't have to put up with poor treatment. If it were me I'd start badgering the Consultant to put things right. A letter to your MP if the hospital won't step up and from there local/national press.

Good luck, hope it works out for you x

I had tongue 👅 cancer in 2017. Doctors removed part of the right side of my tongue 👅 and did sentinel lymph node biopsy at same time. I was lucky not to have radiation or chemo. The biopsy results came back negative which was a relief.

There's always the fear of it returning but I cannot let that rule my life. I have a swollen gland on right side of neck. My consultant thinks there's nothing to worry about but will get an appointment for me to have an ultrasound scan just to be on the safe side. 

I have a little bit of a different perspective I guess since I'm a loved one and not a patient, but it's something that's always at the back of my mind too. I know it obviously must be worst for my husband since he's the one it happened to, but sometimes I still have nightmares about it. I try not to let it show, but I go into his consultant appointments with a knot in my stomach every time.